A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR TAKING SIMULTANEOUSLY VARIOUS SAMPLES OF GRAIN, SUGAR, OR OTHER MERCHANDIZE CONTAINED IN SACKS, BARRELS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES, OR 'STORED IN GRANARIES, SHIPS HOLDS, OR OTHER PLACES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Brookes at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1876. A communication from
abroad by Auguste Farjon, junior, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belguim,
Engineer.
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
and Registration Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR TAKING
SIMULTANEOUSLY VARIOUS SAMPLES OF GRAIN, SUGAR, OR OTHER MERCHANDIZE
CONTAINED IN SACKS, BARRELS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES, OR 'STORED IN GRANARIES,
SHIPS HOLDS, OR OTHER PLACES." A communication from abroad by Auguste
Farjon, junior, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
The object of this Invention is to provide an instrument for taking simultaneously
different samples of grain, sugar, butter, lard, or other merchandize contained in
sacks, barrels, or other receptacles, or stored in granaries, ships' holds, or other
places, so as to ascertain throughout its bulk the quality of the said merchandize;
the said samples being taken from every part of the merchandize through which
the said instrument is caused to penetrate. The said instrument consists of a metal
tube, one end of which is provided with a steel or other hard point. The said tube
is made with a longitudinal slot or opening extending from near the point to near
its other end, and the said tube is separated into compartments or chambers by a
series of transverse partitions; on the outside of the said tube fits a second tube,
a portion of which is cut away longitudinally to form a slot or opening
corresponding in size and position with the slot or opening in the inner tube, so
that by turning the said inner tube its slot or opening may be brought into
position to correspond with the slot or opening in the outer tube and give access
to the inside of the instrument, or it may be turned so that the outer tube covers
the inner slot and closes the instrument. For this purpose the end of the said
inner tube is provided with a suitable handle, and a bayonet joint between the
two tubes allows of the tubes being fixed in position when the inner tube is closed.
If preferred the point may be made on the end of the outer instead of being on the
inner tube, or the said instrument may be made of square or rectangular section,
one side consisting of a sliding blade or plate working in suitable grooves or guides
formed in the two sides of the instrument. The end of the said sliding blade or
plate is sharpened so as to cut through the inerchandize (if necessary) when closing
the instrument. The said instrument which is pointed at its end and is divided
D

page_text: into compartments by transverse partitions is opened or closed by drawing out
or thrusting back the said sliding blade or plate; or the said instrument may be
made of any other suitable sectional shape, the sliding blade or plate being formed
to correspond.
The action of the said instrument is as follows:-The instrument being closed it s
is thrust into the merchandize to be examined, and when it has penetrated to the
required extent it is opened as hercin-before described, and if necessary slightly
agitated so as to cause samples of the merchandize to pass into the different
compartments. When it is supposed that each of the said compartments is
sufficiently full the said instrument is closed and drawn out from the merchandize, 1
it is then placed in a horizontal position, and the samples obtained may be
examined, and the quality of different parts of the merchandize ascertained.
When of small size the said instrument may be inserted in a hollow walking
stick or other case for currying it about.