Improvements in Decorticating Machinery.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Decorticating Machinery.
I, HERMANN HEINRICH, of Dollnitz, No. 162, near Halle a. S., in the Empire
of Germany, Mill Controller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This invention relates to machines for decorticating and cleaning grain and
relates to certain improvements in such machines, by which the same are made
capable of freeing specially sensitive kinds of corn for instance barley, oats etc.,
from the husks and beards without injuring the grain.
These improvements shown in the annexed drawing are as follows:-
Fig. 1 shows the machine in a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view. The
other figures show details.
In the centre of the funnel A there is arranged a vertical shaft B adjustable by
means of a foot screw C. Its impulsion is effected by means of a mitred gear-
ing D D', which is arranged either under or over the machine. The same can of
course be also replaced by other force transmission gear. The dispersing or
spreading plate E is fixed immediately over the peeling bottom on the shaft B and
over it a socket G of the cross piece I is slid loosely on the shaft B which by
means of an easily accessible binding screw H can be fixed on the shaft. The
spokes of the cross pieco I are connected by a rim R, which carries a guiding
funnel A', which rotates with it. The peeling floor is bent down at its periphery
in such a manner, that it forms the casing of an annular channel M, in the bottom
of which there are provided openings N.
The problem solved by the present invention was to form the peeling organs
in such a manner, that they would fulfil the purpose mentioned herein before
without injuring the grain of the corn.
For this purpose are arranged immediately over the dispersing plate E arms F
fixed on the shaft B (Figs. 1 to 4) which extend to the periphery of the machine,
where they carry the small shovels S¹ which effect the emptying of the corn.
These arms F carry close to the axle and concentrically to it a ring R¹ which is
connected solidly with them.
On the inner ring R carrying the guiding funnel A¹ are arms K turnable
horizontally on the bolts a and guided through slots y of the ring R¹ and reach
nearly to the periphery of the machine. These arms K carry the small shovels S
which free the corn from the husks and beards by means of the fluted floor L.
The bottom L consists of wood, corrugated sheet iron, china or any similar
material. Its surface is fluted in such a manner, that the flutes run from the
centre to the periphery either in the manner shown in the drawing in curved lines,
or in the direction of the radius; the same must however not be formed with
sharp edges or corners, as otherwise the grains would be injured.
The arms K have on their front side rectangularly bent flanges K¹ which are
cut out at their upper end in a fork like manner and which carry near to the arm
square slots (Fig. 7). Behind the flange the arm is perforated in the manner
רנס ...D

page_text: shown in Figs. 7 and 7", in order to prevent grain lying on it, which would make
the returning of the small shovels into position impossible.
Fig. 7 shows the small shovel in section, Fig. 7" in front view, Fig. 7° in back
view and Fig. 7" underneath view.
The small shovel is curved as shown in Fig. 7 the surface of which is provided
with rounded flutes. At the top it ends in an arm a the length of which corre
sponds to the width of the arm K and which by means of its boss breaches
through the opening at the foot of the up bent flange. A second boss e lies
against the back side of the arm K. A pin d projecting obliquely upwards from
the neck of the shovel reaches into the fork like end of the bent up flange. A
spiral spring is wound round it, which rests on one side against the lower end
of d and on the other side against the fork. Its tendency is to keep the shovel
down.
The machine operates in the following manner.
The corn carried in by means of the funnel A passes on the distributing plate E
which throws it within reach of the shovels S. These shovels, the flutes of which
run rectangularly to the floor flutes at the middle adjustment of the arms K,
effect a soft pressing of the grains to the bottom by simultaneously rolling the
same. As neither the flutes of the shovel nor those of the floor have sharp edges,
a crushing or cutting of the grain cannot take place; the same are in the contrary
pressed moderately and rolled over and over. By means of this process all
husks, beards etc., are loosened from the grains without injuring the latter.
The flutes running from the centre to the periphery of the floor assist together
with the flutes of the shovels and the centrifugal effect to despatch the grain from
the centre to the emptying channel.
In order to be able to effect this despatch sidewards with more or less velocity,
one can give to the arms K a direction more or less inclined to the radius of the
machine. When the same are for instance in the position shown in Fig. 5 and
their outer ends thus pass behind the inner ones, also the front surfaces of the
shovels are directed a little towards the periphery, the same push therefor
the grains quicker to the periphery. When however the arms are adjusted, as
shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, the effect is the opposite. The exterior end
of the arm passes then before the inner one. The front sides of the shovels are
directed against the centre, they have a tendency therefor to resist the effect of
the flutes and of the centrifugal force. The emptying takes therefore more time
in this position.
.
The displacement of the arms is effected by means of the socket G and the
ring R connected therewith solidly. One loosens the binding screw H and
turns the socket G and simultaneously all parts connected solidly with it in an
opposite direction to that which the arms shall take. When one wants to incline
the arms backwards, the socket must be turned in the direction of revolution and
invertedly.
If grains should collect under the shovels and there would be a possibility,
that the same would be crushed, this danger is avoided by the spring like
fastening of the shovel on the arm K. The shovel, when it encounters an obstacle,
is easily lifted a little and after having passed the obstacle it is again pressed
back into its previous position by means of the spiral spring.
The manner of fastening the shovels permits their number being increased or
diminished according to requirements on each single arm. One has only to take
care that the shovels on each arm cover just the intervals of those of the previous
arm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
is:-
1 The improved decortinnting machiname in which shonal shonad 1

page_text: rotating round a vertical axle B and are dragged by the same in a circle over a
radially corrugated peeling floor L in such a manner that they free corn etc.
thrown on the same from the husks and beards by soft and yielding pressing and
rolling without injury and simultaneously, according to their angle of adjustment
assist to push the grain towards the periphery or work against the centrifugal
force assisted by the radial direction of the peeling floor flutes in the direction of
the centripetal force, and in a retarded manner.
2. A form of construction of the machinery as under Claim 1, in which the
arms K carrying the shovel shaped peelers S are put through slots y of a ring R¹
connected rigidly with the shaft B and are connected with a smaller ring R,
which ring R can be displaced on the shaft B and again fixed, so that displacement
of the same adjusts all the arms K and also the peelers S simultaneously at varying
angles.