An Improved Apparatus for Reducing Oats or other Grain into Coarse Meal.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1894.
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Reducing Oats or other Grain into
Coarse Meal.
THOMAS JOHN DISTURNAL of Belmont, Kings County, Ireland, Miller, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in an improved method of cutting up grain or more
particularly oats into coarse meal. The object of which is to cut the grain
transversely to any desired size, and obviate making an immoderate quantity of
fine meal.
any
fix an
I propose to do this by a cylinder of perforated sheet metal of
convenient
length, diameter, or thickness, this cylinder is so constructed, by being fixed upon
suitable castings at each end, that it will revolve upon a fixed horizontal shaft.
Inside the cylinder and attached to the shaft, I fix a sheet of thick plain iron,
turned into the shape of a half cylinder, and to coincide exactly with, the inside
upper half of the perforated cylinder, this sheet of plain iron extends the full
length of the cylinder and the whole upper half of its circumference, so that the
whole of its convex side fits as closely as possible to the whole of the upper half
of the cylinder's circumference inside. On the outside of the cylinder
ordinary worm or screw conveyor, running the full length of the cylinder near the
top, and on the rising side of the cylinder as it revolves upon the shaft., This
worm conveys the oats or other grain along the outside of the cylinder, and so the
grain falls into the perforations as it is wormed along. I have the perforations
just sufficiently large, to allow the oats or other grain to fall in endways only.
The half circle of sheet metal inside the cylinder prevents any of the grain falling
through, and the thickness of the cylinder is such that it leaves the end or half of
each grain protruding out of the perforations on the outside, consequently the
revolving cylinder carries the grain over, and brings it in contact with a knife
which I fix the full length of the cylinder on the outside near the top, and on the
falling side as it revolves, consequently the knife cuts the oats or other grain clean
in two. I fix a brush the full length of the cylinder inside and attached to the
shaft, to brush against the bottom of the cylinder, so as to brush out any half
grains that may stick in the perforations, after having passed the knife.
Dated this Ninth day of April 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Reducing Oats or other Grain into
Coarse Meal.
I, THOMAS JOHN DISTURNAL, of Belmont, King's County, Ireland, 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:-
This invention consists in an improved methol of, and apparatus for, cutting up

page_text: grain, or more particularly oats, into coarse meal. The object of which is to cut
the grain transversely to any desired size, and to obviate making an immoderate
quantity of fine meal.
I effect these improvements by the mechanism illustrated upon the accompanying
drawing, upon which are figures and numbers of reference, similar numbers
referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part, and to which I
make reference in this my Specification.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a machine constructed so as to embrace this my
invention.
Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the machine.
Fig. 3, is a plan view of the machine.
Fig. 4, is a part sectional side view of the barrel &c. parts of the machine.
Fig. 5, is a detailed end view of the barrel, inner semi-cylindrical table and
brush.
Fig. 6, is a detailed sectional view showing the grain in the perforated cylinder
during its course of revolution in passing to the cutting knife.
10, is a shaft which is fixed so as not to revolve, and carried in bearings 11, 11,
formed or carried upon the standards 12, 12. Upon this shaft is now placed
sleeves 13, 13, upon which are keyed the pulley like centres 14, 14, around whose
periphery is formed the drum or cylinder 15. One or more extra centre pieces as
at 14, may be used if required. Upon these sleeves are keyed the toothed
wheels 16, 16, into which gears the pinions 17, 17, keyed upon the shaft 18, which
is in its turn driven by the pulley 19, or other suitable arrangement. Thus a
revolving motion is imparted to the cylinder 15, while the shaft 10 is stationary.
This cylinder 15, is perforated upon its surface,, such perforations being in size
and shape determined by the grain to be operated upon. Within this cylinder, I
now fix the semi-cylindrical table 20, which is carried upon the arms 21, which
latter are secured firmly to the non-revolving shaft 10.
On the outside of the cylinder, I now arrange the worm or screw conveyer 22,
which runs the whole length of the said cylinder. The grain is fed into this worm
in any suitable manner, so that by the revolving of the worm, the said grain is
distributed along the surface of the cylinder in such a manner that its integral
parts shall fall endways into the perforations 23, of the cylinder 15. It will be
noticed that the direction of motion of the cylinder is upward, on the worm side,
as shown by the arrow, so that the grain which falls into the perforations, is carried
over the crown or upper half of the cylinder. 24, is a knife suitably shaved and
carried so that its cutting edge shall shear off that part of the grain which
protrudes above the perforations, as they pass it. Thus the sheared off parts of
the grain are carried off over the knife into any prepared receptacle, while the
remainder portions fall from the cylinder as they approach or arrive at the lower
part of its travel. The thickness of the cylinder, or the distance from its outer
surface to the surface of the table 20, is arranged according to the length of the
grain it is desired shall protrude; generally about one third of its length is
arranged for.
The longer length of grain which has fallen at the bottom is or may be again
fed into the same or a similar machine in which the thickness of the cylinder, or
the distance between its surface and that of the table is such that a desired portion
of it shall again protrude from the perforations, and by a similar process as before
described, be again cut. Such process may be repeated if or as required.
To more perfectly ensure the removal of the cut grain from the perforations of
the cylinder in case there is any tendency to clog or stick, I employ the brush 25,
which is rigidly secured to the shaft 10, but which may be free to revolve so that
its bristles may pierce through from the inside of the perforations, and so force
out the grain. This roller brush may be caused to revolve if desired, but preferably
it is left free to roll upon the interior of the cylinder, or it may be stationary.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my sa'd
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general combination and arrangement, of the parts constituting this my
improved machine for reducing oats or other grain, substantially as herein describe:
and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for reducing oats or other grain, the employment of a perforated
cylinder such as 15, having a stationary inner table 20, and knife 24, arranged and
operating substantially as set forth and shown.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1895.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.