IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING AND ASSORTING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS, CORN, AND OTHER MATTERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Thompson and William Henry Williamson, both
of Wakefield, in the County of York, Consulting Corn Mill Engineers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING
AND ASSORTING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS, CORN, AND OTHER MATTERS,”
Sealed the 9th January 1880, and dated the 1st November 1879.]
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATON left by the said Frederick Thompson and
William Henry Williamson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 1st November 1879.
FREDERICK THOMPSON and WILLIAM Henry WilliaMSON, both of Wakefield, in
the County of York, Consulting Corn Mill Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING AND ASSORTING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS,
'CORN, AND OTHER MATTERS."
This Invention has reference to improvements in machinery or apparatus of
the class described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to us the
Seventeenth day of October 1878, Number 4138, for purifying and assorting
semolina, middlings, corn, and other matters.
According to one part of our present Invention we cause two air currents to pass
centrepitally through, or traverse and act upon the falling streams or showers of
semolina or other matters at each stage or single distribution of the material, and
draw all the said currents into one common central air space, passage, or chamber.
The material to be treated is fed to an uppermost hopper which feeds the material
in regulated quantities upon a first distributor, which in rotating distributes it
after the manner described in our former Specification above mentioned. We
arrange the annular collecting trays above the level of the outer hoppered pans at
each stage, in order that a second or additional current of air may be drawn through
the distributed material (and under the said collecting trays) before it falls into the
hoppered pan; thus two currents of air are drawn through the material once
distributed. The same process is repeated at the subsequent stages; or at any
stage the cleaned heavier material may be discharged from the machine, and the
imperfectly cleaned or lighter material allowed to descend for further treatment.
The fan or exhauster is connected to the central air chamber common to all the
cleaning stages, and which is formed in and surrounded by the distributors and
TDmine £31

page_text: central compartments of the several sets of pans, after the manner described in our
former Patent Specification, but with additional openings for the entry of air and
matters floating with it between the bottoms of the collecting pans or trays and
the distributors at each stage, as before explained.
According to another part of our Invention we make collecting trays without
hoppered pans, in which the lighter material winnowed from the falling showers is
collected in inner compartments and caused to descend for subsequent treatment,
and the heaviest material distributed at each stage is collected in the outer
compartments after the manner described in our former Specification referred to.
According to another part of our Invention we cause each of a series of single
currents of air to pass centrepitally through, or traverse and act upon several
streams or showers of semolina or other matters centrifugally distributed one
within another in falling from stage to stage, all the said air currents to
afterwards enter one common central air space, passage, or chamber. A single
distributor is provided to receive the material from the feed hopper, and in each
subsequent stage is a series of distributors of different diameters, arranged one
within another, and connected together by radial ribs so as to all rotate together.
The outer distributors of each series are formed with hoppers which rotate with the
distributors and serve to collect and guide comparatively light matters with-
drawn at each stage from the outer shower and to feed them upon the inner
distributors, so that the said lighter matters according to their specific gravity
will fall upon one or other of the inner distributors, and be distributed in their
descent at the several stages simultaneously with the outer showers of heavier
material, presenting two or more veils of material to the same current of air, which
entering at each stage passes through the heavier material first, traverses also all
the other veils or showers of lighter material thrown from inner distributors at
that stage. By this arrangement the lighter matters are cleaned in their descent
through the machine by the air currents that clean the heavier matters, and each
kind is at the last stage separately deposited in collecting trays or compartments at
the bottom, which are cleared by sweeping arms, which cause the treated matters
to leave the machine by separate spouts. It will be obvious a similar result may
be attained by making all the parts of this machine stationary, with the exception
of the spindle with its sweeping arms, and the uppermost distributor. In the
machine thus modified the material will be distributed but once by centrifugal force,
and the heavy along with lighter matters withdrawn towards the centre, falling
by gravity in zig zag courses or streams one within another through the various
hoppered compartments, will be subjected to successive currents of air traversing
them at the various stages, although not again centrifugally distributed, and in this
way a series of currents of air may be drawn through material once centrifugally
distributed. We prefer, however, to distribute the material for each cleaning
operation, as previously described, to maintain streams or showers of a more uniform
thickness throughout the machine.
According to another part of our Invention a series of distributors is arranged
one within another, and with hoppers rotating with the distributors, so that there
may be an increasing number of distributions at each successive stage (or but a few
of the lower stages may have an increased number of distributions). In this
arrangement the comparatively light matters withdrawn at each stage descend, and
are distributed by a series of inner distributors at some of the stages, and are
thereby subjected to the air currents drawn through the outer shower of heavy
material, the several heavy and light matters after passing through a series of such
cleaning operations, being deposited in collecting trays which are cleared out by
sweeping arins, which cause the treated matters to fall away each by a separate
spout. The several parts described may all be stationary with the exception of the
top distributor and sweeping arms which rotate with the spindle, thus effecting the
same object. Some of the lighter products may be subjected to farther cleaning by
allowing them to fall through the collecting trays into a hopper below, subjecting
them during their descent to an air current, and causing them to pass on to a
}

page_text: rotating distributor, and be thrown by centrifugal force from one distributor to
another of increasing diameters, whilst centripetal currents of air are drawn through
each shower into annular spaces arranged one within another. The lighter matters
falling down these are thus subjected with the last distribution of the heavier
material to the last current of air which passes through the several streams of
heavy and light material on its way to the fan or exhauster.
The fan or exhauster may have two branches, one in connection with the annular
air spaces of the lower cleaning series, and the other connected to the central
chamber operating the upper cleaning series.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Thompson and William Henry Williamson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th April 1880.
FREDERICK THOMPSON and WILLIAM HENRY WILLIAMSON, both of Wakefield, in
" IMPROVEMENTS IN
the County of York, Consulting Corn Mill Engineers.
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING AND ASSORTING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS,
CORN, AND OTHER MATTERS.
This Invention has reference to improvements in machinery or apparatus of the
class described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to us the Seventeenth
day of October 1878, Number 4138, for purifying and assorting semolina, middlings,
corn, and other matters.
According to one part of our présent Invention we cause two air currents to pass.
centripetally through or traverse and act upon the falling streams or showers of
semolina or other matters at each stage or single distribution of the material, and
draw all the said currents into one common central air space, passage, or chamber.
The material to be treated is fed to an uppermost hopper which feeds the
material in regulated quantities upon a first distributor, which in rotating
distributes it after the manner described in our former Specification above
mentioned.
We arrange the annular collecting trays above the level of the outer hoppered
pans at each stage in order that a second or additional current of air may be
drawn through the distributed material (and under the said collecting trays) before
it falls into the hoppered pan; thus two currents of air are drawn through material
once distributed. The same process is repeated at the subsequent stages; or at
any stage the cleaned heavier material may be discharged from the machine, and..
the imperfectly cleaned or lighter material allowed to descend for further treatment.
The fan or exhauster is connected to the central air chamber common to all the
cleaning stages, and which is formed in and surrounded by the distributors and
central compartments of the several sets of fans after the manner described in our
former Patent Specification, but with additional openings for the entry of air and
matters floating with it between the bottoms of the collecting pans or trays and
:
.

page_text: the distributors at each stage, as before explained. Fig. 1 of the accompanying
Drawings is a vertical section of a machine according to this part of our Invention;
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. The material is fed to the hopper a and
regulated to fall upon the distributor b by means of the screwed hand wheel c. By
the rotation of the distributor the material is thrown from it in a thin shower,
through which a current of air d is drawn centripetally by means of a fan or
exhauster in connection with the central air space e, carrying with it the lighter
matters, which are deposited according to their specific gravity in the collecting
trays f and g, which are cleared by sweeping arms h, h¹, attached to the distributor,
the products falling from the machine by separate spouts f¹, gl. The heavier
material descending to the hoppered pan i is subjected to a second current of air d¹
before it falls therein, which current carries a further portion of light fluff to the
central air space or chamber e. It will be obvious that a second set of collecting
trays might be arranged immediately under the first with space for the air current
between them, but we prefer the more simple arrangement shewn and described.
The material from the hopper i next falls upon the distributor 61, and is subjected
to similar treatment as in the first described operation, the same being repeated
for any desirable number of stages, when the heavier material may be collected in
a clean condition in the collecting tray j and discharged by the sweeping arm j¹
from the machine by the spout k.
The lighter and less perfectly cleaned matters winnowed out at this stage may
be allowed to descend through the compartment into the hoppered pan m, being
subjected to the current of air d³ as they fall, and these matters being conducted
onto and distributed by the distributor n are on leaving it subjected again to an
entering air current (d), the beavier and more valuable portions of the material
being then deposited in the collecting tray o and by sweeping arms o¹ caused to
fall by the spout p. The matters winnowed out by the current d* are in like
manner deposited in and cleared from the compartments or trays q and r. The
openings to the central air chamber may be regulated by central tubes, as described
in the Specification of our former Patent above referred to; or a fixed amount of
opening at each stage may be provided to suit the material dealt with.
According to another part of our Invention we make collecting trays without
hoppered pans; the lighter material winnowed from the falling stream is collected
in inner compartments and caused to descend for subsequent treatment, and the
heaviest material distributed at each stage is collected in the outer compartments
after the manner described in our former Specification above referred to. Fig. 3 is
a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section taken in the line x, x, of Fig. 3, of
a machine according to this part of our Invention.
The material is fed to the top hopper a, and its fall upon the distributor b is
regulated by the screwed hand wheel c. The rotating distributor b throws the
material into a thin shower or veil, which is subjected to a centripetal air current d
drawn by the fan or exhauster, carrying with it fluffy matter to the central air
chamber e; the lighter matters winnowed out in great part fall into the inner
tray f, whilst the heaviest fall into the outer tray g (cleared by the sweeping
arm g¹) whence they fall and leave the machine by the spout h; the matters
collected in the compartment fare drawn in by the curved sweepers i (see Fig. 4)
and fall through the annular opening ; upon the next distributor b', when they
are subjected to a similar operation to that first described, and the next heaviest
matter is discharged by the spout h¹, and so on, for any desirable number of stages,
until finally any lighter matters withdrawn at the last stage are deposited in
traysk and and fall from the machine by separate spouts k³, U.
The sweepers i of the inner compartments f are sometimes brushes. It is
advantageous to lay a covering of woven wire gauze on the sheet metal bottoms
of these compartments, so that the brushes acting on material laid on such gauze
may have a tendency to somewhat disintegrate the material prior to its descent
upon the next lower distributor.
According to another part of our Invention we cause each of a series of single

page_text: currents of air to pass centripetally through, or traverse and act upon several
streams or showers of semolina or other matters centrifugally distributed one
within another, and falling from stage to stage, and all the said air currents to
afterwards enter one cominon central air space, passage, or chamber. A single
distributor is provided to receive the material from the feed hopper, and in each
subsequent stage is a series of distributors of different diameters arranged one
within another, and connected together by radial ribs so as to all rotate together.
Hoppers are so arranged in relation to the outer distributors of each series as to
collect and guide comparatively light matters withdrawn at each stage from the
outer shower, and to feed them upon the inner distributors, so that the said
lighter matters according to their specific gravity will fall upon one or other of
the inner distributors, and be distributed in their descent at the several stages
simultaneously with the outer shower of heavier material, viz., one shower within
another, thus presenting two or more veils of material to one and the same current
of air. The current of air entering at each stage passes first through the veil or
shower of heavier material, and thence passes to and traverses also all the other
or inner veils or showers composed of lighter material which has been thrown
from the inner distributors at that stage. By this arrangement the lighter matters
are cleaned in their descent through the machine at the same stage with and by
the same air currents as clean the heavier matters. Each kind is at the last stage
separately deposited in collecting trays or compartments at the bottom, which are
cleared by sweepers or sweeping arms which cause the treated matters to leave the
machine by separate spouts.
It will be obvious a similar result may be obtained. by making all the parts of
this machine stationary, with the exception of the spindle with its sweepers or
sweeping arms and the uppermost distributor. In the machine thus modified the
material will be distributed but once by centrifugal force, and the heavy along
with lighter matters withdrawn towards the centre, falling by gravity in zig-zag
courses or streams one within another through the various hoppered compartments,
will be subjected to successive currents of air traversing them at the various stages
although not again centrifugally distributed, and in this way a series of currents
of air may be drawn through material once centrifugally distributed. We prefer,
however, to distribute the material for each cleaning operation as previously
described to maintain streams or showers of a more uniform thickness throughout
the machine.
Fig. 5 of the Drawings shews in vertical section a machine according to this part
of our Invention, with rotating distributors; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same
machine. The material to be treated is fed to the top hopper a, and regulated
upon the distributor 6 by the screwed' hand wheel c. When the material is distri-
buted in a shower or veil by the distributor 6 it is subjected to a current of air d,
drawn centripetally to the air chamber e by means of a fan or exhauster at the
bottom of the machine in connection with the chamber e; the lighter matters
winnowed out at this stage fall, according to their specific gravity into the hoppers
ff, placed one within another, thence to distributors g, g¹, which are with the
outer distributors g² connected together by radial ribs h, h, three of which may be
conveniently used. The heavier matters from the distributor b fall into the outer
hopper f, and on to the distributor g2, whereby they are again distributed, at the
same time the lighter matters withdrawn at the first stage are distributed by dis-
tributors g and g¹. The current of air d' then passes centripetally through the
several veils or showers of material (one within another) falling from the distribu-
tors g, g¹, and g², removing comparatively light matters from each, and taking with
it from the outer shower matters which fall in with the inner showers or streams.
The heavier matters in this way descend from stage to stage, the entering currents
of air at each stage withdrawing comparatively light matters, which according to
their specific gravity fall in with the descending stream of light matters from above,
the one current of air drawn in at each stage passing through several streams or

page_text: SDowers of heavy and light matters centrifugally distributed on its way to the
central air chamber.
The several streams of heavy and light matters, after passing through any
desirable number of cleaning operations, are deposited in the collecting trays k, l, m, n,
according to their specific gravity. These trays are cleared by sweeping arms o,
and the products from each fall away by a separate spout or spouts k, l, m, n'.
In Figs. 5 and 6 we have shewn the general arrangement of a machine according
to this part of our Invention, but with the hoppers ff', attached to the distributors
g', g², so as to rotate therewith. In practice however we find it is better that the
hoppers should be fixed and should not rotate. Therefore, whilst with this exception
the general arrangement of machine represented in Figs. 5 and 6 may be employed,
it is advantageous to arrange the distributors and hoppers as illustrated in Fig. 5*,
where s is the shaft or spindle; e, the air chamber; f. f, are hoppers attached by
supports to other hoppers f¹, which are stationary (they may be attached
directly to the pillars or framework of the machine); 9, 9, are distributors. The
distributors g are formed with or attached to e; the distributors g¹ are attached to
e by radial ribs g*. The hoppers f have adjustable rims in the form of rings
adjustable in a vertical sense by pins taking in spiral grooves or inclines.
*
Another modification consists in making both distributors and hoppers stationary,
the shaft rotating freely in central bosses, and only the top single distributor
rotating with the shaft. In this arrangement the distributors g, g¹. and g², placed
one within another may be connected together by radial ribs, as at h, h, and to the
outer hoppered pans f, which may be supported in position by the columns or
supports of the machine, or upon one another.
According to another part of our Invention a series of distributors is arranged
one within another, and with hoppers slowly rotating with the distributors, so that
there may be an increasing number of distributions at each successive stage (or but
a few of the lower stages may have an increased number of distributions). In this
arrangement the comparatively light matters withdrawn at each stage descend and
are distributed by a series of inner distributors at some of the stages, and are thereby
subjected to the air currents drawn through the outer shower of heavy material,
the several heavy and light matters after passing through a series of such cleaning
operations being deposited in collecting trays which are cleared out by sweeping
arms, which cause the treated matters to fall away each by a separate spout. The
several parts described may all be stationary, with the exception of the top distri-
butor and sweeping arms, which rotate with the spindle, thus effecting the same
object. Some of the lighter products may be subjected to further cleaning by
allowing them to fall through the collecting trays into a hopper below, subjecting
them during their descent to an air current, and causing them to pass on to a
rotating distributor and be thrown by centrifugal force from one distributor to
another of increasing dimensions, whilst centripetal currents of air are drawn
through each shower into annular spaces arranged one within another; the lighter
matters falling down, these are thus subjected with the last distribution of the
heavier material to the last current of air which passes through the several streams
of heavy and light material on its way to the fan or exhauster. The fan or exhauster
may have two branches, one in connection with the annular air spaces of the lower
cleaning series, and the other connected to the central chamber operating the upper
cleaning series.
Fig. 7 shews in vertical section a machine according to this part of our Invention
in which the upper cleaning series has an increasing number of distributors in the
lower stages of that series, and there is also a lower cleaning series with single
distributions at each stage, and having annular air spaces or chambers to each, and a
single fan exhausts from both the upper and lower series.
Fig 8 is a section through the upper series at A, B.
Fig. 9 is a section through the lower series at C, D.
The material to be treated is fed to the top hopper a, and its fall on to the

page_text: rotating distributor o is regulated by the screwed hand wheel c; by said distribut
it is gently thrown out, and a current of air d is drawn centripetally through it,
withdrawing light matters into the central air chamber e; the heavier material
next falls down the distributor f which gently throws it out, and a second current
of air dis drawn through towards the central air chamber; some of the lighter
matters withdrawn at this stage fall down the hopper g on to the inner distributor f¹;
the heavier material falls on the outer distributor f, and is thereby gently thrown
out, and a current of air d² drawn through it and through the lighter material
distributed by f¹ deposits matters carried with it in passing through these several
showers according to their specific gravities in hoppers gl and g². In this manner
the distributions may be multiplied at each stage, or, what is the same thing, the
material may be gradually divided and collected in several qualities in the trays h
and i, etc., which are cleared by sweeping arms k, the treated matters being
discharged from the machine by spouts l, m, n. Any of the lighter products not
sufficiently cleaned by the operations of this upper series may be allowed to fall
through the collecting trays, as at j¹, into the hopper o and be subjected to the
current of air d³ in their descent. The material falling from the hopper o onto the
rotating distributor p is gently thrown out and subjected to an air current d*
drawn into the annular air space q, the heavier material falling over a larger
distributor p', when it is again gently thrown out, meeting with another current of
air d drawn into the annular space r, and so on for several distributions, when
upon the heaviest falling from the final distributor p² the current of air do passes
through it, as also through the streams of lighter materials falling down the annular
spaces 8, r, and 9 respectively. The several products after these cleaning operations
are deposited in the collecting trays t, u, v, which are cleared by sweeping arms,
the treated matters being discharged from the machine by separate spouts t¹, u¹ v₁.
The exhaust branch w joins the fan at one side, and the exhaust branch x joins the
fan at the other side, each being provided with a wing valve y to regulate the
draught respectively through the upper and lower series.
The two arrangements last hereinbefore described may be employed without any
rotating distributor, the sweepers only being operated by the rotation of the spindle
or shaft for clearing the pans. It is to be understood we do not limit ourselves to
the forms of distributors shewn, as they may be made conical, spherical, curved, or
flat, and may be operated without hoppers in most of the cleaning stages of the
last three arrangements herein before described. And having described the nature
of our said Invention, and explained in what manner the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, we hereby declare that what we claim as
novel and original, and secured to us under the Letters Patent hereinbefore first in
part recited is,―
1st. Causing at each stage or single distribution of semolina or other matters two
air currents or streams of air to pass centripetally through or traverse and act
upon the falling stream or shower of distributed matters, and all the air currents
which have so acted on the falling matters to enter one common central air space,
passage, or chamber, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
2nd. The arrangement of apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to the
collection of comparatively light matters in flat pans within each shower and
immediately under each distributor, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the Drawings,
for the purposes specified.
3rd. Causing one current or stream of air to pass centripetally through or
traverse and act upon two or more streams or showers centrifugally distributed
semolina or other matters at each stage as such streams or showers descend, one
stream or shower within another, and all the currents of air which have so acted
on the falling matters to enter one common air space, passage, or chamber, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
4th. Constructing and arranging apparatus with hoppers arranged concentrically
one within another and in combination with distributors, also one within another,

page_text: substantially as shewn in and described with reference to Fig. 5* of the Drawings,
for the purpose stated.
5th. Causing currents or streams of air to first pass centripetally through or
traverse and act upon streams or showers of semolina, or other matters centrifugally
distributed; then each to separately enter one of a series of concentric annular air
spaces, chambers, or passages, and thence all to enter a central or concentric annular
air chamber in connection with the fan or exhauster, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 7 and 9 of the Drawings.
6th. Causing semolina or other matters to be once distributed centrifugally by a
distributor in one part of the machine, and then to descend in a zig zag or winding
course through and between a series of stationary rings fixed concentrically one
within another, having a passage or space between each set or tier of such rings in
order that material falling through said rings may be traversed by and be subjected
during such descent to centripetal currents or streams of air, substantially as
described.
7th. The improved machines, as hereinbefore described, and shewn respectively
in Figs. 5 and 6, and in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Thompson and William Henry
Williamson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this the Twenty seventh
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.
F. THOMPSON.
(L.S.)
WM. HY. WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)