US1728238A

US1728238A - Grain retarder

Info

Publication number: US1728238A
Application number: US233955A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl C Gray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-11-17
Filing date: 1927-11-17
Publication date: 1929-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1946-09-17

Description

p 17, 1929' c. c. GRAY 1,728,238

GRAIN RETARDER Filed Nov. 17, 1927 I INVENTOR CARL GRAY 8' I BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1929.

UNITED STATES CARL o. GRAY, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA GRAIN RETARDER This invention relates tograin cleaning and separating machinery of the type in which grain is separated, one size and weight from another, by being fed into the 5 higher end of an inclined, rotating cyl nder, provided with profusely distributed internal pockets, which, as the cylinder rotates, receive the shorter and heavier grains, and carry them up to a point where they loimay drop into a trough from which they may be conveyed away, while the larger and lighter grains are discharged from the lower end of the cylinder proper; and the primary object is to provide means of aprac- 15 tical, eflioient and novel nature, for retarding' the. flow of unseparated grain through the cylinder and causing the grain to bank back, so that the cylinder will have ample opportunity to get in contact with the en-' the grainbody before it is discharged from the cylinder. A further object. is to provide 'means for mounting the retarder so that itwill be self adjusting and thereby retain a constant and uniform contact with the cylinder. Another object is to provide means for regulating the operative position of the retarder'in the cylinder so that it will properly function under various conchtions and with increased or decreased grain volumes. Still other and more specific objects will bedisclosed in thecourseof the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is an 'endelevation of the lower end of a grain separator cylinder towhich my, improved retarder has been applied, and with fractional portions broken away for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the lower cylinder portion andimy improved retarding mechanism, a portion of the cylinder being shown in section.

Fig. 3 isa sectionalelevation, on a reduced scale, through the cylinder, aslooking toward the lower end where the retarder is shown.

Referring to the drawing more particu-' larly and by reference characters, 4 designates a cylinderaof the well known type thatis provided, in its inner surface with Application filed November 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,955.

profusely distributed indents or pockets .5. The cylinder may be carried on the center shaft 6, but is shown in thepresent instance as mounted. on supportingrollers v7, and for this purpose the cylinder may be provided, at its extremity, with a reinforcing and rigidifying band 8. It may here be noted that the indentations do not eX- tend to the extreme end of the cylinder, but

terminate a short distance in, thus leaving a path or smooth strip of inner surface 9, at the end of the cylinder.

Trunnioned on the shaft 6 is a casting 10 that forms a support for one end of a trough 11 having a lateral extension. or ledge 12, between which and the cylinder wall there is but a restricted. passage, as shown in F igs; 1 and 3. As the grainis carried up by the cylinder pockets 5, itis dropped on the ledge 12 ordirectly into the trough, and'a conveyor screw 13 carries it to one end of the trough where it is discharged, as shown in Fig. 2. As some grain will be carried higher than others,it will be, seen that raising orylowering the trough extension 12 will partly determine the character of the grain it will receive, but as such adjustment forms no part of the present invention, it is neither shown nor described.

The separating capacity of thecylinder is determined verylargely by its size, speed of rotation, inclination, and other conditions over which there is more orless control. Under the .most favorable circumstances, however, it is found that a certain amount of the small and'heavier, or choice grain is not separated out, if its longitudinal flow through the cylinder is not retarded near the lower end thereof, because at such time most of the heavier grain has been separated out andwhat remains has a tendency to pass out with the lightermaterial.

To remedythis condition, I provide a retarder in the form of a vertical plate 14, having an arcuate outenedge that rides on and in close contact with the path 9 of the cylinder. This plate is pivotally mounted upon the crank arm of a slightly angular link bar 16, having; another crank 17,

at its upper end, that pivots in the arm 18 of collar 19 which, in turn, trunnions on a collar 20 of the casting 10. The collar 19 is provided with a second arm, 21, that may be connected to similar arms of corresponding retarders, of other cylinders placed parallel and in a series with the cylinder shown, by a connecting bar 22.

The arm 18 is provided with a lever 23 having a pin 24 that is yieldingly and selectively held in any one of a series of apertures 25, in the casting 10, by a spring 26. 'When this pin 1S released and the arm 18 is swung up, until the pin maybe reinserted in a higher or advanced perforation the plate let is adjusted to the left, as seen in Fig. 1,

and by a converse adjustment the plate is moved to the right. It will thus'be seen thatit is a simple matter to move or swing the retarder plate to either the left or right,

and it will also be noted that, by virtue of the connecting bar 22, this adjustment may be simultaneously made in a series of retarders, and in which event 'onlyone lever 23, or similar device, need be used.

' The object of providing the above described adjustmentsfor theretarder plate is to enable the operator to so locate it that it will best serve itspurp'ose under varying conditions. Thus, if the volume of grain to be checked is light the retarder will best function in a relatively high position, but i if the volume is relatively great, then it may be lowered to a less advanced position. It is of course'understood that I have no desire to completely stop the flow of grain from the cylinder. It will'esc'ap'e, as before, but not until it has banked up sufficiently to flow over the retarder plate. This found, however, that only the very liglitest grain will so pass over the plate, and that the yet unsegregated heavier kernels will be agitated about in the grain bank until it finally settles to the bottom where it enters the pockets and is delivered up into the conveyor trough.

Themost significantfe'ature of the invention is the mounting for-the retarder plate.

To function properly this plate, throughout its entire lower edge, must be in close. uniform, and self adjusting contact with the cylinder. Otherwise grain, dust and other particles willwor'k itself between the plate and cylinder, thus losingthe grain bank. Thisbbjection is entirely overcome by the mechanism previously described. Thus, the

' pivot 17 permits the retarder plate to, raise and lower, under its own weight 'cont'actwith the cylinder, and does not establish afrigid' connection between the

centers

6 and 15;

while the pivot 15 permits the two ends of the plate 14: to fluctuateas may be required by such irregularities as maybe found in the path 9, In short, the retarder plate has a perfect floating action, is entirely self adj ust ing, as faras cylinder contact is concerned,

and yet is still subject to all the positioned adjustments that are required of it.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the general design and structural details of the invention as herein shown and described, provided, however, that such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully shown and described my invent-ion, what I claim to be new and'desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a grain treating cylinder, of a self adjusting retarder operatively positioned so as to yieldingly engage the interior surface of the cylinder, saidretarder being arranged substantially transversely of the cylinder. x

2. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder comprising a retarder plate having an arcutransversely of and Within the cylinder, and

means for adjusting the plate circumferentially within thecylinder, said means permitting a floating action of the plate with respect to the inner surface of the cylinder.

4. A. retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retarding 1 member arranged withinand having an arcuate edge resting upon the inner surface of the cylinder. 1 a I 1 5. Aretarder for a graintreating cylinder, comprising a' retarding member. arranged within and having a curved edge resting upon the'inner surface of the cylinder, and means for adjusting the position of the member.

6. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retarding member arranged within and resting upon the. inner surface of the cylinder, and a link member pivotally secured to the retarding member for adjusting it circumferentially within the cylinder.

7. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retarding member arranged within and resting upon the inner surface of the cylinder, an adjusting member adj ustable' about the axis of the cylinder, and means forpivotally connecting the adjusting member to the retarding member.

8. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retarding member arranged within and resting upon the inner surface of the cylinder, an adjusting member adjustable about the axis of the cylinder,

and a link connecting the'adjusting and re tarding members whereby the latter may have a floating action upon the inner cylinder surface.

.9. A device of the character described, comprising a retarder having an arcuate inner cylinder surface, a relatively stationary plate having an arcuate series of recesses, a sWingable adjusting arm having means for selectively engaging said recesses, and means for connecting said arm with the retarder.

12. The combination With a grain separating cylinder and an axially arranged conveyor trough therewithin, of a floating retarder at one end of the cylinder, and means for adjusting the position of the retarder, about the axis of the cylinder, either independently of or together With a similar adjustment to the conveyor trough.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CARL C. GRAY.