Improvements in Machines for Washing, Drying, and Removing Stones and other Matter from Grain, Beans, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Washing, Drying, and Removing
Stones and other Matter from Grain, Beans, and the like.
I GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 29 Newstead Road Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in the machine described in
Specification No. 3111 of March 1st 1888 for which Letters Patent has been
granted to me.
The said improvements are as follows:-In a position somewhat similar to
that occupied by the plate H in compartment A, I now place an inclined travelling
platform consisting of a number of flat strips of iron, wood or other suitable
material, attached to two or more endless chains passing over suitable wheels.
The said flat strips have raised ledges upon them or their edges are bent up to
form a series of ridges upon the surface of the said platform; narrow spaces
are left between the said strips to allow a certain quantity of water to flow
through for the purpose of floating off the wheat etc. which would otherwise lay
thereon; or I may perforate the said strips in a suitable manner more or less,
to accomplish the same object. A slow continuous or intermittent movement in
an upward direction is given to the said platform.
The water is circulated in the same manner as beretofore, or I may employ a
A pump or other suitable means. Some portion flows over and down the said
inclined platform, but instead of allowing the stones to fall through the opening
between plate I and the end plate H they are now deposited upon the travelling
inclined platform, and being arrested by the said ridges thereon are continually
carried up thereby and are met by the descending current of water which washes
away and carries down any grains of wheat, beans etc. that may be amongst the
said stones.
Another improvement in my said machine consists in the provision of further
and better means for draining the water from the wheat etc. after it has passed
through the washing cylinder and draining worm G. At the outer end of the
said worm G I now propose to place an improved form of centrifugal drainer
consisting of a short cylindrical cage of woven wire or perforated sheet metal
into which the wheat etc. is propelled by the worm G.
To move the wheat forward within the said cage I place inside thereof two, three
or more curved blades extending around for about to of its circumference; the
ends of the said blades being attached to suitable adjustable brackets carried
outside the said cage, the object being to enable the angle to be varied so that the
wheat etc. may be held for a longer or shorter space of time within the said cage.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Washing, Drying, and Removing
Stones and other Matter from Grain, Beans, and the like.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 29 Newstead Road Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical 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 invention relates to certain improvements in the machine described in
Specification No. 3111 of 1st March 1888, for which Letters Patent has been
granted to me.
The said improvements consist in the provision of better and more positive
means and mechanism for the separation of stones & other heavy substances from
the grain or pulse being treated, and-after the washing process-for the more
thorough draining or separation of the water from the grain etc. before it leaves
the machine. These said improvements are shewn in the drawings appended
hereunto.
The water employed is circulated by the lifting wheel or other suitable means,
and the greater portion of same is caused to flow over and down an inclined
travelling platform having ridges or ledges upon its upper surface. The grain, or
other material, to be washed is fed into the water as it flows down the said inclined
platform and is carried forward by the current over the said ridges, but the stones,
owing to their greater specific gravity, settle and lie upon the surface of the said
platform and are arrested by the said ridges. The said platform is given a slow
continuous or intermittent movement in a direction opposite to that of the stream of
water and the stones are thereby carried up against the current which effectually
separates and washes down any grains which may be amongst the stones or other
heavy bodies lying thereon.
To effect a more thorough separation of the water from the washed grain or
other material 1 now employ, in addition to the draining worm, an improved form
of centrifugal hydro-extractor placed at the delivery end of the machine, in which
provision is made for holding the grain or other material within the said apparatus
for a longer or shorter space of time for the purpose of drying the grain etc. to a
greater or less degree as may be desired before it leaves the machine.
Fig. 1 upon the sheet of drawings appended hereunto represents a longitudinal
sectional elevation of my said machine in which A is the said travelling platform
consisting of a number of flat strips of metal or other suitable material attached to
two or more endless chains passing over wheels carried by shafts B and B', the
said flat strips have raised ledges upon them or their edges are turned up to form
the series of ridges referred to. Narrow spaces are left between the said strips to
allow a certain quantity of water to flow through for the purpose of assisting the
main current in floating off and carrying down any grains lying amongst the
stones etc.
Fig 2 is an enlarged view shewing the construction of the said platform in which
the strips with turned up edges are shewn at A attached to the chain B. Instead
of leaving spaces between the said strips, I may make them to touch each other
aud perforate them with small holes immediately above the ridges or edges to
accomplish the same object. Motion is imparted to the shaft B from the feed-roll
shaft by ratchet-wheel & pawl or it may be actuated by other suitable means.
The circulated water is conducted to the space C from whence the greater part
flows over the top of the partition; a small portion being admitted beneath the
travelling platform A through the opening shewn, the quantity being regulated by
means of the sluice valve D, operated by the screw E. This water afterwards
Hows through the spaces between the strips as aforesaid.
The apparatus for separating the water from the grain or other material consists

page_text: of a short parallel cylindrical cage H, of perforated sheet metal or woven wire,
caused to revolve at a high speed, contained within a casing I, attached to and
carried by the disc H mounted by means of the arms H and an elongated sleeve,
upon the cylinder shaft of the machine. The wheat or other material is fed into
the said cage by the draining worm G and is moved along within the same by
means of the movable curved blades J. J. J. carried by the arm K, the angle of
which can be altered by means of the adjusting screw L for the purpose of varying
the length of time which the grain or other material is allowed to remain within
the said cage. The drained grain etc. comes away by the duct M.
The water separated from the grain etc. and cast off by the cage is caught within
the casing I and is conducted away by the pipe O. Motion is imparted to the said
cage by the pulley N.
As a modification of the said travelling platform A, I may make it in the form
of an endless web, of finely woven wire or thin sheet metal, passing over rollers
at B and B', and attach upon its surface ribs or ledges at suitable intervals.
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. In a machine for washing, drying and removing stones and other matter from
grain, beans and the like, the employment of an inclined travelling platform having
projecting transverse ridges thereon, constructed & operated substantially in the
manner herein described and for the purpose stated.
2. In a machine for washing, drying and removing stones & other matter from
grain, beans and the like, the combination with the said improved means for
separating stones & other heavy substances from the grain etc., of the improved
form of centrifugal drainer or hydro-extractor provided with adjustable blades or
guides for moving the material therein, substantially as herein described.
3. In a centrifugal drainer or hydro-extractor for separating water from grain
and the like, the formation and combination of one, two or more adjustable curved
blades or vanes, constructed and applied substantially in the manner herein
described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON