Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Purifying Middlings, Semolina, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 31st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Purifying Middlings,
Semolina, and the like.
1, JOSHUA HAMILTON GOODALL, of Castleford Flour Mills, Castleford, in
the County of York, Corn Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for purifying
middlings, semolina, and the like, and it is constructed as follows:-
--
The purifier consists of a frame made of wood or iron of any suitable size
and provided with a sieve (made in one or more portions) in the centre of the
machine.
The sieve is covered with any suitable reticulated covering, such as silk, wire, or
(perforated) glass, parchment, or the like.
To the sieve a shaking motion is imparted by a crank or other equivalent
means.
Over the sieve may be placed a set of trays arranged longitudinally over the
reticulated covering. The catch trays may be made of metal (such as tin) or any
other suitable material, and may consist of any desired number of hollow single or
double (that is shaped somewhat like the letter S) troughs extending nearly the
full length of the above mentioned sieve and partially over a second sieve to be
hereafter described. The said troughs are arranged parallel (or nearly so) with
each other at suitable distances apart to permit of the dusty and other material
arising from the sieve being drawn up between them, and in order to prevent the
said material falling back onto the sieve the upper or lip portion of said troughs
may be made to overhang the next trough.
One half of these lips are arranged to overhang to the right hand, and the
other half to the left hand. The centre trough being provided with a lip on
each side. The said set of trays may be arranged in the sieve at a slight
angle longitudinally to permit of the material operated upon gravitating to a
second short sieve arranged at a slight distance from the first named sieve (and
reciprocating with it) at the tail end of the machine. The short sieve is clothed
with a reticulated covering of silk, wire, or (perforated) glass, parchment, or the
like, and it is arranged to work over a divided or partitioned box in which are
mounted two worms at a right angle to the sieves. The small particles passing
through the reticulated covering fall into one worm box and the tailings into the
other. The sides of the first mentioned sieve are also provided with trays or
recesses (communicating with the second sieve) for catching the loose or small
particles which are drawn by the air from the trays. To the sides of the machine
may also be fixed curved or other pieces for directing any portion of the material
escaping from the troughs into the side trays.
Above the sieve and between the chamber in which the exhaust fan works, is
interposed a dust chamber for receiving the dust drawn by the air from the
material whilst passing over the sieve from head to tail of the machine. Com-
munication is made between the compartment (which may be divided as required)
in which the sieve and catch trays work by means of any desired number of funnel
shaped louvres arranged in sets one above the other. Each set of funnel shaped
louvres is provided with a central tube which opens into the dust chamber. The
lower part of each set of funnels is armed with a clack box for depositing the
settlings of the dust laden air onto the centre of the catch tray.
An exhaust fan may be provided on the top of the machine discharging air into

page_text: space, and aspiration may be provided in other parts of the machine. for more
thoroughly purifying the material operated upon.
Brushes may also be arranged respectively to travel under and act upon the
sieve for cleaning its meshes, and for removing any dust accumulating in the
dust chamber onto the trays at end of machine or onto the second sieve at the tail
of machine.
Any material passing through the meshes of the sieve is conveyed to the rollers
for grinding into flour.
A
+1 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Purifying Middlings,
Semolina, and the like.
I, JOSHUA HAMILTON GOODALL, of Castleford Flour Mills, Castleford, in
the County of York, Corn Miller, 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 improvements in middling's purifiers in that class of
machine in which a horizontal reciprocating sieve operates in conjunction with a
grid of catch-trays. In combination with the said horizontal reciprocating sieve
and grid of catch-trays is placed a second short sieve which receives delivery from
the grid of catch-trays, and which forms part of the apparatus with the recipro-
cating motion as more particularly hereinafter appears.
"
I also have an arrangement of dust-catchers for more efficaciously separating
from the current of air the dust particles which are contained in it, and which, by
means of the arrangement hereinafter described, delivers the particles so separated
on to the catch-trays so that all the "throughs are collected together and
delivered in one place, and all the offal is delivered in another. Great economy is
effected (a) by thorough separation (b) by getting the largest per centage of
"throughs possible, and at the same time (c) by effectually preventing the waste
of dust and bran, and thereby obtaining the largest yield of offal.
I attain these objects by means of the mechanism hereinafter described and
particularly illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine.
Fig. 2 a front elevation.
Fig. 3 a transverse section on line x x Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 a transverse section on line w w Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 a transverse section on line y y Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 a part plan of sicves and of troughs looking at the top.
Fig. 7 an enlarged sectional elevation of dust catcher.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A is the framework or casing of the machine which is of ordinary construction
and divided into chambers in the usual manner but it is made narrower than
machines now in use. B B are the Archimedean screws which work in the
Eroughs near the base of the machine for conveying the "throughs," the
material which has passed through the sieves, to the rolls. C the exhaust fan,
which is preferably fixed in the chamber a, at the top of the machine. D and E are
windows for the inspection of the sieve chamber a², and if desired also of the dust
chamber a Louvres may also be provided at F F when required, but these are
not shown in the drawings as I prefer to dispense with them. G is a spout for
the admission of the material to the feed roller and hopper H.
In or about the centre of the machine is a reciprocating frame I made of iron
or wood arranged to fit between the sides of the framework A and preferably,
though not necessarily so, to work at a slight inclination longitudinally that is

page_text: from head to tail of the machine and provided with recesses i³ for the reception
of frames covered with any suitable reticulated covering such as silk, wire or
suitable material, which form and are hereafter termed the main sieves.
All the above parts, the troughs or trays to be hereafter described, and
the means for imparting motion to the machine may be of ordinary or known
construction.
Instead of making the sieve in one piece, as is usually done, extending from
end to end of the machine I divide it into any number of portions. In the drawings
I have shown the main sieve divided into five such portions or sections and an
opening a¹ is provided in the framework at the head of the machine whereby the
portions or sections of the main sieve may be readily withdrawn whenever it is
required to change the same.
Suspended above the main sieve, at a distance say about an inch, by rods j, so
as to reciprocate with it, is a grid composed of a number of catch trays or
troughs J to permit of the dust and other material arising from the main sieve
being drawn up between them by the fan C, and to prevent such material falling
back again into the main sieve . The troughs are arranged longitudinally over
and parallel (or nearly so) or at a slight angle to the sieve to permit of the material
gravitating to the tail end of the machine. The catch trays J may be made, when
required, in sections and of metal (such as tin) or any other suitable material, and
may consist, if preferred though not necessarily so, say of any desired number of
hollow single or double troughs (which may be shaped somewhat like the letter S)
extending nearly the full length of the above mentioned main sieve and partially
over a second sieve K to be hereafter described, that is to say, the troughs J are
placed at a convenient distance, say six or eight inches, from the head of the
machine and extend over the second sieve K for say about one or two inches
or more.
The said troughs J are usually arranged parallel (or nearly so) with each other
at suitable distances apart (say about one fourth or three eighths of an inch) to
permit of the dusty and other material arising from the sieve being drawn up
between them and in order to prevent the said material falling back into the sieve
the upper or lip portion 1 of each trough is usually made to overhang the next
trough. One half of the lips are arranged to over hang to the right hand, and
the other half to the left hand. The centre trough being provided with a lip j"
on each side.
I would have it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
shape or configuration of the troughs J shown in the drawings, as any other design
or make of troughs, that will permit of the air current passing between them without
any appreciable increase of velocity and which will prevent the heavier particles
returning to the sieve, may be employed, and would answer my purpose equally
well. Nor do I make any claim either to the troughs separately or when arranged
in the form of a grid above a reciprocating sieve, as I am aware that a grid or tray
composed of single troughs alone, and of troughs and hoods combined arranged
above a reciprocating sieve have been described and illustrated in trade and other
printed publications published in the United Kingdom several years ago.
At the tail end of the main sieve and in line therewith is fixed in or on to the
same frame I a second short sieve K. This sieve is arranged at a distance from
the sieve of say about an inch or more to form a space ix. The sieve K is clothed
with a reticulated covering of silk, wire, or other suitable material of the same
width as the sieve and about say eight or ten inches in length, more or less.
The tailings from the main sieve through space i* are conducted by board is on
to the board from whence they may pass to the opening ***.
The "throughs" from the second sieve pass into spout and the tailings from
this sieve pass into spout l', and are then respectively conveyed to sacks provided
for their reception.
The sieve K is arranged to pass through the framework at the tail end of the
machine into the chamber L. The chamber L is arranged to communicate with

page_text: •
the dust chamber a¹ a valve L' being provided for opening or closing the com
munication. In order to prevent any dust falling from chamber a' on sieve Ka
portion of the latter is covered by a board K. The chamber L is made to
communicate at its lower end with the tailings delivery tube M and the exhaust M¹
The tubes M and M' are respectively provided with valves m m³ m²; that is to say
the valve m is employed for directing the tailings that escape from the main sieve
through space either to one of the Archimedean screws B B' or to the tube M;
the position in which the valve m is shown will direct the tailings to the Archimedean
screw B'.
The valves m¹ m³ arranged in the tube M¹ are provided with
springs mm and arranged to be opened one at a time by the weight of the
dust falling upon them, so as to prevent an air current passing up the tube.
Parallel with the sides of the main sievė are also provided longitudinal troughs
or recesses I¹ I' communicating at the tail end of the machine with the second
sieve K for catching the loose or small particles which are drawn by the air from
the trough J. To the side of the machine framework A may also be fixed inclined
or other pieces 1* 1* for directing any portion of the material escaping from the
trays J into the side troughs II. When required worms I' I may be provided
in the troughs I¹ I¹ for propelling the dust therein to the short sieve K or to
deliver at the side of machine. The worms are driven from any suitable moving
part of the machine. Suitable stops I' are also provided for preventing any
material from entering into the troughs J or side trays II' from the com-
partment a², in which the roller H' is arranged, without previously passing into the
main sieve iº.
The chamber a² above the main sieve is divided into any desired number of
practically airtight compartments by the hinged portions a*, four of such compart
ments are shown in the drawings. In the first of these compartments is placed
the feed roller and hopper H and to the roof or division board n** of each of the
other compartments, at a suitable distance, above the main sieve is or are fixed
one or more dust catchers N arranged to communicate with the dust chamber a' by
means of one or more openings * made in the division board n** through which
the exhaust current is drawn for separating the heavier particles therefrom aud
purifying the dust laden air as much as possible prior to its entering the dust
chamber a'. The dust catchers N may be made of any suitable metal, such as tin
or the like. Each dust catcher N consists of any desired number of square,
polygonal or circular tapering louvres or rings n, hereafter termed conical louvres.
In Figs. 1. 3. and 7 of the drawings I have shown four such louvres arranged one
above the other at a suitable distance apart, say about three-fourths of an inch,
and attached to each other by any suitable means, such as for instance, by pieces
of wire soldered to them. In the centre of each of these conical louvres n may
when required (but it may if desired be dispensed with) be fixed a central parallel
tube n¹, say about three inches in diameter when the largest diameter of the conical
louvres is say about twelve inches. When a central tube is employed, each tube n
is fixed to the underside of the division board nxx (which forms the floor of
chamber a¹ and the roof of the dust chamber a²) immediately under an opening n*
and it is arranged to project therefrom in a downward direction to say about one
or more inches below the top of the lowest conical louvre for causing the dust
laden air passing through any of the said conical louvres to be deflected into the
lowest louvre before passing up the tube n¹ into the dust chamber a', thereby
permitting the particles carried by said air being separated and deposited in a
box n³ (which is provided with one or more clack valves n³ n') fixed to the lowest
part of the bottom conical louvre for automatically returning said particles to the
troughs J for conveying same to sieve K and spout . In order to prevent the
air current passing into the conical louvres n through the box n' the two clacks n* n*
are so hung that a given weight of the particles will readily open one clack at a
time whilst the exhaust keeps the other one closed. The openings n* may be
covered by suitable valves n whereby the area of the same may be regulated at
pleasure.

page_text: Openings a are also formed in the division board n*** which forms the roof of
chamber a¹ and floor of chamber a between the dust chamber and fan chamber.
Over these openings a' the fan C is placed and suitable valves e may be provided
for regulating the area. Any air drawn from the dust chamber through the
openings a' after passing through the fan is discharged into outer air.
Brushes P and O mounted on endless chains or bands P¹ and O¹ may also be
arranged to travel under and act upon the main sieve for cleaning its meshes,
and for conveying any dust accumulating on the floor of the dust chamber a¹ and
depositing it into a passage U provided at the tail end of the machine which com-
municates at its upper end with the dust chamber a¹ and is employed for conveying
any dust that accumulates on the floor of the dust chamber and which is removed
therefrom by brush to be conveyed on to the sieve K. Suitable clack
valves U¹ Us are arranged in the passage U and to be opened one at a time by
the weight of material whereby the air current is prevented from passing up into
the dust chamber.
Motion for rotating the moving parts of the machine may be imparted to the
main driving shaft Q carried in bearings 9 9 from any convenient source through
the driving pulley Q*, that is to say, a reciprocating motion is imparted to the
main sieve by one or more cranks Q³ on driving shaft Q through connecting rod
or rods Q. Whilst the Archimedean screws B B, fan C, feed roller H, worms 1' 1',
and brushes O and P are respectively actuated as follows, namely:-
The Archimedean screws B B¹ from pulley Q'on driving shaft to pulley Q* on
shaft R and bevel gearing R' R'. The worms l' I being driven by belts R³ R³
and pulleys R R R* R*.
The fan C is driven from pulley S on driving shaft Q by a belt which passes
over one of the pulleys S¹ or S2 on the fan shaft. Whilst the feed roller H² is
driven from pulley S on shaft R by means of a belt and pulley St on the roller
shaft. Motion for rotating the brushes O and P is imparted from pulley T on
feed roller shaft to pulley T' on one of the shafts carrying the pulleys over which
brush P works, and then from a pulley T' on the same shaft to pulley T on one of
the shafts carrying the pulleys over which the brush O works.
A hinged division board W is arranged to run the whole length of the machine
and is employed for directing the tailings from the main sieve to the
Archimedean screws B B¹. It may be divided at its centre or other part so that
one part of the tailings may be delivered to screw B, and the other part to
Screw B¹.
Other parts of the machine not shown or described may be of ordinary
construction.
The action of the machine is as follows: --
The material to be operated upon is admitted to the feed roller and hopper H
through the spout G. From the roller H it is allowed to fall into the head of the
main reciprocating sieve and to gravitate to the tail of the machine.
In so
doing it passes over the reticulated covering of the main sieve. Any portion of
the material that passes through the meshes of the main sieve falls into troughs 661
and is conveyed by the Archimedean screws B B' to the rolls. Whilst by causing
a current of air to be drawn by the fan C through the main sieve and material
passing over it, the bran, dust, and other extraneous material is carried up with the
air current between the interstices of the grid J into the compartments of the
chambers a². The heavier particles of the dust laden air falling into the troughs J,
(which prevent them returning to the main sieve) or side trays I¹ I' and gravitates
to the second sieve K where the "throughs pass as previously described into
trough for conveyance to a sack or where required, and the tailings pass into
trough The lighter particles passing, as already described through the dust
catchers N when the particles are again separated from the air prior to its entering
the dust chamber and out into the outer air through the fan, whilst the particles
are deposited in the troughs as described. The tailings from the main sieve that
fall through opening i* between the sieves are again submitted to the action of
"

page_text: another air current as it passes to and down tube M before reaching the
second purifier, and the dust and other matter separated therefrom is conveyed
through the various openings to chambers a' where it is acted on
described.
as above
It will readily be understood that when desired the meshes of the sieves i and K
may be of the same or different sizes and by submitting one material several times,
as described, to the action of the air currents all, or nearly all, dust and deleterious
matter will be removed and better results obtained, besides which I am enabled to
greatly reduce the speed of the fan.
I would also have it understood that the various dimensions herein given may be
varied as circumstances require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I wish it to be clearly
understood that what I claim is :-
1. In a middling's purifier the arrangements and combination of the following
parts: The sieve having above it the trays J; the dust collector N; the
sieve K; and the fan C-all constructed and arranged as and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.
2. The dust-catching apparatus herein before described and more particularly
shown, and illustrated at Figure 7.
3. The sieve K for the purpose of receiving the contents of the trays J,
operating in the manner herein before described and illustrated, and shown in
Figures and 6.
Dated the Twenty-eighth day of January 1893.
JOSHUA HAMILTON GOODALL.