Improvements in and Apparatus for Dealing with Stive, Dust, Dirt, Chaff, and Refuse Arising in the Preparation of Grain and Manufacture of Wheaten and other Flour.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for Dealing with Stive, Dust,
Dirt, Chaff, and Refuse Arising in the Preparation of Grain
and Manufacture of Wheaten and other Flour.
We, JOHN REED FOTHERGILL, of the Dock Offices, West Hartlepool, in the
County of Durham, Consulting Engineer, and JAMES STEEPER FOTHERGILL, of
the Civil Service Supply Association Ltd.,. Hart Street, Covent Garden, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Tea Expert, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
When wheat, maize and other grains or cereals are treated in apparatus for the
manufacture of flour, likewise when preparing barley for malting, dust, dirt, chaff
and refuse are produced commonly known in the trade as "stive" which is usually
separated and withdrawn by the use of a fan to blow, drive or propel the stive-
laden air into a closed room or chamber hereinafter called the stive house wherein
the heavier portions of the stive are precipitated and whence the lighter portions
pass with the air by an upcast or air shaft to the atmosphere wherein the same
becomes diffused so as to pervade the immediate neighbourhood, thus causing con-
siderable inconvenience and nuisance which it is the object of this invention to
obviate.
For this purpose the stive-laden air is passed through or treated with water to
separate the stive from the air before discharging the air into the atmosphere.
This can be effected in various ways. Thus the water through which the stive-
laden air is caused to pass may be used as a bath of water in a suitable tank or
vessel, or in other forms such as for examples sheets, jets or spray, the flow of the
stive-laden air through the water being caused by any suitable means such as a fan,
one or more steam jets, a chimney or other known or suitable means whereby such
fluid can be made to flow, whether by forcing it through the water or by drawing
it therethrough by the creation of a partial vacuum or by a combination of such
methods. In conjunction with the receptacle in which the saturated stive is
deposited means are employed for removing the same. For this purpose we employ
suitable screws, worms, propellers or what are commonly known in the trade as
66 conveyors "which may be of different diameters and pitches and so arranged as
to have their axes in the same line or the axis of one may be at an angle to that of
another, and the screws may be run at a common speed or at different speeds; or
in lieu of one or some or all of the screws we may sometimes use broad belts or
bauds of pliable flexible material running over rollers or which may have attached
convey the
to their edges chains to run in chain pulleys and may be arranged to
wet stive directly out of the receptacle or to a screw conveyor, or another series of
belts or bands; the arrangement adopted depending on the circumstances of
particular cases. One belt or band may be placed at an angle above another to
better insure removal of the light or buoyant stives floating on the surface of the
watcr. As in dealing with certain earthy dusts found in stives the screw conveyors
might become clogged and so rendered inoperative, we in such cases provide, a
toothed wheel arranged with its axis at right angles to the axis of the screw,
and so that the teeth of the wheel project well into the space between the
.

page_text: convolutions of the screw and thus will serve to remove any matter adhering.
to the screw. By the action of the screw the wheel is caused to rotate; or screw
conveyors may be made in sections with intervening bars adapted to prevent
clogging.
As already indicated apparatus to operate on the principle of this invention as
above set forth may be variously constructed. The water may be in a cylindrical
tank, with inlet pipe or trunk through which the stive-laden air is blown in, the
heavier portion gravitating to the bottom and the lighter floating on the surface
the screw conveyor being in three sections each section having a different
diameter and pitch and the intermediate section being tapered and a part of the
tank tapered to correspond. In such an arrangement the first and second sections
of the propeller will not only propel forward the deposit at the bottom of the tank
but also the surface or floating matter until it is taken up by the third section, and
forced out of a curved discharge pipe made with a dip sufficiently below the water
level to produce and maintain a water seal such as will prevent air being drawn
through the water to the discharge pipe by the suction fan used to exhaust the
cleansed air from the tank. A similar water seal or air lock is provided such as
to prevent the stive-laden air entering the tank except through the water. The
third screw may be driven at a greater speed than the others for which purpose its
shaft may pass through their shaft made hollow for the purpose. The stive can
be blown into the water by the action of a fan attached to the cleansing apparatus
in the mill discharging the stive down the inlet pipe or trunk and drawn through
the water by the action of the suction fan. Such an arrangement as just above
indicated may be modified by making it with conveyor screws having their axes at
an angle to one another, and providing a toothed wheel such as hereinbefore
referred to with its axis at right angles to the axis of the inner screw whereby
such wheel is rotated.
1
In another modification two screws may be arranged with their axes at an angle
to one another, representing a V, the tank being formed to correspond. In any
screw arrangement a toothed wheel or wheels may be used.
Or the apparatus may be constructed with an oblong tank and with upper and
lower flexible pliable belts in lieu of screws to convey the wet stive out of the tank,
these belts either running over rollers or each edge of the belt having a chain
attached to run in pulleys at the ends of the rollers, or pulleys only may be used
without the rollers. In such an arrangement the lower belt catches retains and
conveys the heavier deposit entering the tank by the inlet pipe or trunk, it then
rises to the level of the surface of the water so as to put in motion and remove the
lighter or floating matter, then dips down to a pulley, then rises out of the open
portion of the tank and passing round another pulley deposits the drowned stive
outside the tank. The upper belt runs at an angle from the top of the tank until
it turns a pulley below water level round which the lower belt also passes so that
the upper belt descending will carry with it the floating matter and as the two
belts meet while they both turn the same pulley the whole of the wet stive will be
retained between the two belts and conveyed out of the tank where it is deposited.
Brushes can be provided to remove any matter adhering to the belts. One end of
the covered part of the tank projects into the water to form a water air lock;
beyond this the tank may at the delivery end be open at the top to allow the belts
to pass freely out.
Dated this 1
f A: 100%

page_text: Improvements in and Apparatus for Dealing with Stive, Dust,
Dirt, Chaff, and Refuse Arising in the Preparation of Grain
and Manufacture of Wheaten and other Flour.
We, JOHN REED FOTHERGILL, of the Dork Offices, Wet Hartlepool, in the
County of Durham, Consulting Engineer, and JAMES STEEPER FOTHERGILL, of
the Civil Service Supply Association Ltd., Hart,Street, Covent Garden, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Tea Expert, 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:-
When wheat, maize, and other grains or cereals are treated in apparatus for the
manufacture of flour, likewise when preparing barley for malting, dust, dirt, chaff,
and refuse are produced commonly known in the trade as "stive," which is usually
separated and withdrawn by the use of a fan to blow, drive, or propel the stive-
laden air into a closed room or chamber wherein the heavier portions of the stive
are precipitated and whence the lighter portions pass with the air by an upcast or
air-shaft to the atmosphere, wherein the same become diffused so as to pervade the
immediate neighbourhood, thus causing considerable inconvenience and nuisance
which it is the object of this invention to obviate.
For this purpose the stive-laden air is passed through or treated with water to
separate the stive from the air before discharging the air into the atmosphere.
This can be effected in various ways. Thus the water through which the stive-
laden air is caused to pass may be used as a bath of water in a suitable tank or
vessel, or in other forms such as, for examples, sheets, jets, or spray, the flow of
the stive-laden air through the water being caused by any suitable means, such as
a fan, one or more steam-jets, a chimney, or other known or suitable means
whereby such air can be made to flow, whether by forcing it through the water, or
by drawing it therethrough by the creation of a partial vacuum, or by a com-
bination of such methods. In conjunction with the receptacle in which the
For this
saturated stive is deposited, means are employed for removing the same.
purpose we employ suitable screws, worms, propellers, or what are commonly
known in the trade as "conveyors," which may be of different diameters and
pitches and so arranged as to have their axes in the same line, or the axis of one
may be at an angle to that of another, and the screws may be run at a common
speed or at different speeds. Or in lieu of one or some or all of the screws, we
may sometimes use broad belts or bands of pliable or flexible material running.
over rollers, and may be arranged to convey the wet stive directly out of the
receptacle, or to a screw conveyor, or another series of belts or bands; the
arrangement adopted depending on the circumstances of particular cases.
belt or band may be placed at an angle above another to better ensure removal of
As in dealing
the light or buoyant stives floating on the surface of the water.
with certain earthy dusts found in stives the screw conveyors might become
clogged and so rendered inoperative, we in such cases provide a toothed wheei
arranged with its axis at right angles to the axis of the screw and so that the teeth
of the wheel project well into the space between the convolutions of the screw and
thus will serve to remove any matter adhering to the screw; by the action of the
screw the wheel is caused to rotate.
One
As already indicated, apparatus to operate on the principle of this invention, as
above set forth, can be variously constructed. The accompanying drawings are
diagrammatic longitudinal sections of four examples of such apparatus.
In the example represented in Fig. 1, the water is in a cylindrical tank 1, having
an inlet pipe or trunk 2 through which the stive-laden air is blown in, the heavier

page_text: portion gravitating to the bottom and the lighter floating on the surface. The
screw-conveyor is in three sections 3, 3ª and 3b, each section having a different
diameter and pitch, and the intermediate section 3 being tapered and a part 1 of
the tank tapered to correspond. In such an arrangement the first and second
sections, 3 and 3* respectively, of the propeller will not only propel forward the
deposit at the bottom of the tank, but also the surface or floating matter until it is
taken up by the third section 3b and forced out of a curved discharge-pipe 4 made
with a dip 4 sufficiently below the water-level 5 to produce and maintain a water-
seal such as will prevent air from being drawn through the water to the discharge-
pipe 7 by the suction-fan 6 used to exhaust the cleansed air from the tank 1.
A similar water-seal or air-lock is provided at 8 to prevent the stive-laden air
from entering the tark except through the water. The third screw 3b may be
driven at a greater speed than the others, for which purpose its shaft may pass
through their shaft made hollow for the purpose. The stive can be blown into the
water by the action of a fan (not shown) attached to the cleansing apparatus in the
mill and discharging the stive down the inlet pipe or trunk 2, and be drawn through
the water by the action of the suction-fan 6.
Such an arrangement as just above indicated may be modified as shown in Fig. 2,
by making it with conveyor-screws 3 and 3b having their axes at an angle to one
another, and providing a toothed wheel 9, such as hereinbefore referred to, with its
axis at right angles to the axis of the inner screw 3b, whereby such wheel is rotated
and caused to clear the screws of matter adhering to them.
In the modification shown in Fig. 3, two screws 3 and 3' are arranged with their
axes at an angle to one another, representing a V, the tank 1 being formed to
correspond. In any screw-arrangement, a toothed wheel or wheels may be used in
the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore mentioned.
In
Or the apparatus may be constructed, as shown in Fig. 4, with an oblong tank 1
and with upper and lower flexible or pliable belts 10 and 11 in lieu of screws to
convey the wet stive out of the tank, these belts either running over and under
rollers 12. The direction of motion of the rollers is indicated by the arrows.
such an arrangement the lower belt 10 catches, retains and conveys the heavier
deposit entering the tank by the inlet pipe or trunk 2, it then rises to the level 5 of
the surface of the water so as to put in motion and remove the lighter or floating
matter, passing at the water-level over a guide roller or pulley 12, then dips down
to a pulley or roller 12, then rises out of the open portion 1° of the tank and,
passing round another pulley or roller 12, deposits the wet stive outside the
tank. The upper belt 11 runs at an angle from the top of the tank until it turns
'round the pulley or roller 12 below the water-level round which the lower belt 10
also passes, so that the upper belt descending will carry with it the floating matter,
and as the two belts meet while they both turn around the same pulley or roller 12,
the whole of the wet stive will be retained between the two belts and conveyed out
of the tank, where it is deposited. 13 and 14 are brushes removing any matter
adhering to the belts. One end of the covered part 1° of the tank projects into the
water at 15 to form a water air-lock; beyond this the tank may at the delivery-
end 1 be open. at the top to allow the belts 10 and 11 to pass freely out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not
claim broadly the purifying or cleansing of air containing dust, dirt or the like by
treatment with water, but that what we do claim is :-
1. Separating stive arising in the preparation of grain and manufacture of
wheaten and other flour, from air containing it, by subjecting the stive laden air to
the action of water before discharging the air into the atmosphere, and removing
the separated stive from the water, substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described.
2. For dealing as set forth in the preceding claim, with stive laden air arising in
the preparation of grain and manufacture of wheaten and other flour, apparatus

page_text: constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference respectively to and shown in Fig. 1; in Fig. 2; in Fig. 3: and in Fig. 4-
of the accompanying drawings.
11
of Tan1906
3331
J. R. FOTHERGILL.
J. S. FOTHERGILL.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants..