US164050A - Improvement in flour-dressing machines - Google Patents

Description

` 2 Sheets--Sheet1. G. T. SMITH.

Flour-Dressing Machine.

WITNESSESAI NVENTR:

THE GRAPHIC CO.PHOT0 wLITI'L39 i4-1 PARK PLACE, N.Y.

- zsheefs--shee'z G. T. SMITH. Flour-Dressing Machine.

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THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0 -L|TH.39&4I PARK PLACE,N.Y.

yeEoEerE T. SMITH, oE/MINNEAroLrs, MINNEsoTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOUR-DRESSING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 64,050', dated June 1, 1875 application filed July 12, 1871i To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. SMITH, of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a Machine for Dressing Flour andMiddlings, of which the following is a specification:

In the drawings, Figure 1 isja top-plan view of a machine embodying my invention, with a portion of the top of the air-flue removed. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Similarl letters of reference indicate like parts in all ofthe figures.

When wheat or other grain is ground for flour, especially when it is ground close or low,7 more or less of the outer husk or skin of the kernel is made so fine that it is difficult to separate it from the flour by the ordinary methods of bolting. This is particularly the case with spring-wheat, in which the bran is very dark-colored and specks the flour badly.

rThese small particles of bran are light and can be removed from the middlings during the bolting process by means of a current of air, although they are so small that under ordinary circumstances they will pass through the meshes of the bolt-cloth.

With the common method of bolting there is a large loss of Ilour arising from the difficulty above referred to, as with the utmost care a certain proportion is left with the line bran commonly called caneli With a view to effecting a more thorough separation of the bran and tine specks from the flour, I have made this invention, which consists in combining in amachine for dressing flour or middlings a bolting-surface lor shaker, through which an air current or currents pass in one direction, while the tlour or other material passes through in an opposite direction, with a brush or a series of brushes arranged to traverse the under side of the bolting-surface, to free the cloth of the adhering line particles of material.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I will now proceed to describe a ma chine which I have invented for carrying it into operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represcnts a hopper, into which the material to be bolted is delivered from an elevator or by any other means. The material is fed by the roller B to the bolt b, the amount of feed being regulated by the slide c. a chamber, through which a current of air is made to pass by means of a fan,'D, the air entering through suitable openings C in the side of the bolt-chest, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that the air is com-- As there is a continual current of air in anl upward direction through the bolt, it will cause the very ne particles of ilour and middlings to adhere to the thread of which the cloth is composed, and close up the meshes to such an extent as to interfere materially with the operation of the device.

In order to obviate this objection and maintain a free passage of the air and middlings, I employ brushes totraverse the under side of the cloth and keep it clean. H H are the brushes attached to and carried by endless belts h, the brushes being supported upon ways It k during their contact with the bolt.

By preference, I make the frame-work and ways which support the brushes adjustable by means of set-screws b', (see Fig. 2,) so that I can keep the brushes always in contact with the bolt.

It is evident that the brushes would act up on the bolt equally well if they had a reciprocating motion, instead of being' driven continuously in one direction by the endless belts or chains, although I regard the method shown for operating them as being the cheapest and most convenient, and also better adapted for doing the work. I am aware that a combination of brushe and air-currents has been used in connection with flour-bolts for many years; but in such machines the air-current passed through the bolting-surface with the flour; hence it could The bolt is arranged in not, by any possibility, be made to perform the same functions as it does in my machine, one of which is to oat a portion of the bran and refuse upon or above the boltng-surfaee, and thus cause such particles to pass oft' at the tail of the bolt, instead of going through the cloth with the flour or clean middlings. v

I do not in this application claim the chains, belts, or bands which carry the brushes, nor the rollers which drive the same 5 nor the arrangement of the sectional air-chamber above the shaker, nor any of the other fea tures shown or described, except the invention which is distinctly claimed herein,it being my intention to limit this application to the combination of elements recited in the claim, re-

serving to myself the right to claim all other

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