A COMBINED GRAIN BOLTING AND SEPARATING MACHINE
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN of the General Patent Office, N° 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "A COMBINED GRAIN BOLTING AND SEPARATING MACHINE
a communication from abroad by Lucien Pinet of Beaumont, Saône et Loire, in
the Republic of France, Merchant, to be as follows:―
It has long been sought to discover a method of bolting, whereby the separation
of the grits from the bran and dust could be automatically effected as well as the
systematical separating or sorting of the said grits.
A series of apparatuses known as sifters, purifiers, separators etc, have hitherto
been constructed which have only given incomplete results; for example it has
been found that horizontal sifters work well at first, but the sieve soon becomes
clogged and in a few hours the required results cannot be obtained. Similar
objections apply to a certain extent to other existing arrangements.
By the present improvements the above objections are obviated.
In carrying out the invention the bolting machine is constructed of a rectangular
case to which is fitted a blower for the purpose of drawing in air and producing a
vacuum in the interior of the machine. Two counterweighted valves are placed at
the upper part of the bolting machine and allow of regulating the amount of air
drawn into the apparatus. The front side of the machine is formed with two
parallel walls or partitions connected by a series of uprights thereby forming &
number of compartments which serve to allow the grits leaving the sieves to pass
through. Each of these partitions is divided throughout its length by a strip.
An opening in the outer wall or partition allows of a person's hand being passed
through to examine the condition of the grits and a similar opening in the inner
wall or partition communicates with a box open to the air at both of its ends. In
the inner wall or partition at its upper part are placed vertical sieves. Above the
said sieves is an opening for allowing the air exhausted by the blower to pass
through. The vertical sieves are provided with bolting cloths of varying meshes
so as to allow of the sorting of the grits into each of the compartments. Theso
sieves placed vertically as described have the advantage of not being liable to

page_text: become clogged. Above each sieve is a space or opening provided with a slide
forming a regulator which can be raised or lowered as required by means of a
screw threaded rod which projects through the upper part of the case of the
machine. By this means the current of air drawn in by the blower can be
regulated as required.
Behind the sieves is placed a centrifugal bolter into which fall the dried grits
coming from an ordinary flour bolter. The grits in passing through the meshes
of the bolting cloth will become sorted according to their size and will fall into the
respective compartments herein before described and into the lower part of the
apparatus whence they are withdrawn into a sack or conducted directly over
the converters or grits mills. During this operation the dust, bran, and other
extraneous substances removed by the air drawn in by the blower, pass over the
centrifugal bolter and fall into a chamber at the back which chamber is formed
by the unoccupied space in the case of the bolting and sifting machine. This
chamber is divided into several compartments in order to better condense or divide
the said substances which are then withdrawn therefrom into one or more bags.
Above the centrifugal bolter is a box provided with an Archimedean screw for
the purpose of taking up the substances mixed with grits at the outlet and
conducting them to the top of the centrifugal bolter where they again fall
automatically to be again operated on.
Throughout the length of the machine and at a short distance below the air
holes in the lower part of the apparatus is a horizontal sieve provided throughout
its length with meshes corresponding in size in each division with the meshes of
the sieves of the centrifugal bolter. Like the ordinary sieve this frame is slightly
inclined from the head towards the rear and is supported at intervals by means of
springs; it has a to and fro movement communicated to it by suitable means from
the shaft of the bolter. The strips or boards which form the air chambers are cut
away beneath the said air holes to allow of the passage of the sieve. At the top
of their lower portion thin bands of copper connect them below the sieve so as to
form a series of chambers underneath corresponding in number to the herein before
described air chambers in each of which the air acts with increasing force from the
head towards the rear according as the weight of the grits is greater or less.
Small valves in the bottom of the said chambers prevent the escape of the air
into the grits bags and open automatically only under the pressure of a certain
weight of goods accumulated in the chambers. The said pressure is regulated by
counter weights placed in front of the apparatus. The air is forced in by the
blower through a passage also leading into the interior of the condensing chamber
from one end to the other of the machine. Other valves in the said chambers in
which the grits accumulate allow of the introduction of the air therein. These
valves are operated by rods passing between the front walls of the apparatus.
The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood. The grits descending
into the chambers fall after being submitted to a preliminary current of air onto
the horizontal sieve. The extraneous substances removed by the current of air in
the lower chambers come to the surface of the grits and fall out at the rear of the
apparatus.
The screw of the bolter is slightly conical, its greatest diameter being at the rear
end. The blower is placed endwise of and in the head of the machine; it is
situated inside the framework so as to economise space. The force of the blower
is regulated by a simple plate which is opened or closed as required according as
a greater or smaller supply of air is necessary.
To obtain a double action it is only necessary to place a second centrifugal
bolter over the one herein before described.
The principal advantages of this bolter and separator are that it combines in one
the three following apparatuses, videlicet, a grits separator, a sifter of fine grits,
and a sifter of coarse grits, and at the same time allows of the work being done in
a better manner and automatically and regularly with a considerable economy in
first cost. Much less space is occupied by the apparatus and motive power, besides

page_text: which the sieves being placed vertically wear out less quickly and hand work is
reduced almost to nil. A considerable economy is effected in the sacks employed
in the manipulation of the grits to be sifted. The apparatus requires no
attention as, when once regulated, the action of the blower should not be
interfered with at least until very light grain follows very heavy grain. It is then
only necessary to slightly close the valves for a few seconds. The regularity and
cleanliness thus obtained are increased by reason of the sifting carried on at the
outlet of the mills or of the cylinders being effected without the clogging by the
grits which has hitherto usually taken place either through their remaining for a
time in sacks or hoppers or through fermentation which is produced even in winter
by heat. By means of this apparatus the coarsest and finest grits can be sifted
simultaneously and by reason of its low cost it can be employed in very small
works.
Any suitable arrangement for driving the apparatus can be employed and the
position of the blower can be varied.

page_text: A Combined Grain Bolting and Separating Machine.
I GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, No 4 South
Street, Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad by Lucien Pinet of
Beaumont, Saône et Loire, in the Republic of France, Merchant) and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
It has long been sought to discover a method of bolting whereby the separation
of the grits from the bran and dust could be automatically effected as well as the
systematical separating or sorting of the said grits.
A series of apparatuses known as sifters, purifiers, separators etc have hitherto
been constructed which have only given incomplete results; for example it has
been found that horizontal sifters work well at first, but the sieve soon becomes
clogged and in a few hours the required results cannot be obtained. Similar
objections apply to a certain extent to other existing arrangements.
By the present improvements the above objections are obviated.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 represents a longi-
tudinal sectional elevation of a combined grain bolting and separating machine
constructed according to this invention one part of the section being taken through
the axis of the centrifugal bolter, and endless screw on line A, B, C, D of figure 4
and part of the section being taken through the centre of the vertical casing on
line E, F of the said figure; the remainder is a view of part of the outside of the
machine; figure 2 is a view of the end of the machine carrying the driving pulley,
the panels being removed; figure 3 is a view of the end of the machine carrying
the fan or blower, the central panel being removed; figure 4 is a transverse section
on line G, H, of figure 1 through the centre of the hopper or condensing chamber
for the material being operated upon, the course of the air being indicated by the
arrows; figure 5 is a horizontal section one part of the section being taken through
the axis of the upper regulating slides on line I, J, of figure 4; another part of the
section is taken through the centrifugal bolter on line K, L, of figure 4 and the
other part of the section is taken through the air vessels and lower regulating
slides on line M, N of figure 4. Similar letters in all the figures represent similar
parts.
a, a, a, are rectangular cases connected together by means of bolts and forming
the general frame of the machine; b, is a sheet iron cylinder of the centrifugal
bolter; b, frame of the cylinder fitted with the frame carrying the sieves; c, shaft
of the centrifugal bolter; d, cross pieces carrying the helical blades e, of the saine ;
f, is the driving pulley; g, small pulley for actuating the endless screw; h, is a
Jarge lubricating bearing for the shaft of the centrifugal bolter; i, is an iron
bracket supporting an intermediate bearing; j, is a wooden bearing resting upon

page_text: the bracket 2; /, lubricator for the bearing j; c, tube of the lubricator ;
1, lubricating bearing for the shaft of the centrifugal bolter; m, pulley for
operating the blower; n, shoot conveying the material into the cylinder b;
o, shoot conveying the bran to the lower part of the machine; p, frame carrying
the sieves; q, moveable panels allowing the sieves to be examined; r, bolt securing
the panels and frame; s, upper moveable panel at the side of the fan or blower;
t, upper moveable panel at the side of the driving pulley; u, large moveable panel
by the side of the driving pulley allowing the condensing chambers and the endless
screw to be examined; v, moveable panel by the side of the fan or blower for
allowing the said fan or blower to be examined; x, vertical cases or boxes for the
division of the various grits; y, wooden plates serving to prevent the grits from
agglomerating, wooden plates fixed to the panels q; z¹, wooden plates fixed to
the panels q; forming the side walls of the vertical cases or boxes x; A slides for
regulating the air drawn into the cases or boxes x; B, screw threaded rods with
thumb screws to allow the slides A to be regulated; C, door for examining the
slides A; C¹ sight hole of the hopper I; D, inclined plane or guard for preventing
the agglomeration of the material blown onto the cylinder b; E, opening for the air
supply, F, shoots for the sifted grits; G lower regulating slides serving to clear the
fan or blower from the impurities carried along by the grits; H, slide bars of the
slides G; H¹, bolts and thumb screws serving to fix the slides to their slide bars;
H", knobs for operating the slides; H¹¹, sheet iron guard or apron; I, condensing
chamber for the material drawn in through the lower inspecting doors. I', condensing
hopper for the material drawn in through the four first upper slides A, and the first
three lower slides G; I", condensing chamber for the light material coming from the
hopper I', of the two last upper slides A and of the three last lower slides G;
J, shoot of the hopper I¹; J1, shoot of the condensing chamber I"; K, moveable
closing device of the chamber I, allowing the said chamber and the left part of the
endless screw to be examined; L, moveable partition separating the chamber I,
from the chamber I"; M, partition dividing the hopper I', into two parts;
N, openings forming a communication between the chambers I and I'; N, openings
forming a communication between the chambers I and I¹¹; N", openings forming
a communication between the chambers I and O and affording access to the fan
or blower; O, condensing chamber communicating with the fan or blower;
P, partition separating the chamber O from that of the fan or blower; Q, chamber
of the fan or blower S; R, sight hole for the same; T lubricating bearings of the
fan or blower; U is the shaft, V the pulley and X the door of the same; Z, box
or casing of the endless screw; a¹, shews the left hand side and a³, the right hand
side of the endless screw; b¹, pulley, c¹, spindle and d, bearings of the endless
screw; e¹, passage or channel for the part a¹, and e², passage or channel for the
part a, of the endless screw.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
Upon coming from the flour bolter the grits fall directly into the centrifugal
bolter of the machine where they are successively separated according to their size
by the meshes of the sieve with which the said bolt is provided. As the grits
descend into the various cases or boxes they are subjected to the action of the
current of air produced by the fan or blower, which current can be caused to vary
in intensity in each case or box by means of the regulating slides according to the
size of the grits and the weight of the impurities to be removed. Having been
preliminarily freed from the lighter impurities and the chaff which they contained by
a powerful blast in an upward direction as in a winnowing machine the grits which
are supported by the air blast fall at a rate which will depend upon their quality
and weight; the remaining substances on the other hand descend more slowly in
proportion as they are of an inferior quality. When the grits have reached the
lower air opening they are drawn in by a second powerful blast acting cross-wise
to the first blast and by means of which the final purifying operation is effected,
continuing their course the grits fall through the shoots and the material removed
by the blast is carried outside the machine by the endless screw.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined I declare that what
I claim is-
1. The combination of a centrifugal bolter with the bolting and separating
machine substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accom-
panying drawing.
2. The combination with a bolting and separating machine of the frames
provided with sieves substantially as herein before described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
3. The combination of the cases or boxes with a fan or blower and with slides
regulated according to the size of the grits substantially as herein before described
and represented in the accompanying drawing.
4. The combination of the said cases or boxes with an air opening situated at the
lower part of the bolter substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
5. The combination of a second blast acting in a transverse direction to the
first substantially as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
6. In a bolting and separating machine the employment of an endless screw
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.