Improvements in or connected with Storage Bins for Flour, Grain, Potatoes, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application,
Aug., 1900
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1900-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1900
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1900-Accepted, 10th Aug.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Storage Bins for Flour, Grain,
Potatoes, and the like.
1
I, DAVID RYDER SNOWDEN, of No. 17, Market Street, Barnsley, in the County
of York, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The objects of this my present invention are to secure in the use of flour.
bins, shoots and hoppers increased capacity for storage (in relation to floor
space) efficient relief from air pressure, and the impossibility of the flour
finding any place or obstacle to lodge in or against, between the hopper and
the bin, and its delivery therefrom: combined with a hopper which shall be
I may
characterised by simplicity of construction, and convenience in use.
also provide means for checking the too rapid passage of the flour from the
hopper to the bin, accelerating it, or setting it in motion when jammed: also
for detaching the empty bin from the shoot, or shoots together with an improved
pedestal for the bin to stand upon.
In carrying out my improvements I use two or more shoots for each bin,
thus securing a greater capacity for storage: and at the same time escape for
the air that would, without suitable means of egress be pent up in the bin
or shoot or shoots. The air escapes by one or more shoots while another shoot,
or other shoots, is or are receiving flour. I am aware that it has been proposed
to use a tube for the escape of the air compressed in a bin; but as these tubes
are liable to become choked in use they may prove to be practically useless.
may also use a tap, hole, or valve, for the escape of compressed air from the
bin.
The bin may be provided with a partition in which a sliding or other door is
provided for the egress of the flour as it is removed: or a scoop or scoops may
be used to fit into the partition in such a manner as to act as a door or doors.
I provide that the diameter of my shoots shall be sufficiently great to allow of
the escape of the air from them after the bin is filled (with, we may suppose,
flour, for instance) without any serious inconvenience.
I curve the front, the back, and the sides of the bin towards the bottom in
such a manner that flour grain, tea, sugar, pease, beans, potatoes and any sub-
stance analogous to any of them or any other substance or substances cannot
find lodgment, and, as a consequence become musty or in any way foul. The
hopper I use is let into the floor of the story above that in which the bin is
placed, and it is designed to receive the contents of a sack or sacks wheeled or
otherwise conveyed to it conveniently and with little labour. The lid or lids
of the bin may be made air-tight, and may have one lid so arranged as to lock
the other. I provide a cover for the hopper, preferably hinged, and may also
have a cover or covers for the top of the shoot or shoots, to which they may or
may not be attached or fastened. The hopper may be devided by a movable or
removable partition, so placed as to prevent any appreciable quantity of flour

page_text: going into that shoot from which it may be desired to allow air to escape from
the bin. I may also provide means for checking or for accelerating the speed
at which the flour passes down or along a shoot, as by a conical or other valve
or valves (actuated by suitable leverage, or held in position in any suitable
way) or by revolving vanes, or screws or analogous arrangements that could
be used to force it to move when jammed. A conical or other valve may be
provided for stopping the flow of flour down a shoot. The shoot or shoots may
be placed vertically or at such an angle as to cause the flour to slide rather
than to fall in its passage from the hopper to the bin. I provide for the bin,
(when empty) and its pedestal, being readily taken away from beneath the shoot
or shoots in order that scrupulous cleanliness may be maintained on the floor
on which the bin stands. The pedestal that I use is a light metal casting that
is not liable to suffer from contact with the feet of persons using the bin, it may
be easily cleaned, and wheels may be attached to it. My shoots may be so
placed, and so constructed that they too can be easily kept clean on the outside.
As a modification of my invention I may use a bin with one shoot only,
and without valves, vanes, or other appliances for checking, or accelerating the
speed at which its contents flow through the shoot: or forcing them to move
when jammed. But such bins I do not propose to use for flour.
I construct my bins, shoots and hoppers of any suitable material or materials:
but preferably of metal. The material or materials may be enamelled, tinned,
plated, or galvanised or otherwise coated.
I may use india rubber as a packing for the joints of the lids of my bins and
shoots and hoppers: It may be round polygonal, wedge shaped: solid in section,
or hollow.
Dated this 8th day of August 1899.
Improvements in or connected with Storage Bins for Flour, Grain,
Potatoes, and the like.
I, DAVID RYDER SNOWDEN, of No. 17, Market Street, Barnsley, in the County
of York, Plumber, &c., 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:―
The objects of this my present invention are to secure in the use of flour
bins, shoots, and hoppers increased capacity for storage (in relation to floor
space) efficient relief from air pressure, and the impossibility of the flour
finding any place or obstacle to lodge in or against, between the hopper and
the bin, and its delivery therefrom: combined with a hopper which shall be
characterised by simplicity of construction, and convenience in use.
I may
also provide means for checking the too rapid passage of the flour from the
hopper to the bin. Also for detaching the bin (when empty) from the shoot,
or shoots; together with an improved pedestal for the bin to stand upon.
The
In carrying out my improvements I use two or more shoots for each bin,
thus securing a greater capacity for storage; and at the same time escape for the
air that would, without suitable means of egress, be pent up in the bin.
air escapes from the bin by one or more shoots, while another shoot, or other
shoots, is or are receiving flour. I am aware that it has been proposed to use a
tube for the escape of the air compressed in a bin; but as these tubes are liable

page_text: to become choked in use and to consequently become musty and foul, they
may prove to be worse than useless.
The bin may be provided with a partition in which a slide or other door is
provided for retaining the flour at the back of the bin and for regulating the
egress of the flour from the back to the front of the bin as it is removed. Or a
scoop or scoops may be used to fit into the partition in such a manner as to act
as a door or doors. I provide that the diameter of my shoots shall be sufficiently
great to allow of the escape of the air from them (after the bin is filled (with
flour for instance) and while they are being filled, without any serious incon-
venience.
I curve the front, the back, and the side of the bin towards the bottom in
such a manner that flour, grain, tea, sugar, pease, beans, potatoes, and any
substance analogous to any of them cannot find lodgment, and as a consequence
become musty or in any way foul. The hopper I use is let into the floor of the
story above that in which the bin is placed and it is designed to receive the
contents of a sack or sacks wheeled or otherwise conveyed to it conveniently
and with little labour. For which purpose I sometimes provide a low partition
in the hopper between the tops of the shoots. The hopper may be further
divided by a moveable or removable partition so placed as to prevent any
appreciable quantity of flour going into that shoot from which it may
be desired to allow air to escape from the bin. I provide a cover for the hopper
preferably hinged. I may also (and especially in the case of a shoot that is
unusually long) provide means for checking the speed at which the flour passes
down or along a shoot, as by the introduction of cross bars or stays or by a kink
or slow swan neck bend introduced at such an angle as to cause the flour to slide
for a short distance, once, or more than once, before its final fall into the back
of the bin. I make my shoots round or oval and I make them parallel length-
ways, both because they are cheaper to manufacture in this form and because
this form lends itself to cleanliness on the outside as well as inside. I provide.
for the bin (when empty) and its pedestal or pedestals, being readily taken away..
from beneath the shoot or shoots, in order that scrupulous cleanliness may be
maintained on the floor over which the bin stands. The pedestal that I use
is a light metal casting that is not liable to suffer from contact with the feet
of persons using the bin, it may be easily cleaned, and wheels may be attached
to it.
As a modification of my invention I may use a bin with one shoot only (for
grain and other substances) but such bins I do not propose to use for flour.
I construct my bins, shoots and hoppers of any suitable material or materials,
but preferably of metal. The material or materials may be enamelled, tinned,
plated, or galvanized, or otherwise coated. Tinned iron for the bins and shoots
and wood covered with zinc for the hoppers proves very satisfactory.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which this invention relates
to be better able to put the same into effect or practice I have hereunto provided
two sheets of explanatory drawings, in which the same reference figures are
used to indicate corresponding parts where ever shown.
In the first sheet of these drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a grain shoot,
bin and hopper.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a shoot, bin, and hopper.
Figure is a front elevation of a flour shoot bin and hopper.
Figure 4 is a plan of a grain shoot through A, A of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan of a flour shoot through B B of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a section through C, C, in Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a section throughout 1) 1) in Figure 5.
The partition (between the back and front of the bin) which is provided with
a sliding door is shown at 10 in Figure 7-the door that slides upon it being
indicated by 11. The sliding door and its handle are shown in dotted lines
in Figure 3. In Figure 6 the partition 10 is shown without a door.
The cross

page_text: bars provided as a means of checking the speed at which the flour passes down
a shoot (which also act as strengthening stays) are indicated by 12 in Figures 3
aul 5.
The means I employ for readily taking the bin and its pedestal away from
underneath the shoot or shoots as indicated by 13 in Figures 1 and 2 and 3
and 6 and 7. It is simply a clasp of metal extending for two or three inches
both above and below the joint the joint being perfected with paint and
putty between the clasp and the surfaces which it covers in a manner that
needs no detailed description. The clasp is drawn tightly and securely into
position by the bolts and nuts indicated by 14 in Figure 3. The shape of the
pedestal upon which my bins stand is indicated at 15 in Figures 1 and 2 and 3
and 6 and 7. In Figures 1 and 2 number 16 indicates a ticket holder for a
price and contents ticket.
The second sheet of my drawings is devoted to the subject matter of my
second claim. The Figure 8 is a side elevation of a shoot bin and hopper in
section wherein the scoop 17 is seen to take the place of the sliding door 11
in the partition (between the back and the front of the bin) which is shown at 10
in Figure 7 on Sheet 1. In Figure 8 also may be seen an illustration of the
slow swan neck bend referred to in this my second claim-it is distinguished
by number 18. The illustrations under Figure 9 represent the scoop in detail,
17 shows a side view of it in section, 17b a section through A B of 17ª, and
17 is a plan view.
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:
Firstly the particular construction, arrangement, and combination of parts
constituting my improved bin, shoot, and hopper, substantially as herein
described for the purpose and as set forth and illustrated by the accompanying
first sheet of drawings.
And secondly, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of
parts comprising the use of a scoop or scoops in bin partition, and of one or more
kinks, or slow swan neck bends, in the shoot or shoots of my improved bins,
shoots and hoppers; substantially as described for the purpose set forth in the
foregoing specification.
Datod this Eighth day of Iuno 1900