IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING GRAIN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bedford, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
WASHING AND DRYING GRAIN."
Scaled the 2nd October 1868, and dated the 8th April 1868. ..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bedford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the
8th April 1868.
I, JOSEPH BEDFORD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING GRAIN," to be as follows:-
My washing apparatus consists of a cistern filled with water, and in
such cistern I place a worm encased in a perforated metal covering and
communicating with a feeding hopper; I pass the grain to be washed
through the cistern by means of the screw which I work by preference
at about forty revolutions per minute, and on its having passed through
I convey it by means of a screw (inclined by preference) over a per-
forated metal surface in order that the moisture may drain off to my

page_text: drying apparatus. The dirt removed from the grain in washing is
carried through the perforations of the metal casing.
My drying apparatus consists of a series of open and by preference
semicircular boxes jointed together in any convenient manner, such
boxes having their internal surfaces bored out and being fitted with a
steam chamber. Within such boxes I place a worm or screw by means
of which I traverse the grain to be dryed from one end to the other.
By this arrangement it is dryed, and being open to the air all moisture
is carried off whilst all condensed steam is conveyed out of the steam
jacket by a cock in the manner usual in such cases.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Bedford in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BEDFORD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Bedford, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Bedford, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Bedford, 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
yend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING GRAIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph Bedford, 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 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Bedford, 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:
My washing apparatus consists of a cistern filled more or less with
water, and in such cistern I place a worm encased in wire gauze or a
perforated metal covering and communicating with a feeding hopper; I
pass the grain (suspended within its covering) to be washed through the
cistern by means of the screw which I work by préference at about 40
revolutions per minute, and on its having passed through I convey it
by means of a screw (inclined by preference) over a perforated metal
surface in order that the moisture may drain off to my drying apparatus.
The dirt removed from the grain in washing is carried through the
perforations of the wire gauze or metallic covering.
My drying apparatus consists of a series of open and by preference
semicircular boxes jointed together in any convenient manner, such
boxes having their internal surfaces bored out and being fitted with a
stcam chamber. Within such boxes I place a worm or screw by means
of which I traverse the grain to be dryed from one end to the other. By
this arrangement it is dryed and being open to the air all moisture is
carried off whilst all condensed steam is conveyed out of the steam
jacket by a cock in the manner usual in such cases.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus shewing the relative
positions of the washing, draining, and drying machines; Figure 2 is a
plan view; and Figure 3, an end elevation of the same; Figure 4 is
a longitudinal section (enlarged) of the washer shewing the drainer in
position; Figure 5 shews a plan view of the same; Figure 6 shews a
partial section of the drainer and its position as regards the washer;
Figure 7 is a transverse section of the drainer, and Figure 8 of the drier.
Letter A. denotes the cistern or trough of the washing machine
within which works the worm B (driven by ordinary gearing as seen
in Figures 2 and 3) and encased in a gauze wire or perforated metal
covering C (Figures 4 and 5).
In carrying out this arrangement the worm is partially encased at
each end with a drum C, fitted on to it and turned true in order that it

page_text: On
may fit corresponding parts at either end of the cistern, which are also
turned to fit so as to ensure a perfect separation betwixt the grain and
the dirty water. I may here add that a constant supply of clean water
is admitted to the cistern, the dirty water also being allowed exit
through valves in the bottom of the same, as seen in Figures 4 & 5.
The grain to be washed being admitted at the end a is urged by the
worm through the water in the cistern to the opposite end where it
is received by a circular ended receiving box, none other being suitable
to the action of the worm and is there taken up by the inclined worm D
traversing over the gauze wire or perforated metal E. During the
passage up the inclined worm the grain becomes drained, the water
passing into a receiving trough F, made by preference of wood, from the
lower end of which it is allowed to escape by ordinary means.
the arrival of the grain at the upper end of the worm D it descends the
spout G and enters the horizontal drying trough H which is open at
the top, but heated underneath by the steam chamber h (Figure 8); h¹
is a fence to which one end of each worm bearer is attached running
the whole length of the trough H to prevent the grain being thrown
over the travelling side of the trough. The grain being now traversed
to the opposite end of the trough, falls through the hopper h³ into the
lower trough H³ (similarly provided with steam chamber) when it is
urged back again and being now dried falls into sacks, elevators, or other
receivers. The casings or troughs are made in suitable lengths bolted
together. The worm shafts also are supported by bearings x at suitable
intervals (see Figure 8); ordinary appliances are used for discharging
the condensed steam from the steam chamber of the drier, and the whole
is driven by ordinary gearing and secured in the manner most suitable
to the place where it is erected.
-
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that
what I claim is,―
Firstly. My improved means and apparatus for washing grain,
shewn and described, without confining myself to the precise details
shewn.

page_text: Lastly. My combined means and apparatus, shewn and described, as a
complete system for washing and drying grain.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bedford, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Patent Agent,
Leeds.
JOSEPH BEDFORD. (L.S.)