An Improved Apparatus for Washing and Cleansing Grain and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Washing and Cleansing Grain and
the like.
I, ERNST AUGUST WEINHOLD, of Louvain, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Master-miller do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an apparatus, by means of which the grain or similar
material may be washed as well as freed from all those parts the specific gravity of
which is otherwise, i.e. higher or lower than that of the sound grain or the like.
I obtain the desired result by exposing the grain to the action of a circuit of slowly
flowing water, the velocity of which is such a one, that those particles, which are
too heavy cannot be moved away by the water. The other particles i.e. those of
the right weight as well as those of too low a weight are moved away by the water,
and are transported into a vessel within which a separation takes place, in that the
sound grain sinks down upon an inclined bottom, whilst the other grain is led over
into another compartment for undergoing another separation.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, a designates a frame holding a vat b, the
bottom of which is sloping. Said bottom supports a funnel-like vessel c, the lower
opening of which is closed by the shorter, and sufficiently broadened arm d of
a double-lever d d' fulcrumed at d³ to a bracket e. The other arm d¹ of said lever
is furnished with a weight d², by means of which a piece of rubber, leather or the
like attached to arm d is pressed upon the opening of funnel c.
Within the upper opening of said funnel is arranged a circular trough f
consisting of an outer inclined wall and an inner vertical wall. The latter carries
a hollow casting 9 having the shape of a truncated cone. The small top-plate of
the latter is provided with a vertical rod h carrying by means of its upper end a
hopper i, the lower cylindrical portion of which is screw-threaded, and is
encompassed by a short piece of tube k. The latter carries an inverted hopper/
surmounting the cone g before mentioned. The intermediate space between the
parts g and may be decreased or increased by screwing the piece of tube k down
or up along the threaded end-portion of hopper i.
Hopper is the feed-hopper of the apparatus. The grain passing from i to / is
uniformly distributed over, and by, the cone g, and is gliding down into the circular
trough. The latter is in its bottom provided with some apertures m, through
which a communication between the trough and the funnel c is established.
Funnel c is kept filled with water by means of the pipe n.
The water enters the
trough through the apertures m; the latter are preferably more or less inclined
in the direction of the channel of the trough, so that the water is caused to circulate
within said trough. The feed of the water, and the inclination of the said
apertures m are chosen so, that the velocity of the water within the trough is such
a one, that those particles of grain having too great a specific gravity cannot be
transported by the moving or circulating water, i.e. cannot be caused to flow over,
together with the water, into the vat b. The said particles are transported to the
next aperture m only, and will then fall down into the funnel c, in the lower portion
of which they will collect.
From time to time the lever-arm d¹ is raised, so as to free the lower opening of
the funnel from arm d, and allow the particles collected to leave the funnel.
The specific gravity of the sound grain washed into the vat 6 by the water flowing

page_text: out of the trough f is a little higher than that of the water, and said grain will
therefore sink down upon the sloping bottom of the vat, and will escape out of the
same through the gutter o, together with as much water as allowed by the position
of the adjustable slide-valve p.. The latter may be operated by the rod and is in
any case adjusted so, that the quantity of water flowing out of the funnel through
said gutter o is somewhat less than that of the water entering the funnel through
pipe n.
The excess of the water flows through two nozzles r into a second vat s, the
bottom of which is likewise sloping. Said second vat is connected with gutter o by
a short piece of tube t, which also may be opened or closed by a slide-valve u
operated by a rod v. The water flowing into vat s takes with it that grain which
has been swimming upon the surface of the water contained within vat b. That
part of this grain which is tolerably sound will slowly sink down upon the sloping
bottom of vats, and will flow away through the piece of tube t into the gutter o.
The remaining part of the grain is unsound, and will flow off together with the
excess of water through the waste-pipe w. The slide-valve u is adjusted in such a
way, that the height of the water within vat s is kept on a level with the waste-
pipe w. The sound grain contained in vat s is prevented from flowing away through
pipe w by means of a cross-plate x.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with a trough forming a circuit and with a grain supply adapted to lead the grain
or the like into said trough, of a water-supply communicating with the trough, and
of means for regulating the velocity of the water circulating within and through
the said trough, for the purpose as described.
2. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with a circular or annular trough, and with an adjustable grain-supply arranged
above said trough, and adapted to lead the grain or the like into the latter, of
a water supply communicating with the trough; the water circulating within and
through the said trough being kept in such a velocity, that particles of a higher
than the normal specific gravity cannot be washed away by said water, for the
purpose as described.
3. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with an annular trough arranged above a funnel or similar vessel, and with a grain-
supply arranged above said trough, and adapted to lend the grain or the like into
the latter, of a water supply terminating into said funnel or similar vessel; the
latter communicating with the trough by apertures arranged in the bottom of the
latter in such a way, that the water may circulate within and through the said
trough, for the purpose as described.
In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with an annular trough arranged above a funnel or similar vessel, and with a
grain-supply arranged above said trough, and adapted to lead the grain or the like
into the latter, of a water-supply terminating into said funnel, and of a vat
surrounding, or enclosing, the latter; said trough having bottom-apertures adapted
to let pass the water from the funnel into the trough, and to let pass that grain
having too high a specific gravity from the trough into the funnel; said vat being
adapted to receive the mixture of grain and water flowing over the rim of the
trough, for the purpose as described.
5. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with an annular trough arranged above a funnel or similar vessel, and with a
grain-supply arranged above said trough, and adapted to lead the grain or the like,
into the latter, of a water-supply terminating into said funnel, and of a vat having
a sloping bottom, and a conveying pipe or gutter extending from the lowest of
the same; said vat being adapted to receive the mixture of grain and water flowing
part

page_text: over the rim of the trough, and being connected at its top with another vat, for the
purpose as described.
6. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with an annular trough arranged above a funnel or similar vessel, and with a
grain-supply arranged above said trough, and adapted to lead the grain or the like
into the latter, of a water-supply terminating into said funnel, and of a vat having
a sloping bottom, and a conveying pipe or gutter extending from, the lowest part of
the same; said vat being adapted to receive the mixture of grain and water flowing
over the rim of the trough, and being connected at its top with another vat having
also a sloping bottom, and a conveying-pipe or gutter extending from the lowest
part of the same, said latter pipe terminating into the conveying-pipe of the first
vat, for the purpose as described.
7. In an apparatus for washing and cleansing grain and the like, the combination
with an annular trough farranged above a funnel c, and with an adjustable grain-
supply i kl arranged above said trough, and adapted to lead the grain or the like
into the latter, of a water-supply n terminating into said funnel, and of a vat b
surrounding or enclosing the latter; said trough having bottom-apertures m adapted
to let pass the water from the funnel into the trough, and to let pass that grain
having too high a specific gravity from the trough into the funnel; said vat having
a sloping bottom, and a conveying-pipe or gutter o extending from the lowest part
of the same; the top of said vat being connected with another vat s having also a
sloping bottom, and a conveying-pipe or gutter t extending from the lowest part of
the same; both said pipes having adjustable valves p and u; said second vat having
a waste-opening w, and a cross-board æ, for the purpose as described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1894.
ERNST AUGUST WEINHOLD,
By Geo. Thos. Hyde,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.