IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR CLEANSING AND SEPARATING GRAIN AND SEEDS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Todd, the younger, of Castlemains, in the
County of Haddington, North Britain, Farmer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR CLEANSING
AND SEPARATING GRAIN AND SEEDS.""
Sealed the 4th January 1860, and dated the 21st July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Todd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
July 1859.
I, JAMES TODD, the younger, of Castlemains, in the County of Haddington,
North Britain, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR CLEANSING AND
SEPARATING GRAIN AND SEEDS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of dressing or
cleansing and separating machinery for treating grain. and seeds, in such
manner that whilst the dust and refuse is most effectually removed from the
treated matters the grain or seed themselves are accurately separated and
classed into various sizes and qualities. It may be worked or not in com-
bination with a thrashing machine; but when so worked the thrashed grain as
it comes from the beaters is passed directly into a hopper or pyramidal supplier

page_text: at one end of the top of the machine and at the highest part of it. From
this point of supply the top of the machine has a slight downward inclination
to the opposite end. On this incline there are placed three or other number
of rectangular trays or sieves made of perforated zine or other suitable mate-
rial. All or various sizes of perforations are used in the bottoms of these
sieves according to the work to be done. Each sieve tray is formed with
pretty deep zig-zag or angular channels, and the grain or seeds under treat-
ment are caused to traverse along these channels in descending the incline.
No. 1 sieve at the highest end has the smallest perforation in it. No. 2 sieve
has larger perforations, and No. 3 the largest perforations of all. All the
sieves have a very rapid lateral or side motion given to them to produce the
sieving or separating action. This motion is given from a horizontal shaft
having a crank on each end of it and from these cranks connecting rods pass
to the frame carrying the sieves. In this way as the grain or seeds are
operated upon, the matters travel along the zig-zag or other channels and they
become turned over, cleaned and sorted or separated and classed in a manner
not hitherto attained. The undressed grain or seeds pass along from sieve to
sieve until all of the sieves have operated upon them. The dust and small
refuse falls through the perforations of the first sieve into a box placed in the
framing directly beneath it. The first quality of the grain or seeds passes
through the second sieve where it meets a fan blast, and light grains and other
matters are blown out of it whilst the good grains or seeds drop down a
vertical guide channel into a proper receptacle beneath. The second quality
passes through the third sieve where it also meets a cleansing blast and is
finally passed down a depositing channel whilst short straws and other waste
are carried over the end of the third sieve. The series of classing separators
may of course be extended in number as found necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Todd in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I, JAMES
TODD, the younger, of Castlemains, in the County of Haddington, North Britain,
Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Пler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Todd, the younger, Her special license that I, the said James
Todd, the younger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Todd, the younger, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR CLEANSING
AND SEPARATING GRAIN AND SEEDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Todd, the younger, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention and in what manner the same was to be performed and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Todd, the younger, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of dressing
or cleansing and separating machinery for treating grain and seeds in such
manner that whilst the dust and refuse is most effectually removed from the
treated matters, the grain or seeds themselves are accurately separated and
classed into various sizes and qualities. It may be worked or not in com-
bination with a thrashing machine, but when so worked the thrashed grain as
it comes from the beaters is passed directly into a hopper or pyramidal supplier
at one end of the top of the machine, and at the highest part of it. From
this point of supply the top of the machine has a slight downward inclination
to the opposite end. On this incline there are placed three or other number
of rectangular trays or sieves made of perforated zinc or other suitable
material. All or various sizes of perforations are used in the bottoms of these
sieves according to the work to be done. Each sieve tray is formed with
pretty deep zig-zag or angular channels, and the grain or seeds under treat-
ment are caused to traverse along these channels in descending the incline.
No. 1 sieve at the highest end has the smallest perforations in it; No. 2 sieve
bas larger perforations; and No. 3 the largest perforations of all. All the
sieves have a very rapid lateral or side motion given to them, to produce the
sieving or separating action. This motion is given from a horizontal shaft,

page_text: having a crank on each end of it, and from these cranks connecting rods pass
to the frame carrying the sieves. In this way, as the grain or seeds are
operated upon, the matters travel along the zig-zag or other channels, and
they become turned over, cleaned and sorted or separated, and classed in a
manner not hitherto attained. The undressed grain or seeds pass along from
sieve to sieve until all of the sieves have operated upon them. The dust and
small refuse falls through the perforations of the first sieve into a box placed
in the framing directly beneath it. The first quality of the grain or seeds
passes through the second sieve, where it meets a fan blast, and light grains
and other matters are blown out of it, whilst the good grains or seeds drop
down a vertical guide channel into a proper receptacle beneath. The second
quality passes through the third sieve, where it also meets a cleansing blast,
and is finally passed down a depositing channel, whilst short straws and other
waste are carried over the end of the third sieve. The series of classing
separators may of course be extended in number, as found necessary.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in machinery or
apparatus for dressing or cleaning and separating grain and seeds may be
properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative
Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended, for the purpose of showing certain modifications under which my
improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a longitudinal sectional
elevation of one modification of my improved dressing, cleaning, and separating
apparatus; Figure 2 is an end elevation corresponding to the left-hand extremity
of Figure 1, the end casing being removed; and Figure 3 is a plan corresponding
to Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a plan, showing a different arrangement of
one of the vibrating sieves.
As arranged in the accompanying Drawings, the machine delineated in
Figures 1 to 3, is supported on a rectangular cast-iron frame A, consisting of
two open side standards, which are connected to each other by transverse tie
bars. On this framing is arranged the dressing machine, which is enclosed
by the casing B: the upper part of the machine is made lower at one end
than the other, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings. Across
the upper end of the machine is fitted the hopper C, which extends the full
width of the machine, and has fitted at its lower part the grooved feed roller
D; the spindle of this roller is carried in pedestal bearings, which are bolted
to the upper part of the wooden framing. One extremity of the feed roller
spindle is prolonged outwards, and has fitted to it the band pulley E, over
which is passed the endless belt F, which derives its motion from a pulley G,

page_text: on the main horizontal shaft H. The bearings of the shaft H are fitted on
the central longitudinal stays of the wood framing, the shaft passing through
rectangular apertures made opposite to each other in the casing B. Motion
is communicated to the shaft H from a steam engine or other suitable primo
mover. The grain or seed to be dressed is fed into the hopper C either
direct from a thrashing machine or other convenient source of supply, the
rotatory movement of the roller D causing it to pass into the machine in a
regular and uniform stream. The grain or seed falls, firstly, into a wire cloth
sieve or screen I, arranged immediately below the mouth of the hopper C,
which serves to separate the dust and the finer portion of the impurities
from the grain. The sieve or screen I forms one of a series of three
sieves or screens arranged contiguous to each other at the upper part
of the machine, and extending nearly from end to end. The sieve I is
formed either of wire cloth or finely perforated zinc nailed or otherwise
secured to a rectangular frame of wood; across the metallic bottom of the
sieve or screen are arranged a series of slips of wood J, which are disposed
in angular positions. This arrangement of the slips of wood form a series
of zig-zag passages or channels extending across the tray in the direction
of the length of the machine. The contiguous sieve or screen K is formed
by preference of perforated zinc, and is furnished with strips of wood L
arranged like those in the sieva I, and forming a continuation of the
same. The last sieve or screen M is made of zinc or other suitable metal,
in which the perforations are larger than in the adjoining sieve K;
in this sieve the slips of wood M are precisely similar to those before
described. The sieves or screens are made shorter than the breadth of the
machine inside the framing so as to admit of their being rapidly shaken
to and fro, and they are fitted in transverse wooden bars N, thus forming
practically one sieve or screen of varying degrees of fineness. The sieve or
screens are supported vertically by means of the strips of wood O, which rest on
the inner longitudinal rails of the framing; these uprights are sufficiently
thin so as not to interfere with the lateral vibratory motion of the compound
sieve or screen. Motion is communicated to the sieves from the main
horizontal shaft H, to one extremity of which is fitted the pulley P,
which by means of the endless belt Q, gives motion to the pulley R, on
the shaft S. The bearings of this shaft are carried in brackets, which arc
bolted to the side of the machine, and to each extremity of the shaft is
keyed a small wheel T, in the outer face of each of the wheels T there is
fixed a crank pin, to which is jointed the rod U, the inner end of the rod being
attached to pieces of wood V, pendent from the under sides of the end sieves I

page_text: and M.
Upon motion being given to the shaft S, the dust and small foreign
matters in the grain or seed fall on to the inclined plane W beneath; this
part of the machine is fitted with the moveable board X, which is fixed to the
board W by means of the thumbscrew Y, so as to be readily shifted as
required. The board W is furnished with handles to admit of its being taken
out when necessary for the purpose of cleaning the machine. The lateral
vibratory movement imparted to the compound sieve or screen causes the grain
or seed to be shaken to and fro against the angularly arranged slips of wood
which serve to prevent its too rapid descent over the screen. Whilst the
grain thus follows the zig-zag course of the angular partitions it becomes
completely separated from all impurities, and divided into different qualities
according to its weight. The grain which is small enough to pass through the
interstices of the second compartment or division K of the compound sieve or
screen falls on to the inclined plane Z, and as it falls off from the lower part of
this surface it is exposed to a current of air produced by the fanner a. This
fanner is fitted on the main shaft H, and its rotatory motion causes the light
particles of the descending stream of grain to be carried into the com-
partment b, whilst the small grain falls into the compartment c, which com-
municates with an opening in the side of the machine. The opening is fitted
with a shoot for the convenience of filling sacks therefrom, and when no tin use
the opening is closed by a sliding door. As the grain passes over the third
division M of the compound screen the grain falls on to the inclined planes d
and e, descending from which it meets the current from the fanner a, which
carries the lighter or second quality of grain into the compartment f, the
heaviest and finest quality of grain falling into the compartment g. Both the
divisions ƒ and g terminate in shoots outside the machine, to which
hooked or otherwise attached when the machine is in operation.
particles that may pass through the sieve M with the grain are
through the opening h at the upper part of the machine. Particles of straw
or other matters too large to pass through the interstices of the sieves are
shaken off at the end of the machine, and are carried away by the gutter or
shoot. In Figure 1, on the accompanying Drawings, is shown a modification
of the sieves or screens, in this arrangement the slips of wood are disposed
in right lines across the sieve k, one slip being placed opposite the opening
between the ends of the two contiguous parallel slips. The slips of wood
may be arranged in various ways so as to cause the grain or seed to pass
along zig-zag or deviating passages or channels in passing over the sieves or
sereens, and thus accomplish the operations of dressing, cleansing, or separating
grain in a very superior and effective manner.
sacks are
Any light
blown off

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for cleansing, dressing, and separating grain and seed as herein-before
described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of cleaning, dressing, and separating grain and
seed by means of the machinery or apparatus herein-before described, and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the application to and use in grain and seed dressing machinery of
sieves or screens arranged with partitions in such manner as to cause the
grain or seed to be partially impeded, and so take a circuitous or deviating
path in passing over the sieves or screens for the purpose of more effectually
separating it from impurities and foreign matters, as herein-before described,
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Todd, the younger, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
JAMES TODD, J. (L.S.)