IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND WINEOWING. WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oliver Maggs, of Bourton Foundry, Dorset, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND WINEOWING.
WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN."
Sealed the 25th April 1856, and dated the 20th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Oliver Maggs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
November 1855.
I, OLIVER MAGGS, of Bourton Foundry, Dorset, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND
WINNOWING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in thrashing and winnowing
machines. In constructing the winnowing apparatus of a thrashing machine
and also of a winnowing machine, two riddles or sieves are in each case
employed, one above the other; but in place of allowing the grain to fall from
the upper sieve or riddle directly on to the lower one, an inclined partition is
employed, on to which the grain from the upper sieve or riddle falls, and
by it the grain is conducted to the end of the lower riddle or sieve, and
streams of air from a blowing machine are directed over the riddle or sieve
and between the sieves or riddles, as heretofore. It is preferred to use two

page_text: sets of such riddles or sieves and partitions in a thrashing machine. And in
constructing the shaker of a thrashing machine with rotatory rakes, in place of
having all the rotatory rakes of the same diameter, some are made of larger
diameter than the others, and they are driven either at a like or a different
speed, according to the effect desired to be obtained. The larger rakes are
placed either alternately with the rakes of smaller diameter, or there may be
more than one of the smaller rakes between two of the larger rakes. Below
the rotatory rakes there is an incline, down which the grain which is shaken
out descends to the lower winnowing apparatus, as heretofore. The best grain
from the lower winnowing apparatus is conducted directly into a "hummeler,"
and from it the grain is discharged into the elevator, which raises it to the
upper winnowing apparatus. The other matters from the lower winnowing
apparatus are conducted by another elevator back to the drum, to be again
thrashed. Over the lower part of the shaker and over the drum is placed a
cover of wire cloth or work, by which the currents of air created by the rotation
of the drum are allowed to pass, whilst the grain and matters fall back on to
the shaker.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Oliver Maggs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OLIVER
MAGas, of Bourton Foundry, Dorset, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Ller
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Oliver Maggs, Her special licence that I, the said Oliver Maggs, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Oliver
Maggs, 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 MACHINERY FOR
THRASHING AND WINEOWING WHEAT AND OTHER GRATE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Oliver Maggs, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their

page_text: 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 Oliver Maggs, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in thrashing and winnowing
machines. In constructing the winnowing apparatus of a thrashing machine
and also of a winnowing machine, two riddles or sieves are in each case
employed, one above the other; but in place of allowing the grain to fall from
the upper sieve or riddle directly on to the lower one, an inclined partition is
employed, on to which the grain from the upper sieve or riddle falls, and by it
the grain is conducted to the end of the lower riddle or sieve, and streams
of air from a blowing machine are directed over and between the riddles or
sieves, as heretofore. It is preferred to use two sets of such riddles or sieves
and partitions in a thrashing machine. And in constructing the shaker of
a thrashing machine with rotatory rakes, in place of having all the rotatory
rakes of the same diameter, some are made of larger diameter than the others,
and they are driven either at a like or a different speed, according to the effect
desired to be obtained. The larger rakes are placed either alternately with
the rakes of smaller diameter, or there may be more than one of the smaller
rakes between two of the larger rakes. Below the rotatory rakes there is an
incline, down which the grain which is shaken out descends to the lower
winnowing apparatus, as heretofore. The best grain from the lower winnowing
apparatus is conducted directly into a "hummeler," and from it the grain is
discharged into the elevator, which raises it to the upper winnowing apparatus.
The other matters from the lower winnowing apparatus are conducted by
another elevator back to the drum, to be again thrashed. Over the lower part
of the shaker and over the drum is placed a cover of wire cloth or work,
by which the currents of air created by the rotation of the drum are allowed
to pass, whilst the grain and matters fall back on to the shaker.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I will now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and
refer to the accompanying Drawings, in all the Figures of which similar letters
denote like parts as often as they occur.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, Figure 2 a right-hand end view,
Figure 8 a left-hand end view, Figure 4 a right-hand side view, and Figure 5
a left-hand side view, of a portable thrashing and winnowing machine con-
structed in accordance with my Invention.
a is an opening or hopper through which the corn is fed to the beater b,
which is of an ordinary construction, and by this beater the grain is beaten
out and falls between the bars of the breastwork c on to the screen d
which receives a to and fro motion from the crank e; the grain passes
through the screen, and the broken ears and other matters which will not pass
through are discharged at the end by the spout f. The grain and other
matters which pass through the screen fall on to an inclined board g, which
also receives a to and fro motion from the crank e, and are by this board con-
ducted to the screen or riddle h, over which a current of air is forced by the
blower i. The grain falls through the screen on to an inclined board below,
and the heavier matters which are carried away by the blast, and those which
go over the bottom riddle, pass down the spout j, and are returned by the
elevator k to be again acted on by the beater b. From the lower riddle h
the grain, if barley, passes to the "hummeller" 1; afterward the grain is
raised by the elevator m, and is discharged on to the riddle n, which has a to
and fro motion given to it; through this screen the grain passes into the
hopper o, and in falling from this hopper the grain is subjected to a blast of
air from the blower p, which carries away the dust and other matters, which
fall into the bag g; the grain passes from the hopper to the separator r, which
separates it into two qualities, as heretofore, the inferior grain passing through
on to a board below, while the best grain is discharged at the end into the
sacks, which is placed on a weighing machine, so arranged as to close the
slide and ring a bell when the sack is full. This weighing machine is shewn
separately at Figure 6. The straw, after it has been thrashed by the beater b,
passes to the shakers or rotatory rakes t, which completely separate it from the
grain and chaff, and discharge it down the inclined board n*. By making these
shakers or rotatory rakes of different sizes, as shown, a different surface speed
is obtained, when they are all driven at the same number of revolutions per
minute, and thus a more perfect shaking is obtained. Motion is given to the
different parts in the following manner:-On the axis of the beater b is a
drum b', over which a band passes, communicating motion to it from a steam
engine or other prime mover. On the further end of the same axis is another
drum b³, over which an endless band passes, giving motion to the drum p' on

page_text: the axis of the blower p, and to the drum on the axis of the blower i. This
band also passes over a tightening pulley, the bearings of which slide in grooves,
so as to regulate the tension of the band. On the further end of the axis of
the blower i is another drum t, over which an endless band passes, giving
motion to the drum on the axis of the separator r, to the drum m¹ on
the upper axis of the elevator m, and to the drum t' on the axis of one of the
shakers t, and from the shaker so driven the other shakers receive motion by
cranks and connecting rods, or in any convenient manner. There is also on
the axis of the blower i and within the framing another drum, over which
a band passes to a drum on the axis of the hummeller, on which axis there
is a smaller drum P, over which a band passes, giving motion to the drum ¹ on
the crank axis e. On the upper axis of the elevator m is another pulley m³,
over which a band passes to the pulley ', and gives motion to the elevator k.
u is a cover of wire cloth or perforated material.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
the details herein described; but what I claim is, the mode of combining the
riddles and partitions or inclines as herein described; also the mode of com-
bining rotatory rakes of different diameters, as herein described; also the
application of hummeler, as described; also the mode of returning the matters
to be re-thrashed; also the cover u, of perforated wire cloth or material, to
allow the air to pass and yet meet the grain.
In witness whereof, I, the said Oliver Maggs, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
GEO. PITT,
4, Old Square.
OLIVER MAGGS. (L.S.)