Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Conveying and Elevating Grain or similar Materials.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Conveying and
Elevating Grain or similar Materials.
1, JOHN BENJAMIN STONER, of Nook Villa, 2 Ainsworth Road, West Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be.
as follows:
My invention relates to pneumatic apparatus for conveying and elevating grain or
similar materials, and comprises various improvements as hereinafter specified.
In my apparatus the grain or other material is drawn or elevated through a pipe
into what I term a vacuum-chamber by a current of air produced by means of an
exhaust-fan or similar apparatus connected by another pipe with the said chamber.
I provide for the withdrawal or removal of the grain or other material from this said
chamber without affecting the vacuum or partial vacuum formed therein.
Moreover I provide for the automatic operation of the apparatus by the grain or
other material accumulating in either of two chambers, which are connected with
the said vacuum-chamber, and which receive the grain or other material therefrom
as hereinafter set forth.
By my present invention I can, if desired, convey grain through a horizontal or
inclined pipe of great length and then elevate the said grain to a considerable height
by suction, that is to say, by the formation of a vacuum or partial vacuum at the
upper end of the said pipe.
My said invention is conveniently and advantageously carried into practice as
hereinafter described, that is to say; I make the lower part of the vacuum-chamber
in the form of a hopper and I provide two receiving chambers, which are connected
with the vacuum-chamber by suitable apertures, and each of which is formed with
an outlet aperture at its lower end, I also provide a suitable pipe through which the
grain is raised, and another pipe which connects the vacuum-chamber with an
exhaust-fan or similar apparatus.
Flap-valves are arranged within the receiving chambers and are designed to close
the inlet apertures thereof when necessary; suitable supports are provided for the

page_text: said valves, when open. Each of the receiving chambers is also connected with the
vacuum chamber by a pipe or passage provided with a disc-valve; and each of these
receiving chambers has a disc-valve whereby it may be placed in communication
with the external atmosphere. A double flap-valve is pivotted beneath the said
receiving chambers and is provided with a lever and counterweight which retain the
said valve in such a position that one or other of the said chambers is always closed
thereby. This valve is automatically operated by the grain which accumulates in the
receiving chambers, and is so arranged that, when one of the said chambers is closed
thereby, the other chamber is open. The said valve is, moreover, arranged to act
upon levers and rods connected with the aforesaid disc valves, so that it will open and
close the said valves at the proper times. For this purpose, the said double flap valve
is provided with fingers or projections which act upon the said levers and rods to
close some of the valves and with other fingers or projections which act upon other
levers and rods to open the other valves. Some of the said valves are opened and
others are closed by gravity when not acted upon by the double flap valve.
The receiving chambers are provided with doors which are made to close air-tight,
but which can be opened when necessary to permit access to the interior of the said
chambers for repairs.
The vacuum chamber is placed in communication alternately with the receiving
chambers by opening one valve and closing another valve of the corresponding
chamber, which is then partially exhausted of air so that the double flap valve is held
against the lower end of the said chamber by the external atmospheric pressure. The
grain accumulates in this chamber until its weight is sufficient to overcome the
difference between the pressures on the exterior and interior of the double flap
valve.
To reduce the pressure to be overcome by the weight of the grain, I make the
apertures at the lower ends of the receiving chambers of less area than the said
chambers, and, in order that the full pressure of the grain in each chamber may act
upon the double-flap valve I provide each of the said chambers with a hopper-shaped
false-bottom resting by means of one or more rollers or otherwise, upon the said
valve, and suitably hinged or pivotted. Rods are attached at their lower ends to the
said false-bottom and pass through brackets secured to the sides of the chambers.
These rods are screw-threaded at their upper ends and provided with nuts which can
be adjusted to limit the downward movement of the said false-bottoms.
A projecting piece or flange is secured to the sides of each of the receiving chambers
above the false-bottom therein to prevent the grain from getting beneath the latter
and thus hindering or obstructing its action.
To diminish the momentum of the grain as it issues from the elevating pipe into the
vacuum chamber and to prevent its being carried from the said pipe across the
chamber into the suction or exhaust pipe, I provide a deflector or plate which is so
arranged in the vacuum chamber that the grain ascending by the elevating pipe will
impinge against the said plate and be deflected downwards into the hopper-shaped
bottom of the said chamber, and will pass through the aperture therein into the one or
other of the receiving chambers.
Windows of glass or other suitable material may be fitted in the apparatus, if
desired, in any suitable position to permit the action of the apparatus to be observed.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows, that is to say-Assuming the exhaust
fan or other apparatus for creating a vacuum to be in operation, if grain is supplied in
any suitable manner to the end of the elevating pipe, it will be carried up through the
said pipe against the deflecting plate. Thence it falls through an aperture into one of
the receiving chambers. When this chamber is filled with grain to a sufficient extent to
overcome the excess of the pressure on the exterior of the double flap valve, the said
valve is automatically operated to open the said chamber and permit the escape of the
grain therefrom into a suitable receptacle, and to close the other receiving chamber.
By this movement, the double flap valve closes the valve whereby the latter chamber
communicates with the external atmosphere, and opens the valve whereby it
communicates with the vacuum chamber. The last named receiving chamber is

page_text: partially exhausted of air through a passage and a partial vacuum is thus formed in
the said chamber. The valve at the upper end of this chamber being no longer
acted upon by an excess of pressure therein falls by gravity, and thus permits grain
to flow from the vacuum chamber into the same. The said movement of the double
flap valve, moreover, permits the closing of the valve whereby the filled receiving
chamber communicates with the vacuum chamber, and the opening of the valve
whereby the said receiving chamber communicates with the external atmosphere, so
that the valve between these chambers is closed by the excess of pressure in the
receiving chamber. When this chamber is filled with grain, the double flap valve is
operated thereby in the reverse manner to that above described. In this manner
the grain, as it is raised into the vacuum chamber, is withdrawn or removed therefrom
without affecting the vacuum or partial vacuum therein.
I have described my apparatus as designed for elevating grain, but it is obvious
that it may be employed for elevating any similar materials. Moreover by extending
the elevating pipe in a horizontal or inclined direction, the apparatus may be adapted
for conveying such materials from place to place.
It is evident that the construction of my apparatus may be somewhat modified, if
desired, without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Dated this 25th dor of the
1002
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Conveying and
Elevating Grain or similar Materials.
I, JOHN BENJAMIN STONER, of Nook Villa, 2 Ainsworth Road, West Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly deseribed and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-.
My invention relates to pneumatic apparatus for conveying and elevating grain or
similar materials, and comprises various improvements hereinafter set forth.
By my said invention I am enabled to convey grain through a horizontal or inclined
pipe of great length and then elevate the said grain to a considerable height by suction,
that is to say, by the formation of a vacuum or partial vacuum at the upper end of the
said pipe.
In my improved apparatus the grain or other material is drawn or elevated through
the said pipe into a chamber wherein a vacuum or partial vacuum is produced by
means of an exhaust-fan or similar apparatus connected by another pipe with the said
chamber.
'
This chamber I will, for convenience of description, hereinafter term the vacuum-
chamber.
provide for the withdrawal or removal of the grain or other material from this
vacuum-chamber without seriously affecting the vacuum or partial vacuum formed
therein.
I also provide for the automatic operation of the apparatus by the weight of the
grain or other material accumulating in either of two chambers, which are connected
with the said vacuum-chamber, and which receive the grain or other material there-
from as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of one form of my apparatus.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line y, y, Figure 3.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the vacuum-chamber, the lower part of which is made in the form of a hopper.
b, b¹ are the receiving-chambers, each of which is formed with an outlet-aperture at its
lower end, and which are connected with the vacuum-chamber a by apertures a¹, a³.
c is the pipe through which the grain is raised, and c¹ the pipe which connects the
vacuum-chamber a with an exhaust-fan or similar apparatus not shown in the
drawings.
Flap-valves d are arranged within the receiving-chambers 6, 61, and are designed to
close the inlet-apertures a¹, a² when necessary; d¹, d² are guards or supports for
the valves d when open. Each of the receiving-chambers b, b is connected with the
vacuum-chamber a by a pipe or passage e provided with a disc-valve f; each of the

page_text: said receiving-chambers is, moreover, provided with a disc-valve g whereby it may be
placed in communication with the external atmosphere. h is a double flap-valve
pivoted beneath the said receiving chambers b, b' and provided with a lever i and
counterweight which retain the said valve at either extremity of its movement, so
that one or the other of the said chambers is always closed thereby; and the said
valve is so arranged that, when one of the said chambers is closed thereby, the other
chamber will be open. The said valvo his automatically operated by the weight of
the grain which accumulates in the receiving-chambers b, b₁ as hereinafter described.
It is, moreover, arranged to act upon levers j, k and rods m, n connected with the
aforesaid disc-valves fand g, so that it will open and close the said valves at the proper
times. For this purpose the said valve h is provided with fingers or projections ¹
which will act upon the said levers j and rods m to close the valves g, and with other
fingers or projections h³ which will act upon the levers & and rods a to open the valves f.
The valves g are opened and the valves fclosed by gravity when not acted upon by
the said fingers on the valve h.
The receiving-chambers b, b' are provided with doors o, which are made to close air-
tight, but which can be opened when necessary to permit access to the interior of the
said chambers.
It is obvious that, when either of the receiving-chambers is closed at its lower end
and is in communication with the vacuum-chamber, the double flap-valve h will be held
against the lower end of the said receiving-chamber by the external atmospheric
pressure, and that the weight of the grain which accumulates in this chamber must, in order
to operate the valve h, be sufficient to overcome the difference between the pressures on
the exterior and interior of the said valve. To reduce this difference of pressure I
make the apertures p at the lower ends of the receiving-chambers 6, 6' of less area
than the bottoms of the said chambers. Moreover in order that the weight of the
entire, mass of the grain in, each chamber may act upon the double flap-valvo h
notwithstanding its diminished area, 1 provide each of the said chambers with a hopper-
shaped false-bottom q which is hinged or pivoted at q2 and which is provided with one
or more rollers whereby, when the corresponding side of the valve h is in its closed
position it rests thereon. Rods q3 are attached at their lower ends to the false-bottom g
and are passed through brackets g' secured to the sides of the chambers b, b'. These
rods are screw-threaded at their upper ends and provided with nuts q which can be
adjusted to limit the downward movement of the said false-bottoms g.
A projecting piece or flange s is secured to the sides of each of the receiving-
chambers above the false-bottom q, to prevent the grain from getting beneath the
latter and thus hindering or obstructing its action.
To diminish the momentum of the grain as it issues from the clevating pipe c into
the vacuum-chamber a, and to prevent its being carried from the said pipe across the
chamber a into the suction or exhaust pipe c', I provide a deflecting plate or deflector t,
which is so arranged in the vacuum-chamber a that the grain ascending by the
elevating pipe c will impinge against the said plate or deflector and be deflected down-
wards into the hopper-shaped bottom of the said chamber, and will pass through the
aperture a¹ or a² into the chamber b or b¹. In some instances I provide a wire or
other screen in the vacuum-chamber above the deflector t, as indicated in dotted lines
at t', to more effectually prevent the entrance of grain into the exhaust-pipe.
Windows u of glass or other suitable material are fitted in the apparatus in any
suitable position to permit the action of the said apparatus to be observed. These
windows are, however, not essential.
The operation of the improved apparatus is as follows, that is to say-Assuming
the parts to be in the position shown in the drawing and the exhaust-fan or other
apparatus for creating a vacuum in the chamber a to be in operation, if grain is
supplied in any suitable manner to the lower end of the elevating pipe c, it will be
carried up through the said pipe and, striking against the deflector t, will be arrested
thereby and deflected downwards, and will fall through the aperture a¹³ into the
chamber b. When a sufficient weight of grain has been fed into this chamber to
overcome the excess of pressure on the exterior of the double flap-valve h, over that

page_text: on the interior thereof, the said valve will be automatically operated and will open the
said chamber and permit the escape of the grain therefrom into any suitable receptacle
provided for the purpose, and at the same time close the receiving chamber b¹ at its
lower end. In this movement, the double flap-valve h, through the medium of the
rods m, n, closes the valve g of the chamber 61 and opens the valve f of the said
chamber; in the same movement, the said valve h permits the closing of the valve
of the receiving-chamber 6 and the opening of the valve g of the said chamber. It
will therefore be seen that, as soon as the receiving-chamber is closed at its lower
end, it is connected through the passage e with the chamber a and a partial vacuum is
thus formed in it, that is to say, the pressure in these chambers is equalized. The
valve d at the upper end of this chamber being no longer acted upon by an excess of
pressure therein, falls by gravity, and thus permits grain to flow from the vacuum-
chamber a into the said chamber b¹.
It will be seen, moreover, that, as soon as the chamber b is opened at its lower end,
it is placed in communication with the external atmosphere through its valve 9: so that
the valve d is closed by the atmospheric pressure. When this chamber is filled with
grain, the double flap-valve his operated thereby in the reverse manner to that above
described.
By reason of the improved construction of the apparatus as above described, the
grain, as it is raised into the vacuum-chamber, a, will be withdrawn or removed there-
from without materially affecting the vacuum or partial vacuum therein.
I have described and shown my apparatus as designed for elevating grain, but it is
obvious that it may be employed for elevating any similar materials. Moreover by
extending the pipe c in a horizontal or inclined direction, the apparatus may be
adapted for conveying such materials from place to place.
It is evident that the construction of my apparatus may be somewhat modified, if
desired, without departing from the nature of my said invention.
"Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
1 claim :-
First. The employment of a deflector in the vacuum-chamber (with or without the
screen) all substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Second. A receiving-chamber for the purpose above specified, provided with an
outlet-valve of smaller area than the bottom of the said chamber and with a false-
bottom resting upon the said outlet-valve, for the purposes specified.
+
Third. The combination, with the false-bottom of the receiving-chamber, of an
adjustable device for limiting the downward movement of the same, substantially as
set forth.
.Fourth. The provision of means whereby the upper part of the receiving-chamber
will be automatically put in communication with the vacuum-chamber when the
outlet of the said receiving-chamber is closed, and with the external atmosphere when
the said outlet is opened, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fifth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating
as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated this 25th day of November 1887.
Dated this 25th day of November 1887.
JOHN B. STONER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.