IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND DRESSING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry King, of Frome, in the County of Somerset,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND
DRESSING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry King at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th December
1856.
I, HENRY KING, of Frome, in the County of Somerset, do hereby declare
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
the nature of the said Invention for
THRASHING AND DRESSING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN," to be as follows:-
FOR
This Invention consists in certain new and improved mechanical arrange-
ments and combinations of parts constituting a machine or apparatus adapted
for thrashing and dressing wheat and other grain: and the principal features
of novelty in these improvements consist,-
Firstly, in a new form of shaker.
Secondly, in a new form of beaters.
Thirdly, in the use of an endless feeding cloth, for. conducting the wheat or

page_text: straw after it has been thrashed and passed out of the machine to which such
said cleaners are connected.
Fifthly, in the use and adaptation to the above combined machine of two
blowers, mounted on one and the same shaft instead of being fixed on separate
shafts, as heretofore practised.
Sixthly, in the use and adaptation to the above machine of a new form of
siere or sieves, so constructed as that the meshes thereof, instead of being
arranged horizontally are arranged vertically, or at right angles, or any other
angle of inclination to the sieve holder, or that part to which the several sieves
are affixed, whereby the operation of sifting can be conducted equally well
with the sieve holder in an upright position as in an horizontal position.
The nature of these improvements will be better understood by the following
description of the mode of arranging. combining, and actuating the
mechanism for thrashing and dressing wheat and other grain, that is fo say :-
The framing or case of the machine is mounted upon four running wheels, as
commonly practised in locomotive thrashing machines. for transporting them
from place to place, and to said casing the following parts are connected:―
To one part of such said casing is affixed the mechanism employed for per-
forming the thrashing operation, and to the other part of said casing is affixed
the mechanism employed for performing the dressing operation, a communica-
tion being provided from the one to the other, which may be opened or closed at
will, according as it is required either to simply thrash the wheat or other
grain, or to dress it also. The following is the machinery which I employ for
thrashing Upon the main driving shaft, (which is placed crosswise of the
aforesaid casing or framing) I fix a series of rotating beaters of peculiar con-
struction, leaving openings between each row of beaters for the grain to fall
through, the straw therefrom being conducted on to shakers, the top edges
whereof are formed with large indentations or serrations for catching hold of
the straw which lies therein, said straw being shaken and pushed forward by
connecting such said shakers by one end to a crank shaft, to which motion is
imparted by a strap or band, passing from a pulley on the main driving shaft
around another pulley on the blower shaft beneath, and another strap or band
from this shaft to a pulley on the axis of the aforesaid crank shaft. The cranks
are so arranged with respect to each other, as that whilst one or more of the
shakers are being pushed forward others are being pulled back, by which the
straw is advanced along the shakers and the loose grain separated therefrom.
The outer ends of the shakers are connected by levers or rods hinged thereto
to a transverse shaft beneath, upon which said levers are firmly fixed, as also
certain socket pieces, into which long curved pieces of wood or other suitable

page_text: material are connected by pins, the purpose of such said pieces being to clean
the straw and ioss it away from. the machine, ready to be gathered together,
and afterwards tied up in bundles ready for commercial use. The grain as it
passes from the aforesaid beaters and shakers falls by its gravity upon inclined
surfaces, some of which are affixed to the casing of the machine, whilst the
others, together with the several sieves, move to and fro by the action of the
said shakers, to which they are connected, and thus agitate the grain upon the
sieve beneath,. and effect the sifting thereof, from thence it passes through
other sieves beneath, the meshes of each of these sieves being of different
degrees of fineness. The chaff and other extraneous matters are separated from
the grain by the action of one of the blowers. The sifted grain falls into a
receptacle below, from whence it is removed by an endless system of lifting
buckets and conducted into the "humelor," which is of the ordinary kind; from
thence it passes into the cleaner to be dressed, if necessary, or it may be dis-
charged therefrom by a shute without dressing.
The dressing operation is effected by passing the grain through a series of
sieves of different degrees of fineness, and of the peculiar construction before
mentioned.
The different qualities of grain pass off by suitable outlets in the following
order: The grain and chaff which passes from the surface of the first or top
sieve is of the coarsest quality, known and distinguished as "chicken;" the
second sieve gives off "tailings;" the third sieve gives off the "best" quality
and the "seed." The chaff is separated from the grain by another blower
fixed upon the same shaft as the first-mentioned blower. All of the above-
mentioned sieves have reciprocating movement imparted thereto by suitable
mechanism.
.I would here remark, that a peculiar feature in the above improved mode of
forming the aforesaid sieves consists in the facility with which the small corn
or.grain, rubbish, dust, &c. can be separated from the larger portions of the
grain, as by this improved construction of sieve the small corn, dust, and other
extraneous matters will fall through the apertures or meshes of the sieves,
whilst the larger grain will ascend an incline of from 10 to 40 degrees with
the horizon, and when a blower is used every opening constitutes a wind pipe,
thereby effectually cleaning anything as it passes through the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent; filed
by the said Henry King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
KING, of Frome, in the County of Somerset, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry King, Her special licence that I, the said Henry King,.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
King, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND DRESSING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry King, 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 Henry King, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in certain new and improved mechanical arrange-
ments and combinations of parts constituting a machine or apparatus adapted
for thrashing and dressing wheat and other grain; and the principal features
of novelty in my said improvements consist,--
Firstly, in a new form of shaker.
Secondly, in a new form of beaters.
Thirdly, in the use of an endless feeding cloth, for conducting the wheat or
other grain into the machine, with which it is combined.
Fourthly, in the use of cleaners, for separating extraneous matters from the
straw after it has been thrashed and passed out of the machine to which such
said cleaners are connected.
I

page_text: Fifthly, in the use and adaptation to the above combined machine of two
blowers, mounted on one and the same shaft instead of said blowers being fixed
on separate shafts, as heretofore practised.
Sixthly, in the use and adaptation to the above machine of a new form of
sieve or sieves, so constructed as that the meshes thereof instead of being
arranged horizontally are arranged vertically, or at right angles, or any other
angle of inclination to the sieve holder, or that part to which the several sieves
are affixed, whereby the operation of sifting can be conducted equally well
with the sieve holder in an upright position as in an horizontal position.
The nature of these improvements will be better understood by the following
description of the mode of arranging, combining, and actuating my improved
mechanism for thrashing and dressing wheat and other grain, that is to say:
The framing or case of the machine is mounted upon four running wheels, as
commonly practised in locomotive thrashing machines, for transporting them
from place to place, and to said casing the following parts are connected:-
To one part of such said casing is affixed the mechanism employed for per-
forming the thrashing operation, and to the other part of said casing is affixed
the mechanism employed for performing the dressing operation. a communica-
tion being provided from the one to the other, which may be opened or closed at
will, according as it is required either to simply thrash the wheat or other
grain, or heaving out the dust, or to dress it also.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible. I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect. reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Sheet exhibits a side elevation of my above-mentioned improved machine
or apparatus, shewing the driving and guide pullies leading to barley horner
or humelor.
Sheet 2 is an elevation of the other and opposite side of said machine,
shewing the elevator g, and boxes V to receive undressed corn or grain.
Sheet 5 Figure 5, at F, exhibits a mechanical arrangement suitable for
shelling clover, for which purpose 1 adapt it to my improved thrashing machine.
The seed or grain passes from the shellor to the elevator g ready to be con-
veyed to the dresser or finisher, the construction of which is shewn at Sheets
4 and 5, at Figure of which is a crank rod and shaft (or instead of
a crank pullies may be used) for imparting motion to the dressing apparatus.

page_text: At Sheet 3. Figures 1 and 3 respectively exhibit end elevations of the
machine at A and B, Sheet 5, shewing the front ends of the shakers; the back
end of the machine is provided with doors for convenience of access to the
dressing arrangement enclosed tliereby.
J'
At Sheet 5. Figure 5 exhibits a longitudinal and vertical section of my
improved shakers as they would appear when divided through the line C. D.
at Sheets 3 and 4.
At Sheet 4. Figure 4 exhibits a section through the line E. F. at Sheet 5,
of that portion of the apparatus employed for dressing grain. &c. Figures
6. 7. 8. 9. exhibit detached portions of my improved beaters, drawn to an
enlarged scale to shew the construction thereof more clearly.
At Sheet 4, Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. 15 exhibit various forms of con-
struction of my improved inclined sieves or screens.
Upon the main driving shaft A (which is placed crosswise of the casing or
framing of the machine) I fix a series of heaters B of peculiar construction.
leaving openings at between each row of beaters for the grain to fall through;
the straw therefrom is conducted on to shakers C, the top edges whereof are
formed with large indentations or serrations a, a, for catching hold of the
straw which lies therein said straw is shaken and pushed forward by con-
necting such said shakers by one end to a crank shaft D, to which motion is
imparted by a cross strap or band E, passing from a pulley F on the shaft A'.
and from thence around another pulley G on the blower shaft H beneath, and
another strap or band I passes from this shaft to a pulley K at the other side
of the machine on the axis of the aforesaid crank shaft A': the cranks D are
so arranged with respect to each other, as that whilst one or more of the
shakers C are being pushed forward others are being pulled back, by which
the straw is advanced along the said shakers and the loose grain separated
therefrom. The cranks D work in a box x to protect them dust, &c. &c., and
may have motion imparted thereto by a four or more throw crank, or the rods
may be connected to every other shaker and coupled together. The outer ends
of the shakers C are connected by levers or rods L, hinged thereto to a
transverse shaft M beneath, upon which said levers are firmly fixed, as also
certain socket pieces c, c, into which long curved pieces of wood N or other
suitable material are connected by pins d, the purpose of such said pieces being
to clean the straw and toss it away from the machine ready to be gathered
together, and afterwards tied up into bundles ready for commercial use. The
grain as it passes from the aforesaid beaters B and shakers C falls by its
gravity upon inclined surfaces ; said inclined surfaces. together with the
several sieves W; W, W³, move to and fro by the action of the said shakers

page_text: to which they are connected, and thus agitate the grain upon the sieve W
beneath. and effect the sifting thereof; from thence it passes through other
sieves WW, beneath, the meshes of each of these sieves being of different
degrees of fineness. The corn. chaff, cavings. and other extraneous matters are
separated from the grain by the action of the blower Q thereon; the sifted
grain falls into a receptacle R below. from whence it is removed by an endless
system of lifting buckets S, shown at Sheet 2, and conducted into the
"humelor" T, which is of the ordinary kind. From thence it passes into the
cleaner to be dressed, if necessary, or it may be discharged therefrom by a
shule V. shewn at Sheets 2. 3, 4. without dressing.
The dressing operation is effected by passing the grain through a series
of sieves W. W, W shewn at Figure 1 of Sheets 4 and 5, of different
degrees of fineness, and of the peculiar construction exhibited at Sheet 4:
the different qualities of grain pass off by the spouts e, e, for separating
the grain when dressed. is a spout to convey the corn or other grain which
has not already been separated from the husk back through the machine
to be worked over again. The grain and chaff which passes from the
surface of the first or top sieve is of the coarsest quality, known and dis-
tinguished as the hulk; the second sieve finishes the grain; the third
sieve separates the corn. The chaff is separated from the grain by another
blower X fixed upon the same shaft as the blower Q. All of the above-
mentioned sieves may have reciprocating movement imparted thereto by
suitable mechanism.
I would here remark, that a peculiar feature in the above improved mode of
forming the aforesaid sieves. consists in the facility with which the corn
or grain, rubbish. dust. &c. can be separated from the cavings, dust, &c., as by
my improved construction of sieves the corn, dust, and other extraneous matters
will fall through the apertures or meshes of said sieves, whilst the cavings.
&c. will ascend an incline of from 10 to 40 degrees with the horizon, and when
a blower is used every opening constitutes a wind pipe, thereby effectually
cleaning the grain as it passes through the same.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in Machinery for Thrashing and Dressing Wheat and other
Grain," together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, I hereby declare my Invention to consist in, and
I claim,-
First, the general combination and arrangement of parts. above particularly
described and represented. as constituting improvements in machinery for
thrashing and dressing wheat and other grain.

page_text: And, more especially, I claim, secondly, the shakers marked C, C; the
inclined sieves W, W, W, W, W³, W.
Thirdly, the beaters B.
Fourthly, the combining of two blowers on one and the same shaft.
Fifthly, the curved pieces N.
Sixthly, the combining of the shelling apparatus, marked F at Sheet 5, with
a thrashing machine.
And, seventhly and lastly, the endless feeding cloth for conducting the grain
into the machine.
i
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry King, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.
HENRY KING. (L.S.)