AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SCOURING OR CLEANING GRAIN
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office, No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SCOURING OR CLEANING GRAIN."-A communication from
abroad by Peter J. Elting, of Buffalo, New York, United States of
America
Sealed the 17th September 1867, and dated the 7th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1867.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE POR SCOURING OR CLEANING GRAIN," (a communication,) to be
as follows:
'
The nature of this Invention consists, first, in the combination and
arrangement of a revolving stone or iron head with a stationary brush
having a central feed opening through which the grain is admitted, and a
discharge over the periphery of the stone.
Second, in the application and use of a dishing or concave screen and a
corresponding convex brush in combination therewith.

page_text: Third, in the formation of air passages through the outer shell in such
manner that the external air may be drawn in by the action of the fan and
pass through the descending sheet of grain.
Fourth, in locating the fan centrally below the screen so that a downward
air current may be produced through the meshes of the said screen, and
also an upward air current through the descending sheet of grain.
Fifth, in forming a double offset in the annular leg, by which the
centrifugal velocity of the grain may be checked as it is discharged from
the screen before it meets the ascending current of air produced by the
fan.
The main frame upon which all the operating parts are supported is formed
of upright timbers and connecting braces. A vertical shaft is located in the
centre of the frame and is supported in bearings formed in a foot cross brace
and top cross brace. A circular stone dressed like a millstone is keyed to the
top of the vertical shaft and revolves with the same; a cast-iron head may in
some cases be substituted for this stone. A circular brush is fastened to an
adjustable horizontal frame, which rests upon the top of a circular case or
shell; this shell is slightly larger in diameter than the head. Both the
frame and case or shell may be raised or lowered and adjusted into any
required position, thereby raising or lowering the brush from the stone and
regulating the action of the brush upon the grain passing over the said stone
or iron head, as herein described, the adjustability of both the frame and shell
is advantageously produced by means of the vertical stationary screws and screw
nuts and hand wheels bearing upon ears which project from the horizontal frame
and shell. A bopper is fastened to the main frame below the stone in such
manner that the grain falling over the periphery of the said stone will be
caught and directed around the central shaft. A skeleton metal wheel is
keyed upon the said shaft and revolves with the same; upon this wheel (or
connected with it as a part thereof) is a wooden frame made in sections and
fitting on to the arms of the said metal wheel for receiving and supporting
the wire cloth or gauze or screen; this wooden frame is made dishing or
concave in order to give a dishing or concave form to the screen. This form
causes the centrifugal force to give the grain a more perfect rubbing action
upon the screen.
The brush is made convex upon its face to correspond with the concavity
or dishing form of the screen, so that the brush will retard the rotary motion of
the grain; a case or shell is placed around the screen. The brush is
supported by a frame, the said brush and frame are constructed in the
same manner as the brush and case, and both are made adjustable by means

page_text: of vertical screws, screw nuts, and ears in the manner above described. An
annular leg is formed by means of the inner cylinder and the outer cylindrical
shell; two offsets are made in this annular leg for the purpose of diminishing
or retarding the velocity of the falling grain; one offset is formed upon the
inner cylinder and the other upon the outer shell; the bottom of the annular
leg is made hoppered, each hopper terminating in a grain discharge spout;
a fan or blower is keyed on to the vertical shaft and revolves with the saine.
The fan case is located within the inner cylinder of the annular leg, and has
two discharge nozzles at opposite sides of the said leg. The eye of the fan
admits air through a conical flue at the top which forms a part of, and is
connected to the inner cylinder of the annular leg, the sides of which are
extended upwardly in the direction of the periphery of the screen, so that an
air current may be produced through all parts of the screen. A circular
opening is made in the outer cylindrical shell and another opening in the.
inner cylinder of the annular leg connecting the conical flue with the external
air. Both of these openings are situated below the offsets so that an air
current may be produced which will pass through the annular sheet of grain
and carry off and separate the dirt or other foreign matter more effectually,
from the said grain than can be done by the first-described current through
the screen. A driving pulley is keyed upon the vertical shaft and gives motion
to the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any tinie
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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, án Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SCOURING OR CLEANING GRAIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
the follow-
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
ing statement, reference being had to the acconipanying Sheet of Drawings
forming a part of this Specification :-
The nature of this Invention consists, first, in the combination and arrange-
ment of a revolving stone, or iron head with a stationary brush having a
central feed opening, through which the grain is admitted, and a discharge
over the periphery of the stone.
Second, in the application and use of a dishing or concave screen and a
corresponding convex brush in combination therewith.
Third, in the formation of air passages through the outer shell in such manner
that the external air may be drawn in by the action of the fan and pass
through the descending sheet of grain.
Fourth, in locating the fan centrally below the screen, so that a downward
air current may be produced through the meshes of the said screen, and also
an upward air current through the descending sheet of grain.
Fifth, in forming a double offset in the annular leg, by which the centrifugal
velocity of the grain may be checked as it is discharged from the screen before
it meets in its fall the ascending current of air produced by the fan.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved machine; Figure 2 is &
Like letters indicate the same
horizontal section on the liné x, x, Figure 1:
parts in each Figure.
A represents the main framé, upon which all the operating parts are
supported; this frame is formed of the upright timbers A and connecting
braces A; B is a vertical shaft located in the centre of the frame and sup-
ported in bearings formed in a foot cross brace b¹ and top cross brace b².
A

page_text: circular stone C dressed similar to a millstone is keyed to the top of the shaft.
B and revolves therewith; a cast-iron head may in some cases be substituted
for this stone. D represents a circular brush which is fastened to an
adjustable horizontal frame D'; this frame rests upon the top of a circular-
case or shell D which is slightly larger in diameter than the head C. Both:
the frame D and case or shell D may be raised or lowered and adjusted into
any required position, thereby raising or lowering the brush from the stone.
and regulating the action of the brush upon the grain passing over the stone or".
iron head; as herein described. The adjustment of both the frame and shell
is advantageously produced by means of the vertical stationary screws 6, and
the upper and lower screw nuts and hand wheels e, e, bearing upon the
ears which project from the frame D₁ and shell D'; any equivalent device
however may be used for this purpose. G is a hopper fastened to the main
frame below the stone C in such manner that the grain falling over the.
periphery of the stone will be caught and directed around the shaft in the
centre. H represents a skeleton metal wheel which is keyed to the shaft B,.
and revolves with the same; upon this wheel (or connected with it as a part
thereof) is a wooden frame I made in sections and fitting the arms of. the
metal wheel for receiving and supporting the wire cloth or gauze or screen h³;
this wooden frame is made dishing or concave in order to give a like form to
the screen. It is important to give the screen this dishing or concave form. in
order that the centrifugal force may give the grain a more perfect rubbing
action upon the screen. The brush I is made convex upon its face to corre-
spond with the concavity or dishing form of the soreen, so that the brush
will retard the rotary motion of the grain, and the screen and brush will act
together in a more perfect manner in this form with the centrifugal force in
J is a case or shell around
scouring the grain as it passes over the screen.
the screen; I¹ is a frame which supports the brush I. The brush I. and
frame I are constructed in the same manner as the brush and frame D, D',
and both are made adjustable by means of the vertical screws j¹, screw nuts,
and ears, in the manner above described. K represents an annular leg
formed by means of the inner cylinder K' and 'the outer cylindrical shell K.
Two offsets are made in the said annular leg for the purpose of diminishing or
retarding the velocity of the falling grain. One offset is formed upon the
inner cylinder K', as shown at l, and the other upon the outer shell K³, as
shown at 1, Figure 1. The bottom of the annular leg is made to form a
hopper, as shown at m, each bopper terminating in a grain discharge spout m
N is a fan or blower which is keyed on to the shaft B and revolves with the
The fan case N' is located within the inner cylinder of the annular
same.

page_text: leg, and has two discharge nozzles n² at opposite sides thereof. The eye of the
fan admits air through a conical flue n³ at the top, which forms a part of and
is connected to the inner cylinder K¹ of the annular leg, the sides of which
are extended upward in the direction of the periphery of the screen, so that
an air current may be produced through all parts of the latter. O is an
opening made in the outer cylindrical shell, and O' is another opening formed
in the inner cylinder of the annular leg connecting the conical flue n³ with the
external air; both of these openings are situated below the offsets 1, 1, so that
an air current may be produced which will pass through the annular. sheet of
grain (the velocity of its movement having been checked by said offsets) and
carry off and separate the dirt and foreign matter more effectually from the
grain than can be done by the first-described current through the screen. P
represents the driving pulley which is keyed to the shaft and gives motion to
the same.
Grain is fed in at the top of the machine through the central
opening R and discharged upon the iron head or stone C; as the head or
stone revolves the grain is carried by centrifugal force from the centre to the
periphery of the stone, and during such movement it is kept in contact with the
brush D, which scours, breaks, and rubs the dirt, grit, and foreign matter
from the kernels or grain, thereby making the same clean and bright. After
the dirt and other matter has thus been scoured off and removed from the
kernels or grain it becomes necessary to separate the said matter from the
grain, and for this purpose the latter is again collected in the centre and
around the shaft B and fed on to the screen ³. The revolution of this screen
will cause the grain to move radially from the centre to the periphery, and by
contact with the brush I it will be continually turned over, so as to present all
parts of all the kernels and the dust and dirt therewith to the action of the air
currents passing downward through the screen; these currents of air separate
and carry off the greater portion of the dirt, dust, and foreign matter. After
the grain is discharged over the edge of the screen it drops in an annular
sheet down through the annular leg K. By means of the offsets 1, 1, the
velocity of the descending grain is sufficiently checked or diminished to cause
it to pass the openings O, O', in an even and steady current. External air is
drawn in at these openings through the sheet of grain by the action of the
fan and separates and carries off the remaining dirt, dust, or other foreign
matter over the edge of the inner cylinder K' through the inverted conical
flue n³ into the fan case and out of the nozzles n²; the grain is meanwhile
permitted to drop to the bottom of the leg, and is discharged through the
spouts m into suitable receivers in a perfectly clean and wholesome
condition.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I will further state that I am aware
that in some grain scouring machines heretofore constructed a revolving
brush has been used in combination with a stationary perforated head, and I
therefore disclaim such a combination of parts; I am also aware that in some
machines openings have been made in the outer shell in such manner as to
expose the descending volume of grain in some part of its passage to the
external air, I therefore do not claim such openings; but I claim,-
First, the combination and arrangement of the revolving stone or iron
head C with the stationary brush D, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Second, the concave screen h³ and brush I arranged and operating substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
Third, the air passages O and 0¹ so arranged with reference to the conical
flue n and the fan that a current of external air will be drawn in by the action
of the fan and pass through the descending sheet of grain, for the purposes
and substantially as described.
Fourth, the double offsets 1, 14, in the annular leg for the purpose and
substantially as described.
Fifth, arranging the fan N centrally below the screen and within the
annular leg in such a manner that a downward air current will pass through
the meshes of the screen, and an upward air current through the descending
volume of grain, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.