Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALPHONS STEIGER, of 122 Rumford St., Chorlton-on-Medlock Manchester in
the County of Lancaster, Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate in particular to machines for separating and purifying
fine dunst and middlings, in which the purification and separation of light par-
ticles, as for instance bran, fluff, etc, from the good parts of the semolina, is perforined
by means of a vibrating sieve, through which, passes a blast of air created by the
suction of a fan.
The principal object of my invention is to separate and collect the lighter parts,
separately from the purified middlings, and to provide means for regulating the
amount of blast required, according to the size and specific weight of the middlings
in the different compartments.
The invention consists in employing within a suitable box or case, and above a
slightly inclined vibrating sieve, a suitable number of transverse troughs, triangular
or elliptical in section.
These transverse troughs are arranged at a certain distance apart from each
other, in such a manner that there will be sufficient space for the offal or bran-laden
air to be drawn between them.
At a certain height above and over the open space, between these transverse
troughs, I employ a corresponding number of roof-shaped boardings, the sides of
which, being hinged, form valves, and which are adjustable, and are overlapping
the sides of the transverse troughs respectively, so as to permit the offal or bran-
laden air to enter the transverse troughs and deposit the heavier particles, while the
fluff which remains in the air passes on and is drawn away by the suction of
the fan.
The bottoms of the transverse troughs are formed inclined from their middle
towards each side of the machine, so as to permit the heavier particles deposited
therein, to fall into a slightly inclined channel, running on each side along the
ends of the transverse troughs, from where they are delivered separately, as
desired.
The blast of air produced by the fan, passing between the transverse troughs
and underneath the roof-shaped boardings, can be regulated by increasing or

page_text: decreasing the respective transverse openings, by adjusting the slides or valves
of the roof shaped boarding, according to requirement.
The space above the latter is limited by the top of the box or case and is
divided into different compartments by vertical cross partitions, which compart-
ments correspond in number with the different grades of the silks of the sieve."
These compartments are formed with openings at the top, which are in commu-
nication with an air chamber and the exhaust fan, and which openings are also
provided with valves for regulating the blast of air.
The sieve, troughs, roof shaped boardings and channels, which are all enclosed in
the said box or case, are either arranged to vibrate together or separately by means
of a crank shaft, revolving at a certain speed.
The said box or case at its bottom is formed into a hopper for collecting the
purified middlings which have passed through the meshes of the silk.
The sides thereof near the channels along the troughs are provided with windows
for permitting inspection of the working and giving access to the inner parts of the
machine in case of repair.
Pro ALPHONS STEIGER,
Bosshardt & Grant,
Agents to the Applicant.

page_text: Middlings.
I ALPHONS STEIGER, of 122 Rumford Street Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester
in the County of Lancaster, Milling Engineer 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 improvements relate in particular to machines for separating and purifying
fine dunst and middlings, in which the purification and separation of light par-
ticles, as for instance, bran, fluff, etc, from the good parts of the semolina, is performed
by means of a vibrating sieve, through which passes a blast of air created by the
suction of a fan.
The principal object of my invention is to separate and collect the lighter parts
of substances, such as middlings or semolina, separately from the purified or heavy
particles, and to collect the better particles from the light middlings which have
been sucked up from the vibrating sieve by the blast of air passing vertically
through the said sieve, the better particles forming a second quality.of middlings,
while the first quality or the heaviest of the purest middlings, can fall through the
meshes of the sieve, as well as to provide means for regulating the amount of blast
required, according to the size and specific weight of the middlings in the different
compartments.
And in order that this invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
.
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a vertical cross section at A-B
and Figs. 3 and 4, an enlarged vertical longitudinal and cross section of a portion
of the transverse troughs and valve arrangement respectively, of my improved
middlings separating and purifying machine.
In carrying out my invention I employ within a suitable box or case a and
above a vibrating sieve b which is slightly inclined to the end of the box or case a,
and suspended from the latter by means of iron or wooden springs c, and under
which vibrating sieve b a travelling brush d is employed to keep the meshes clean,
a suitable number of transverse troughs e made of light material such as wood or
sheet tin, triangular or elliptical in section.
These transverse troughs e are arranged at a certain distance apart from each
other, and along the whole surface of the vibrating sieve b in such a manner, that
there will be sufficient space for the offal or bran-laden air to be drawn between
them, and a uniform pressure of air underneath the vibrating sieve b is ensured.
At a certain height above and over the open space, between these transverse
troughs I employ a corresponding number of roof-shaped boardings f, the sides of
which being hinged or provided with pivots at f¹, form adjustable valves f³, and
overlap the aides e² of the transverse troughs e respectively, so as to permit the

page_text: offal or bran-laden air to enter the transverse troughs e, and deposit the heavier
particles in the same, while the fluff which remains in the air passes on and is
drawn away by the suction of the fan g.
The blast of air passing through the vibrating sieve b is thus caused to deviate
from its vertical course, and forced to pass underneath the valves f, and into the
transverse troughs e, the entrance of the air being so regulated, as to be less in
section than the exit of the air, thus leaving the heavier or better particles which
have been taken up from the vibrating sieve b, in the transverse troughs 6.
On one side of the machine the pivots at f¹ on the valves f* are made to pass
through the frame h to receive crank levers i provided with pins ¹. The said
21
crank levers i are connected to longitudinal rods k by passing the pins through
a corresponding number of slots k¹, formed in the rods k which run parallel with
the frame h, and when raised or lowered cause the valves f' either to close or open
and increase or decrease accordingly, the suction between them & the transverse
troughs e.
The longitudinal rods are suitably connected to vertical rods l, sliding in
brackets fixed to the box or case a of the machine, and having a vertical movement
imparted thereto by means of a small rack & pinion, handle and lever, or preferably
by worm wheel gearing, which permits of an accurate and ready adjustment, and
retaining of the valves f*, in the required position.
The transverse- troughs e and valves f' are connected to the frame h which is
suspended in an inclined position following that of the vibrating sieve 6 by means
of straps fixed to the box or case a.
The frame his also made to vibrate, but independently of and less than the
vibrating sieve b, its function being only to bring the heavier particles which have
dropped into the channels l, to the end of the lower part of the frame h, into
suitable hoppers, formed on the side of the machine.
The bottoms of the transverse troughs e, are formed inclined from their middle,
towards each side of the machine, so as to permit the heavier particles deposited
therein, to fall into the slightly inclined channels 7, running on each side along the
ends of the transverse troughs e, from where they are delivered separately as
desired.
The blast of air produced by the fan g. passing between the transverse troughs e
and underneath the roof-shaped boardings f, can be regulated in such a manner as
to obtain an equal and independent pressure on each surface of the vibrating
sieve b for the different grades of middlings, the valves f* belonging to one grade
of middlings being connected together, and by means of a handle, simultaneously
& equally adjusted thus giving an equal section of blast for each set of transverse
troughs e.
The frame of the vibrating sieve b is so arranged as to facilitate an easy fixing
& exchanging of the silks used for the different grades, which permits of any
desired size of middlings being purified and the blast of air required regulated
accordingly.
The space above the latter is limited by the top of the box or case a, and is
divided into different compartments I. II, III, by vertical cross partitions and
inclined boards m m¹ and m², which compartments correspond in number with the
different grades of the silk of the vibrating sieve b.
The inclined boards m³ at the delivery end of the machine having for their
object to widen the section of the blast and consequently reducing the suction,
which causes a part of the fluff or light particles contained in the air chamber n to
be dropped and collected, thus nearly freeing the air from such light substances
when it reaches the exhaust fan g.
These compartments are formed with openings n¹ at the top, which are in
communication with the air chamber n, and the exhaust fan g, and which open-
ings if found necessary may also be provided with valves for regulating the blast

page_text: The said box or case a at its bottom is formed into a hopper o in which is
employed a collecting worm p which collects the first quality of the purified
middlings which have passed through the meshes of the silk of the vibrating
sieve b, the trailings falling from the vibrating sieve 6 into & through a spout pl
formed at the end of the box or case a, out of the machine.
The sides of the box or case a near the channels along the transverse troughs
are provided with windows a¹, for permitting inspection of the working and giving
access to the inner parts of the machine in case of repairs.
The vibration of the frame his effected by means of cam wheels q, against
which the frame h is made to bear. These cam wheels q are fixed on a cross shaft q¹
which by means of the spur wheels r, is geared up with the feed roller 8, which
latter distributes the middlings equally over the vibrating sieve b.
The feed roller shaft 8¹ receives rotary motion from another cross shaft t, by
means of a chain u and pullies u¹ fixed on the respective shafts, which chain also
actuates the travelling brush.d. Instead of driving the cross shaft from the feed
roller shaft s rotary motion may be transmitted from the cross shaft t, to the cross
or cam wheel shaft q and from the latter to the feed roller shaft &¹.
The vibrating sieve b receives its motion from the crank or driving shaft v,
provided with the driving pullies w by means of two crank arms w¹ which
shaft also imparts motion to the cross shaft by means of the strap x and
pullies fixed respectively on the shafts and t, from which latter the collecting
worm P is also driven by means of the bevel wheels y.
The following is the manner in which the described machine performs its
work:-
The semolina or substance to be separated is fed into the hopper z and by means
of the roller 8, upon the vibrating sieve b, and by the shaking movements of
the latter travels slowly from the higher to the lower end thereof, permitting the
middlings of a certain size only to pass through the meshes of the silk of the
vibrating sieve b, & fall through the same, while at the same time a blast of air
enters the machine underneath the vibrating sieve 6 through openings o¹ formed
in the sides of the hopper o, which blast of air is caused to pass vertically through
the silk of the vibrating sieve b, and prevents light materials, which are of
inferior quality, to pass through the meshes of the silk of the vibrating sieve b
when the size of the same would allow it:
These light particles are drawn up from the vibrating sieve b, by the blast and
are forced by the valves f' & the transverse troughs e, to deviate from the vertical
direction, while at the same time the valves f* & transverse troughs e cause an
equal pressure of the air to be exerted on the vibrating sieve b. The valves f
are so adjusted, that the air by its compression & greater speed, causes, as afore-
said, the air containing the lighter particles, to enter into the transverse troughs e,
which on account of the greater section of the outlet, the compression and therefore
the speed of the wind is decreased, thus causing the heavier and better part of the
lighter particles to remain in the transverse troughs e until on account of their
vibration the latter then are removed into the channels Z.
The air then resumes its vertical direction and enters into the air chamber n at
the top of the machine, the inclined boards m¹ at the inlet making the entrance
easier, thus preventing whirlwinds.
The section of the air-chamber n increasing again at the lower end of the
machine, fluff and other light material which might have been carried into the
same, is dropped and the wind reaches the fan g almost pure of such materials.
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:-
1st The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my improve-
ments for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.

page_text: 2nd The combination of a vibrating sieve b with a frame h carrying a suitable
number of transverse troughs e and valves f' substantially as described, and for
the purpose specified with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3rd Vibrating the frame h named in the preceding claim, independently of the
vibrating sieve b as set forth.
4th The sectionwise or simultaneous adjustment of the valves f* for each grade
or compartment substantially as set forth & for the purpose specified.
: