An Improved Pneumatic Separator or Assorting Apparatus for Granular or Pulverulent Materials or Substances.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1888.
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL STIFTUATION.
An Improved Pneumatic Separator or Assorting Apparatus for
Granular or Pulverulent Materials or Substances.
I HERMANN DIETZ, of 22 Gneisenau Strasse, Berlin, Germany, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Improvements are based upon the Invention described by me in the Specifica-
tion of my Patent No. 2123 dated 11th February 1888.
In accordance with my present Invention the grain or other substance or material
is separated or subdivided according to its specific weight or gravity by a current of
air generated by one or more bellows or other air producing appliances passing over
the material to be assorted or separated,-which latter is caused to travel over and.
through a suitable sieve or sieves,-motion being imparted to the bellows aforesaid by
a special arrangement of actuating mechanism, in accordance with which I am enabled
to ensure that an increased speed is transmitted to said bellows during their travel in
one direction, and a reduced or lesser speed is given in the opposite direction; thus
producing an alternating current or draught of air, the compressing or forcing current
being obtained by the increased or greater speed in the one direction, and the
exhausting current or draught being obtained by the reduced or lesser speed of the
actuating mechanism in.the opposite direction.
(
In carrying out my Invention I employ an ordinary containing case or frame from
the top of which is suspended springs or equivalents for retaining in the desired
position a scuttle" or the like form of seive-provided with the required number
and size of perforations-over and through which the granulated material is fed from
a suitable opening formed in the side of the containing case or frame. A vibrating
or oscillating motion is given to the scuttle sieve by means of an eccentric arranged
upon a shaft disposed at one end of the case or frame and attached to said sieve by a
connecting rod or equivalent.
A fixed frame or partition is provided above the scuttle sieve aforesaid, which latter
during the vibratory motion is caused to bear against the under surface of said fixed
frame or partition through the intervention of springs hereinbefore referred to. Said
fixed frame or partition hereinbefore mentioned (against which the senttle sieve is
caused to slide) is preferably formed air tight. Above the fixed frame or partition
last above described, I also provide a moveable frame or lid which is also rubber
tightened against the fixed frame or partition in such a manner that said moveable
frame or lil can be raised and lowered in such a manner as to perform with the
frame before mentioned the function of a bellows above the scuttle sieve hereinbefore
referred to.
The moveable frame or lid forming the bellows as above described is pat in motion
in the following manner:
Upon the case or frame in which the assorting or separating mechanism is contained,
I fix in suitable bearings a shaft provided with a crank near the centre thereof. I
pivot to the frame of the machine a guiding slot or recess into which the end of said
crank is received and securely fastened, the free end of said guiding slot or recess
being attached by a suitable arrangement of connecting rods and cracked levers with
the bellows hereinbefore referred to, so that upon motion being imparted to said shaft
a reciprocating (alternately fast and slow) movement is given to the connecting rods
and levers aforesaid which in turn effect the raising and lowering of the bellows, and
consequent production of the alternating current or draught of air for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
When the apparatus according to my Invention is used in its primary application
namely for assorting grain suitable receptacles are provided at one end of the inachine

page_text: into.which the refuse or heavier material is caused to collect, the refined or clean
grain passing through the scuttle sieve into suitable funnels provided in the bed of the
machine.
I also arrange throughout the enclosing casing, fixed frame or partition, and the
scuttle sieve aforesaid, any number of traps or valves as may be required to regulate.
the exhaustion and compression of the air produced by the bellows in the manner
above described.
Dated this 26th day of Sentember 1888
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pneumatic Separator or Assorting Apparatus for
Granular or Pulverulent Materials or Substances.
.I, FERMANN DIETZ, of 22 Gneisenau Strasse, Berlin, Germany, Engineer 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:-
My improvements are based upon the Invention described by me in the Specifica-
tion of my Patent No. 2123 datel 11th February 1888.
In accordance with my present Invention the grain, pulverulent material or other
substance is separated or subdivided according to its specific weight or gravity by a
current of air generated by one or more bellows or other air producing appliances
passing over the material to be assorted or separated which latter is caused to travel
over and through a suitable sieve or sieves actuated by means hereinafter described,
motion being imparted to the bellows aforesaid by a special arrangement of actuating
mechanism, in accordance with which I am enabled to ensure that an increased speed
is transmitted to said bellows during their travel in one direction and a reduced or
lesser speed is given in the opposite direction thus producing an alternating current
or diaught of air, the exhausting current or draught being obtained by the increased
or greater speed in the one direction and the compressing or forcing current heing
obtained by the reduced or lesser speed of the actuating mechanism in the opposite
direction or vice-versa.
In order that my Invention may be the more fully understood I have appended the
annexed sheet of drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 show respectively longitudinal
and transverse sectional views of the machine with scuttle sieves, and Figures 3 and 4
show respectively longitudinal and transverse sectional views of the same with rotating
sieves.
In carrying out my Invention I employ an ordinary containing case or frame from
the top of which are suspended by springs e, or equivalents for retaining in the
desired position, the sieves b, b, b,,, of the necessary shape-provided with
the required number and size of perforations over and through which the granulated
or pulverulent material is fed from a suitable opening t formed in the side of the
containing case or frame. An oscillating or rotary motion may be given to the sieves,
in the case of the oscillating motion by means of the crank with its motion rod c
shown at Figure 1; or, in the case of the rotary motion by means of the cranks =¹¹
shaft driven by the bevel wheels actuated by shaft driven by "pulley
rigger".
29
ог
A fixed frame or partition is provided above the scuttle sieve aforesaid, which
latter during the vibrating motion is caused to bear against the under surface of said
fixed frame or partition through the intervention of springs hereinbefore referred to.
Said fixed frame or partition is attached in an air-tight manner to the scuttle or sieves
say for instance by means of leather h. Above the fixed frame or partition flast
above described I also provide a moveable frame or lid g which is attached by leather,
rubber or other pliable substance to the fixed frame in such a manner that said

page_text: moveable frame or lid can be raised and lowered so as to perform with the frame
before mentioned the function of the bellows, above the scuttle sieve hereinbefore
referred to.
a crank
.The moveable frame or lid y forming the bellows as above described is put in
motion in the following manner; upon the case or frame, in which the assorting or
separating mechanism is contained, I fix in suitable bearings a shaft 9, provided with
near the centre thereof. I pivot to the frame of the machine a guiding
slot or recess o, into which the end of said crank is received and securely fastened, the
free end of said guiding slot o or recess being attached, by a suitable arrangement of
connecting rods n mi and I and cranked levers k, to the bellows herein before referred
to, so that upon motion being imparted to said shaft a reciprocating (alternately fast
and slow) movement is given to the connecting rods n mi and levers k aforesaid
which in turn effect the raising and lowering of the bellows and consequent
production of the alternating current or draught of air for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
When the apparatus according to my Invention is used in its primary application
namely for assorting grain, suitable receptacles are provided at one end of the
machine into which the refuse or overtails is or are caused to collect, the refined or
clear grain passing through the scuttle sieve into suitable receptacles or funnels v
provided in the bed of the machine.
In case of the machine being used for assorting or separating the matter not according
to its specific weight, but according to the size of the matter the mechanism actuating
the bellows is moved in the reverse direction causing said bellows to empty faster than
they fill whereby alternately a strong compressing or forcing current and a weak
exhausting current is obtained.
Above the sieves are provided in the frame f self acting flaps or valves r. r. r.
Figures 1, 2, and 4 arranged so as to remain closed whilst the lid g forming the
bellows is rising or falling; or, by means of screws,., Figures 2 and 4 these flaps
or valves may be retained closed at will. By means of the aforesaid valves or flaps
it is made possible to diminish the forcing or compressing air passing through the
sieves, and if the forcing or compressing air is allowed to escape through the flaps or
valves the amount of air thus allowed to escape must be replaced and for this
purpose flaps or valves 8, s, s, are fixed below the sieves b, as shown in figures 1
and 2. These valves sss open on the inside, that is to say whilst the bellows are
filling, and all the above described flaps or valves may be provided with means for
retaining the same either open or closed or partly open or closed. The sieves before
described may be emptied from time to time by opening a shoot or by other automatic
provision and in order that the air allowed to enter each sieve may be regulated for
that sieve by the flaps or valves each single sieve is connected in an air tight manner
with the walls of a funnel so that each sieve receives the exhausting current of air
only through those flaps or valves which lay in their respective refuse exit holes. The
exhausting currents of air effect the sieves in assorting lighter grain or pulverulent
material from the heavier by constantly lifting such lighter material. The compressing
current on the contrary affects all the sieves by driving the light particles which have
been suspended by the exhausting wind, out of the machine, and forces the heavier grain
through the sieves, the assorted matter then falls into the receptacles and the lighter
matter into the receptacle Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained. the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First In the improved machines for assorting or separating matter of different
specific weight and of different size as herein described, the use of bellows or of a
like arrangement in connection with the scuttle or swinging sieves and in connection
with flaps or valves fixed above the sieves opening outside and with flaps or
valves fixed under the sieves opening inside substantially as and for the purposes
specified.

page_text: Second-In the improved machines for assorting or separating matter of different
specific weight and of different size as herein described, the use of mechanism to
actuate one or more bellows or equivalents substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Third-In the improved machines for assorting or separating matter of different
specific weight and of different size as herein described, the air tight connection of
each single sieve with the respective walls of their receptacles in the machine in
order to be enabled to regulate the exhausting current of air by the flaps or valves
from below substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 25th day of June 1889.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.