IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF "CONCAVES" OR BREASTING FOR THE BEATING DRUMS OF THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1868

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Hunter Henry Murdoch, of No. 7, Staple Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF "CONCAVES" OR BREASTING FOR
THE BEATING DRUMS OF THRASHING MACHINES."-A communication
from abroad by Emile Questienne, of Mellet, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturer, and Edmond Van Schepdael the younger,
of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Agricultural Implement
Maker.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hunter Henry Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd April 1868.
I, HUNTER HENRY MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple 'Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF "CONCAVES" OR
BREASTING FOR THE BEATING DRUMS OF THRASHING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-

page_text: This Invention relates to the construction of "concaves" used in
connection with the beating drums of thrashing machines. Usually
such concaves are formed of iron bars set round a portion of the
periphery of the beating drum at from three-quarters of an inch to an
inch apart, the said bars being of a rectangular section, about three-
quarters of an inch thick and two inches and a half broad, and of the
same length as the beating drum of the machine, each bar forming a
parallelopiped with sharp or angular corners. When wheat is being
thrashed the greater part of the grain beaten against the angular
surfaces of the bars are broken, especially when the hollow part of the
said grains strike against the angular edges of the said bars. The grains
thus injured become unfit for seed and make bad flour. Barley is
bruised, and many of the barleycorns are injured and become unfit for
malting purposes.
According to this Invention the disadvantages arising from the
present mode of construction of "concaves" are obviated. Instead of
forming such "concaves" with bars of a rectangular section having
sharp angular corners or edges, the surfaces of the said bars nearest the
beating drum are rounded so that the grain comes in contact only with
smooth or curved surfaces unable to injure the said grain.
According to this Invention at that part of each bar where usually
there is a sharp or angular edge against which the grain is beaten a
rounded groove or depression is formed along the length of the bar
extending diagonally to about the middle of the thickness of the said
bar, the edges of the said groove or depression being rounded off or
curved on each side, so that the grain operated upon by the beater comes
in contact only with curved surfaces of the said concave.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second 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 Hunter Henry Murdoch, Her special
licence that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch,
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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF " CONCAVES"
BREASTING FOR THE BEATING DRUMS OF THRASHING MACHINES," a communica-
tion to me from abroad by Emile Questienne, of Mellet, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Manufacturer, and Edmond Van Schepdael the younger, of
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Agricultural Implement Maker,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hunter Henry
Murdoch, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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.
-
OR
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, 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 :-
This Invention relates to the construction of "concaves" used in
connection with the beating drums of thrashing machines. Usually.
such "concaves" are formed of iron bars set round a portion of the
periphery of the beating drum at from three-quarters of an inch to an
inch apart, the said bars being of a rectangular section,' about three-
quarters of an inch thick and two inches and a half broad, and of the
same length as the beating drum of the machine, each bar forming a
parallelopiped with sharp or angular corners. When wheat is being.
thrashed the greater part of the grains beaten against the angular

page_text: surfaces of the bars are broken, especially when the hollow part of the
said grains strikes against the angular edges of the said bars. The grains
thus injured become unfit for seed and make bad flour. Barley is bruised;
and many of the barleycorns are injured and become unfit for malting
purposes.
According to this Invention the disadvantages arising from the
Instead
present mode of construction of "concaves" are obviated.
of forming such "concaves" with bars of a rectangular. section
having sharp angular corners or edges, the surfaces of the said bars
nearest the beating drum are rounded, so that the grain comes in
contact only with smooth or curved surfaces unable to injure the said.
grain.
According to this Invention at that part of each bar where usually
there is a sharp or angular edge against which the grain is beaten a
rounded groove or depression is formed along the length of the bar
extending diagonally to about the middle of the thickness of the said.
bar, the edges of the said groove or depression being rounded off or
curved on each side so that the grain operated upon by the beater comes
in contact only with curved surfaces of the said " concave."
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention as com-
municated to me, I will proceed to describe the manner in which the
same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing..
"
"
Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of one of the bars used in the con-
struction of: " concaves according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a
cross section of the same. The same letters of reference indicate the
same parts in both these Figures.
a is a rounded groove or depression formed along the length of one
edge of the bar A, and extending in depth diagonally to about the
middle of the thickness of the said bar. The edges of the said groove or
depression a are rounded off or curved on each side at 6, 6', so that the
line b, a, b, is composed of curves presenting a smooth surface. In
constructing the "concave" or breasting for the beating drum the said
bars A are set about an inch apart round a portion of the periphery of
the beating drum of the thrashing machine in the usual manner, as
indicated in section at Figure 3, where A, A, represent the bars and the
red circle B the beating drum which may be of any suitable construction.

page_text: The grain operated upon by the beater B is driven against the curved
edges of the bars A, A, and coming in contact with a smooth surface
receives no injury therefrom.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before described and
represented in the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of the Invention; but what I claim
as the said Invention is, the construction of "concaves" or breasting
for the beating drums of thrashing machines, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is
to say, constructing the said "concaves" with bars having each a curved
or rounded groove or depression formed along the length of the edge
against which the grain is beaten, the said groove or depression being
rounded off on each side.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-a
nicht
Witness,
B. WILLCOX,
his Clerk.
H., H. MURDOCH. (L.S.)