pens in Sorting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: pens in Sorting Machines.
1, CHARLES GURNEY POULSON of Linwood Station in the County of Delaware
and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Farmer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a machine especially adapted for sorting or grading all
kinds of vegetables and especially peas and potatoes, or crushed material such as
stones, quartz, etc., the object of the invention being to provide a machine whereby
such articles may be sorted and distributed, according to size, in pockets from
whence they may be delivered into bags, baskets, barrels, or other receptacles.
The machine consists of a box-like casing made preferably of greater length
than width within which is mounted an inclined screening or separating table
having endwise motion it being suspended by means of links on either side at top
and bottom pivotally connected to said table and to the inside of the casing at or
near the top. The screening or separating table is formed of a number of slats or
bars preferably of diamond or lozenge shape in cross section which are disposed
wider apart at the tail end than at the head of the table so that the spaces between
the bars shall gradually increase in width. The inclined upper surface of the slats
or bars tends to guide the material to be sorted, such as peas for example, into the
spaces between the bars and through which they fall into a series of hoppers
attached to the underside of the table disposed transversely thereto, and moving
therewith said hoppers being adapted to receive the peas of different sizes, the
smallest sized peas passing through the narrower spaces of the table and into the
first hopper, the next size of peas falling into the next hopper, and so on to the end
of the table at which point the large sized peas, not capable of passing through
the screening or separating table, pass off at the tail end of the same and are
received into a pocket from whence they find an exit through a chute and into a
bag or other receptacle. A pocket is placed beneath each hopper and to the
bottom of each pocket is connected a shoot leading out from the side of
the machine like the one above mentioned. A partition is placed vertically at the
rear end of the casing beneath the table which partition constitutes the inner wall
of the above mentioned pocket and the table is provided upon its under face with a
buffer adapted to strike against the partition when the table is reciprocated. At
the forward end of the table a rib or batten is secured which is adapted to be
engaged by the ribs or cams formed upon a drum journaled in the head portion of
the casing beneath the said table the shaft or trunnion of the drum having a pulley
attached when the machine is to be operated by a motor or provided with a crank
if to be operated by hand. A spring is firmly secured at its lower end to the head
portion of the casing the upper end of the spring having a bearing against the
head end of the table thereby forcing the rear buffer practically against the
partition and providing a space between the head of the casing and the table
for the longitudinal reciprocation of the latter.
In the operation of this machine as the drum revolves the cam teeth on the drum
striking the offset on the rib at the head of the table will force the table in direction
of the head of the casing against the tension of the spring and the moment that the
tension is relieved from the plate on the drum the spring will force the table in

page_text: direction of its delivery end causing the buffer to violently and suddenly strike the
partition thereby giving the material on the table a decided impulse in direction of
its delivery end thus assisting the travel of the material down the incline of the
table; and this intermittent shock to the table will keep the material thereon
constantly agitated and will facilitate the passage of the material through the
openings in the table and owing to the inclination of the sides of the lower
portion of the table bars or slats the material when passing through the spaces
between these bars or slats will be quickly released and will suffer comparatively
no injury.
Dated this 7th day of April 1896
A. M. & W M. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, Londou, Chartered Patent Agents.
I CHARLES GURNEY POULSON, of Linwood Station, in the County of Delaware
and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Farmer 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:-
My invention relates to a machine especially adapted for sorting or grading all
kinds of vegetables and especially peas and potatoes, or crushed material such as
stones, quartz &c., the object of the invention being to provide a machine of simple
construction, whereby such articles may be sorted and the various sizes distributed
in pockets, from whence the material may be delivered into bags, baskets, barrels
or other receptacles placed to receive it.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same, taken practically on
the line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of
Figure 2; and
Figure 4 is a transverse section through one of the slats or bars of the
supporting section of the device.
In carrying out the invention a box body A is provided of suitable dimensions,
preferably of greater length than width, and within this box body a screening or
separating table B is located. This table is given a downward inclination from its
head in direction of its tail end, as shown in Figure 2, and the said table is mounted
to have end motion in the box body, being pivotally connected at each side at top
and bottom by links 10, pivotally attached to the box body at or near the top.
The screening or separating table B consists of a predetermined number of slats
or bars 11, which are substantially diamond or lozenge shaped in cross section, as
shown in Figure 4. The slats or bars are wider apart at the tail end of the
screening or separating table than at the head, the increase in the space between
the opposing slats or bars being gradual; and the inclined upper surface of the
slats or bars tend to guide the material, peas for example to be separated or sorted,
into the spaces between the bars and through which they are adapted to drop.
Beneath the table a series of hoppers 12 is located transversely of the table,

page_text: being attached thereto as shown in Figure 2, so that they have movement with the-
table; and these hoppers are adapted to receive the peas of different sizes,.
the smallest sized peas passing through the narrower spaces of the table and into
the first hopper, the next size of peas falling into the next hopper, and so on to the
end of the table, at which point the very large sized peas, not capable of passing
through the screening or separating table, pass off at the tail end of the same and
are received into a pocket 13, from whence they find an exit through a chute 14
and into a bag or other receptacle placed at the delivery end of the chute.
A partition 15 is placed vertically at the rear end of the fixed body beneath the
table, and this partition may and does constitute the inner wall for the pocket 13.
The table is provided upon its under face with a buffer 16, adapted to strike
against the partition 15 when the table is reciprocated; and at the forward end of
the table a rib or batten 17 is secured, which is adapted to be acted on by plates 18,
formed upon a drum 19, journaled in the head portion of the box A beneath the
said table, the shaft or trunnion of the drum having a pulley 20 attached when the
machine is to be operated by a motor, or provided with a crank if to be operated'
by hand.
The plates or cams, as they may be called, upon the drum 19 are set at
predetermined intervals apart, four of them being shown in the drawings; and a
spring 21 is firmly secured at its lower end to the head portion of the box, the
upper end of the spring having a bearing against the head of the table, thereby
forcing the buffer 16 practically against the partition 15, and providing a space
between the head of the box and the head of the table for the longitudinal
reciprocation of the latter.
By reason of the impulse given to the table through the spring and the impact
of the buffers, together with the slight inclination of the table, the material thereon
will roll or slide along its upper face in direction of the tail or delivery end of said
table, and below each of the hoppers 12 a pocket 22 is constructed in the box, and
a chute 23 is connected with the bottom of each pocket, leading out from the side
of the machine in like manner as the chute 14, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.
In the operation of this machine, as the drum 19 revolves, the cam plates on the
drum striking the offset on the rib 17 at the head of the table, will force the table-
in direction of the head of the box against the tension of the spring 21, and the
moment that the tension is relieved from the plate on the drum the spring will
force the table in direction of its delivery end, causing the buffer 16 to violently
and suddenly strike the partition 15, thereby giving the material on the table a
decided impulse in direction of its delivery end, assisting the travel of the material
down the incline of the table; and this intermittent shock to the table will keep.
the material thereon constantly agitated, and will facilitate the passage of the
material through the openings in the table, and owing to the inclination of the
sides of the lower portion of the table bars or slats, the material when passing
through the spaces between these bars or slats, will be quickly released and will
suffer comparatively no injury.
It is evident that the machine is adapted for the sorting or grading of all kinds
of vegetables, and that it may likewise be adapted for sorting or grading any
crushed material, such as stones, quartz, etc. The sides of the box in which the
sorting table is placed may, if desired, be fastened to and be a part of the table,
moving with it.
Having now particularly, described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. In a sorting machine, the combination with a casing and an inclined table
having a longitudinal reciprocating movement therein, the said table comprising a
series of longitudinal bars, the spaces between the bars gradually increasing in
width from the head end of the table to the delivery end, of a series of hoppers.
located beneath the sorting or receiving table and moving therewith, pockets.

page_text: located beneath the hoppers, a pocket at the rear end of the table, the inner vertical
wall of the said pocket being arranged beneath the delivery end of the table, a
buffer located upon the under surface of the table near the delivery end and
normally in engagement with the inner wall of the said end pocket, a rotating body
provided with a series of projections adapted for alternate engagement with an
extension at the head of the table to move said table in direction of the head, and
means for returning the table when released from the said projections, substantially
as shown and described.
2 La-a-sorting-machine, the combination with a casing, and an inclined table
having a longitudinally reciprocating movement therein, the said table consisting
of a series of longitudinal slats or bars substantially diamond shaped in cross
section, the spaces between the bars being gradually widened from the head in
direction of the delivery end of the table, of a series of hoppers carried by the
table and secured to its under side, pockets located beneath the hoppers, a pocket
at the rear end of the table, a vertical partition forming the inner wall of the said
pocket and arranged beneath the delivery end of the table, a buffer located upon
the under surface of the table near the delivery end and adapted for engagement
with the said partition, a rib or projection on the under surface of the table at the
head thereof, a spring secured at its lower end to the head of the casing and
bearing at its upper end against the head of the table exerting tension in direction
of its delivery end, and a drum mounted to rotate beneath the table near its head
and provided with projections adapted for alternate engagement with the said rib
or projection at the head of the table, forcing the said table against the power of
the said spring, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 24th day of October 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.