Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Grain, also applicable for Mixing Grain.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 16th 1or 1906 Ancantad
10th
4000
Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896
4000
Complete Specification Laft, 16th Apr., 1906 Accepted, 16th May, 1906
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Grain, also applicable for
Mixing Grain.
I, GEORGE TWINN, of 12, Victoria Villas, Greenfield Road, Waltham Abbey,
in the County of Essex, Millwright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention chiefly relates to improvements in machines for cleaning grain.
According to my invention I provide an inclined perforated or reticulated drum
mounted in a suitable frame and adapted to be rotated and into the upper end of
which the grain is fed. At the lower end of the drum I provide a shoot into which
the grain, which has travelled down the drum, drops, the said shoot communicating
with an air-shaft up which a current of air is induced to flow by means of a fan.
Underneath the drum I provide a worm or spiral conveyer.
The operation of the machine is as follows.-The grain introduced into the
upper end of the rotating inclined drum gradually passes to the lower end of the
same and during its passage is deprived of the larger and coarser portion of its
dust and impurities which drops through the drum into the spiral conveyer by
which it is removed from the machine. When the grain arrives at the lower end
of the drum, it drops down the shoot and in its passage down the same comes
opposite the opening into the air-shaft whereby the upward current of air in the
latter separates the rest of the dust and impurities from the grain which continues
its passage down the shoot freed from impurities.
My improved machine can be employed for mixing grain, which mixing can be
carried on simultaneously with the operation of cleaning, and to provide for the
mixing I advantageously arrange a series of hoppers to deliver into the head of
the drum.
In practice I regulate the feed of the grain by sliding covers to the apertures
from the hoppers into the drum and I advantageously regulate the air current by
means of a door.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Grain, also applicable for
Mixing Grain.
1, GEORGE TWINN, of 12, Victoria Villas, Greenfield Road, Waltham Abbey,
in the County of Essex, Millwright, 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 :-
This invention chiefly relates to improvements in machines for cleaning grain.
According to my invention I provide an inclined perforated or reticulated drum
mounted in a suitable frame and adapted to be rotated and into the upper end of
which the grain is fed. At the lower end of the drum I provide a shoot into

page_text: which the grain, which has travelled down the drum, drops, the said shoot com
municating with an air-shaft up which a current of air is induced to flow by means
of a fan.
Underneath the drum I provide a worm or spiral conveyer.
My improved machine can be employed for mixing grain, which mixing can be
carried on simultaneously with the operation of cleaning, and to provide for the
mixing I advantageously arrange a series of hoppers to deliver into the head of
the drum.
In practice I regulate the feed of the grain by sliding covers or doors to the
apertures from the hoppers into the drum and I advantageously regulate the air-
current by means of a door.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a machine for cleaning grain made according
to my invention :
Figures 2 and 3 are end views of the same.
a is the drum consisting of a framing a covered with gauze a². a3 are pins
attached to the framing a' and projecting into the drum so as to rub against the
grain passing down the drum. The drum a is mounted on the inclined shaft b which
is supported in plummer blocks c, c at each end of the box or casing d in which the
drum a is mounted, the said casing being supported in the frame d'.
e is the spiral conveyer arranged in the casing d underneath the drum a, the said
spiral conveyer being supported in bearings f, fat each end of the said casing d.
9, 9 are hoppers arranged at the front end of the casing for introducing the
grain into the drum a, the said hoppers opening into chambers h, h, leading
into a central tube i which passes into the interior of the drum a. j, j are the
sliding covers or doors which are designed to regulate the feed of the grain into
the central tube i when required.
k is the shoot arranged at the lower or rear end of the drum, down which shoot
the grain drops after its passage through the said drum. This shoot k branches at
its lower end into two parts k, k¹ which pass to the bottom of the casing d at each
side of the spiral conveyer e. 1, 1 are curved sheet metal plates arranged at the
upper end of the said shoot for directing the flow of the grain into the shoot.
m is the air-shaft arranged, as shewn clearly in Figure 1, behind the grain shoot k,
and is the fan by means of which a current of air is caused to flow up the said
air-shaft m.
o is an opening from the air-shaft m into the grain shoot k, and p is an opening
from the grain shoot k to the exterior, the said opening p being provided with a
door or flap q. This door or flap q can be opened to any desired extent by means
of a lever q which engages in a notched sector q2, Figure 3, for regulating the
quantity of air which can be drawn through the grain shoot into the air-shaft by
the fan n.
The conveyer shaft and the drum shaft are provided with pulleys and bands, as
shewn, for driving purposes and the rear end of the drum shaft is provided with a
bevel wheel r which gears with a second bevel wheel s mounted on a shaft t at
right angles to the drum shaft b and provided with pulleys u, u. These pulleys u, u
actuate, by means of bands, a shaft carrying the fan n as shewn clearly in
Figure 3.
w, wo are outlets from the spiral conveyer e, and is a door arranged at the rear
end of the casing for cleaning and overhauling purposes.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-Grain is introduced into the
hoppers g, g at the upper or front end of the casing and passes into the chambers h, h
from which it escapes through the tube i into the drum a which revolves. The
grain introduced into the drum gradually passes down to the lower end of the
same and during its passage rubs against the pins a³ and is deprived of the larger
and coarser portion of its dust and impurities which drop through the perforations
in the drum into the spiral conveyer e by which it is removed from the machine

page_text: through the outlets w.
When the grain arrives at the rear end of the drum, it
drops down the shoot k and in its passage down the same comes opposite the
openings o and p so that the upward current of air induced through the shoot into
the air-shaft by the fan n separates the rest of the dust and impurities from the
grain, which continues its passage down the shoot and passes down the branches k¹
and through the outlets k.
It will be obvious that by the employment of several separate hoppers g and
sliding covers or doors, I can mix different qualities of grain in any desired
proportion, the said grain being simultaneously cleaned and mixed in the drum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved machine for
cleaning and mixing grain, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of Anil 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.