Improvements in, or Additions to Thrashing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in, or Additions to Thrashing Machines.
We, CARL ROBERT SCHUSTER, of Gassen, near Francfort on the Oder, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Engineer, and MASCHINENBAU-ANSTALT UND
EISENGIESSEREI VORM. TH. FLÖTHER, a company incorporated according to the laws
of the Kingdom of Prussia, domiciled at the same place, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention to bo as follows:-
-
Thrashing machines as hitherto arranged present the objection that whenever
they are subjected to considerable strain in operating upon very large quantities of
produce mixed with the seed of weeds and like impurities, they fail to cleanse and
sort the grain in a complete manner so that they have proved incapable of separating
blighted grain from sound grain and the subsequent employment of a special
cleansing machine for this purpose has been necessary.
The object of this invention is to remove this objection by providing instead of
the sorting cylinder-which can be dispensed with in the arrangement according to
this invention-an additional or third cleansing and sorting arrangement or device,
situated within the frame of the thrashing machine, in such a manner that the said
frame need not be extended, or increased in size. This arrangement consists of a
third fan combined with a complete third sifting device, the meshes or perforations
in which are in accordance with the size or nature of the grain to be cleansed and
sorted.
Improvements in, or Additions to Thrashing Machines.
We, CARL ROBERT SCHUSTER, of Gassen, near Frankfort on the Oder, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Engineer, and the MASCHINENBAU-ANSTALT
UND EISENGIESSEREI VORM. TH. FLÖTHER, a company incorporated according to the
laws of the Kingdom of Prussia, domiciled at the same place, do heroby declare the
nature of said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Thrashing machines are hitherto arranged present the objection that whenever
they are subjected to considerable strain in operating upon very large quantities of
produce mixed with the seed of weeds and the like impurities, they fail to cleanse

page_text: and sort the grain in a complete manner so that they have proved incapable of
separating blighted grain from sound grain and the subsequent employment of a
special cleansing machine for this purpose has been necessary.
The object of this invention is to remove this objection by providing an additional
or third cleansing and sorting arrangement or device, situated within the frame of
the thrashing machine, in such a manner, that the said frame need not be extended,
or increased in size.
This cleansing apparatus also obviates the disturbances in the operation of the
machine which have arisen in consequence of the machine becoming clogged or
obstructed when the operation of the ordinary machine is depended upon for the
entire cleansing process.
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings represent in transverse and
longitudinal section respectively and by way of example one form in which this
invention may be carried into effect and Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate part of a thrashing
machine such as has been in use hitherto, provided with double cleansing apparatus
and a sorting cylinder.
Referring to Figs. 3 & 4, the main feature of this invention is that, instead of the
sorting cylinder, which can be dispensed with in the arrangement according to
this invention, there is fitted within the frame of the machine, which can be of the
ordinary dimensions, the additional or third fan A, combined with a complete third
sifting device B in such a manner that the size of the machine is not increased.
The said third sifting device B consists of three exchangeable sieves or sifting
frames viz. the distributing or "wind" sieve a and two sorting sieves b and c, the
meshes or perforations in which are in accordance with the size or nature of the
grain to be cleansed and sorted.
In the form of apparatus illustrated, the sifting device B is rigidly connected
with the rear part of the thrashing machine, and is driven simultaneously therewith
from the rocking or "shaker" shaft d. The said sifting device may however be
arranged separately from the said rear part of the machine.
The operation of a thrashing machine fitted with the improved arrangement
according to this invention is as follows:--
The grain after having been thrashed in the cylinder k (Fig. 4) partly by the action
of the shakers 7 and partly directly, falls upon the upper shoe m of the machine, the
perforated bottom of which separates the coarsest impurities-such as large chaff
and the liko from the grain, which on passing through the said perforated bottom
falls on the lower shoo n where it is subjected to the cleansing action of the first
or main fan a. The further conveyance of the grain, which has undorgone a
preparatory cleansing process, to the part of the machine where its cleansing is to
be continued, is effected by the elevator g. This furthor or second stage of cleansing
in effected by the grain-separator r, the above-mentioned rear part C, and the
fan P.
In distriots where no more than about 300 or 400 hundred-weight of grain is
thrashed daily these two successive cleansing oporations, combined with that of the
sorting cylinders placed underneath (Figures 1 and 2) will probably be found
sufficient for producing a product sufficiently well cleansed and sorted to be
marketable; but in localities where as much as say 1000 or 1200 hundred-weight of
grain per day well cleansed and free from blight has to be produced, two cleansing
stages only will not suffice to produce such quantities of grain fit for the market,
and it is especially in those cases that the arrangement according to this invention
is necessary. The grain twice cleansed as aforesaid, will therefore in this instance
descend from the rear part C (Figures 3 and 4) onto the additional distributing
sieve a of the third cleansing device B provided according to this invention.
Through this sieve the grain falls in a uniform manner and in so doing presents to
the current of air produced by the third fan A an extended operating surface; and
the said current of air will thoroughly remove all remaining dust or chaff which in
blown out of the machine through a hinged or adjustable shutter or door e. The
grain which has been thus cleansed, passes onto the sorting sieve b, and the good

page_text: sound grain passes over this sievo b and falls into a receptacle farranged under-
neath. Grain of a lower grade falls through the said sieve b and is received by the
"sand sieve" c, by which it is freed from the last traces of sand, seed of weeds, or
the like. This grain forming the second-class produce, falls from the sieve c into
the receptacle g. Whilst the grain is on the sorting sieve bit is exposed to the
action of the cleansing blast from the third fan A. Small seed of weeds, sand and
the like collect in the receptacle h provided for the purpose underneath the sieve e
whilst bad or blighted grain passos into the collector i.
In place of the blowing fan A it will be evident that the position of the fan may
be reversed so that it acts by drawing instead of forcing air through this third
cleansing device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination with a thrashing machine a third cleansing and sorting device
whereby after the grain has undergone the second cleansing stage it is subjected to
a third cleansing and sorting operation, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In combination with a thrashing machine a third cleansing and sorting device
consisting of a distributing sieve (a), a sorting sieve and a sand sieve (b, c), and a
fan (A) whereby the grain is subjected in the same machine to a third cleansing
and sorting operation, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated 1.
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.