IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FEED APPARATUS OF MACHINES FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Picken, of Dunlop, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Millwright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
ARRANGEMENT OF THE FEED APPARATUS OF MACHINES FOR THRASHING OR
SEPARATING GRAIN."
Sealed the 13th February 1857, and dated the 4th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Picken at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
September 1856.
I, JAMES PICKEN, of Dunlop, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Mill-
wright, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FEED APPARATUS OF MACHINES FOR THRASHING
OR SEPARATING GRAIN," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of the feed apparatus
of revolving drum thrashing or separating machines for treating grain,
whereby the action of the apparatus is rendered better than hitherto, and less
driving power is required.
In the kind of thrashing machinery, to which this Invention is applicable,
the grain to be thrashed is fed in between two rollers, and passes thence
between the thrashing drum and a riddle or grating extending round a portion
of the drum at a slight distance from its surface.
This riddle or grating is usually fixed or stationary, but according to the

page_text: present Invention it is hinged at its inner end, or at the end furthest from the
feed rollers, whilst its other end is so connected to the lower feed rollers, that
it and the lower feed roller descend together when the feed is increased in
thickness. The front end of the riddle or grating and the lower feed roller
are supported by a spring or springs which yields downwards when a greater
amount of feed than ordinary passes between the rollers. By these means not
only does the space between the feed rollers vary in proportion as the feed
varies in thickness, but the space between the thrashing drum and the riddle
is also varied in similar proportion, and the drum is thereby prevented from
becoming choked, and the action is rendered uniformly tight and easy.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Picken in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PICKEN, of Dunlop, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Millwright, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said James
Picken, Her special license that I, the said James Picken, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Picken, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGE-
MENT OF THE FEED APPARATUS OF MACHINES FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Picken, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Picken, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to an improved arrangement of the feed
apparatus of revolving drum thrashing or separating machines for treating
grain, whereby the action of the apparatus is rendered better than hitherto,
and whereby also less driving power is required. In the kind of thrashing
machinery to which this Invention is applicable, the grain to be thrashed is
fed in between two rollers, and passes thence between the thrashing drum and
a riddle, sieve, or grating, extending round a portion of the drum at a slight
distance from its surface. This riddle, sieve, or grating is usually fixed or
stationary, but according to the present Invention it is hinged at its inner end,
or at the end furthest from the feed rollers; whilst its other end is so con
nected to the lower feed roller, that it and the lower feed roller descend
together when the feed is increased in thickness, or, in other words, when an
increased quantity of unthrashed grain is fed into the machine within a given
time. The front end of the riddle or grating and the lower feed roller are
supported by a spring or springs, which yields downwards when a greater
amount of feed than ordinary passes between the rollers. By these means not
only does the space between the feed rollers vary in proportion as the feed
varies in thickness, but the space between the thrashing drum and the riddle
is also varied in similar proportion, and the drum is thereby prevented from
becoming choked, and the action is rendered uniformly light and easy.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the illustrative Figures on the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings which I have appended hereunto, for the purpose of showing how
my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a vertical longitudinal section or
sectional elevation of part of a thrashing machine as modified according to my
Invention, and Figure 2 is a corresponding front end elevation of the machine.
The unthrashed grain is fed into the machine between the pair of parallel
fluted feed or taking-in rollers A, B. The upper roller A. of this pair is
carried in end bearings in the stationary framework C of the machine, whilst
the lower roller B is similarly supported in bearings in the vertical sliding or
adjustable pieces D. These pieces D are supported upon the two free ends of
a single blade spring E, resting by its convex central portion upon the
stationary cross bar F, which has in it two inverted set screws G, which can
be set up as required to give more or less upward spring pressure to the lower
roller B. The sieve, riddle, or grating II, which covers in the lower portion

page_text: of the beating drum J, has its front end K connected to the sliding or
adjustable pieces D, of the lower roller B, so as to rise and fall with this roller,
whilst the back or inner end of the sieve, riddle, or grating is jointed at L to
the stationary framing. As the unthrashed grain is fed into this machine it
is drawn forward by the two rollers A, B, until it comes within the reach of
the revolving beater J, by the action of which the grain is dashed out of the
Should the feed be suddenly increased, the lower roller B descends,
carrying with it the sieve, riddle, or grating H, so that no choking or deranging
filling up can take place between the heated and the feed rollers and gratings,
and the thrashing action goes uniformly on. When the feed is again reduced,
the lower roller B with the grating H at once return to their normal
position, and thus the machine is rendered self-adjusting, and the grain is
uniformly well thrashed, whilst the risks of breaking down are satisfactorily
obviated.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the system or
mode of arranging and constructing machinery or apparatus for thrashing or
separating grain, wherein the widening of the space between the feed rollers
and the depression of the riddle, grating, or sieve, occur simultaneously, for the
purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Picken, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-sovon
JAMES PICKEN. (L.S.)