Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Substances by Means of Sieves, and in the Mode of Operating the same.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 189
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 18:0-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Substances by Means of
Sieves, and in the Mode of Operating the same.
I, JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM of 32, Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
In carrying out my invention, I prefer to arrange the sieve so as to be horizontal
in a direction across the head of the sieve and slightly inclined in a direction
parallel with the length of the sieve along which the material must travel while it
is being separated, and I arrange the sieve with flappers underneath, such flappers
being set so as to strike the underside of the sieve surface for the purpose of
cleaning the same.
In some cases I use an ordinary travelling brush, such as is commonly used on
purifiers for flour milling purposes.
I arrange two or more sieves one above the other in one frame, and in such
manner that the material under treatment may pass from sieve to sieve, and I call
such an arrangement one set of sieves.
I arrange the frame, which contains one set of sieves, so that the entire frame is
carried by the cranks of the crank shaft which drives or communicates motion to
the sieve frame, and I prefer to place the carrying crank shaft or shafts over the
sieve frame or frames, and to hang the sieve frames thereto, by means of connecting
rods, also, I place springs attached to the sieve frames for the purpose of preventing
any backlash or impact between the crank journals and the bearings carried by the
same. In some cases I may place the shafts underneath the sieves.
I use balance weights revolving with the crank shaft or shafts in cases where
only one sieve frame is used, and I make double cranks at 180 degrees apart in
cases where two sieve frames are used; for the purpose of making the two sieve
frames balance each other, also in cases where three sieve frames are used, I set the
cranks, carrying the same, at an angle of 120 degrees in relation to each other, and
I set them in a similar manner to suit a greater number of sieve frames for the
purpose of balancing.
I may sustain or carry the sieve .frame or frames by one or more crank shafts
according to the size and weight of the sieve frame or frames.
I make the vertical movement of the sieve and its speed, also the inclination of
its surface, to suit the material under treatment.
I prefer to carry each sieve frame by means of two crank shafts and four cranks,
and I set the two crank shafts to either turn towards each other or from each other,
for the purpose of producing a uniform motion in the sieve frame, and to more
effectually balance the parts in motion.
Dated this 20th day of November 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Substances by Means of
Sieves, and in the Mode of Operating the same.
I, JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM of 32, Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Milling 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for separating
substances by means of sieves and in the mode of operating such sieves.
The invention may be understood by the following description and the accom-
panying drawings referred to therein.
In the drawings,
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of a double
scalping, sifting or flour-dressing machine constructed in accordance with my
improvements.
Figures 3, and 5 are longitudinal section, transverse section and plan
respectively of another arrangement of double machine.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are longitudinal section, transverse section and plan
respectively of a machine similar to that shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, but having
its sieyes operated in a different manner.
A, is the framework of the machine, within there is mounted, as hereinafter
described, a sieve or series of sieves B each of which is preferably so mounted as to
be horizontal in a direction across the head of the sieve and slightly inclined in the
direction of its length from the head to the tail of the sieve, as seen in Figures 1,
3 and 6, the material to be treated being led on to the several sieves at the heads
thereof, as by the shutes C.
The sieves may be arranged in many ways. For instance, two or more sieves
may be placed one above the other in one frame, as in Figures 1 and 2, in such
manner that the material under treatment may pass from sieve to sieve. Such an
arrangement of sieves I call a set of sieves, and the machine shown in Figures 1
and 2 contains two such sets placed side by side in separate casings, the various
grades of material being discharged through the openings or shutes at the tails of
the sieves and through openings or shutes at the tails of the floors B¹ located
below the lowermost sieves and moving with their respective sieve frames. The
floors B' may also, if desired, be provided with intermediate discharge shutes ² as
in Figure 3.
Or I may duplicate the machine by placing two or more sieves or sets of sieves,
one above the other as in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7, each sieve or set of sieves being
provided with a separate collecting floor B¹ and discharge shute or opening
b' and b
or
Each sieve or set of sieves is arranged to be joggled or vibrated vertically in a
uniform manner by means of two or more cranks or eccentrics D forming part of
or mounted upon one or more crank shafts D', which are by preference mounted,
as shown, above the sieve, or set of sieves, the latter being suspended from the
cranks by connecting rods E. In some cases, however, the crank shafts may be
placed below the sieves. In some cases also I use sliding guides xx, Figures 3,
4, 6 and 7, to prevent any side oscillation in the vertically moving sieve
frames.
Springs F may be attached to the sieve frames, on the sides opposite the cranks,
for the purpose of preventing any backlash or impact between the crank pins and
the bearings working against the same. These springs in some cases serve to effect
the return strokes of the sieves as in the arrangement shown in Figure 4, where the
crank pins only bear against the upper sides of the connecting rod eyes. In some
instances I may employ weights instead of springs F.
Where two sieves or sets of sieves are used, I place their respective cranks at

page_text: 180 degrees apart, as seen in Figures 2, 4 and 7, for the purpose of making the
two sieves or sets of sieves balance cach other. In a similar manner, when three
sieves or sets of sieves are employed, their respective cranks are, for balancing
purposes, set at an angle of 120 degrees to each other, and so on for any greater
number of sieves or sets thereof. In cases where only one sieve or one set of sieves
is employed, I use one or more balance weights moving in a vertical plane with
the crank shafts and cranks to balance the single set of sieves. Such balance
weights may either revolve with the shafts or be suspended from a crank or cranks
upon the shafts.
The number of crank shafts employed will vary according to the size and weight
of the sieves and their frames. To produce the vertical motion, I preferably
operate each sieve or set of sieves by means of two crank shafts having each two
cranks, as seen in Figures 1 to 5.
The cranks are preferably arranged to turn either towards each other, as shown
in Figures 3 and 6, or from each other, as shown in Figure 1, for the purpose of
producing a uniform vertical motion in the sieve or sieves and more effectually
balancing the moving parts. To this end, the two crank shafts may be conveniently
driven from a cross shaft G, through the medium of mitre gearing G.
The amount of vertical movement in each sieve, its speed and the inclination of
its surface are all adjusted to suit the requirements of the material under treatment.
When dealing with fine material, such as the meals made in breaking down wheat
upon grooved rollers in flour mills, I preferably use a quick speed and a small
stroke, and my object is to produce a rapidly vibrating, but balanced, vertical
movement in the sieves in such a manner as to obtain a smooth working machine
which will be subject to a minimum amount of wear and tear which, of necessity,
arises from vibration where a rapid vertical motion is employed.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, each set of sieves is suspended
from four connecting rods connected to the sieve frame on the interior of the
machine casing. In the machine illustrated in Figures 3, to 5. each sieve or set
of sieves is suspended from four rods passing down on the outside of the casing
and connected to pins extending from the sides of the sieve frame through the
casing. The machine set forth in Figures 6 to 8 has each of its sieves or sets
of sieves suspended from two external rods connected to brackets at the ends of
the sieve frame.
The meshes of the sieve may be kept clear by travelling brushes H operating
upon its under surface, as is well understood by millers, such brushes being driven
by suitable belt gearing from one of the crank shafts, as shown in Figure 1, or by
other suitable means. Or instead of the brushes, a series of flappers may be
arranged below the sieve, and operated in such manner as to strike the underside
of the same at 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 an apparatus for separating substances by means of sieves, a sieve or set
of superposed sieves reciprocated vertically by two crank shafts (or their mechanical
equivalent as described) rotating at the same speed in opposite directions either
towards or from each other, whereby a uniform vertical motion is imparted to all
points of the sieve or sieves with a minimum amount of vibration or jar, substantially
as described.
2. The mode of operating the sieve or sieves of a machine of the kind described,
which consists in suspending each sieve or set of superposed sieves from the cranks
of a pair of crank shafts turning at a uniform speed in opposite directions, the action
of said cranks being assisted or not by spring or weight power operating in a vertical
direction, substantially as described.
3. In a sieving machine of the kind described two or more sieves or sets of sieves
reciprocated vertically by means of two crank shafts rotating in opposite directions

page_text: at the same speed and each having its cranks set at equidistant angles according to
the number of the sieves or sets of sieves operated by it, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Dated this 10th day of Sentomber 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.