IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Colborne Cambridge, of Bristol, Agricultural
Implement Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Colborne Cam-
bridgo at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th May 1857.
I, WILLIAM COLBORNE CAMBRIDGE, of Bristol, Agricultural Implement
Maker, do hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR WINNOWING CORN AND SEPARATING SEEDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of winnowing machine;
whereby the chaff and other light matters are rapidly driven off from the corn,
and the lighter and more weighty kernels or seeds are separated from each
other and discharged into separate receptacles. The grain is received from a
hopper on to a reciprocating riddle provided with three screens set one above
the other, and in passing down through or on to these screens the grain is sub-
jected to a blast of air from a rotating fan of any approved construction.
The operation of the machine is first to separate the chaff, &c. from the
corn and deposit it into a separate receptacle'; the corn then falling on to a
second sieve, the hulks (that is, corn with chaff adhering to it,) are separated
and deposited in a second receptacle. The corn that passes through the second
screen falls on to an inclined screen, which separates the smaller kernels or

page_text: seeds from those of larger dimensions. The smaller kernels are guided down
into a third receptacle, while the heavy corn slides down the inclined
screen, and falling between conducting boards, there meets with a second or
divided blast, which takes out any remaining light corn and deposits it in
a fourth receptacle, the best sample is at the same time conducted to a fifth
receptacle. This arrangement of winnowing machinery may be made as
a separate machine, or it may be combined with thrashing machinery.
For separating the grown or light corn, &c. from corn intended to be used
by the maltster, I propose to employ the above-described arrangement, omitting
the first and second screens, and using only a single blast below the inclined
screen.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Colborne Cambridge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLBORNE CAMBRIDGE, of Bristol, Agricultural Implement Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Colborne Cambridge, Her special license that I, the said William
Colborne Cambridge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Colborne Cambridge, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WINNOWING CORN AND SEPARATING SEEDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Colborne Cambridge,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 William Colborne Cambridge, do hereby

page_text: declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that is to say):-
This, Invention, of "Improved Machinery for Winnowing Corn and Sepa-
rating Seeds," relates to an improved arrangement of winnowing machine,
whereby the chaff and other light matters are rapidly driven off from the corn,
and the lighter and more weighty kernels or seeds are separated from each
other and discharged into suitable and distinct receptacles. The grain is
received from a hopper on to a reciprocating riddle provided with three screens
set one above the other, and in passing down through or on to these screens
the grain is subjected to a divided blast of air from a rotating fan of any
approved construction.
The operations of the machine are first to separate the chaff and other
light extraneous matters from the corn and to deposit the former in a
separate receptacle; the corn is then caused to fall on to a second sieve,
and any husks (that is, corn with chaff adhering to it,) are separated and
deposited in a second receptacle. The corn that passes through the second
screen falls on to an inclined screen, which separates the small kernels or seeds
from those of larger dimensions. The smaller kernels are guided down into a.
third receptacle, while the heavy corn and large kernels slide down the
inclined screen, and falling between conducting boards, there meet with a
second or divided blast, which takes out any remaining light corn and deposits
it in a fourth receptacle, the best sample is at the same time conducted to a.
fifth receptacle. This arrangement of winnowing machinery may be made as
a separate machine, or it may be combined with any convenient arrangement
of thrashing machinery.
For separating the grown or light corn and seeds from corn intended to
bo used by the malster, I propose to employ a somewhat similar arrangement
to that above described, omitting the first and second screens, and using only
a single blast below the inclined screen.
In Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing I have, shewn a sectional
view of the simplest form or construction of my improved winnowing or
dressing machine, and which is intendod for the use of millers, malsters,
and others, to enable them to clean or dress their corn, and separate from
the corn any thin or light grains and seeds, and thus produce a better
sample than usual. a is the hopper in which the, corn to be operated upon
is placed; is the fan for dressing or winnowing the corn; c, d, e, are.
three sieves or riddles, which in this instance are arranged one before the

page_text: other, but are so placed that the corn in passing from one sieve to the
other must drop a little distance, and therefore be necessarily displaced or
disturbed instead of merely sliding down the sieve in a body. The sieves are
made by preference of sheet metal, and are perforated with oval holes of
suitable size, and with their longer diameters arranged in a direction parallel
to the motion of the riddles or sieves; through these holes any thin corn or
seeds that may be mixed with the corn will pass as the corn is shaken down
by the agitation of the riddles. From the end of the lowermost riddle or sieve
the corn falls on to the inclined boards f, f, from whence it falls on to the delivery
board or shute g, and while so doing it is subjected to a strong blast from the
fan b, whereby any light or thin grains or seeds that may not have passed
through the riddle will be blown away and be separated from the good grain
and deposited in any suitable receptacle placed under the machine. The size
of the oval holes in the sieves or riddles must of course depend upon the nature
of the grain to be operated upon; and in order to render the machine as
generally useful as possible, I adapt and fix the screens or riddles in such a
manner that they may be easily detached, and I provide with each machine
three sets of riddles or screens with holes of different dimensions.
a is
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a machine for winnowing corn or grain
after being thrashed, and for separating therefrom the chaff, husks, and
other extraneous matters that will be found mixed with the corn.
the hopper in which the corn to be winnowed by the fan b is placed,
and is fed down on to the screens c, d, e, through an adjustable aperture
at the bottom of the hopper. The uppermost riddle or sieve c is intended
principally to separate the short ears, bits of straw, and such like extraneous
matters from the corn, and to deliver the former into the compartment h.
The corn and chaff will pass through the riddle or sieve c and fall on
to the second sieve d, but during its passage it will be subjected to the
blast coming through the opening from the fan or blower b, and the chaff
(thereby separated) will be blown on to the inclined board, whereby it will
be conducted down into the second receptacle or compartment i. When
the corn has passed through the second sieve d it will fall on to the inclined
board j, which will conduct it to the upper end of the third riddle or sieve 6,
and the blast from the opening f, acting upon the corn while it is falling from
the board to the sieve or riddle e, will drive out any chaff or husks that may
still be mixed with the corn, and will drive them against the board 9, from
whence they will fall into the receptacle i. Any small seeds and thin and
imperfect grains that may be mixed with the good grain will pass the oval
perforations of the sieve e and will fall on to the board 7, from whence they will

page_text: be conducted to the third receptacle or compartment k, while the good grain
or corn will pass down the sieve into the trough or funnel m, m, from whence
it will pass out through an aperture at bottom on to the inclined board n,
whereby the winnowed and clean grain will be delivered into any suitable
receptacle placed at the lower end of the board for the purpose. While falling
from the funnel or trough m on to the delivering board n, the corn will be
subjected to a second blast from the fan or blower 6 through the aperture o,
and by that means any light or imperfect grains that may still remain will be
separated from the good grain and be driven against the board p, which will
conduct them to a separate receptacle. I would observe that by thus dividing
the blast of the fan or blower, as at fand o, I am enabled to perform the
winnowing and cleaning operations more effectually than heretofore, and that
by making the perforations of the sieves or riddles of an oval form, the thin,
light, and imperfect grains may be separated from the good grain with greater
facility than when round or square holes are employed. I would here remark,
that if desired the oval holes in the three screens or riddles may be made of
different dimensions.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Machinery for Win-
nowing Corn and Separating Seeds," and having explained the means of
carrying the same into effect, I claim, in conclusion, the arrangement and con-
struction of parts herein shewn and described, and particularly the arrange-
ment of the screens and riddles, and making the holes or perforations of the
sieves or riddles of an oval form. I claim also the use and application to
my improved winnowing or corn dressing machinery of the divided blast, as
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Colborne Cambridge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
W C. CAMBRIDGE. (L.S.)
0 Witness,
WINTOUR E. BAKER, of Raglan House,
Stapleton Road, Bristol.