IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY. FOR CONVEYING, DISTRIBUTING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING CORN AND GRAIN, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN BULK
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, of Elswick,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY.
FOR CONVEYING, DISTRIBUTING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING CORN AND GRAIN,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN BULK."
Sealed the 14th May 1867, and dated the 21st November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Graham Buchanan
Westmacott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st November 1866.
I, PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT, of Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CONVEYING, DISTRIBUTING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING CORN AND
GRAIN, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN BULK," to be as follows:-
In order to convey corn or other articles in bulk from one part of a
warehouse to another, or otherwise from place to place, I employ endless
bands running at a considerable speed, say from 8 to 10 feet per second.
The corn or other article is delivered on to the band down a hopper or shoot,
its lower end is immediately above the surface of the band, and is so curved
or formed as to deliver the material in a direction parallel to that in which
the band is travelling, and the height of the hopper or shoot is such that the

page_text: velocity at which the corn or material is delivered is equal, as nearly as may
be, to the speed of the band, thus the corn or material is caused quietly and
at once to take its place on the band, which then rapidly carries it away. At
the point where the band receives the corn or material it is bent up on each
side by guide pulleys into a trough-like form the better to ensure the corn or
material remaining on the band. The band is supported at intervals on
rollers on a frame running from end to end of the floor or place along which
the corn or material is required to be conveyed, and this frame also supports
guides or rails on which an apparatus for discharging the corn or material
from the band traverses, so that by means of this apparatus the corn or
material may be deposited at any point in the length of the band where it may
be required. The discharging apparatus consists of a carriage with a pair of
rollers upon it; these rollers are at a short distance apart and are carried by a
rocking frame. When the discharging apparatus is out of use the band with
the corn or material upon it runs freely between these rollers, but when it is
required to discharge the band opposite the point where the apparatus is
standing the rocking frame is so inclined that the rollers deflect the band out
of the straight line, raising the part of the band which is approaching the
apparatus and depressing the part which is passing away from it; this
sudden change in the direction in which the band is travelling causes the
corn or material to leave it by its momentum, and it flies forward into a
shoot which conducts it away on one side and discharges it either on to the
floor or down a fixed shoot, or it may be on to another rapidly travelling
band at right angles to the first and similar to it. This operation of removing
the corn or other similar material from the band also cleans it, as the lighter
particles have not sufficient momentum to overcome the resistance the air
opposes to their flight and consequently fall short of the hopper or shoot, and
are collected separately in a suitable repectacle.
When it is desired to spread the corn or material uniformly over a floor or
space I cause it to be delivered by apparatus such as above described or otherwise
to a distributing apparatus. It consists of a cone mounted on a vertical axis, and
on the surface of this cone are radial blades; the corn or material is caused to
descend on to the cone through a vertical pipe, the lower end of which is
immediately above the top of the cone and concentric with it, and as the cone
revolves rapidly its arms strike the descending corn or material and throw it off,
and the cone being some distance above the floor on which the distribution is
required the corn or material is thrown to a considerable distance. The arms
are broader at the periphery than nearer the centre, and thus a regular or nearly
regular distribution is obtained all around the apparatus. It will be observed that
-

page_text: in the course of this distributing operation the corn or material is thoroughly.
exposed to the air, and in this way it is conditioned, that is to say, deleterious'
changes are checked, with which object corn is now commonly shovelled over
and thrown into the air by hand labour. In order to drive the distributing and
conditioning apparatus, and also any cross or secondary conveying bands which
may be required, I take the power from the main conveying band on its return
or under side. I employ for this purpose two rollers or drums, one on each side
of the return band; one of the rollers or drums also is moveable and can be
set so as to deflect the band against the other, which is thus caused to rotate
with the band, and it is geared by means of bevilled gear with the axis of
another drum, round, which the secondary conveying band passes, or it is
geared with the axis of a pulley which by a strap drives the distributing and
conditioning apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PERCY
GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT, of Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, Her special licence that I,
the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott,
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 CONVEYING, DISTRIBUTING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING CORN AND GRAIN, ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN BULK," upon the condition (amongst others)'
that I, the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, 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

page_text: 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 Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
In order to convey corn or other article in bulk from one part of a warehouse
to another,, or otherwise from place to place, I employ endless bands running
at a considerable speed, say from. 8 feet per second upwards. The corn or
other article is delivered on to the band down a hopper or shoot immediately
above the surface of the band, and so curved or formed that the velocity at
which the corn or material is delivered is equal as nearly as may be to the
speed of the band; thus the corn or material is caused quietly and at once to
take its place on the band, which then rapidly carries it away. At the point
where the band receives the corn or material it is bent up on each side by
guide pulleys into a trough-like form the better to ensure the corn or material
remaining on the band. The band is supported at intervals on rollers on a
frame running from end to end of the floor or place along which the corn or
material is required to be conveyed, and this frame also supports guides or
rails on which an apparatus for throwing off the corn or material from the
band traverses, so that by means of this apparatus the corn or material may be
deposited at any point in the length of the band where it may be required.
The discharging apparatus consists of a carriage with a pair of rollers upon it;
these rollers are at a short distance apart, and are carried by a rocking frame.
When the discharging apparatus is out of use the band with the corn or
material upon it runs freely between the rollers, but when it is required to
discharge the band opposite the point where the apparatus is standing the
rocking frame is so inclined that the rollers deflect the band out of the straight
line raising the part of the band which is approaching the apparatus and
depressing or holding down the part which is passing away from it; this
sudden change in the direction in which the band is travelling causes the corn
or material to leave it by its momentum, and it flies forward into a shoot
which conducts it away on one side and discharges it either on to the floor or
down a fixed shoot, or it may be on to another travelling band at an angle to
the first and similar to it. This operation of removing the corn or other similar
material from the band also cleanses it, as the lighter particles have not sufficient
momentum to overcome the resistance the air opposes to their flight, and con-

page_text: sequently fall short of the hopper or shoot, and are collected separately in a
suitable receptacle.
When it is desired to spread the corn or material over a floor or space
I cause it to be delivered by apparatus such as above described or otherwise
to a distributing apparatus which consists of a cone mounted on a vertical
axis, and on the surface of this cone are radial blades; the corn or material
is caused to descend on to the cone through a vertical pipe, the lower end
of which is above the top of the cone, and as the cone revolves rapidly its
arms strike the descending corn or material and throw it off, the cone being
some distance above the floor on which the distribution is required. It will
be observed that in the course of this distributing operation the corn or
material is thoroughly exposed to the air, and in this way it is "conditioned,
that is to say, deleterious changes are checked, with which object corn is now
commonly shovelled over and thrown into the air by hand labor.
In order to drive the distributing and conditioning apparatus, and also any
secondary conveying bands which may be required, I take the power where
convenient from the main conveying band on its return or under side. I
employ for this purpose two rollers or drums, one on each side of the return
band; one of the rollers or drums also is moveable, and can be set so as to
deflect the band against the other, which is then caused to rotate with the
band, and it is geared by means of bevilled gear with the axis of another
drum round which the secondary carrying band passes, or it is geared with
the axis of a pulley, which by a strap drives the distributing and conditioning
apparatus.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood. and
readily carried into effect. I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: the band c is kept strained, the weight applied must be sufficient to prevent
the driving drum at the other end slipping; e is a hopper and shoot for
delivering the grain or material on to the endless band c, its lower end or lip
is just above the surface of the band, and is curved so as to deliver the grain
or material in a direction nearly parallel with the surface of the band. The
length of the shoot should be such that the grain or material in running
down it may acquire a velocity about equal to that at which the band c travels.
At the point where the grain or material lands on the bånd the edges of the
band are turned up, on each side by pulleys set at an angle and mounted
temporarily on the rails a or otherwise suitably supported. The hopper may
either be mounted at one end of the rails, or may be supported on a carriage
with power to traverse along them as may be most convenient. The apparatus"
which is employed for discharging the grain or material from the endless band
is shewn on a larger scale in end view at Figure 3, and in front view at
Figure 4; it consists of a framing supported by wheels f¹ above and below
the rails a; this framing carries in suitable bearings a rocking frame g through
which the spindle g¹ passes, and the frame and spindle are fixed together;
h is a roller capable of revolving freely on the spindle 9', and it stands'
immediately over the band c which it is desired to discharge; g³ is another
spindle, it is carried by the arms of the rocking frame and upon it the druin i
is able to revolve freely, this drum is immediately below the band c, and when
the discharging apparatus is not at work it stands directly under the drum h,
and then the band c passes between the two drums without being deflected.
The spindle g is squared at the end to receive a lever handle by which the
rocking frame g can be tilted into the position in which it is shewn in the
Drawing so as to deflect the band, and then the grain in place of descending
with the band after passing over the drum i leaves it in consequence of the
speed at which it is travelling and passes into the inclined trough or shoot k
which conducts it away to one side of the band. The rocking frame g is
locked in any desired position by the pawl g³ dropping into the teeth of the
stop wheel on the spindle 9'; is a shoot or vessel in which the dust is
collected and is removed from time to time. The discharging apparatus may
if desired deliver the material to a second endless band like. the first, but'
running at an angle to it, such a band is shown at m, m, Figure 1; it is'
mounted in the same way as the band c except that its driving drum receives
motion when it is required from the under part of the band c, for this purpose
the drum n is mounted on a pair of the standards 6 between the upper and under
parts of the band c, and beneath the under part of the band is another roller o
carried by a rocking frame on the same standards 6; this roller o by means of

page_text: a lever handle can be placed in such a position as to deflect the lower part of
the band c upwards, and by a ratchet and pawl the roller o can there be
locked. When the band c is thus deflected it presses strongly on the surfaces
of the drum n and so causes it to rotate, and a bevilled pinion on its axis
then drives another pinion on the terminal drum of the band m.
If it is desired to distribute the grain or material on a floor below that on
which the endless bands are mounted, and in so doing to "condition" the
grain or material, the discharging apparatus is brought into position to deliver
the grain from the band c into the hopper p, Figure 1, from which it flows
down a pipe or shoot q to the distributor, which is shewn in Figures 1 and 2,
and also on a larger scale and more in detail in Figures 5. It consists of
an upright axis r with the cones upon it at some distance above the floor.
Immediately above the cone and concentric with it is the mouth of the
shoot q, so that the material is delivered directly on the top of the cone. s¹, s,
are radial blades fixed on the cone; they strike the grain or material as it
falls and distribute it in a circle around the apparatus. The axis, is driven
by a belt passing round an upright pulley upon it to a pulley t, on the axis of
which is a drum u, and this drum receives its motion in the same way as the
drum which drives the band m:
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details described; but what I claim is, the arranging
machinery for conveying and treating corn, grain, or other articles in bulk, as
herein-before described.
I also claim the arranging the said machinery in such manner that the
carrying band may be deflected at any point where it is desired to remove
the grain or material from it in such manner as to cause the grain or material
to leave it and shoot forward into a guide trough or shoot, by which it is led
away, substantially as herein described.
I also claim the cleansing of corn, grain, or other articles by throwing it off
at such a velocity from the band that the lighter particles and dust are by
the resistance of the air separated from the bulk, substantially as herein
.described.
I also claim the arranging the said machinery in such manner that by
deflecting the carrying band it may be caused, where desired, to give motion to
'a transverse band or to distributing and conditioning apparatus, substantially
as herein described.
I also claim the distributing and conditioning corn, grain, or other article

page_text: by causing it to descend on to a cone or instrument with radial arms rotating
on a vertical axis, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
`PERCY G. B. WESTMACOTT. (L.S.).
`PERCY´G, .B. WESTMACOTT. (L.S.).