IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN SCREENS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hartley, of Otley, in the County of York, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN SCREENS."
Sealed the 12th December 1865, and dated the 15th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hartley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th June 1865.
I, JOHN HARTLEY, of Otley, in the County of York, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN SCREENS," to be as
follows:-
My improved corn screen consists of a vertical chamber lined with perforated:
sheet metal and wire cloth, and provided internally with a series of inverted
cones constructed of best plain iron and perforated metal. A vertical shaft
passes down the centre of this chamber, baving a pedestal on the top and
middle brass, and supported below in a suitable step on which it rotates. The
spindle is driven by a band or strap passing from any prime mover to a pulley
on the
upper end of the shaft. This shaft carries a series of fans having four
close leaves constructed of sheet iron with a collar under. The vertical shaft
is also provided with sets of projecting arms or horns which, as the shaft
rotates dash the corn up the cones and against the sides of the screen. The
corn is fed in at the top near the middle brass, and passing down into the first
fan is thrown by centrifugal force against the perforated iron sides of the

page_text: screen for the purpose of knocking or cutting off any extraneous matters that
may adhere to the kernels of the corn. The corn then drops into the first
cone, when the rotating arms or horns, which are faced with buffalo hide
and perforated. iron, dash the corn about as it descends. The corn in its
descent meets the air which is drawn in from the outside by fixing tubes in
the wood case, which tubes let air into the lower cones through holes cut in
the wire. The air is then rapidly withdrawn by an exhaust fan together with
the light airy dust, which is received into a box or sack, where it settles,
before leaving the mill. The screen must be air-tight, or as much so as
possible. The shaft is raised or lowered by a screw in the step to ensure the
proper rubbing of the corn. All parts faced with perforated metal are fixed
on with buffalo hide, nuts, and wood screws, which make the metal clothing
very secure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hartley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARTLEY, of Otley, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hartley, Her special licence that I, the said John
Hartley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Hartley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CORN SCREENS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Hartley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hartley, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 bad to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My improved corn screen is shewn in the accompanying Drawing in vertical
section at Fig. 1, and in plan at Fig. 2. It consists of a vertical chamber a
lined with perforated sheet metal and wire cloth a', a³, and provided internally
with a series of inverted cones b, b, constructed of best plain iron and perforated
metal. A vertical shaft c passes down the centre of this chamber a, having a
bearing c on the top and middle brasses, and supported below in a suitable
step c, on which it rotates. The spindle or shaft c is driven by a band or
strap passing from any prime mover to a pulley c³ on the upper end of the
shaft c. This shaft carries a series of fans d, d, (see also Fig. 3) having four
close leaves constructed of sheet iron with a collar d' under. The vertical
shaft c is also provided with sets of projecting arms or horns e, e, which, as the
shaft c rotates, dash the corn up the cones b, b, and against the sides of the
screen a. The corn is fed in at the top near the middle brass, and passing
down into the first fan d is thrown by centrifugal force against the perforated
iron sides a¹ of the screen for the purpose of knocking or cutting off any
extraneous matters that may adhere to the kernels of the corn. The corn
then drops into the first cone b, when the rotating arms or horns e, e, which
are faced with buffalo hide and perforated iron, dash the corn about as it
descends. The corn in its descent meets the air, which is drawn in from the
outside through tubes f fixed in the wood case g; these tubes let air into
the lower cones 6 through holes cut in the wire. The air is then rapidly
withdrawn from the interior of the case by an exhaust fan h together with the
light airy dust which is knocked off the corn in the dressing operation, and
which is received into a box or sack, where it settles before leaving the mill.
The case must be air-tight, or as much so as possible, so as not to let in air
except through the appointed channels. The shaft c is raised or lowered by a
screw in the step in order to adjust it and to ensure the proper rubbing of
the corn by the arms or beaters e, e. All parts faced with perforated metal
are fixed on with buffalo hide, nuts, and wood screws, which make the metal
clothing very secure.
It will thus be seen that as the corn descends from one cone 6 to another
it will be subjected to the action of the successive fans d, d, and rotating horns
or beaters e, e, and will thus be operated upon until dressed and cleansed from
all extraneous matter.

page_text: Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Corn Screens,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as
the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the apparatus
herein shewn and described for screening corn and removing therefrom the
dust and other extraneous matters that adhere to or are mixed with the
born.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hartley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JNO. HARTLEY. (L.S.)