Improvements in the Arrangement of Riddles or Sifters in Chaff Cutters and Thrashing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Arrangement of Riddles or Sifters in Chaff
Cutters and Thrashing Machines.
I, RICHARD DRAKE, of the East Anglian Forage Works, Sutton, Isle of Ely,
in the County of Cambridge, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This
In a portable chaff cutter arranged in accordance with this invention, the riddle
and the cutting mechanism are mounted upon a wheeled platform or frame in such
positions that the chaff as it is cut falls upon the upper end of the riddle.
end of the riddle has a circular movement imparted to it whilst the lower end of
the riddle is constrained to move nearly in a rectilinear path. This difference in
the movements of different parts of the sifting surface is very conducive to rapid
and perfect work.
The riddle is hung to the frame by straps near its four corners, at its upper end
it receives movement from a crank and at its lower end it is controlled by a
blade spring extending across it, one end of the spring being fixed to the riddle
and the other to the frame. The crank shaft is vertical and the crank pin. at its
lower end steps into a block on the upper surface of the riddle at or near the
upper end. The crank shaft is driven by a belt pulley upon it which receives a
driving belt from a pulley on an horizontal countershaft. The main shaft or that
which carries the cutter wheel is driven in the usual way and movement is
transmitted from it to the countershaft by a crossed belt passing around pulleys on
the two shafts which are parallel and run lengthwise of the frame.
In thrashing machines in accordance with this invention the shoe or riddle is
similarly arranged or two riddles are provided one over the other and each of the
riddles is driven and controlled in the manner already described.
An upright crank shaft between the two riddles drives them, it carries a crank
pin at each end, one pin to drive the upper and the other the lower riddle.
Dated this 18th day of December 1895.
RICHARD DRAKE.
Improvements in the Arrangement of Riddles or Sifters in Chaff
Outters and Thrashing Machines.
1, RICHARD DRAKE, of the East Anglian Forage Works, Sutton, Isle of Ely,
in the County of Cambridge, Machinist. 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:-
In a portable chaff cutter arranged in accordance with this invention, the riddle
and the cutting mechanism are mounted upon a wheeled platform or frame in such
positions that the chaff as it is cut falls upon the upper end of the riddle. This
end of the riddle has a circular movement imparted to it whilst the lower end of
the riddle is constrained to move nearly in a rectilinear path. This difference in the

page_text: movements of different parts of the sifting surface is very conducive to rapid and
perfect work.
The riddle is hung to the frame by straps near its four corners, at its upper end
it receives movement from a crank and at its lower end it is controlled by a blade
spring extending across it, one end of the spring being fixed to the riddle and the
other to the frame. The crank shaft is vertical and the crank pin at its lower end
steps into a block on the upper surface of the riddle at or near the upper end.
The crank shaft is driven by a belt pulley upon it which receives a driving belt from
a pulley on an horizontal countershaft. The main shaft or that which carries the
cutter wheel is driven in the usual way and movement is transmitted from it to the
countershaft by a crossed belt passing around pulleys on the two shafts which are
parallel and run lengthwise of the frame.
In thrashing machines in accordance with this invention the shoe or riddle is
similarly arranged or two riddles are provided one over the other and each of the
riddles is driven and controlled in the manner already described.
An upright crank shaft between the two riddles drives them, it carries a crank
pin at each end, one pin to drive the upper and the other the lower riddle.
The drawings accompanying this specification shew this invention applied to a
portable chaff cutter.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is an end elevation and Figure 3 is a
plan.
The riddle a aud the cutter disc b at the end of the shaft c are mounted upon
the wheeled platform d. As the chaff is cut by means of the usual mechanism it
falls upon the upper end of the riddle a; this end of the riddle has a circular
movement imparted to it whilst the lower end is constrained to move nearly in a
rectilinear path.
The riddle a is hung by leather straps e e and ff near its four corners, at its
upper end it receives movement from a crank g and at its lower end it is controlled
by a blade spring h (Figure 3) extending across it, one end of the spring being
fixed to the riddle and the other to the frame. The crank shaft g is vertical and
the crank pin at its lower end steps into a block on the upper surface of the
riddle a near the upper end. The riddle is counterbalanced by the weight k.
The crank shaft g is driven by a belt pulley I which receives a driving belt m
from a pulley n on an horizontal countershaft o.
The shaft c is driven in the usual way and movement is transmitted from it to
the countershaft o by a crossed belt p passing around pulleys qr on the two
shafts.
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 :-
:-
1. A riddle suitable for a portable chaff cutter or thrashing machine such riddle
being suspended by straps near its four corners and receiving at its upper end a
circular movement from a crank whilst the lower end is constrained to move
nearly in a rectilinear path by means of a blade spring substantially as described.
2. In chaff cutters or thrashing machines two riddles suspended near their four
corners and receiving at their upper ends a circular movement from a crank shaft
between them whilst the lower ends are constrained to move nearly in a rectilinear
path substantially as described.
3. The arrangement of riddles or sifters and their actuating mechanism in chaff
cutters and thrashing machines substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of September 1896.
RICHARD DRAKE.