A MACHINE FOR SEPARATING GRAIN OF ALL KINDS FROM THE STRAW AND REFUSE, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF BEING WORKED BY HAND OR WITH CATTLE, AND CONVEYED IN THE MANNER OF A WHEEL CARRIAGE TO ANY PLACE CONVENIENT FOR ITS OPERATION, AND WILL IN THE COURSE THEREOF PROTECT ITS CONTENTS FROM THE INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER; ON THE SAME MACHINE, BY THE ALTERATION OF ITS OUTWARD APPARATUS, MAY BE WORKED BY ANY POWER IN A FIXED SITUATION
Year: 1795

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WIGFULL, of Aldwark, in the Parish of Rotherham, in the County of York,
Miller, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Second day of June, in the thirty-fifth year of His reign, did give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Wigfull, His especial licence that I, the
said Thomas Wigfull, during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A MACHINE FOR SEPARATING
GRAIN OF ALL KINDS FROM THE STRAW AND REFUSE, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF BEING
WORKED BY HAND OR WITH CATTLE, AND CONVEYED IN THE MANNER OF A WHEEL
CARRIAGE TO ANY PLACE CONVENIENT FOR ITS OPERATION, AND WILL IN THE COURSE
THEREOF PROTECT ITS CONTENTS FROM THE INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER; ON THE
SAME MACHINE, BY THE ALTERATION OF ITS OUTWARD APPARATUS, MAY BE WORKED BY
ANY POWER IN A FIXED SITUATION;" in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Thomas Wigfull, by an instrument
under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calender month after the
date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto
had) will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Wigfull, do hereby describo and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as well
by the Figures, Plans, or Drawings in the margin of these Presents, as by the
following description or explanation (that is to say) :-
Figure 1 represents the thrashing and winnowing machinery in perspective.
A is a vertical wheel; B, a roller upon the same axis; C. a roller round which
and the former the cloth D is making constant revolutions, to conduct the
grain in the straw forward to the rollers next described; E and F, two rollers,
to be either fluted.as drawn or plain, between which the grain in the straw
passes to receive the strokes from the flails or beaters, the roller E having a
pulley on its axis, to which motion is given by a pulley fixed on the axis of the
wheel A with a chain, strap, or cord; and the roller F laving a pinion fixed on
its axis receiving motion from two pinions working therein, one fixed on the
end of the roller B, and the other on the end of the roller E; G, a shaft or
axis whercon is fixed the small wheel II, which is revolved by the wheel A;
1, T. two fly. wheels on the axis G; K, K, K, K, four light rims of metal or
wood of equal size, and fixed at equal distancos on the axis G, the superficial
intervals to be left open as in the Drawing, or cased up, and the rims to be
decreased to three or two, or increased according to the extension of the
machinery; L, flails or beaters suspended by the light chains, straps, or
cords M, of equal length from the rims K, parallel to their axis and to th
rollers E and F, and which in the revolutions beat or lash the grain out of
the straw as the same pass between these rollers; N, a shaking riddle wherein
the grain, straw, and refuse fall, and to which motion may be given eitber
from the axis G or the axis of the fan, to conduct the straw into the space a,
and to cause the grain and smaller refuse to fall through upon the cloth P;
0, 0, 0, three rollers round which the cloth P constantly revolves, and by its
revolutions conducts the grain and smaller refuse to fall before the blast of the
fan; Q, a fan, so cased up that the blast from it can only escape from the
compartments R, R, and to which motion may be given from the axis G, by a
pulley to be fixed thereon, and to be connected by chains, straps, or cords, with
a pulley to be fixed on its own axis; S, a plank dividing the compartments
R, R; T, T, two rollers round which the cloth U constantly revolves, and by
its motion conducts before the blast, proceeding through the lower compart-
.ment, the grain and such part of the chaff and other refuse as is not blown into
space c, by the blast through the upper compartment; V, a chain, strap, or
cord fixed round a pulley on the axis of the vertical wheel A, and commu-
nicating motion to the rollers O and T, by means of a pulley fixed on the end

page_text: of each; W, a shaking riddle, which may receive its motion from the
axis of the fan, to separate the perfect grain from the small grain and
seeds; X, a box wherein the light and imperfect grain is blown; Y, a
box into which the small grain and seeds fall through the riddle V; tho
perfect grain falls into space b, from whence it may be measured up, and the
chaff is blown into space c. The cloth U and riddle V may be wholly dis-
pensed with or substituted for each other, as may best suit the particular kinil
of grain to be dressed.
Figure 2 represents another method of constructing the thrashing and
winnowing machinery. The feeding roller E, Figure 1, is here omitted; y is a
board or metal plate, against which the beaters strike the corn in the straw;
Z is a small wheel on the axis of the fan Q, working into the vertical wheel A,
by which means the fan is revolved. The shaking riddle V, and boxes W and
X, Figure 1, are here omitted. The description of Figure 1 will explain the
other parts of Figure 2, the references being the same.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the thrashing machinery by itself, con-
structed in a different method. In this construction, the rollers B and C, and
feeding cloth D, Figure 1, are omitted, and an inclined plane D substituted.
The feeding rollers E and F, which may be either fluted as drawn, or plain,
are of very unequal diameters; and the upper one, by means of grooves and
sliders fixed in the chairs which support it, is allowed to rise and fall pro-
portionably to the quantity of straw passing between it and the other, to which
it is constantly kept down by means of springs or weights, with or without
levers that bear upon its gudgeons. The axis G runs upon friction wheels
that are supported and cased up by the boxes fixed at each end. The moving
cloth N conducts the straw and corn to fall at the front of the machinery, but
instead of it the shaking riddle N, Figures 1 and 2, may be placed; or, instead
of either, a cased fall may be fixed underneath the roller E, or the fall may be
of lattice work to admit the grain to pass through. The other parts of this
machinery are described in the explanation of Figure 1, the references being
the same. Figures 4, 5, and 6, represent three other methods of constructing
the feeding part of the thrashing machinery.
Figure 4, two rollers, round which the cloth y revolves, in the same manner
as the cloth D revolves round the rollers B and C; and by the revolutions
of these cloths the grain in the straw is conducted forward to the beaters.
Figure 5: is an inclined plane; E, a fluted roller; y, a board or metal
plate, the upper part whereof is hung upon hinges, and the lower part is by
means of weights or springs to be pressed down to the straw, as it passes over
the roller E, which will be thereby conducted to the beaters.

page_text: Figure 6 is an inclined plane whereon the grain in the straw is to be
placed and thrust forward by hand beneath the board or metal plate y, to mec:
the blows of the beaters. The thrashing machinery may also be constructed in
the following method:-Instead of the axis G, Figures 1 and 3, being fixed
in the situation therein described, the same may be placed as much below as it
is represented to be above the axis of the vertical wheel A. In this caso
the roller F should be removed underneath the roller E, towards which the
former should be pressed by means of springs or weights bearing against its
gudgeons. In this construction the vertical wheel A must be turned the re-
verse way, and the grain in the straw being introduced between the rollers E
and F, is struck upwards by the beaters and thrown over them. The thrashing
machinery may also be varied in its construction by placing the axis G in a per-
pendicular direction, which will consequently cause the rims, with the beaters
fixed thereon, to revolve horizontally. In this construction one of the fly-
wheels on the same axis may or may not be retained at the upper end, but
the other must be left out. The machinery must have a casing, with
requisite apertures, through which the grain in the straw must be introduced
and held in 'n proper direction, until the beaters have separated the grain from
the straw, when the grain will fall underneath the beaters, and the straw
inust be drawn back again.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the carriage part of the machine, with the
apparatus to communicate motion to the thrashing and winnowing machinery,
'when connected therewith. A is a platform; B, B, two wood tressels fixed to
'the platform at each end by screw bolts and screw nutts; C, C, C, C, four
"carriage wheels fixed at equal distances from the platform's center, which must
have axletrees, shafts, and other parts similar to the carriage part of a waggon;
D, a beam of wood fixed across the middle of the axletrees parralel with the
'platform; E, an upright shaft resting at the bottom in a metal socket fixed in
the beam, and at the top in the center of the platform; F, F, two draught
poles fixed on the upright shaft, to which cattle must be yolked by means of
proper bearing in order to give motion to the machinery; G, G, two. packings
supported by the axletrees of the wheels; II, II, two other packings, fixed
under the platform perpendicularly over the packings G, G; I, K. I, K, square
openings which are intersected by perpendicular round openings made through
the platform and packings H, H, and partly through the packins G, G; L, an
'horizontal wheel fixed on the upright shaft E, to which motion is to be given
by the rotation of the draught poles, to be effected by cattle yolkod to such
poles by proper gearing. To this apparatus may be connected any of the
thrashing and winnowing machinery described herein by means of proper frame-

page_text: work and of a small bevel wheel working vertically into the horizontal wheel
L, and turning a vertical drum wheel fixed on its axis, giving motion to the
vertical wheel in such machinery marked A, in Figures 1, 2, and 3, by a
pulley fixed on its axis, to be connected with such drum wheel by a
chain, strap, or rope. Being thus connected, a cover of canvas, hair
cloth, or other proper material may be thrown over the machinery and
supported by framework erected upon the platform near the sides thereof,
which cover should contain apertures for the admission of air, light,
and for every other .necessary purpose. The machine will now be capable
of being worked by cattle, and will protect its contents from the inclemency of
the weather. In order to put the machine in a condition to be removed from
one place to another, the following particulars must be attended to:-A screw
nutt of proper size for the bolts must be placed in each of the square openings
I, I, I, I, and a solid piece of metal, of the same size and form as the nutts,
must be p'aced in each of the square openings K, K, K, K, and then four
screw bolts must by spanners be screwed down the four round perpendicular
openings, which intersect the square ones, as before described, until they
respectively meet and rest upon the square pieces of metal, and until the
weight of the platform and machinery is removed upon the wheels, when the
tressels being unscrewed may be taken away, The bolts must then be turned
the reverse way, until the packings H, H, rest upon the packings G, G, and
until they are released from the screw nutts, when the solid pieces of metal
must be taken out of their places and the screw nutts introduced therein, and
afterwards the screw bolts must be screwed down entirely through the nutts,
and until their shoulders come in contact with the platform, which will be so
firmly connected with the carriage.part, that the machine may be conveyed in
the manner of a wheel carriage. In order to construct the machine to be
worked by hand and conveyed after the manner of a wheel carriage, the
horizontal wheel and the machinery described as connecting it with the
thrashing and winnowing machinery must be omitted, as well as the tressels,
draught poles, upright shaft, and packings H, H. The packings G, G, must
be made solid, and of sufficient height, and fixed to the platform; motion may
then be communicated to the machinery by hand, by means of windlasses or
cranks and levers, or by any other means used in mechanics, applied to the
axis of the vertical wheel of the thrashing machinery. The thrashing and
winnowing machinery being divested of the apparatus and machinery <lescribed
in Figure 7 and the explanation thereof, may with the addition of proper
framework be worked by any power in a fixed situation.
The thrashing
machinery may in like manner be worked and used separately, as may also the

page_text: winnowing machinery in Figures 1 and 2, with the addition of a hopper fixed
over the cloth P, and of a vertical wheel similar to the vertical wheel A, in
the same Figures, and a pinion, whereby motion may be given to the fan and its
apparatus.
In witness whereof; I, the said Thomas Wigfull, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the thirty-fifth year
of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Georgo the Third, by the grace of
God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith;
and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
and ninety-five.