IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING, SHAKING, RIDDLING, AND DRESSING CORN
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, RICHARD
HORNSBY, of Spittlegate, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, Agricultural
Implement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of July,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Hornsby, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard Hornsby,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Hornsby, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING, SHAKING, RIDDLING, AND
DRESSING CORN;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I,
the said Richard Hornsby, should cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as

page_text: large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Hornsby, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which. the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machinery, the pulleys and bands which are
shewn in black lines being on one side of the machine, and the pulleys and
bands shewn by red lines being on the other side of the machine. Figure 2 is
a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 is a horizontal section. In these views so
much of the parts of the ordinary machinery are shewn as will enable me to
describe the nature of my improvements. The same letters of reference are
used to indicate the same parts in each of the Figures. a is the thrashing
drum and apparatus where the grain is beaten out, which are similar to what
have heretofore been used, and the grain and pulse fall down below into the
trough b' in which two screws 6 work.
I would remark that although I prefer to use two screws for this purpose,
one or more might be substituted therefor, altering the form of trough
accordingly. These screws move the grain and pulse to the riddle hereafter men-
tioned. The grain and pulse which are shaken out from the straw by the shakers
(consisting of a series of bars c, which are also similar to what have before been
used), and which also fall into the same trough, are moved by the screws to
the riddle, such grain and pulse being raised up to the incline 62, from which
the grain and pulse fall on to the riddle e, through which the grain and pulse
fall on to the incline f, and from thence by reason of the incline f¹ on to the
riddle e', and any grain and pulse which may be shaken out by the shakers c.
towards the upper part thereof, fall on to the incline i, down which they move
and fall on to the riddle e. The inclines or boards ff, in addition to
bringing the grain from the upper riddle to the fore part of the under riddle,
divide the streams of air, and the use of such inclines or boards f,f', in this
manner forms a very useful part, of my Invention. In order to get the
requisite streams of air the fan blower j is employed; which drives the
air under and through the riddle e, and also through and over the riddle e¹, by
which the grain and pulse are separated. is a riddle, on to which the
lighter grains and pulse are received, and through which they fall and pass,

page_text: together with the pulse and refuse from the riddle e, into the trough j* below,
within which a screw works in such a manner as to move the light grain,
pulse, and other matters commonly called "spoutings" to the trough 6³, and
by the screws are moved up into the trough b' of the screws b, by which
means the light grain and pulse will be again thrown on to the riddle e.
In some machines, however, where the parts are differently arranged, this
mechanical bringing back of the light grain, pulse, and other matters
("spoutings") may be carried from the dressing machine up to the threshing
part of the machinery, so as to be again beaten and again passed through the
dressing machinery, and in place of the screw an endless band of buckets or
other mechanical means may be employed for lifting. Motion is commu-
nicated to the machinery in the following manner:-On the axis of the
thrashing drum a is a pulley, which is driven by means of the strap a¹ from
any suitable power, and from the shaft or axis of the thrashing drum a the
other motions are derived by suitable driving bands and pullies. 1 is a
driving band, which gives motion from the axis or shaft of the thrashing drum
to the pulley 2 on the axis of the fan j. 3 is a cross band which gives motion
from the axis or shaft of the thrashing drum to the upper cranked axis of the
straw shaker c, and the lower cranked axis by the bars of the shaker, and
the cranked axes are connected together by means of a connecting rod c'.
From the lower axis c¹ of the straw shaker motion is communicated by a
cross strap or band 4 to the axis 3, which by means of a bevilled toothed
wheel drives the axis of the screw j, by taking into a bevil toothed wheel k
on that axis. Motion is communicated from the upper axis of the
sbaker, by means of a cross band or strap 5, to
means of connecting rods * give motion to what is
carries the riddles e, e¹, e, and then such shoe is suspended on either
side of the machine by means of links m. From the axis the axes n
receives motion by means of the strap 6, and on this axis there are bevilled
wheels which take into and drive the bevilled wheels on the axes of the
screws b.
Motion is communicated to the axis of the screw from the
upper axis of the straw shaker by means of the band or strap 7, as shewn.
In order to prevent the action of wind the flap or door o is used, there being
sides o' to such door or flap, by which the sides are closed, and thus the wind
may be prevented blowing in in these directions, and straw and other matters
are ensured passing out of the back of the machine. p is a. shoot, down
which the straw descends, and q is a grating. r is a shoot or incline, down
which the grain descends from the riddle e'.
the axis 1, which by
called the shoe, which

page_text: From the above description it will be seen that this machine is peculiar
in having the grain and pulse, also "spoutings," moved by screws or ma-
chinery from one part of the machine to the other. Also in respect to the
placing inclines and f¹ between the riddles which divide the currents of air,
and also direct the grain and pulse from the upper to the under riddle. Also
in applying the door and sides o.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the details herein described; but what I claim is, the combination of
mechanical parts into a portable machine for thrashing, shaking, riddling, and
dressing corn herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hornsby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.