Improvements in Appliances for Feeding Grain or Granular Substances to Machines for Treating such Substances

25,396. Pottinger, T. Nov. 15. Feeding-devices for granular and like materials.-Apparatus for feeding granular material to washers, stoners, separators, &c., consists of a feed-box 10 containing an adjustable plate or check-piece 15, on to which the grain is fed by a spout 25, and having an opening 14 in the bottom through which the grain passes to a vertically and laterally adjustable hopper 2, which delivers on to the distributing part 7 of the machine. The plate 15 is adjustable laterally on rails 16 by means of a hand-shaft 20 connected by an arm 21 and link 22 to the plate, and the rails 16 are preferably carried on a shaft 17 provided on the outside of the feedbox with a lever so that the inclination of the plate can be adjusted. An iris diaphragm or other valve arrangement may be provided to vary the size of the opening 14. The hopper 2 is suspended by links 3 from a forked lever 4, which is pivoted on a bracket 8 arranged to slide in guides 9 on the feed-box 10 so as to adjust the hopper laterally, and has a screw 6 bearing against its outer end 5 so that the hopper can be adjusted vertically. A screwed rod 11 attached to the hopper passes through a bracket 13 on the bracket 8 and has a nut 12 by means of which the hopper can be adjusted at right-angles to the slides 9. The plate 15 is adjusted so that the grain falls equally over each end of the plate, or in such proportions that it afterwards falls through the opening 14 in a uniform stream to the hopper 2. Specification 13,057/11 is referred to.