IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN DRESSING AND WINNOWING MACHINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Boby, of Bury St. Edmunds, Machinist, and
Thomas Cooper Bridgman, both of the same Borough, in the County of
Suffolk, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN DRESSING
AND WINNOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 28th August 1855, and dated the 3rd March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Boby and Thomas
Cooper Bridgman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd March 1855.
We, ROBERT BOBY, of Bury St. Edmunds, Machinist, and THOMAS COOPER
BRIDGMAN, both of the same Borough, in the County of Suffolk, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CORN DRESSING AND WINNOWING MACHINES" to be as follows :-
Our said improvements refer to the addition of a board or plate to the shoe
or riddle box of winnowing machines; to a peculiar construction of screen,
which clears itself without allowing the refuse to escape; to an arrangement of
spindle for applying the driving winch on either side of the machine, and to a
novel construction of metal driving strap or chain band.
The board or plate we place obliquely in the shoe or riddle box directly
before the blower, thereby dividing the corn, while the dross or refuse is more
readily blown out, and it also returns the corn to the back part of the riddle
placed under it.
To form an improved screen, we prepare a metal frame sufficiently long and
broad, fixing across it at convenient distances metal supports, which are cut or
punched at proper distances to receive wires of suitable thickness, leaving a

page_text: space between each, according to the required quality. The wires are placed
in the cut spaces parallel to each other, and the studs of metal left by the
cutting or punching are rivetted on the wires; or we sometimes use solder to
fix the wires, which makes the screen true, dispensing with wire to bind each
parallel wire separately. The screen is next fixed into a distinct frame, across
which are secured bars or rods of metal, or other suitable material, and they
must exactly intersect the divisions of the screen when at rest. Upon these
cross bars are placed pins, collars, or other like fastenings, at distances corre-
sponding with the spaces between the wires forming the screen, so as to pass
between and above each wire, so far as may be desirable.
The position of our improved spindle, on which the driving wheel is placed,
being behind the blower, enables us to pass it through the machine without
interference with its working, so that the operator can attach the turning winch
on either side of the machine.
Our improved driving band or strap consists of a flat or other endless metal
chain, having joints corresponding with notches or pins on the surface of the
drums or wheels. Each link may have one or more hollows, pins, ribs, or the
like to take into or upon reverse arrangements on the drums to be worked
thereby
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Boby and Thomas Cooper Bridgman in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
BOBY, of Bury St. Edmunds, Machinist, and THOMAS COOPER BRIDGMAN, both
of the same Borough, in the County of Suffolk, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Robert Boby and Thomas Cooper Bridgman, Her special licence that
we, the said Robert Boby and Thomas Cooper Bridgman, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Boby
and Thomas Cooper Bridgman, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN DRESSING AND WINNOWING MACHINES," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that we, the said Robert Boby and Thomas Cooper
Bridgman, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Boby & Thomas Cooper
Bridgman, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our said improvements refer to the addition of a board or plate to the shoe
or riddle of corn dressing and winnowing machines; also to a peculiar con-
struction of screen for the same, which clears itself without allowing the refuse
to escape; and likewise to an arrangement of spindle for applying the driving
winch on either side of the machine, and to the application of a metal strap
or chain band.
And for the better understanding of our said Invention, we will now proceed
to describe the several details thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, in which the same letters apply to like parts throughout.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a winnowing machine riddle box
with my improvement of a blower board; Figure 2 is a plan of the screen;
Figure 3 is a side section of the screen; and Figure 4 is a side view of one
end of a cross bar F, full size.
A is the riddle box; B, the blower board; C, the spout for discharging dirt
and refuse; D, the screen; E, E, E, rods for collars; F, F, F, cross bars; F¹,
full size section of a cross bar; D', section of the screen, with e, e, e, collars, or
the like, as applied to the frame. a, b, c, d, are riddles; b, intersecting the
blower board, is employed for the second dressing of wheat, containing many
"whites" or "chobs," and the blower board B, not being then required, is to
be removed.
We would here observe that the board or plate we place obliquely in the
shoe or riddle box directly before the blower, thereby dividing the corn while
the dross or refuse is more readily blown out, and it also returns the corn or seed
to the back part of the riddle placed under it. The riddle box we make deeper
than usual, the better to apply the board in continuation of the blower obliquely
under the top riddle. To form our improved horizontal wire screen, we pre-

page_text: pare a metal frame sufficiently long and broad, fixing across it at convenient
distances metal supports, which are cut or punched at proper distances to
receive wires of suitable thickness, leaving a space between each, according
to the required quality. The wires are placed in the cut spaces parallel to
each other, and the studs of metal left by the cutting or punching are rivetted
on the wires; or we sometimes use solder to fix the wires, which makes the
screen true, dispensing with wire to bind each parallel wire separately. The
screen is next fixed into a distinct frame, across which are screwed bars or
rods of metal, or other suitable material, and, they must exactly intersect the
divisions of the screen when at rest. Upon these cross bars are placed pins,
collars, or other like arrangements, at distances corresponding with the spaces
between the wires forming the screen, so as to pass between and above each
wire, as far as may be desirable, they serving to give the grain or seed a longi-
tudinal direction, as well as to keep the spaces between the wires free from
choking. The screen is worked backwards and forwards by. means of a crank
and fly wheel connected with the turning winch. The position of our improved
spindle, on which the driving wheel is placed, is behind the blower, and there-
fore enables us to pass it through the machine without interferance with the
working thereof, so that the operator can attach the turning winch on either
side of the machine. And as regards our improved driving band or strap, it
consists of a flat or other endless chain, having joints corresponding with
notches or with pins on the surfaces of the drums or wheels. Each link may
have one or more hollows, pins, ribs, or the like to take into or upon reverse
formations on the drums to be worked thereby.
Having thus fully described the several parts of our said Invention, we
desire it to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to any precise form,
dimensions, or materials, so long as the object of our said improvements is
obtained by modifications thereof; and we do declare that what we claim as
our Invention is, namely, the several improvements in corn dressing and win-
nowing machines as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Boby and Thomas Cooper
Bridgman, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first
day of August, in the year of our Lord 1855.
ROBERT BUBY.
(L.S.)
THOMAS COOPER BRIDGMAN. (L.s.)