IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CORN FROM THE EARS AND FOR COMBING STRAW
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernard James Webber, of Newton Abbot, in the
County of Devon, Engineer and Agricultural Implement Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CORN
FROM THE EARS AND FOR COMBING STRAW."
Sealed the 25th September 1863, and dated the 17th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernard James Webber
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1863.
I, BERNARD JAMES WEBBER, of Newton Abbot, in the County of Devon,
Engineer and Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
CORN FROM THE EARS AND FOR COMBING STRAW," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for separating
corn from the ears, and for combing straw. For these purposes a platform is
used which is arranged to move on axes or pivots at its front edge. At the
back edge it is provided with projecting spikes or teeth, the back ends or
points of which come nearly to a beating drum or cylinder. On and around

page_text: the circumference of this drum or cylinder are set rows of teeth or spikes
corresponding in length with those on the platform. The spikes or teeth on
the drum as they rotate pass between the teeth of the platform. The platform
is arranged in two parts, so that one man may be causing the straw to be
combed and the grain to be removed from the ears of one bundle or quantity
of straw whilst another man is causing the other end of another bundle of
straw to be combed so as to produce "recd." The spikes or teeth on the drum
or cylinder do not radiate from the centre, but incline downwards. The two
parts of the platform are each arranged in such manner that its end or edge
next the drum or cylinder may be raised and lowered by the foot of the work-
The bundle or quantity of straw is placed on the platform with the
ears towards the cylinder or drum when the end of the platform next the
drum or cylinder is at its highest position, and the workman gradually allows
the platform to descend, by which the grain will be removed from the ears,
and that end of the bundle or quantity of straw will be combed out; the
workman will then reverse the end of the bundle or quantity of straw and
move it on to an intermediate platform, from which the other workman will
remove it into the position to have the butt end of the bundle or quantity
similarly combed or treated.
It will be evident that single machines may be used, and both ends of a
bundle or quantity of straw be combed out at the same place. Rotatory
motion is communicated to the drum or cylinder in any convenient manner by
horse-power or otherwise. The teeth or spikes of the drum are cleansed of
the combings by a revolving axis with teeth. The grain thrashed or removed
from the ears is received on to a riddle, and treated in the ordinary manner of
thrashing machines.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bernhard James Webber in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BERNHARD
JAMES WEBBER, of Newton Abbot, in the County of Devon, Engineer and
Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said

page_text: Bernhard James Webber, Her special licence that I, the said Bernhard
James Webber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Bernhard James Webber, 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 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CORN FROM THE
EARS AND POR COMBING STRAW," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Bernhard James Webber, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bernhard James Webber, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for separating
corn from the ears and for combing straw. For these purposes a platform is
used, which is arranged to move on axes or pivots at its front edge. At the
back edge it is provided with projecting spikes or teeth, the back ends or
points of which come nearly to a beating drum or cylinder. On and around
the circumferenco of this drum or cylinder are set rows of teeth or spikes,
corresponding in length with those on the platform. The spikes or teeth on
the drum as they rotate pass between the teeth of the platform. The plat-
form is arranged in two parts, so that one man may be causing the straw to.
be combed and the grain to be removed from the ears of one bundle or
quantity of straw, whilst another man is causing the other end of another
bundle of straw to be combed, so as to produce "reed." The spikes or teeth.
on the drum or cylinder do not radiate from the centre, but incline downwards..
The two parts of the platform are each arranged in such manner that its end
or edge next the drum or cylinder may be raised and lowered by the foot of
the workman. The bundle or quantity of straw is placed on the platform with
the ears towards the cylinder or drum when the end of the platform next the
drum or cylinder is at its highest position, and the workman gradually allows
the platform to descend, by which the grain will be removed from the ears,
and that end of the bundle or quantity of straw will be combed out. The

page_text: workman will then reverse the end of the bundle or quantity of straw, and
move it on to an intermediate platform, from which the other workman will
remove it into the position to have the butt end of the bundle or quantity
similarly combed or treated.
It will be evident that single machines may be used, and both ends of a s
bundle or quantity of straw be combed out at the same place.
Rotatory motion is communicated to the drum or cylinder in any
convenient
manner by horse-power or otherwise. The teeth or spikes of the drum are
cleansed of the combings by a revolving axis with teeth. The grain thrashed
or removed from the ears is received on to a riddle and treated in the ordinary
manner of thrashing machines.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a vertical transverse section of so much of a machine as will
enable me to describe my Invention; Figure 2 shows a plan of the same.
A, A, are the two parts of a platform which move on axes at B. At the
back edges of these two parts of the platform are projecting spikes or teeth C.
Each of the parts A of the platform is connected with a foot-board H by a
rod G, so that each workman may depress his part of the feed board or plat-
form A, whilst a spring below each of such parts of the platform tends
constantly to raise it into its highest position; D is a drum or cylinder having
fixed thereon rows of teeth or spikes E, E, the rows of teeth are set to an
inclination to the axis of the drum, and such teeth or spikes do not radiate
from the centre of the drum, but incline downwards. The drum or cylinder is
to be caused to rotate by horse or other power.
In the arrangement shown, one workman places a bundle or quantity of
straw on one part of the platform A with the ears towards the cylinder or
drum, and he causes the back end or edge of such part of the platform to
descend. When this end of the straw has been properly acted on by the
teeth or spikes of the cylinder the workman hands the bundle or quantity of
straw to the next workman. Or the machine may be constructed with an
intermediate fixed portion of a platform to receive the bundle or quantity when
the first workman has finished one end of the straw. Or the same workman
may cause both ends of the straw to be acted on one after the other, by the
machine, using only one part of the platform A.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any

page_text: of the parts separately; but what I claim is the combined arrangement
herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Bernhard James Webber, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
BERN. JAMES WEBBER. (L.S.)