IMPROVEMENTS. IN WINNOWING DRESSING MACHINES.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Whight, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk,
Surveyor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN WINNOWING
DRESSING MACHINES.-A communication from abroad by David Elon
Norton, of Toronto, Canada, Machinist.
Sealed the 30th July 1860, and dated the 15th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Whight at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
February 1860.
I, GEORGE WHIGHT, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Surveyor, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIN-
NOWING AND DRESSING MACHINES," (being a communication from abroad by
David Elon Norton, of Toronto, Canada, Machinist,) to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object, in the first place, the peculiar formation of
the fan case with reference to the situation of the sieve or sieves, so as to
direct the winnowing blast on to the same with increased efficiency. For this
purpose the case is so formed as to extend under the fans and to direct the
blast on to or over the lower sieve or sieves, at a slight angle to the surface of
the same, that is to say, the line of direction of the blast is made to form a
slight or very acute angle with the line of the lower sieve or sieves, so that
the blast may be made to sweep over the surface, with a slight tendency to
blow downwards through the interstices in the same; and the said blast is

page_text: thereby directed at an acute angle on to the under surface of the upper sieves
with a similar tendency to blow upwards through the interstices thereof.
And this Invention consists, in the second place, in producing the required
shaking motion of the sieves by means of a toothed segment working in a rack
fixed on the under side of the sieve frame, such toothed segment being driven
by having on the same shaft with it a crank arm connected by a rod to another
crank arm or disc on the fan shaft. The extent of throw of the cranks may
be varied by shifting the ends of the
from the centre of their shafts.
connecting rods to different distances
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Whight in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WHIGHT, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George
Whight, Her special license that I, the said George Whight, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Whight,
y executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
luring 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WINNOWING AND DRESSING MACHINES," being a communication from
abroad by David Elon Norton, of Toronto, Canada, Machinist, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said, George Whight, 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 George Whight, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in. what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be. particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of "Improvements in Winnowing and Dressing Machines"
has for its object, in the first place, the peculiar formation of the fan case with
reference to the situation of the sieve or sieves, so as to direct the winnowing
blast on to the same with increased efficiency. For this purpose the case is so
formed as to extend under the fans and to direct the blast immediately on to
and through the upper sieves which are placed close behind the fans, and
combined with these sieves in the same frame are a set of lower sieves or
screens placed under the fans in an inclined position, as herein-after described.
And the Invention consists, in the second place, in producing the required
shaking motion of the sieves by means of a toothed segment working in a rack
fixed on the under side of the sieve frame, such toothed segment being driven
by having on the same shaft with it a crank arm connected by a rod to
another crank arm or disc on the fan shaft. The extent of throw of the
cranks may be varied by shifting the ends of the connecting rod to different
distances from the centre of their shafts.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented a machine
constructed in the manner above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a section, and Fig. 2 a side view, of the machine; A, A, is the
general frame and casing of the machine; B, the fan case; C, the fan wheel
fixed to the driving shaft D, which is actuated by manual or mechanical
power; E is a hopper formed by the top of the fan case, and a slide inserted
in the groove F, for the reception of the grain or material intended to be
winnowed and dressed, the feeding of the material being regulated by means
of the slide; G, G, are grooves in the frame H, for receiving the upper
sieves, which are so situated with reference to the fan blast as to be capable of
receiving the same on their under surface, with a tendency to blow through
them in an upward direction. It will be seen that these grooves admit of
sieves being so placed in pairs with reference to the fan blast as to receive a
greater or less amount of wind through them. This is in order to suit the
material required to be cleaned. The lower sieves are inserted in the grooves
I, I, below the fans, and are inclined upwards towards the back of the machine.
The lowest sieve is double, and is arranged so as to cause some of the cleaned
grain or material to pass out at the front of the machine, and other portions

page_text: to pass through the screen, and into the drawers K and L respectively, the
material as it falls through the lowest sieve; or screen being guided into the
drawer L by the slanting board M, which is set to any required angle by moving
its end in the groove, as shewn. The sieve frame H is supported at one end
in the usual manner on friction rollers N, and at the other end is fixed a
rack O, resting on a toothed segment P on the shaft Q. This shaft has on it
a crank R, (see Fig. 2,) which is worked from the driving shaft D, through a
connecting rod S and crank disc T. By this means the required shaking.
motion is imparted to the sieve frame H. The extent of throw of the cranks
R and T, and the consequent degree of shaking motion imparted to the sieve
frame H, are regulated by shifting the ends of the connecting rod S from one
hole in each crank to another as required; U is an open comb fixed between the
upper sieve and the hopper E for the purpose of preventing the choking of the
sieves beneath. This comb is composed of a series of wires fixed in a lateral bar,
such wires being arranged so that a longer wire alternates with a shorter one
throughout the length of the bar. The number and arrangement of the sieves.
may be varied to suit the different kinds of grain or material to be operated
upon, and to cause any required separation of portions thereof. V, V, are
slides which are drawn back in order to admit the required amount of air into
the fan case B; and W is a grooved cleat fixed in the side framing of the
machine, so as to be capable of turning on a pivot. This cleat is for the
purpose of receiving a tail board, which may be moved up and down in the
groove, and placed at the angle required to allow the chaff and foreign matter
impelled by the blast to pass over it. The board is also used to give direction
to the blast.
The mode of operating with the machine is as follows:-The grain or material
is thrown on to the round part of the hopper E formed by the fan case, and the
feed slide in the groove F is drawn sufficiently to allow the material to run as
freely as required, which falls through the comb U on to the upper sieves, where
it meets with the blast, and is thereby cleaned, the chaff being blown over the
tail board in the cleat W, and the grain falling through the upper sieves and
on to the lower sieves, whence it passes to the lowest sieves or screens, and
thence into the drawers K and L, or out at the front of the machine. By the
arrangement of sieves shewn it will be evident that different kinds of material
intended to be cleaned may be thrown into the hopper E, and submitted to
the action of the blast, and afterwards become separated by one portion passing
along the top of the screens and out at the front of the machine, a second
portion passing along the screen, and out at the lower end thereof into the
drawer K, while a third portion will drop through the upper part thereof into

page_text: the drawer L. In this manner different materials may be separated after being
cleaned, the sieves and screens being also of suitable gauge in order to cause
the required separation. It will be evident that the application of power to
the shaft D, which sets the fan wheel in motion, will also through the cranks
T and R, connected by the rod S, communicate a horizontal shaking motion
to the sieve frame H. The degree of motion is intended to be adapted to the
requirements of the material under operation by changing the position of the
rod S in the cranks R and T.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to me
as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that what I claim as of the Invention is,-
First, the formation of the case and its combination with the sieves in the
manner herein-before described, so as to direct the winnowing blast on to and
through the same with increased efficiency.
And, secondly, the communication of the required shaking motion to the
sieves by means of the rack on the sieve frame and the toothed segment on the
crank shaft as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Whight, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
50, Chancery Lane,
Patent Agent.
GEO. WHIGHT. (L.S.)