IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN DRESSING, SCREENING, AND SEPARATING GRAIN, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Thomas Poyser, of Burton-on-Trent, in the
County of Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN DRESSING, SCREENING, AND SEPARATING GRAIN,
AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd February 1867, and dated the 24th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Thomas Poyser at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1866.
I, JOSIAH THOMAS POYSER, of Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN DRESSING, SCREENING, AND SEPARATING
GRAIN, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Heretofore when grain, and especially the grain of barley, has been
thrashed by machinery, there has been frequently found a large quantity of
broken or damaged corn which renders the sample unsuited either for
malting or for seed purposes.
Now my Invention has partly for object to obviate this difficulty by
separating the broken or half corns of grain, together with the lighter
descriptions thereof, from the whole corns of grain, and to separate also other
matters therefrom, as beans, peas, stones, seeds, and other substances in such
manner that the malster or farmer may at once and without the trouble and
cost of redressing dispose of the light, broken, or damaged corns of grain and
other refuse matter, thus saving time and labour.

page_text: My Invention is well adapted for the dressing of wheat and rye, and for
separating them from tares and oats, and also for the dressing of various other
kinds of seeds, and separating from each of them any admixture of other
descriptions of seeds, thereby rendering them better suited to the varied
requirements of the farmer and the merchant.
My Invention is also applicable to the dressing, screening, and separating
of rice, tea, and other similar articles.
The machinery or apparatus which I employ for carrying out the purposes
before mentioned is constructed as follows:-The case or framing of the
machine or apparatus is made so as to be readily taken to pieces for con-
venience of packing, and its sides form bearings for parts of the machine, or
bearings may be secured to it. The machine is moveable from place to place
at pleasure; it is provided with a hopper on its upper side. The supply of
grain from the hopper is regulated by the attendant by means of a rack and
quadrant on the back of the hopper, or by other equivalent contrivance. The
grain falls on to a perforated plate having transverse bars or rollers on the
upper side thereof; the beans, peas, and seeds, and also stones and other
refuse pass over this plate on to a second plate of similar construction; the
grain or a portion thereof separated from the beans, peas, and seeds, with
the stones and other refuse which have passed over the two plates before men-
tioned are now deposited on to an inclined and perforated spout or shoot
which further separates the grain if any should have been carried so far. The
beans, peas, and seeds, with the stones and other refuse passing down the
spout or shoot, are deposited in a box, bag, or other receptacle provided for
that purpose. The grain falling upon the perforated plate first mentioned
will pass through its perforations on to a plate having no perforations, and
pass down or over the same; the grain is then deposited on to a third per-
forated plate, also having transverse bars or rollers. During the passage of the
grain over this last-mentioned plate the broken and damaged grain will pass
through the perforations on to another perforated plate, and if any good grain
should have found its way through the same it is separated and carried on to
a yet lower perforated plate; the broken, light; or damaged grain will then
fall on to another perforated plate and be further separated from the good
grain. Spouts, shoots, bags, or other receptacles are placed in convenient
positions to receive the good grain, and also the broken, light, and damaged
grain, with stones and other refuse. One or more of the perforated plates
has or have a longitudinal and also a transverse motion communicated to it
or them by means of hinged rods, or by means of a rod provided with a crank
or cranks on a shaft furnished with a fly wheel, and with a handle or pulleys

page_text: for a belt, or with other ordinary appliances for transmitting motion from any
prime mover, and upon the fly wheel shaft are toothed wheels for communi-
cating motion to a fan or blower for separating dust, smut, or other refuse
from the good grain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah Thomas Poyser in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
THOMAS POYSER, of Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Пer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Josiah Thomas Poyser, Her special licence that I, the said Josial
Thomas Poyser, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Josiah Thomas Poyser, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
DRESSING, SCREENING, AND SEPARATING GRAIN, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Josiah Thomas Poyser,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 I, the said Josiah Thomas Poyser, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the saine
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
:
Heretofore when grain, and. especially the grain of barley, has been thrashed

page_text: by machinery there has been frequently found a large quantity of broken or
damaged corn, which renders the sample unsuited either for malting or for
seed purposes.
Now my Invention has for one of its objects to obviate this difficulty by
separating the broken or half corn of grain, together with the lighter descrip-
tions thereof from the whole corn of grain, and to separate also other substances
therefrom as beans, peas, stones, seeds, and other grains and substances in
such manner that the malster or farmer may at once, and without the trouble
and cost of redressing, dispose of the light, broken, or damaged corn of grain
and refuse matter, thus saving time and labour.
My Invention is well adapted for the dressing of wheat and rye, and for
separating them from tares and oats; and also for dressing of various other
kinds of seeds, and separating from each of them any admixture of other
descriptions of seeds, thereby rendering them better suited to the varied
requirements of the farmer and the merchant. .
My Invention is also applicable to the dressing, screening, and separating
of rice, tea, and other similar articles.
The machinery or apparatus which I employ for carrying out the purposes.
before-mentioned is constructed as follows:-The case or framing of the
machine or apparatus is made so as to be readily taken to pieces for convenience
of packing, and its sides form bearings for parts of the machinery, or bearings
may be secured to it. The machine is provided with a hopper on its upper
side, and the hopper is so constructed as to be moveable at pleasure. The
supply of grain from the hopper is regulated by the attendant by means of a
rack and quadrant on the back of the hopper, or by equivalent contrivances,
the grain falls on to a perforated plate having transverse bars or rollers on the
upper side thereof; the beans, peas, and seeds, and also stones and other refuse
pass over this plate on to a second plate of similar construction, the grain or a
portion thereof being separated from the beans, peas, and seeds with the stones
and other refuse, which have passed over the two plates before-mentioned
are now deposited on to an inclined and perforated spout or shoot, which will
further separate the grain if any should have been carried so far; the beans,
peas, and seeds, with the stones and other refuse passing down the spout or
shoot are deposited in a box, bag, or other receptacle provided for that
purpose. The grain falling upon the perforated plate first mentioned will pass
through its perforations on to a plate having no perforations and pass down or
over the same; the grain is then deposited on to a third perforated plate also
having transverse bars or rollers. During the passage of the grain over this
last-mentioned plate the broken and damaged grain will pass through the per-

page_text: forations on to another perforated plate, and if any good grain should have
found its way through the same it is separated and carried on to a yet lower
perforated plate, the broken, light, or damaged grain will then fall on to
another perforated plate and be further separated from the good grain.
Spouts, shoots, bags, or other receptacles are placed in suitable and con-
venient positions to receive the good grains, and also the broken, light, and
damaged grain with stones and other refuse. One or more of the perforated
plates has or have a longitudinal and also a transverse motion communicated
to it or them by means of hinged rods, or by means of a rod provided with
a crank or cranks on a shaft furnished with a fly wheel, and with a handle
or pulleys for a belt, or with other ordinary appliances for transmitting motion
from any prime mover. And upon the fly wheel shaft are toothed wheels for
communicating motion to a fan or blower for separating dust, smut, or other
refuse from the good grain.
Having thus set forth the nature of my Invention I proceed more par-
ticularly to describe the means of performing it with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The machinery which I employ for carrying out the Invention may be
arranged according to three arrangements or modifications, but inasmuch as,
these three modifications are either wholly or in part embodied in the machine
which constitutes my first arrangement or modification, it will suffice if I
describe the same first, and then point out the parts thereof which constitute
my second and third arrangements or modifications instead of describing each
in full.
Figure 1 is a side view of a machine constructed according to, my first
modification; Figure 2 is a plan; Figure 3 a longitudinal section; Figure 4,
front view of standards B connected by horizontal ties L.; Figure 5, the
standards A, and tie bar L; Figure 6, cross section through the machine,
taken on the line V; Figure 7, cross section on the line W; Figures 8 to 13.
inclusive are sections and plans of portions of certain trays, bars, and per-
forated screens more particularly described herein-after. The main framing of
the machine of cast iron by preference, and is so constructed as to be readily
taken to pieces for convenience of packing. It consists of a pair of standards A
at the front end of the machine, and another pair of standards B near the back
of the machine; these standards are connected together laterally at each side
of the machine by angle irons or rails C provided on their under side, with
struts which are also secured to the standards B; the standards and rails are

page_text: also further secured together by diagonal stays D. On the standards B on
the left of the machine (looking from the front) is secured a bearing E through
which is passed a short shaft which has its other end supported by the standard,
between which and the bearing E is placed either a friction wheel or a toothed
wheel which bears upon or gears into a similar wheel F, by means of which
if a winch bandle is placed upon the outer end of the shaft in the bearing E,
the machine may be driven by hand power, or this shaft may be provided with
a fast and a loose pulley, and be driven by a belt from any prime mover. The
small wheel F is keyed upon one end of a cranked shaft which communicates
motion to a forked rod G, which has its ends binged to the upper ends of two
standards H secured to the sides of a trougbed frame I, in which are placed
trays, bars, and screens. Upon the end of the crank shaft opposite to the end
carrying the wheel F is secured a grooved fly wheel J, round which a cord or
belt may be passed from any prime mover. Between the fly wheel and the
standard is a smaller grooved wheel through which a cord or belt communicates
motion to a fan or blower K by means of a pulley; upon one end of its axle M is
a hopper constructed so as to be removeable at pleasure, it is provided on each
side with two vertical strips which embrace the upper ends of the standards B,
and also rests upon the upper horizontal tie L. The supply of grain from the
hopper is regulated by the attendant by means of a rack and quadrant N
moving on a slide on the back of the hopper or by equivalent contrivance. The
frame I (which is vibrated by means of the crank, axle, and rod G) is furnished
on each side thereof with friction studs O which slide upon and are carried by
two or more chilled angle irons P, which are firmly screwed or secured to the
rails C, which rails support two or more bracket bearings Q, which hold two
rack rails G³ upon the inside of the frame I. In these rack rails are formed
vertical slotted bearings for the ends of a series of wood rollers G* capable of
rising and falling in the bearings; these rollers may be covered with india-
rubber or other similar substance, and may be slightly increased in their
diameter, in either case, however the rollers must not be so heavy as to
impede the passage of the sample while being operated upon under them.
Suppose, for example, the sample under operation to be barley, in the bulk of
which is often mixed a variety of foreign substances or refuse consisting of other
seeds, light and broken barley, clay, sticks, stones, or other refuse, the mixed
sample falls from the hopper in the first instance upon a perforated zinc or
iron screen, or separating plate A¹', which has upon its upper side transverse
rods or bars. The perforations in this plate are of such size as to allow of
the passage through them of the barley together with any other substances of
less size or diameter than itself. In the act of falling from the hopper the

page_text: blast from the fan K separates from the bulk any dust, straw, or other light
refuse, which is blown out at the back of the machine, the beans, peas, seeds,
stones, and other refuse pass over the plate A' which is provided with transverse
bars and on to a plate of similar construction C³, over which the refuse also
passes, and it is then deposited in an inclined spout or shoot provided with a
perforated plate K' which serves for the purpose of separating any chance or
stray corn of barley from the refuse; the refuse passes out over the plate K¹
to one side of the machine, and the chance or stray corn which has passed
through the plate to the opposite side of the machine. The refuse which is
collected by the plate C¹ and passes over it is prevented from clogging the
passages from the plate to the spout or shoot through having to separate and
pass on each side of a shive, bung, or circular piece of wood placed opposite
such passages lying between the plates B¹ and C'; this arrangement allows
any stray corn to be still further operated upon by the plate C¹. The barley
having passed through the plates A¹ and C¹ and over the plate B' falls some
of it direct on to the perforated plate F¹, some other of it upon a plain plate E¹
from which it slides on to the plate F, which with the plate F³ is provided with
transverse bars, over which the barley passes on to the perforated plate G¹; the
broken and damaged corn, seed, and other refuse which have passed through
the plates F, F, 'fall upon the inclined board H', and should it occur that any
good barley shall have found its way through the barley is carried on to the
perforated plate Land over the plate M³, the plate L being provided with
transverse bars where the barley will be further separated from any refuse
and will pass onto a yet lower perforated plate Q1, the good barley passing
over such plate down to and through the spout T; the plate Q1 also receives
any good grain which may have been separated from light and broken grain
during its passage over the inclined board J¹ and the perforated plates N¹ and
P¹, and the plain plate O¹. The barley which passes through the plate Q' is
passed by the plain plate R¹ into the spout or shoot S, by which it
is delivered at the side of the machine as a second sample; the bulk of
the first or best sample which passes over the perforated plate G is not
pressed through the perforations by its passing between the top of the
plate and the lower side of the series of rollers G2 is delivered at the front of
the machine with the good corn which passes out at the spout T. The broken
barley and seeds which pass through the perforated plate P¹ are received upon
a wire screen R2 which lies under and is secured to the main framing C¹
by hinges or other equivalent contrivance which does not vibrate; the barley
and seeds are yet further separated from any refuse, such refuse passing through
the wire screen is conducted by the plain plate R³ on to the floor. The plates

page_text: N, O, P, Q, which are each, provided with transverse bars, and the plates
F, F, which are secured in the same frame, and are each also provided with
transverse bars, are capable of adjustment vertically, being raised or lowered
by means of two rods U provided with clips at their lower ends which clip
the sides of the frame; the upper ends of such rods form screws and have
nuts lying on the upper edge of the troughed frame I; one of the adjusting
rods U and nut is shewn at Figure 11. A portion of the tray and perforated
plate A¹ is shewn in section and plan at Figures 8, which shew the size of
the perforations and the relative positions of the transverse bars. At Figure 9
the tray and bars of the plate C, and the perforations in the plate K are the
same in size as those in the above plate C. Figures 10 represent in section and
in plan a portion of the adjustable tray with the perforated plates F, F, with the
transverse bars, and also the perforated plate G'; a plate with the perforations
the same as shown at F2 is also used at Q¹, a portion of such tray and trans-
verse bars being shown at Figures 13. The plates L' and N¹ are perforated
the same size of hole as seen at Figures 12, which also shows the size of the
transverse bars; the plate and transverse bars P¹ are the same as shown at F¹.
In machines which are of such a width that the weight of the perforated or
plain plates above mentioned causes them to sag, yield, or lie unevenly, I
place at requisite distances thin bars on edge in a diagonal position to afford
support to the centre of such plates.
The above description relates to my combined separating and dressing
machine according to my first modification, in which the trays and plates
A, B, C, E, may be taken out separately by themselves, the tray C¹ being
held in position by two thumbscrews D¹, but each tray may be taken out
separately and alone, the adjustable tray carrying the plates F, F, with the
plates A, B, C, E, are taken out at the back of the machine, and the bed
or plate G¹ and the plate l' are drawn out at the front of the machine; the
other trays are so arranged as to be taken out from underneath the machine
at the back thereof.
When the machine above described is used for dressing wheat the only
alteration necessary for that purpose is taking out the tray with the perforated
plates F and F and the substituting of a blank board or sheet of zine or iron.
The like arrangement may be employed for dressing rye and tares, as they
do not require such thorough dressing as does barley.
It will be understood that for dressing rice and smaller seeds the perforated
plates A, B, F, F, and G¹ will vary in the size of the perforations, as
such perforations will of course require to be less in size than those required
for dressing barley.

page_text: My second modification consists of a separating machine, in which only the
trays with perforated plates A', B', C', K, and a plain plate E' only are used,
either in conjunction with a fan, or blower, or alone.
My third modification is of a machine containing the parts F, F, H', I¹,
J', L, M, N, O, P, Q, R', and the adjusting rods U, in conjunction with
a fan, or blower, or alone; these constitute of themselves, when combined,
a separating machine for separating broken corn, small seeds, dirt, and other
refuse from the bulk; and the plate G', with either wood rollers or rollers
covered with india-rubber or other similar material, with ends working in
slotted bearings in a frame G³, is in itself a cleaning machine, and also a
self-clearing screen.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the general arrangement
and combination of machinery or apparatus, substantially as before described
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Thomas Poyser, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
JOSIAH THOMAS POYSER. (L.S.)