and other Impurities from Grain and Cereals.
Year: 1888

page_text: and other Impurities from Grain and Cereals.
I GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON Mill Engineer and Architect of 16 Cicely Street
Liverpool, E. in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a Machine or apparatus for the purpose of separating Stones
and other heavy substances and other matters from wheat and other grain & cereals
and for Washing, Draining & drying the sound grain.
My said improved Machine or Apparatus consists of a rectangular or other form of
Tank, divided by a partition into two compartments each of which contain water, one
at a higher level than the other, a paddle, Fan, lifting wheel or other propeller being
employed to raise the water from the low to the high level compartment, the water so
lifted being allowed to flow back to the low level compartment through a conduit or
sluice provided in the said partition.
The separation of the stones and other heavy substances from the wheat is effected
in the high level compartment, for which purpose I employ two currents or streams
of water, primary & secondary (sustained by the aforesaid paddle. or other propeller)
the said currents converging & uniting in one stream; the wheat is fed or dropped
into the primary stream while it is flowing over & down an inclined surface & carries
with it both wheat, stones, etc., it is then joined by the secondary current or stream
flowing through an opening in the said inclined surface, over which the primary
current passes, & to which it carries the stones etc., the secondary current being
regulated so as to carry the wheat over the opening but not having sufficient force to
prevent the stones falling therein.
The combined stream of water carrying the separated wheat flows through the
conduit to the low level compartment where it is received in the washing apparatus
consisting of a parallel cylinder formed of perforated metal or woven wire, revolving
in water, & having in its inside a helix or worm to propel the wheat along, each thread
of which ends in a pocket or lifting Bucket at the outer end for the purpose of lifting

page_text: the wheat out of the water and delivering it into a perforated trough placed concentric
with the said Cylinder, (partly within & partly without) having a worm or Archimedian
Screw therein formed upon the shaft or axis of the Washing Cylinder, for propelling
the wheat along the same; this trough is of such a length as will allow of the super-
fluous water draining from the washed wheat, which latter is then delivered on to an
endless travelling band of woven wire, fibre or other porous material, or into a
perforated trough having a worm therein, for the purpose of still further draining the
wheat, which band or worm conveys it to a wide down-spout placed at the side of the
Tank, formed of perforated metal or woven wire in the centre of which is a broad
internal spout of the same material leaving a space at each side thereof down which
the wheat slowly descends and during its descent is subjected to a strong current of
hot or cold air or steam forced into the inner spout by a fan or other means for the
purpose of blowing off and expelling through the interstices of the outer spout, the
superfluous water still adhering to the wheat; the wheat is then received upon a
travelling endless band of soft suitable material placed at the side of the tank, which
absorbs the remaining water and at the same time elevates the wheat to such a height
as to allow of it being drawn off into sacks or otlièr récepticle.
Over and in contact with the said Travelling band of soft material, I place another
endless travelling band of the same material but cause it to travel at a higher or lower
velocity than the one carrying the wheat, thus exerting a gentle rubbing or turning
over action upon the wheat for the purpose of more thoroughly absorbing all the
superfluous water, & if necessary I may pass the said Bands together between a series
of pullies or rollers placed zig zag, so as to impart a wavy or undulating motion or
direction to the two Bands for the purpose of bringing the said bands in closer contact
one with the other, for the better absorption of the water from the wheat contained
between them. Each of the said Travelling Bands of soft material on its downward
or return side passes between a pair of rollers of suitable material which squeeze out
the water absorbed from the wheat.

page_text: and other Impurities from Grain and Cereals.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 29 Newstead Road Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Milling Engineer 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved Machine or apparatus for the purpose of
washing and removing stones and other impurities from wheat and other grain and
cereals etc. and for drying the sound grain etc. from which the stones, chaff dirt and
other impurities have been separated.
My said Machine consists of a Tank of rectangular or other convenient form, con-
structed of iron or other suitable material, having a sloping hoppered bottom, and
being divided into two compartments by a vertical partition; each compartment
contains water, one at a higher level than the other, the water being lifted from the
lower to the higher level by means of a lifting wheel formed in one with the Cylinder
(to be hereafter described) and the water so lifted, flows by means of a shoot or
conduit back to the low-level compartment.
The separation of the stones and other heavy substances from the wheat etc. is
accomplished in the high level compartment, to effect which I employ two currents of
water, primary and secondary (sustained by the aforsaid lifting-wheel) the force and
quantity of each of which can be varied as desired and adjusted to suit the different
classes of wheat or other grain etc. of varying specific gravity.
The said currents unite in one stream which flows to the low level compartment by
means of the aforsaid shoot.
The wheat or other grain etc. to be washed is "fed" from a hopper placed over the
high level compartment and is caused to fall in a thin stream into the primary or
descending current and is carried by same down a slanting surface towards an
opening through which the secondary or rising current flows, and the force of the
latter is regulated so as to carry up the wheat etc. but to allow the stones and other
heavy substances to fall therein. The primary and secondary currents then unite and
flow in one stream which carrys the wheat or other grain etc. with it to the Washing
Cylinder placed in the low level compartment.
Across the high-level compartment I place a small trough for the purpose of
impounding the water to allow jof the accumulation of light floating matter upon
the surface thereof, the said trough being placed at such a level as to allow of the
overflow of all surplus water which in flowing away carries with it the said light
matter floating thereon. Near to and parallel with the said trough I place, in the
said impounded water, a Roller, having a number of longitudinal vanes thereon,
which slowly revolves, for the purpose of beating down beneath the surface of the
water all grains and other matter floating thereou so as to cause the sound grains etc.
to sink, to prevent same passing away with the light floating matter.
The Washing Cylinder is placed in the low-level compartment, is constructed of

page_text: parallel form and is covered with perforated sheet metal or woven wire, is placed
horizontally and revolves in water its entire length.
Around one end of the said Washing Cylinder 1 attach a number of Blades which
revolve within an adjustable shoot and lift the water from the low-level compartment
into a small tank placed at the side of the main Tank, from whence it flows to the
high-level compartiment, and by this means the circulation of the water is maintained.
The said shoot is made adjustable and can be set nearer to or further from the said
Blades for the purpose of varying the quantity of water lifted and circulated as may
be desired.
The wheat etc. is propelled along within the Washing Cylinder by means of a
double helix or spiral of sheet metal, attached to and revolving with the said cylinder,
each thread of the said helix terminates in the form of a pocket or lifting bucket
which raise the wheat or other grain etc. out of the water and deliver it into a per-
forated trough placed concentrically with the cylinder, partly within and partly
without same, having a worm or archimedian screw therein formed upon the cylinder
shaft, which gradually propels the wheat etc. to the delivery outlet and which allows
of the draining away of all superfluous water. The wheat etc. is then received in
another trough having a worm therein which distributes it to a broad down-spout
formed of perforated sheet metal, or woven wire, or other suitable material; within
this said down-spout I form a cavity, the sides of which being of the same material as
the outer spout, leaving a space at each side between it and the said outer spout,
within which spaces the wheat or other grain etc. passes and during its descent is
subjected to a strong current of cold or warm air or steam forced into the inner
cavity by a fan or other suitable means, and passing through the wheat or other
grain etc., expells through the interstices of the outer spout, the surplus water
adhering to the said wheat etc., and which drips off shedding-strips attached to the
outer spout. The wheat etc. is then collected by a worm or other means and delivered
on to an endless travelling Band of suitable soft material, placed at the side of the
machine and which carries the wheat etc. up to a height sufficient to enable its
being received into sacks or other recepticle, at the same time absorbing any
remaining moisture still adhering to the wheat etc. Over and in contact with the
said endless travelling Band, place another endless travelling Band of the same
material and cause it to travel at a higher or lower velocity than the one carrying
the wheat or other grain etc. for the purpose of exerting a gentle rubbing and
turning-over action upon the wheat etc. to assist the absorption, by the said Bands of
any remaining moisture still adhering to the wheat etc. Each of the said Bands
passes, on its descending side between a pair of rollers of india-rubber or other suit-
able material which squeeze out the water absorbed from the wheat etc. during its
ascent. Motion is imparted to the said squeezing rollers which constitute the
actuating agents for the said Bands. Over the upper and beneath the lower
Bands upon their ascending sides I place a number of rollers arranged alternately
above and below for the purpose of bringing the said Bands into closer contact with
the wheat or other grain etc. carried between them.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 upon the sheet of Drawings appended hereunto are sectional
elevation, transverse section and end view respectively of my said improved Machine,
in which A is the high-level and B the low-level compartment, and C the partition.
K is the feed Hopper. The primary current rises over and flows down the adjustable
slanting plate H which can be raised or lowered by the screws H¹. The secondary
current rises through the space between the end of plate H and plate I-the latter
being adjusted by the screws X. The united currents rise up between the Trough W
and partition C & flow thence by shoot J into Washing Cylinder D. V are the
pockets for raising the wheat etc. and delivering same to the perforated Trough G
whence it passes to Worm L and down spout M. N is the inner space into which
the air or steam is forced. P and Q are the said Endless Bands R and R2 are the
two pairs of rollers for propelling and squeezing the said Bands. In Fig. 2, F is the
adjustable shoot within which the lifting Blades E revolve. S and T are taps for
withdrawing the water, mud, stones etc.

page_text: I do not confine myself precisely to the arrangement of parts herein set forth, but
may reverse the order of working and pass the wheat or other grain etc. through the
Cylinder first and afterwards remove the stones and other impurities, in the same
manner and by the same means as herein set forth when the operation is arranged to
precede the washing of the wheat, or other, grain etc., or
I may construct and arrange the parts in such manner as to separate and remove
all light material, such as will float, previous to the wheat etc. passing to the Cylinder
and remove the stones and other heavy substances after it has passed through the
Cylinder; the means employed embodying the same principle, i.e. the combination of
two currents of water, and being substantially the same as when arranged to precede
the cylinder, as herein set forth.
I may also construct my said Machine without the aforesaid wire or other down-
spout and said travelling Bands etc., when other means, such as "whizzers" or other
hydro-extractors are employed to dry the wheat or other grain etc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. In a Machine or Apparatus for Washing, Drying and removing stones and other
impurities, or simply washing and removing stones and other impurities from grain and
cereals etc., the employment of two currents of water converging and uniting in one
current or stream for the purpose of separating the wheat or other grain etc. from the
stones and other heavy substances, and the general arrangement and combination of
parts and mechanism to circulate the water necessary for, and to set up and maintain
the said currents, when arranged either to precede or to follow the Washing Cylinder,
substantially as herein set forth and described.
2. In a Machine for washing, drying and removing stones and other impurities
from Grain.and cereals etc., or simply washing and removing stones etc., the con-
struction and arrangement of the adjustable. slanting plate Hover and down which
the primary current flows, for the purpose of enabling same to be varied as desired,
substantially as herein set forth and described.
3. In a Machine for washing, drying and removing stones and other impurities, or
simply washing, and removing stones etc. from grain and cereals etc., the construction
and arrangement of the hinged plate I and screws ✗ for the purpose of increasing
or decreasing the width of the opening through which the secondary current flows,
substanitally as herein set forth and described.
4. In a Machine for washing, drying and removing stones and other impurities, or
simply washing and removing stones etc. from grain and cereals etc., the construction
and arrangement of the Roller U for the purpose of submerging all floating matter
and causing the sound grains to sink, substantially as herein set forth and described.
5. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities, or
simply washing, and removing stones etc. from grain and cereals etc., the construction
and arrangement of the Washing Cylinder and the formation of the internal lifting
Buckets or pockets V; for lifting up and delivering the washed wheat etc., substantially
as herein set forth and described.
6. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities or
simply washing, and removing stones etc. from grain and cereals etc., the combination,
in one with the cylinder, of the lifting-wheel for circulating the water, by attaching a
number of Blades to the periphery of the Cylinder at one end or in other suitable
position, substantially as herein set forth and described.
7. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities or
simply washing, and removing stones etc. from grain and cereals etc., the construction
and arrangement of the adjustable Shoot or guard F, within which the lifting-wheel
or blades revolve, for enabling the quantity of water raised and circulated by the
said lifting wheel to be varied as desired, substantially as herein set forth and
described.

page_text: 8. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities,
or simply washing, and removing stones etc., from grain and cereals etc., the method
of construction and arrangement of the worin and perforated trough G, partly within
and partly without the said Cylinder for the purpose of draining and delivering the
washed wheat etc., substantially as herein set forth and described.
9. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities
from grain and cereals etc. the construction and arrangement of the broad down-
spout M with space N, of woven wire or other suitable material for the purpose
herein named, substantially as herein set forth and described.
10. In a Machine for washing, drying, and removing stones and other impurities
from grain and cereals etc., the arrangement and combination of the two endless
travelling Bands of soft material and the method of driving and squeezing same, and
of causing one to travel faster than the other, and the application and arrangement
of the rollers placed alternately over and beneath the carrying sides, for the purposes
named, substantially as herein set forth and described.
Data: 09th... LN 1000