Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Sorting Grain, Seeds and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Sorting Grain, Seeds
and the like.
CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD, Lavenham Hill, Lavenham, Suffolk, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
My invention relates to machines for cleaning and sorting grain, seeds, and
the like.
This invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
machines for dressing and sorting grain and seed and other substances.
I use a frame made of wood or iron supporting a wire revolving cylinder, of the
sort manufactured by me for years, and of well known construction:-The first
part of which is of fine gauge to allow sand or small substances to pass through it;
and the second part to allow the grain being treated to pass through; while the
substances larger than the grain pass out at the end.
The said cylinder is fed from one end by means of a hopper-this end being
closed save for the hopper, but the opposite end open to permit the escape of large
substances.
The best grain under treatment, which passes through the coarse section of this
cylinder, falls through a spout, up which a strong current of air is drawn by
means of an exhaust fan.
The grain next passes on to a sifting bed supported in a frame, the said sifting
bed to he made to reciprocate.
"
"
Boby screen
This sifting bed is of the self-cleaning type commonly known as
manufactured by me for years, (anu also mentioned in my Patent 9936--1888)
and this self-cleaning is effected by the wire bed moving backwards and forwards.
The spaces between the wires (which are placed in a longitudinal position) being
kept clear by means of washers or collars inserted between the wires, and which
are held in position by transverse rods passing beneath the bed and resting in slots
or grooves in bearings on the frame beneath the bed.
Now instead of making my "Boby" screen above described as one flat surface,
I make the bed in one, two, or more sections having a drop, between each and
giving the bed the appearance of steps or falls. The grain thus, in its passage
down the surface, is caused to fall, and the advantage is, that the lighter corns,
which, when the bed is flat, have a tendency to ride over the heavier corns, now
are brought into contact with the surface of the bed itself, and so go through,
instead of riding upon the heavier corn; which was more especially the difficulty
when the screens of this type were fed to their full supposed capacity.
As in former years, the grain undergoes a second wind treatment or suction,
after leaving the self-cleaning bed.
The machine is thus a combination of a rotary self-cleaning screen, working
in conjunction with a fan or exhauster, followed by a self-cleaning screen of novel
construction, and a final treatment by wind.
Dated this 8th day of December 1897.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Sorting Grain, Seeds
and the like.
1, CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD, of Lavenham Hill, Lavenham, in the County of
Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manuer the saine is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to machines for cleaning and sorting grain, seeds, and
the like.
This invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction
of machines for dressing and sorting grain, seed, and other substances, as I shall
describe referring to the accompanying drawing, which is a longitudinal section
of a cleaning and sorting machine according to my invention. A is a frame made
of wood or iron supporting a wire revolving cylinder B, of the sort manufactured
by me for many years and of well known construction:-The first part of this
cylinder is of fine gauze to allow sand or small substances to pass through it, and
the second part is of such gauge as to allow the grain being treated to pass
through while the substances larger than the grain pass out at the end.
The cylinder B is fed from one end by means of a hopper-this end being closed
save for the hopper-but the opposite end is open to permit the escape of large
substances.
The best grain under treatment-which passes through the coarse section of
this cylinder falls through a spout C up which a strong current of air is drawn
by means of an exhaust fan D.
The grain next passes on to a sifting bed E supported in a frame F-the said
sifting bed is made to reciprocate.
"
This sifting bed is of the self-cleaning type commonly known as "Boby screen
manufactured by me for years (and also mentioned in my Patent Specification 9936
of 1888) and this self-cleaning is effected by the wire bed moving backwards and
forwards.
The spaces between the wire (which are placed longitudinally) being kept clear
by means of washers or collars which are inserted between the wires and are held
in position by transverse rods passing beneath the bed and resting in stationary
slots or grooves provided on the frame beneath the bed.
Now instead of making my "Boby" screen above described as one flat surface.
I make the bed in one, two, or more sections, having a drop between each, and
giving the bed the appearance of steps or falls. As shewn in the drawing there
is one such drop at G. The grain thus, in its passage down the surface, is caused
to fall at G and the advantage is that the lighter corns, which, when the bed is
flat, have a tendency to ride over the heavier corns, are thus brought into contact
with the surface of the bed itself, and so go through, instead of riding upon the
heavier corn, which was more especially the difficulty when the screens of this
type were fed to their full supposed capacity.
As in former years, the grain undergoes a second wind treatment, or suction
at H after leaving the self cleaning bed.
The machine is thus a combination of a rotary self-cleaning screen, working in
conjunction with a fan or exhauster, followed by a self-cleaning screen of novel
construction and a final treatment by wind.
4

page_text: How particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. The construction of the self-cleaning screen, with steps instead of making
it one flat surface by the arrangement of guides, to ensure the collar rods falling.
2. The combination of a rotary screen reciprocating screens and exhaust fan,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of June 1900