AN IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING GRAIN
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Houghton, of Great Grimsby, in the
County of Lincoln, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
MACHINERY FOR CLEANING GRAIN."
Sealed the 5th December 1874, and dated the 18th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Houghton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th June 1874.
I, WILLIAM HOUGHTON, of Great Grimsby, in the County of Lincoln,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING GRAIN," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improvement in that class of machines for
cleaning grain in which a vertical scouring cylinder is employed, and
more especially in the combined smut and separating machine for which
I obtained Letters Patent bearing date the 6th July 1871, No. 1774.
My present Invention consists in providing a separate collector for
the scourings of the cylinder, which it is desirable to keep separate from

page_text: the chaff and other refuse, instead of both passing together through the
fan as in my former machine.
According to my Invention I provide a circular groove or channel in
the bottom plate of the casing by which the scourer is enclosed, said
groove or channel encircling the fixed cylinder of perforated metal,
clothing and occupying the space between it and the outer wooden
casing. In this groove a number of collecting blades or scrapers are
caused to travel to collect the refuse which falls therein, and carry it
along and pass it out at an aperture or spout. These scrapers are pre-
ferably V shaped, in order to collect the refuse towards the middle of the
channel, and are attached to a horizontal revolving ring provided with
spur teeth and operated by a pinion gearing therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance-of-the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Houghton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HOUGHTON, of Great Grimsby, in the County of Lincoln, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Houghton, Her special licence that
the said William Houghton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said. William Houghton, executors, admini-
strators, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY
FOR. CLEANING GRAIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Houghton, my executors or administrators, by an in-
strument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals;
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was. to be performed, and

page_text: 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 William Houghton, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to an improvement in that class of machines for
cleaning grain in which a vertical scouring cylinder is employed, and;
more especially in the combined smut and separating machine for which,
I obtained Letters Patent bearing date 6th July 1871, No. 1774.
My present Invention consists in providing a separate collector for
the scourings of the cylinder, which it is desirable to keep separate from
the chaff and other refuse, instead of both passing together through the
fan as in my former machine. I am thus enabled to dispense with the
chambers generally used for the dust to settle in, which cliambers are, of
large size and therefore occupy considerable space, which I have been
enabled to economize, besides avoiding the nuisance and loss arising by
the dust being blown about, as the same time keeping the machine
perfectly clear from refuse.
According to my Invention I provide a circular groove or channel in
the bottom plate of the casing by which the scourer is enclosed, said
groove or channel encircling the fixed cylinder of perforated metal
clothing, and occupying the space between it and the outer wooden
casing. In this groove a number of collecting blades or scrapers are
caused to travel to collect the refuse which falls therein, and carry
it.
along and pass it out at an aperture or spout. These scrapers are pre-
ferably V shaped, in order to collect the refuse towards the middle of the
channel, and are attached to a horizontal revolving ring provided with
spur teeth and operated by a piston gearing therewith.

page_text: former Patent provided with the collector of this Invention; Figure 2
shows a sectional plan of the same.
h
a is the ordinary perforated steel clothing, and is the outer wood
casing; c is the bottom plate of the casing, which is cast or otherwise.
contructed so as to form a sort of groove or channel d between the two
flanges d¹, d, said groove occupying the space between the cylinder a
and casing b, and into which fall the scourings which pass through the,
perforations of the cylinder a; e, are scrapers in any convenient number
moving in groove or channel d. These scrapers are preferably cast in
one, with an inner ring f encircling the base of the stationary cylinder a,
and an outer toothed ring 9 also contained within the channel d. For
convenience the collector consisting of these two rings f, g, and the
scrapers e is cast in two semicircular halves, which are bolted together
when placed in groove d. The collector is caused to travel slowly in
the groove by a pinion gearing with toothed ring 9, and keyed on an
upright shaft i mounted in bearings in the top and bottom plates of the
scouring cylinder framework, and driven through bevel gear from a
shaft having a worm wheel operated by a worm on the crank shaft
which drives the separators; or it may be driven from the scouring
cylinder shaft by the intervention of suitable gear to reduce the speed.
The sheet metal lining of the casing 6 is preferably inclined inwards, as
shown, over the toothed ring 9 to prevent the scourings falling thercon.
The scrapers e are preferably bent or curved, so as to collect the
scourings towards the centre of the groove as they advance in the
direction of the arrow. p is the aperture in the groove or channel d at
which the scourings are discharged through a spout k into sacks. The
perforations in the wooden casing b and the side passages leading to the
fan described in the Specification to my said former Patent will no
longer be required.
.

page_text: through the perforated steel clothing into a spout, constructed and
operating substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Houghton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.

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