IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR PURIFYING AND " · DRESSING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR MIDDLINGS.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Hopkinson, of Retford, in the County of
Nottingham, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR PURIFYING AND
"
·
DRESSING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR MIDDLINGS.'"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Hopkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd May 1877.
CHARLES HOPKINSON, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLOUR PURIFYING AND DRESSING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE
FOR MIDDLINGS.'”
This Invention has for its object improvements for a reel "middlings" purifier
for cleaning "middlings" or any hard substance in meal, and bringing out different
qualities of clean middlings, and separating the semolines from the "middlings,"
and dust and fluff, and consists substantially as follows:-The machine is con-
structed inside a case of wood or iron, and has a revolving reel inside the case;
this reel is made of wood and iron, and has cast-iron ends with horizontal long
wood or iron rails for the outer pieces of the reel to support the iron ends, which
renders the inside of the reel free. The outer bars of the reel are of light wood,
and underneath them bars of wood are placed at different intervals to form an archi-
median screw, which screw can be adjusted at one outer end of the middlings
purifier with a thumbscrew to carry the middlings through the horizontal revolving
reel; inside the horizontal revolving middlings reel are placed two long conical
archimedian screw fans, which draw a current of air inside the reel, which is con-
tinually beating the middlings or hard substances, and taking off the soft semolines
and light brown fluff, which the long horizontal archimedian screw fan beats against
the outer portion of the rails, causing the middlings to be perfectly clean, and then it
passes through different numbers of silk. The number one archimedian long screw
fan beats the light and grey brown fluff which passes through the silk and is taken
clean away, thus keeping the silk quite clean and free, which the middlings pass
over, and the light brown fluff is drawn away by a fan which is placed at the outer
side of the reel, and deposits the light and brown fluff in a stive chamber. On the
middlings arriving at the tail end of the middlings machine they come in contact
[Price Ed

page_text: with Number two long horizontal conical screw fan, and beat the middlings perfectly
clean, the light middlings being drawn away, and the heavy falling to the long
screw at the bottom, are carried into different sleeves.
These improvements can be added to the silk machine for which Letters Patent
were granted, bearing date February 14th, A.D. 1874, No. 572, and will work com-
bined as a purifying silk flour dressing machine and "middlings " machine combined,
by adding the long conical screw fan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Hopkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
November 1877.
CHARLES HOPKINSON, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLOUR PURIFYING AND DRESSING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE
FOR MIDDLINGS."
""
This Invention has for its object improvements for a reel "middlings" dustings
purifier for cleaning "middlings" or any hard substance in meal, and separating
same, and bringing out different qualities of clean middlings, and separating the
semolines from the middlings and dust and fluff, and consists substantially as
follows: The machine is constructed inside a case of wood or iron, and has a
revolving reel inside the case; this reel is made of wood and iron, and has cast-iron
ends, with long horizontal wood or iron rails for the outer pieces of the reel to
support the iron ends, which render the inside of the reel free. The outer bars of
the reel are of light wood, and underneath them bars of wood are placed at different
intervals to form an archimeḍean screw, which screw can be adjusted at one end
of the middlings purifier with a thumbscrew to carry the middlings through the
revolving reel; inside the horizontal revolving middlings dustings reel are placed
two long conical archimedean screw fans, which draw a current of air inside the
reel, which is continually beating the middlings or hard substances, and taking off
the soft semolines and light brown fluff which the long horizontal archimedean
screw fan beats against the outer portion of the rails, causing the middlings to be
perfectly clean and then same pass through different numbers of silk. The number
one archimedean long screw fan beats the light and grey brown fluff which passes
through the silk and is taken clean away, thus keeping the silk quite clean and
free which the middlings pass over, and the light brown fluff is drawn away by a
fan which is placed at the outer side of the reel, and deposits the light and brown
fluff in a stive chamber. On the middlings arriving at the tail end of the middlings
machine they come in contact with number two long horizontal conical screw fan,
and beat the middlings perfectly clean, the light middlings being drawn away, and
the heavy falling to the long screw at the bottom are carried into different sleeves.
Partitions are placed round the reel at different intervals.
These improvements can be added to the silk machine for which Letters Patent
were granted, bearing date Feb. 14, A.D. 1874, No. 572, and will work combined
as a purifying silk flour dressing machine and middlings dustings machine com-
bined, by adding the long conical screw fan.
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice,
I will now proceed (aided by the accompanying Drawings) to further and particu-
larly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or carried
out in practice, that is to say :-

page_text: In these Figures A is the feeder; B, fan pulley; C, spur wheel; D, spur pinion;
E, pulley to drive fan; F, loose pulley; G, driving pulley; H, feed spout; I, metal
ends; J, long archimedean screw fans; K, spout for heavy dustings; L, spouts for
fine middlings; M, spouts for coarse middlings; N, spout for large offal; O, form
of screw inside the reel; P, rail of silk; Q, hollow malleable shaft and endless
screw; R, openings for admission of air, said openings being regulated by suitable
valves and being situate at the upper and lower portions of the machine, as shown;
S, partition round reel. There are a number of partitions in the machine, same
being fitted at suitable distances apart, said partition being fitted air-tight; T,
exhaust fan, driven as shown, or in any suitable manner, and same draws the light
brown fluff from the middlings at different intervals, as shown by the arrows.
This machine is specially useful for cleaning middlings after they have left silk
machines, the action being as follows:-The "middlings" are fed by feeder A
through spout H. The long archimedean screw fan J at the head end dusts the
middlings free, and drives the small dust through the silk P, and the air passing
through the silk from the inside of the reel and assisted by the fan T draws the
lightest fluff into the stive chamber, leaving the heaviest to fall into spout K. The
middlings then pass the partition S and are thoroughly sifted, the air meeting the
middlings on each side of the bottom of the reel, regulated by the valves R at the
upper part of machine; the fan T drawing the small brown fluff, as shown. The
middlings then pass on through the next partition on to coarser silk and by the
larger grain of middlings; the fan T sucks the smaller and light away, leaving the
coarsest middlings which are acted upon by fan J. The large offal passes out at
spout N; the coarse middlings passing through spouts M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in Flour
Purifying and Dressing Machines, especially applicable for Middlings," combined
and arranged substantially as the same is herein-before set forth and described and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, special points being the long archi-
medean screw fans, the arrangement of openings for admission of air under reel, and
extraction of same by openings at the upper part of machine, substantially as
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Hopkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Ass³. Ld.,
21, Cockspur St., S.W.
C. HOPKINSON. (L.S.)