Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Separating Grain or other Seeds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Separating Grain or
other Seeds.
I, FREDERIC STANSFIELD, of Navigation Flour Mills, Blackburn, in the County
of Lancaster, Flour Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus for washing grain and other like
material and for separating or freeing the grain or seeds from heavier particles.
These results are effected by causing the grain or seeds to be submerged in water in
such a manner that the heavier particles sink into the water, and are separated from
the grain or seeds, while the grain or seeds are carried away by the water into another
vessel.
In carrying my invention into effect, the apparatus comprises a hopper suspended
by springs from a cross frame, and having a delivery nozzle at the bottom, surrounded
by an outer concentric pipe for feeding the seeds from the hopper on to a horizontal
rotary disc mounted on a vertical shaft. This rotary disc has for its object to
distribute the grain or seeds fed on to it from the hopper. The concentric pipe
aforesaid extends downwards near the surface of this distributing disc, and is
supported from the hopper by means of a pivoted lever and connecting rod in such a
manner that as the springs which support the hopper expand or contract according to
the weight of grain contained in the hopper and the hopper descends or rises
accordingly, so the concentric tube will in like manner move up and down and thus
recede from or approach the disc and regulate the delivery of the grain, thus forming
an automatic valve. Underneath the disc distributor is arranged a truncated cone,
and an annular trough or channel having an outer vertical wall and an inner vertical
wall. Between these two walls I arrange an intermediate wall, the bottom of which
is substantially on a level or slightly below the top of the outer wall, so that grain
flowing into the trough will have to pass under the intermediate wall before it can
flow over the outer one. The bottom of the trough is provided with channels or
apertures of suitable width. The lower part of the apparatus, below the truncated
cone, comprises a trough or vessel which is kept filled with water by means of a feed
pipe which may have a suitable distributed diaphragm or device, or a valve. Water
enters through this feed pipe into the vessel and rises through the apertures into the
annular trough which it fills to the top of the outer vertical wall, over which a little
flows so that the water flows or circulates within said trough. The grain is fed from
the grain hopper onto the distributing disc and falls onto the truncated cone from
whence it is delivered into the water into the annular trough, the pressure of the seeds
behind forcing the seeds in front under the water, which then rise on the other side
of the intermediate wall and finally flow with the water over the edge of the outer
wall into a spout into the collecting vessel. The heavier particles on the other hand
sink and fall down to the bottom of the trough from whence they escape through the
apertures into the lower vessel. From thence they are delivered with the water onto
a sieve or screen below, the water percolating through the screen leaving the heavier
particles behind on the screen surface.
Instead of using a screen or sieve, the heavier particles may be discharged into a
vessel, from whence they are removed by an elevator. Furthermore the distributing

page_text: disc may be made adjustable vertically by means of springs, or the disc may be
dispensed with altogether and the cone made to extend higher up to the mouth of the
hopper so that the seeds are fed direct thereonto.
Dated this 17th day of July 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Separating Grain or
other Seeds.
I, FREDERIC STANSFIELD of Navigation Flour Mills, Blackburn in the County of
Lancaster, Flour 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 has for its object an apparatus for washing grain and other like
material and for separating or freeing the grain or seeds from heavier particles.
These results are effected by causing the grain or seeds to be submerged in moving or
flowing water in such a manner that the heavier particles sink down into the upward
flowing water, and are separated from the grain or seeds, while the grain or seeds are
carried away by the water into another vessel.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a half vertical section of my improved apparatus for washing and
separating grain and other seeds;
Figure 2, a half front elevation, partly in section;
Figure 3, a sectional plan;
Figure 4, a top plan; and
Figure 5, a modification.
The apparatus comprises a hopper A suspended on the arm a by springs B from a
cross frame C, and having a delivery nozzle D at the bottom, surrounded by an outer
concentric pipe E for feeding the grain or seeds from the hopper A on to a horizontal
rotary disc F mounted on a vertical shaft G. This rotary disc F has for its object to
distribute the grain or seeds fed on to it from the hopper A. The concentric pipe E
aforesaid extends downwards near the surface of this distributing disc F and is
supported from the hopper by means of a pivoted lever H and connecting rod I the
lever H being fulcrumed at h, in such a manner that a downward movement of the
hopper causes an upward. movement of the pipe, that is to say any increase in
the weight. of material in the hopper A. will, by expanding the spring B, cause the
concentric tube E to recede froin the disc F, while a decrease in the weight of
material in the-hopper A will cause the converse action to take place, thus
forming an automatic valve and regulating the delivery of the material on to the
disc F relative to the rate of feed into the hopper A, the rotary disc in combination
with said automatic valve ensuring an equal distribution of the material all round the
annular trough K. Underneath the disc distributer F is arranged a truncated cone J,
and an annular trough or channel K having an outer wall K and an inner wall J.
Between these two walls I arrange an intermediate wall. L, the bottom of which is
substantially on a level with or slightly below the top of the outer wall K' so that
material flowing into the trough K is compelled to pass under the intermediate wall L
before it can flow over the outer cone K, all the material is thus compelled to go
under water. The annular space K is reduced in width at k. The lower part of the
apparatus, below the truncated cone J, comprises a trough or vessel N which is kept

page_text: filled with water by means of feed pipes O and P controlled by a suitable distributing
or deflecting diaphragm or valve Pi which is centrally located and which has for its
object to produce an adjustable and uniform distribution of the water all round the
pipe O into the vessel N so that the upward flow in the trough K shall be equal all
round. Water enters through this feed pipe O into the vessel N and rises into the annular
trough K which it fills till it overflows the wall K', so that the water flows or
circulates upward within said trough K The course of the water current is indicated
by the arrows. The material is fed from the hopper A onto the distributing disc F
and falls into the water in the annular trough K, the pressure of the material behind
forcing that in front under the water. The grain or seeds rise on the other side of
the intermediate wall L and finally flow with the water over the edge of the outer
wall K' into a trough and so through a spout Q into a suitable receptacle whilst the
heavier particles on the other hand sink and fall down to the bottom of the trough K
from whence they escape into the lower vessel N. From thence they are delivered
through a pipe R with part of the water onto a sieve or screen, the water percolating
through the screen, leaving the heavier particles behind on the screen surface.
S is a hand wheel for turning the valve P' and thus regulating the supply of water
to the vessel N. This hand wheel can be turned by inserting the hand through the
opening T, a door being by preference also provided in L to obtain access to T.
It will be obvious that instead of making the hopper and its concentric pipe E
vertically adjustable they may be fixed stationary, and the distributing disc made
adjustable vertically by means of a spring. This being merely a mechanical
equivalent of the other arrangement does not require illustration. Furthermore the
dise F might be dispensed with altogether, and the cone J made to extend higher up
to the mouth of the concentric pipe, as shown in Figure 5, so that the material is fed
directly thereonto, leaving the hand holes T for enabling the hand wheel S to be
operated.
Instead of using the pipe R and a flow of water to deliver the heavier particles
onto a sieve, a box might be attached to the flange at bottom of vessel N containing
an inclined screw or other elevator to elevate or convey the heavier particles to any
desired position.
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 apparatus for washing and separating grain or other like material of that
kind in which the material to be washed or separated is submerged in an annular
trough of water, the arrangement for automatically and uniformly distributing the
granular material into the annular trough to be washed or separated, which consists
of a hopper having a delivery nozzle at the bottom surrounded by an outer concentric
pipe adjustable vertically according to the weight of material contained in the hopper,
in combination with a horizontal rotary disc placed in proximity to the concentric
pipe aforesaid, whereby as the weight of material contained in the hopper increases
or decreases, so will the concentric tube in like manner move up and down, and thus
recede from or approach the disc and regulate the delivery of the material,
substantially as described, or any mere mechanical equivalent thereof, such as making
the hopper and pipe fixed and the rotary disc adjustable vertically.
2. In an apparatus for washing and separating grain or other like material of the
kind set forth, the use of a rotary disc for assisting the equal distribution of the
material all round the annular trough in which the material is washed and separated,
substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for washing or separating grain and the like, of that kind in
which the grain or seeds are submerged in water in an annular trough for cleaning
and separation, the combination with said trough of an intermediate wall, the bottom
of which is substantially on a level with or slightly below the top of the outer trough
wall, whereby in delivering the grain from above into the water in the annular trough
on one side of the intermediate wall the heavier particles will sink to the bottom,

page_text: whence they escape into a lower vessel, while the lighter particles rise to the surface
on the other side of the intermediate wall, and finally flow with the water over the
edge of the outer wall into a suitable receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. In an apparatus for washing and separating grain and the like of the kind
described, having a water supply terminating in the lower vessel, the combination
with the water supply pipe of a centrally located valve so arranged as to produce an
adjustable and uniform distribution of the water all round the pipe O into the vessel N
so that the upward flow in the trough K shall be equal all round, substantially as set
forth.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved apparatus for washing and separating grain and other like materials,
substantially as set forth.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.