Novel or Improved Apparatus for Use in Measuring from Bulk and Mixing Together Different Kinds or Qualities of Wheat or other Grain, applicable also generally for Use in Measuring from Bulk and Mixing Granular Substances.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 11th May, 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Novel or Improved Apparatus for Use in Measuring from Bulk and
Mixing Together Different Kinds or Qualities of Wheat or other
Grain, applicable also generally for Use in Measuring from Bulk
and Mixing Granular Substances.
We, PHINEAS SMITH BULLOCK, of 30 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton in
the County of Stafford, Manager of Flour Mill, and ADAM MOIR, of 14 Thornley
Street, Wolverhampton, aforesaid, Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of flour it is found expedient, in order to obtain the best
results, to mix together different kinds or qualities of wheat. Apparatus as
heretofore or usually constructed for the purpose, cannot be relied upon to measure
off and mix the grain in the desired proportions, and moreover has a tendency to
break the grain with consequent loss in the subsequent screening process; and the
driving power required is considerable when compared with the quantity of grain
treated.
Now, this invention has for its main object apparatus for use in measuring from
bulk and mixing the grain; which may be relied upon to measure out the desired
quantities of the different kinds or qualities; which will not break or crush the
grain; and which requires but little power to drive.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention embodies the novel principle of
feeding each kind or quality of grain through an opening which causes it to fall
forwards in au inclined position to the rear side of a set of revolving wings or
blades, which as they revolve carry forwards along a trough a portion of the grain
which has fallen through the opening and allow a further portion to fall
therethrough, with the resulting advantage that the sets of wings do not revolve
within the grain itself, but the wings merely act as hoes to push the grain along
and thus unnecessary friction and breaking of grain is avoided.
In carrying out the above object, each kind or quality of grain, of those kinds or
qualities which are to be mixed together, is fed from a silo or hopper which
contains the bulk into a box or casing which is open at oue side for some distance
from the bottom. A trough is carried outwards from the side of the box in which
the opening is formed, the bottom of the trough being level with the bottom of the
opening; and a shaft passes transversely through the trough and carries a number
of wings or blades which extend from side to side of the trough, the diameter of
the circle which touches the outer edges of the wings being considerably greater
than the depth of the opening through the side of the box. The shaft is carried
in such position that when it revolves the outer edges of the wings just miss the
side of the box and clear the bottom of the trough. As the shaft revolves, each
wing in turn carries forwards along the bottom of the trough a portion of the grain
which has fallen through the opening in the side of the box into the adjacent end
of the trough, and allows a further quantity of grain to fall through such opening.
The grain thus carried forward along the trough falls from the outer end thereof
down a shoot into a cominon shoot or receiver where it mixes with grain of
other kind or quality, which has been similarly measured off.
Whatever number of different kinds or qualities of grain are required to be
mixed, the same number of sets of apparatus such as above described for measuring
off the grain from bulk are of course employed, one for each kind or quality, and
the quantity of each kind or quality delivered in a given time will vary according

page_text: to the difference in the speeds at which the different sets of apparatus are driven;
thus, for instance, if the first and second sets are driven at equal speeds, and a
third at only one half the speed of the first and second, equal quantities of grain
will be delivered from the first and second sets, and only one half the quantity
which is delivered by either of such sets will be delivered from the third set.
Each shaft carrying a set of wings may be driven in any convenient manner;
but, according to a preferred method of driving, which itself constitutes a feature
of the invention, an intermittent movement of rotation is given through the medium
of ratchet gear, which consists conveniently of a ratchet wheel upon the shaft and of
a ratchet pawl carried by an arm, or between a pair of arms, mounted to turn
upen the shaft, and operated by means of a rod connected with a revolving or
reciprocating arm carried by a separate shaft. This latter arm may be formed
with a slot so that the extent of movement of the arm, or arms, carrying the
ratchet pawl may be varied as required, and thus the extent of angular movement
of the shaft carrying the wings, for oach engagement of the pawl with the ratchet
wheel thereof, may be varied as desired. The slot in the arm carried by the
driving shaft may extend inwards sufficiently to enable the connection of the rod
with such arm to be moved to a point which will cause no engagement of the
ratchet pawl with the ratchet wheel and consequently no movement of the grain.
The apparatus has been described specially for use in measuring off from the
bulk and mixing different kinds or qualities of grain, but it will be obvious that it
is applicable also generally for use in measuring from bulk and mixing granular
substances.
Dated this 12th day of August 1896.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Novel or Improved Apparatus for Use in Measuring from Bulk and
Mixing Together Different Kinds or Qualities of Wheat or other
Grain, applicable also generally for Use in Measuring from Bulk
and Mixing Granular Substances.
We, PHINEAS SMITH BULLOCK, of 30 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton in
the County of Stafford, Manager of Flour Mill, and ADAM MOIR, of 14 Thornley
Street, Wolverhampton, aforesaid, Miller, 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 the manufacture of flour it is found expedient, in order to obtain the best
results, to mix together different kinds or qualities of wheat. Apparatus as
heretofore or usually constructed for the purpose, cannot be relied upon to measure
eff and mix the grain in the desired proportions, and moreover has a tendency to
break the grain with consequent loss in the subsequent screening process; and
the driving power required is considerable when compared with the quantity of
grain treated.
Now, this invention has for its main object apparatus for use in measuring from
bulk and mixing the grain; which may be relied upon to measure out the desired
quantities of the different kinds or qualities; which will not break or crush the
grain; and which requires but little power to drive.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention embodies the novel principle
of feeding each kind or quality of grain through an opening which causes it to fall
forwards in an inclined position to the rear side of a set of revolving wings or
blades, which.as they revolve carry forwards along a trough a portion of the grain

page_text: which has fallen through the opening and allow a further portion to fall there-
through, with the resulting advantage that the sets of wings do not revolve within
the grain itself, but the wings merely act as hoes to push the grain along and thus
unnecessary friction and breaking of grain is avoided.
In carrying out the above object, each kind or quality of grain. of those kinds
or qualities which are to be mixed together, is fed from a silo or hopper which
contains the bulk into an apparatus such as that shewn by the drawings here-
with, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus, and
Figure 2 a side elevation thereof.
The grain falls from the silo or hopper into a box or casing A which is formed
with an opening a through one side thereof, as shewn, such opening extending for
some distance from the bottom. A trough B is carried outwards from the side of
the box A in which the opening a is formed, the bottom of the trough being level
with the bottom of the opening a, and cousequently with the bottom of the box A,
as shewn; and a shaft C passes transversely through the trough B, and carries a
number of wings or blades c which extend from side to side of the trough, the
diameter of the circle which touches the outer edges of the wings being
considerably greater than the depth of the opening a through the side of the
box A. When the shaft C is revolved, the outer edges of the wings c just miss
the side of the box which is above the opening a, and also clear the bottom of the
trough B, and each wing c in turn carries forwards, along the bottom of the trough,
a portion of the grain which has fallen through the opening a into the adjacent
end of the trough, and allows a further quantity of grain to fall through such
opening. The grain, thus carried forward along the trough B, falls from the
outer end thereof down a shoot (not shewn in the drawings) into a common
receiver where it mixes with grain of other kind or quality which has been
similarly measured off.
Whatever number of different kinds or qualities of grain are required to be
mixed, the same number of sets of apparatus such as above described for measuring
off the grain from bulk are, of course, employed, one for each kind or quality; and
the quantity of each kind or quality delivered in a given time will vary according
to the difference in the speeds at which the different sets of wings or blades are
driven; thus, for instance, if a first and second set are driven at equal speeds, and
a third at only one half the speed of the first and second, equal quantities of
grain will be delivered by the first and second sets, and only one half the quantity
which is delivered by either of such sets will be delivered by the third set.
Each shaft carrying a set of wings c may be driven in any convenient manner;
but, according to a preferred method of driving, an intermittent movement of
rotation is given through the medium of ratchet gear. A convenient form of this
gear is shewn by the drawings herewith. A ratchet wheel D is fixed upon the
shaft C. A ratchet pawl d is pivotally mounted upon the outer end of an arm E
which is mounted to be capable of turning upon the shaft C. The pawl d gears, as
shewn, with the ratchet teeth of the wheel D. The outer end of the arm E is
connected, by means of a rod F, with a stud f which is carried by a disc G, and
the disc G is mounted upon a shaft H which is caused to revolve continuously in
the direction of the arrow b, Figure 2, being driven through the medium of band
or other gear as may be found convenient. The stud fis carried by means of a
block, which is fitted within a slot or sluice g of the disc G so as to be capable of
sliding end ways therealong; and this block is moved along the slot 9, and held in
any desired position therein, by means of a screw h which may be operated at its
eud by means of a box-spanner. It is preferred to extend the slot, in a direction
from its outer end, sufficiently beyond the centre of the disc to admit of the stud f
being moved to the central axis of the disc, in which position the revolution of the
disc causes no movement of the rod F, and consequently no movement of the
wings c. Any desired length of stroke of the rod F, up to the maximum length,
may be insured by moving the block which carries the stud finto the right
position along the slot 9 and to facilitate the proper setting of the stud f, in

page_text: relation to the central axis of the disc, an index i may he fixed to the face of the
disc, and the block which carries the stud be formed with a suitable pointer j.
It will readily be seen that the rotation of the disc G, by causing reciprocating
movements of the arm F, will operate the wheel D, through the medium of the
arm E and pawl d, and consequently give an intermittent movement of rotition to
the shaft C and set of wings c; and the extent of each movement can, of course,
be controlled by moving the stud fso as to alter its position in relation to the
-central axis of the disc G. d 1 is a check pawl, to prevent any reverse movement
of the wheel D as the arm E and pawl d are making their backward stroke. The
pawld 1, being placed underneath the wheel D, as shewn, for convenience, is
pressed up into gear with the teeth of the wheel D by means of weighted
arm k.
It will be obvious that a reciprocating arm may be used, if desired, in lieu of
the disc G.
In order to reduce the expense of providing and driving a number of apparatus
such as that illustrated by the drawings, each apparatus may be made double.
This is effected by making each apparatus of the required width, and dividing it
longitudinally, and dividing the shaft C at the part thereof which passes through
the middle bearing, and mounting a set of wings upon each length of the shaft,
namely, one for each division, and a separate ratchet wheel on the outer end of
each length of shaft, and mounting a disc upon each end of the shaft H.
The apparatus has been described specially for use in measuring off from bulk
and mixing different kinds or qualities of grain, but it will be obvious that it is
applicable also, generally, for use in measuring from bulk and mixing granular
substances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In apparatus for use in measuring from hulk and mixing together different
kinds or qualities of wheat or other grain, or other granular material, the embodi-
ment of the novel principle of feeding each kind or quality of grain, or granular
material, through an opening which causes it to fall forwards in an inclined
position to the rear side of a set of revolving wings or blades, which as they
revolve carry forwards along a suitable channel or duct a portion of the grain, or
granular material, which has fallen through the opening, and allow a further
portion to fall therethrough, substantially in the manner described and shewn.
2. Apparatus for use in measuring from bulk and mixing together different
kinds or qualities of wheat or other grain, or other granular material, which
comprises, two or more sets of appliances in each of which the grain, or granular
material, is received from bulk into a box or casing (such as A) from which it
issues through an opening (such as a) in the side, and falls forward in an inclined
position at the rear of a set of revolving wings or blades which extend across a
suitable channel or duct in position immediately in front of the opening, and carry
forwards the grain or granular material, along such channel or duct, in combination
with means by which the grain, or granular material, is caused to pass from the
sets of wings or blades, in the proportions in which it is moved forwards thereby,
to a common receptacle, substantially as described.
3. The apparatus constructed and operating substantially as described and shewn
by the drawings herewith, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 10th day of May 1897.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.