AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHELLING OR HUSKING ALL KINDS OF GRAIN
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Piddington, of No. 52, Gracechurch Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for, the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SHELLING OR HUSKING ALL KINDS OF GRAIN."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Melchior Nolden, residing at Frankfort-on-the-
Maine.
Sealed the 22nd August 1862, and dated the 25th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Piddington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
February 1862.
I, JOHN PIDDINGTON, of No. 52, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHELLING OR HUSKING ALL KINDS OF GRAIN," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Melchior Nolden, residing at Frankfort-on-
the-Maine,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing a machine for the above purpose in
the following manner :-In a suitable framing I adapt the following parts; at
the top and centre of said framing I fix a hopper or funnel of sheet metal, for
supplying or feeding the grain into the machine through a hole formed around
a boss in the centre of a horizontal plate of metal or casting, a vertical shaft

page_text: being fixed by its upper end into the boss of the said casting; said shaft is
supported by its lower end in a step piece fixed to the bottom of the framing
of the machine, and has a pulley fixed thereon for imparting rotary motion to
said shaft and to the horizontal plate before mentioned. The under side of
this said plato is furnished with a number of pieces of fine hard wire set in
gypsum, so as to form a kind of brush, the points of the wires projecting
sufficiently beyond the gypsum to take off the shell or husk of the grain which
is deposited on a perforated circular plate beneath, fixed to another plate or
casting bolted to the sides of the framing of the machine; this last-mentioned
casting is formed with arms, from which proceed a number of concentric rings
of metal projecting upwards, the upper edge of each ring being formed sharp
or knife-edged at some distance below the rings aforesaid; another casting of
a cup shape is fixed by its side or flange to the framing of the machine, and is
employed to receive the grain and loose shells or husks thereof.
The operations of this improved machine are as follows:-As the wire
brush revolves it rubs the grain which is on the perforated fixed plate beneath;
the grain and shells or husks removed thereon pass through the perforations
in said plate and fall into the receiver below, and it is this revolving brush and
perforated plate operating upon the grain, which constitutes the important
feature of novelty in this Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Piddington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PIDDINGTON, of No. 52, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
.. WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by, Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Piddington, Her special licence that I, the said John
Piddington, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Piddington, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
timo 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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for. "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SHELLING OR HUSKING ALL KINDS. OF GRAIN," (a communication to
ine from abroad by Melchior Nolden, residing at Frankfort-on-the-Maine,)
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Piddington, 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 said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Piddington, 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
statement, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in constructing a machine for the above purpose in
the following manner :-In a suitable framing I adapt the following parts; at
the top and centre of said framing I fix a hopper or funnel of sheet metal for
supplying or feeding the grain into the machine through a hole formed around
a boss in the centre of a horizontal plate of metal or casting, a vertical shaft
being fixed by its upper end into the boss of the said casting; said shaft is
supported by its lower end in a step piece fixed to the bottom of the framing
of the machine, and has a pulley fixed thereon for imparting rotary motion to
said shaft and to the horizontal plate before mentioned. The under side of
this said plate is furnished with a number of pieces of fine hard wire set in
gypsum, so as to form a kind of brush, the points of the wires projecting
sufficiently beyond the gypsum to take off the shell or husk of the grain which
is deposited on a perforated circular plate beneath fixed to another plate or
casting bolted to the sides of the framing of the machine; this last-mentioned
casting is formed with arms, from which proceed a number of concentric rings
of metal projecting upwards, the upper edge of each ring being formed sharp
or knife edge; at some distance below the rings aforesaid another casting of a
cup shape is fixed by its side or flange to the framing of the machine, and is
employed to receive the grain and loose shells or husks thereof.
The operations of this improved machine are as follows:-As the wire
brush revolves it rubs the grain which is on the perforated fixed plate beneath;
the grain and shells or husks removed thereon 'pass through the perforations
in said plate and fall into the receiver below, and it is this revolving brush

page_text: and perforated plate operating upon the grain which constitutes the important
feature of novelty in this Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Piddington, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN PIDDINGTON. (L.s.)