Improvements in Machinery for Sifting, Sorting, or Separating Matters of Different Kinds or Different Degrees of Fineness.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Sifting, Sorting, or Separating
Matters of Different Kinds or Different Degrees of Fineness.
I, WILHELM STREITZ, of Klostermühle, Jordan, near Schwiebus, in the King-
dom of Prussia and Empire of Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a plane sorting machine of the class in which a
number of sieves or sifting frames are arranged in such a relation to each other
that their meshes become gradually finer from the top downwards. The dis-
tinguishing feature of the invention is that the sifting frames or sieves are not
connected with each other rigidly, but are made movable in relation to each other,
each sieve being suspended from the next sieve above; or a whole column of
sieves being joined on to the top sieve, or the entire column or pile, including
the top sieve being suspended from a part of the machine situated still higher.
The result of this arrangement is that the oscillations performed by the lower
sieves whilst the machine is in motion are more marked than those of the upper
sieves, which for the purpose of a satisfactory sorting or sifting operation is a
desirable effect, inasmuch as it further affords the additional advantage that the
amplitude of the oscillations may be adjusted to suit requirements by varying
the height at which each of the sifting frames is suspended.
Amongst the sorting machines herein before referred to two main categories are
generally known, and the present invention is equally applicable to both. One
chief category comprises what are known as the "swinging" plane sorting
machines of which the sifting frames or sieves oscillate about a vertical axis or
shaft; their oscillations in accordance with this invention becoming more pro-
nounced, the lower their situation in the series of sieves.
39
"
The second main division of plane sorting machines, comprises the machines
known as "rotary or "circling plane sorting machines, wherein all points of
each sieve or sifting frame are made to describe as nearly as possible an equal
horizontal circle. The result of the application of this invention to this category
of sorting machines is that the circles described become greater as the sieve is
situated lower in the vertical series or column of sieves.
In order to suspend the sieves movably in relation to each other the same
suspension rods may be employed for the whole series of sieves; or instead of
rigid rods, ropes or cords may be used, or, better still, springs may be substituted
for the rods.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Sifting, Sorting, or Separating
Matters of Different Kinds or Different Degrees of Fineness.
I, WILHELM STREITZ, of Klostermühle, Jordan, near Schwiebus, in the King-
dom of Prussia and Empire of Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to a plane sorting machine of the class in which a
number of sieves or sifting frames are arranged in such a relation to each other
that their meshes become gradually finer from the top downwards. The dis-
tinguishing feature of the invention is that the sifting frames or sieves are not
connected with each other rigidly, but are made movable in relation to each other,
each sieve being suspended from the next sieve above; or a whole column of
sieves being joined on to the top sieve, or the entire column or pile, including
the top sieve being suspended from a part of the machine situated still higher.
The result of this arrangement is that the oscillations performed by the lower
sieves whilst the machine is in motion are more marked than those of the upper
sieves, which for the purpose of a satisfactory sorting or sifting operation is a
desirable effect, inasmuch as it further affords the additional advantage that the
amplitude of the oscillations may be adjusted to suit requirements by varying the
height at which each of the sifting frames is suspended.
Amongst the sorting machines herein before referred to two main categories are
generally known, and the present invention is equally applicable to both. One
chief category comprises what are known as the "swinging" plane sorting
machines of which the shifting frames or sieves oscillate about a vertical axis or
shaft; their oscillations in accordance with this invention becoming more pro-
nounced the lower their situation in the series of sieves. One example illustrat-
ing the applicability, of the invention to this class of plane sorting machines is
represented in Figs. 1 to 5, in which however an arrangement is supposed to be
adopted which does not properly belong to the invention, and owing to which one
half of the sorting machine works independently of the other so that two kinds of
material (or material of two different degrees of fineness) may by its aid be treated
at the same time.
The second main division of plane sorting machines comprises the machines
known as "rotary" or "circling" plane sorting machines, wherein all points of
each sieve or sifting frame are made to describe as nearly as possible an equal
horizontal circle. The result of the application of this invention to this category
of sorting machines is that the circles described become greater as the sieve is a
situated lower in the vertical series or column of sieves. This method of applica-
tion of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
In order to suspend the sieves movably in relation to each other the same
suspension rods may be employed for the whole series of sieves or instead of rigid
rods, ropes or cords may be used, or better still, springs may be substituted for 4
the rods.
Fig. 1 of the drawings represents the swinging plane sorting machine, being
a vertical section thereof at right angles to the plane division of such machine.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are horizontal sections taken at the parts indicated in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the varying relative amplitude of 4
the several sieves to the "star" b. This star is secured to the vertical shaft or
spindle a adapted to be set in swinging motion from a lever arm a through the
medium of any suitable mechanism, such star carries a distributing disc c which
is fitted with partitions co set in the vertical plane of division of the plane sorting
C

page_text: machine, whereby the material supplied through the feeding shoot d' on the left
hand side of the distributing disc c is prevented from mixing with the material
supplied on the right hand side through the shoot d. The material to be sorted
or sifted,-
,- as an instance of which grain may be mentioned-is driven over the
edge of the disc c by centrifugal force, and as indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, is
caused to drop first of all upon the annular preparatory sifter e, the sieve of which
assumes a suitable conical or truncated shape so that the husks separated pass
over the inner edge of the annular sieve into the central stationary discharge
hopper or funnel which in its turn is divided into two separate parts f¹ and f
by means of a partition.
66
The material or grit" passing through the preparatory sifter e in the first
place enters the annular collecting cone g which, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided
with roof-shaped raised portions go so that the material and and right and left
axle plane of the complete sorting machine may be kept separate. This collecting
cone conducts the "grit" to the inner circumference of the flour sifter proper h,
the sieve of which exactly like the one of the finishing sifter i, placed lower down
as shown in Fig. 3 is notched in the shape of a sector in the axial plane while the
sifting surfaces proper are provided with edges or flanges h° and 20 respectively,
so that the grit as it travels to the periphery of the sieve drops over the outer edge
of the sieve only at those parts (see Fig. 3) where it is immediately received by
the discharge shoot or as the case may be. Between the middle sieve h
and the finishing sieve there is inserted another collecting cone 7 secured to the
middle sieve while the finishing sieve itself is also provided with such a cone, m,
whereby the flour is conducted over the grit discharge shoots k¹ and ³ into the
flour shoots ¹ and n².
The distributing disc c and also the sifters h and i are constructed with a slight
rising towards their outer peripheries, so as to counteract the acceleration of the
motion of the material in process of sifting which the centrifugal force tends to
impart to it in the direction of the outer edge.
The distributing disc c secured to the six-armed star b, again, is connected
with four flat springs o, the outer ends of which are secured in the sorting machine
frame, their object being to prevent any shock or jar from occurring whenever
the direction of motion is reversed. From the end of each of the arms of the
star a flat spring p, is suspended and to these springs there are adjustably and
vertically secured by means of supporting arms o̟ the preparatory or commencing
sifter e, the collecting cone g, the flour sifter h, and the finishing sifter i in
succession.
The application of the invention to circling plane sorting machines is illus
trated in Figs. to 9 by three examples.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of such a sorting machine with circular sifters.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent a circular plane sorting machine of rectangular shape,
Fig. 7 being a longitudinal section and Fig. a plan thereof.
Fig. 9 is a plan of two trapeze-shaped plane sorting machines combined into
one twin apparatus. The letters of reference in these figures correspond (as far
as all identical parts are concerned) to those of the preceding figures and in as
much as the course taken by the material to be sifted is indicated by arrows, it
is unnecessary to describe the successive stages of the sifting operation through the
whole machine. The description will therefore be limited to those parts which
differ from the parts of the machine forming the subject of the first illustration.
In the apparatus shown in Figure an eccentric a¹ is supposed to be mounted
upon the driving shaft a, the eccentric pin s engaging in a central perforation
n the star 6 from which the sifters c, h¹ and h³ are suspended. The star b itself
s suspended by means of pointed arms in such a manner that while it is capable
of following the motion of the crank ps it cannot revolve about its own axis. In
order to affect this suspension star 6 in the rigid frame which surrounds the
orting machine, the bar shaped springs (or resilient rods) p by means of which
be sieve sifters are suspended from the points of the star, are provided towards

page_text: their upper part with extensions 2,0 which are secured to the top of the supporting
frame. In order to neutralise the effect of the centrifugal force of the plane
sorting machine upon the driving shaft and also therefore upon the machine
frame, a fly wheel or ring t is provided on the eccentric or crank a¹, the weight
of which is unequally distributed, so that, a lateral force antagonistic to that
which proceeds from the sorter or sifter is transmitted to the shaft. The sifting
frames are provided with stays or bridges u on their inner periphery by means
of which they rest upon the adjustable supporting rings formed in the shape of
nuts on a central suspension rod v. According as the nuts are adjusted in one
position or another, the sieves or sifting frames may be raised or lowered in the
centre. Owing to this circumstance and also to the adjustability of the support-
ing arms q, by means of which the extent of motion of each sieve may be varied,
the course of the sifting operation may be so controlled that the usual number
of sieves or frames may be gradually reduced. Owing to the fact that the material
to be sifted, as it moves from the outer to the inner periphery of the sieve meets
with a more reduced sifting surface, the more it is itself reduced in quantity the
inner part of the top sieve e is here divided into a comparatively coarse sieve e
and a finer sieve e underlying the other while a distributing dish fo is interposed
between the two. The rectangular circling sorting machine, as shown in Figs. 7
and 8, has its sifting surfaces divided by a frame of partitions placed over it
and forming a number of narrow rectangular compartments which by means of
inclined surfaces such as c g° and 10 are provided with a uniform supply of material.
The passage of the material to be sifted from one end of each rectangle to the
other may be compelled by inclining the sifting surface either in a longitudinal
or in the transverse direction.
In the example shown in Fig. 9, the narrow rectangular compartments are
replaced by trapeze-shaped compartments the material preferably moving in the
direction in which the surface becomes narrower. The position of the sieve placed
below is reversed so that where there is an even number of sieves the weights are
pretty uniformly distributed.
In Figs. 8 and 9, the extent of the circular movement is indicated by dotted
circles, such movements being controllable, as illustrated in Fig. 6, by means of
a rigid star b, connecting the bar shaped springs p.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In plane sifting sorting or separating machinery comprising sieves or
sifting frames arranged one below the other and adapted either to swing on a
vertical spindle or shaft or to rotate in horizontal planes, an arrangement whereby
the several sieves are not connected together rigidly but in which each sieve is
loosely suspended from the next sieve above, or from the topmost sieve, or from
a part of the machine situated above the topmost sieve, in such a manner that each
sieve shall perform oscillations or circular movements the greater in extent the
lower each sieve is placed in the column of sieves, substantially as described.
2. The construction and use of machinery for use in sifting, sorting or separating
matters of different kinds or different degrees of fineness, wherein a series of
sieves or sifters of successively diminishing grades of fineness are mounted remov-
ably and are subjected to an adjustable and successively increasing amplitude of
oscillation in proportion to their fineness, all substantially as and for the purpose
set forth and shown by the drawings.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55/56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.