IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING BODIES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR CLEANING SEED."
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Last Catchpole, of Framsden, in the
County of Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SEPARATING BODIES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES, MORE ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE FOR CLEANING SEED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Last Catchpole
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th October 1875.
I, JOHN LAST CATCHPOLE, of Framsden, in the County of Suffolk,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING BODIES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES, MORE
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR CLEANING SEED," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on the apparatus described in
the Specification of a former Patent granted to me and others, No. 612,
in the present year; and the improvements have for their object to
construct the apparatus in such manner that a single apparatus may

page_text: be adapted for sifting seeds and other bodies of a great variety of sizes.
For this purpose in place of the sloping shelves of the apparatus being
fixed one below the other, as described in the Specification of that
Patent, I mount each of the shelves in such manner that they can be
slid to and fro nearly in a horizontal line, so that the open vertical space
between the shelves may be increased or diminished. Thus, for small
light seeds, the shelves may be brought into a position with the front
edge of each shelf nearly in the same vertical line as the rear edge of
the shelf below it, whilst for larger seeds the open vertical space
between the shelves may be increased as desired.
I also at the same time carry the shelves in such manner that as they
are slid one from the other to increase the open vertical space
between them that the downward inclination of each shelf may be
decreased.
I also combine such sliding shelves with apparatus by which the
several shelves may be moved simultaneously to bring them to the
required positions for sorting grain of different sizes. This may be
effected by giving motion to the several shelves by screw threads of
different pitch, which are revolved simultaneously. The upper move-
able shelf being worked by a screw thread of small pitch, whilst the
succeeding shelves below it are worked by scew threads of greater and
greater pitch.
Other mechanical means may also be adopted for simultaneously
moving all the shelves, and for, at the same time, always retaining
them in the desired relative positions to one another, as for example,
racks working with pinions of different diameters might be used.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Last Catchpole in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th April 1876.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Last Catchpole, Her
special license, that I, the said John Last Catchpole, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Last Catchpole, 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 BODIES OF
DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR CLEANING
SEED," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Last
Catchpole, 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 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
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Last Catchpole, 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 relates to improvements on the apparatus described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me and others,
No. 612, in the present year; and the improvements have for their
object to construct the apparatus in such manner that a single appa-
ratus may be adapted for sifting seeds and other bodies of a great
variety of sizes. For this purpose in place of the sloping shelves of the
apparatus being fixed one below the other, as described in the Specifi-
cation of that Patent, I mount each of the shelves in such manner
that they can be slid to and fro so that the open space between the
shelves may be increased or diminished. Thus for small light seeds,
the shelves may be brought into a position with the front edge of each
shelf nearly in the same vertical line as the rear edge of the shelf below
.

page_text: it, whilst for larger seeds the open space between the shelves may be
increased as desired.
I also in some cases at the same time carry the shelves in such
manner that as they are slid one from the other to increase the open
space between them that the downward inclination of each shelf may
be decreased.
I also combine such sliding shelves with apparatus by which the
several shelves may be moved simultaneously to bring them to the
required positions for sorting grain of different sizes. This may be
effected in the manner herein-after fully described, or by giving motion
to the several shelves by screw threads of different pitch, which are
revolved simultaneously, the upper moveable shelf being worked by a
screw thread of small pitch, whilst the succeeding shelves below it arc
worked by screw threads of greater and greater pitch.
Other mechanical means may also be adopted for simultaneously
moving all the shelves and for at the same time always retaining
them in the desired relative positions to one another, as for example,
racks working with pinions of different diameters might be used.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe more fully the manner of performing the same.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown an apparatus con-
structed according to my Invention.
Figure 1 shews a side view; Figure 2, a vertical section; and
Figure 3, a plan view of the machine. In these Figures A is a hopper
to contain the seed or matters to be separated. The seed or matters can
either be allowed to escape from the bottom of the hopper by raising
the slide A', or by shifting a slide A' so as to open the small holes A';
B, B, are the shelves on to which the materials to be separated descend
from the hopper. These shelves, with the exception of one or two of
the upper ones, are at their ends received between grooves or guides in
the two side frames of the apparatus, so that the shelves may be shifted
towards or away from one another. To the ends of each of these shelves
are jointed the ends of links C, the opposite ends of these links being
The link from the uppermost shelf is coupled to
the lever near to its axis, whilst the shelves which are below are
jointed to a lever D.
successively connected to the lover at distances further and further

page_text: from the axis. E is a nut which can be caused to traverse to and fro
along a screw G; the nut is as shewn coupled to the lever D. When
the screw is turned by the hand wheel upon it the nut moves along
the screw and turns the lever D. The several shelves will then be
moved towards or away from one another, the distances between the
several shelves remaining at all times equal to one another.
In some cases in place of the pin joints which connect the links O
to the lever D being at equal distances apart, they may be at pro-
gressively increasing distances from one another, so that in place of the
distances between the shelves being at all times equal, the distances
between the shelves may as the shelves are moved away from one
another increase progressively, the shelves at the lowest end of tho
apparatus being moved further apart from one another than the shelves
at the upper end of the apparatus.
The back of the machine is supported by legs H, and by setting these
legs at a greater or less angle the general slope or inclination of the series
of shelves may be varied as required.
In the Drawings the shelves are shewn to be made capable of sliding
to and fro in straight guides. In place of this the guides may curve
upwards at their front end in order that as the shelves are made to
move away from one another the shelves may simultaneously be
brought more and more into a horizontal position, and so offer more
obstruction to the descent of the seed, grain, or other material which is
being sifted.
When the guides are curved each end of the shelves is provided
with two pins to enter into the guides, and the shelves are supported by
these pins.
A modification of the apparatus shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the
Drawings is shewn at Figure 4. In this modification each end of the
several sloping shelves rests in one long straight guide in place of their
being a separate groove or guide for each shelf. The upper surface of the
back portion of each of the shelves is somewhat planed away, as shewn,
so that the front edge of each shelf shall be slightly above the rear
edge of the shelf below it. In other respects the apparatus is similar
to that shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3, so that it is unnecessary to give
any further description of it.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim the
construction of apparatus, substantially as herein-before described, for
cleaning seed, and for separating other bodies of different shapes and
sizes.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Last Catchpole, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
JOHN LAST CATCHPOLE. (L.S.)