7 
 
SB 189 
 .B67 
 .Copy 1 
 
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 ,, BULLETIN No. 857 
 
 .-Sg^ Contribution from the Bureau of Markel^ "^ 
 
 Orwr*'^>J'6. GEORGE LIVINGSTON, Acting Chief J^^^^U 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 PROFESSIONAL PAPER 
 
 June 25, 1920 
 
 A MODIFIED BOERNER SAMPLER. 
 
 By E. G. BoEKNER, In Charge, Grain Investigations, and E. H. Ropes, Specialist 
 
 m Grain Investigations. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Introduction 1 
 
 Description 4 
 
 Operation G 
 
 How to obtain the sampler. 
 Care of tlie device 
 
 Page. 
 8' 
 8 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The device described in this bulletin was developed primarily to 
 meet the demands of grain dealers and laboratory workers for a 
 cheap and simple method of securing from a larger sample to be 
 graded a smaller representative portion of grain for testing and 
 analyses purposes. Another application of the device, which should 
 be of special interest to the grain trade, is that a sample can be 
 divided into two or more representative parts, so that one representa- 
 tive part may be used for testing and grading and the other part or 
 parts may be turned over to the seller or the buyer of the grain, or 
 retained for future reference. It can also be used for reducing the 
 size of samples of seeds, flour, meal, feeds, or any other material of 
 like kind for examination or analyses. This device should be of 
 special interest to country grain dealers. A phantom view of the 
 device completely assembled in operation is shown in figure 1. 
 
 The device (commonly known to the trade as the " Boerner Sam- 
 pler") described in Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 287 was 
 developed primarily for the i)urpose of dividing an original samjjle 
 into smaller portions, which might be analyzed without the undue 
 loss of time incident to handling a large sample, and to make this 
 division in such a manner that each small portion would correctly 
 retain the original proportion of the various factors comprising the 
 
 170658°— Bull. 857—20 
 
 Oct 
 
 H 
 
BULLETIN 857, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
 
 Fig. 1. — Phantom view of device. American manufacturei's and users of 
 this device are protected by a public-service patent. 
 
 
c<b 
 
 /C^; ^ A MODIFIED BOERNER SAMPLER. 3 
 
 original sample. The original standard design is more complicated 
 to manufacture than the modified sampler here described, but it is so 
 constructed that it is somewhat more convenient to work with. It is 
 used at all offices of Federal Grain Supemision, and is recommended 
 for grain inspection departments and others who have to do a large 
 amount of grading or testing. 
 
 During the past few years the increased cost of material and labor 
 has caused the cost of the original standard device to advance to such 
 an extent that many grain dealers, especially country grain dealers, 
 have not felt justified in purchasing it. 
 
 Following the Department of Agriculture's policy of bringing the 
 equipment necessary for correct grading within the financial reach 
 of all persons concerned, the original standard design for this device 
 has been modified so as to cheapen its construction materially and 
 bring its cost within the reach of all persons interested in grain 
 grading. 
 
 The first essential in the accurate grading of grain is the securing 
 of a representative sample of the lot or parcel of grain to be graded. 
 A representative sample varies in size somewhat as the bulk of the 
 lot to be sampled varies. For the weight per bushel test or dockage 
 determination, the quantity of the sample to be used is fairly large, 
 and for these tests reduction in size may not always be necessary, 
 but in every case the amount of the sample is many times larger thati 
 can be conveniently analyzed or tested for such factors as foreign 
 material, other grains, damaged kernels, or moisture content. In 
 order to obtain a portion small enough for these analyses and tests 
 it is essential that the size of the original sample be reduced. 
 
 Mere haphazard reduction of size of sample, however, leads only 
 to confusion and disputes between the interested parties. Among 
 haphazard methods of cutting down the size of the sample might 
 be mentioned: Pouring out a portion of the sample; taking out a 
 portion with a scoop or with the hand ; dividing the sample with a 
 ruler ; or any other solely manual method. When a small portion is 
 taken out of a larger sample by any of these methods it almost in- 
 variably results in removing either too gi'eat or too small a propor- 
 tion of foreign matter, broken grains, damaged kernels, and admix- 
 tures of other grains; and even though this may not in some cases 
 affect the result of certain tests, as for instance the moisture test, it 
 may, and usually does, seriously affect the correct proportion of the 
 admixtures in the remaining portion of the sample upon which the 
 other tests are based, and incorrect grading is a common result. 
 
 The reduction of the size of the original sample for analysis and 
 testing is generally necessary and the retention of the relative pro- 
 portions of the admixture of various other grains, foreign substances, 
 broken kernels, and damaged kernels, of which the original was made 
 
4 BULLETIN 857, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
 
 up, is in such cases absolutely essential to correct grading; but with- 
 out the aid of a mechanical device the retention of correct proportions • 
 with such a reduction is hardly possible; 
 
 One familiar with grain grading knows that to obtain uniform 
 results the tests and analyses must be made on samples obtained in a 
 uniform manner. It is surprising how slight a variation in the 
 method of obtaining either the original sample or a portion of the 
 sample for certain tests will cause a difference in the result ; yet we 
 find many methods in everyday use, when the country as a whole 
 is considered. 
 
 To grade grain accurately requires not only a thorough Imowledge 
 of the grain to be graded and the grade requirements, but also ac- 
 curate determinations of the grading factors, and for these deter- 
 minations proper apparatus is necessary. A sample-splitting device 
 for reducing the size of a sample for analyses and testing is con- 
 sidered essential for correct grain grading, and for reasons already 
 explained the modified device described in this bulletin was designed 
 especially for use by country grain dealers. 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 The modified sampler consists primarily of the following parts: 
 Two cylinders partially nesting or telescoping; two pans, or con- 
 tainers; and three legs. The upper cylinder with its parts forms a 
 hopper with gate ; the lower cylinder contains a spreading cone, 
 diverting ducts, and a funnel. Figure 2 shows the device completely 
 assembled and ready for operation. 
 
 The upper cylinder is designed to slide down inside of the lower 
 cylinder until it rests upon the partitions of the diverting ducts ar- 
 ranged around the base of the cone, where it is held in proper posi- 
 tion. A funnel is set down inside of the upper cylinder so that with 
 the cylinder it forms a hopper of ample capacity, shown in figure 3. 
 This hopper is provided at its bottom with a gate that may be opened 
 or closed by means of a convenient handle extending through to the 
 outside of the cylinder. A bottom view of the hopper and gate is 
 shown in figure 4. 
 
 The lower cylinder contains the spreading cone, and holds it so 
 that its point is directly under the center of the opening in the bot- 
 tom of the hopper in the upper cylinder. The diameter of the spread- 
 ing cone at its base is less than the diameter of the cylinder, and the 
 space between the cone and cylinder is subdivided into a given num- 
 ber of equal spaces by radial partitions extending from the base of 
 the cone to the cylinder wall. The arrangement of the partitions as 
 shown in figure 3 is such that any material passing through the de- 
 vice, by way of the hopper, and sliding down over the surface of the 
 cone, is divided into as many equal streams as there are spaces 
 between the partitions around the base of the cone. Every other 
 
A MODIFIED BOERNER SAMPLER. 
 
 stream of material falls into one pan, while tlie alternate streams are 
 diverted into the other pan, tluis dividing the original material 
 (sample) into two 
 equal parts. The 
 separation of the 
 streams is accom- 
 plished by leaving 
 the openings be- 
 tween the radial 
 partitions u n o b- 
 structed in every 
 other space, and in 
 the alternate spaces, 
 between those left 
 clear, providing bot- 
 toms which, with 
 the partition as 
 sides, form diverting 
 ducts. The streams 
 of material passing 
 through the unob- 
 structed openings 
 fall directly into the 
 upper pan. The 
 streams passing 
 through the ducts 
 are diverted into a 
 funnel, shown in fig- 
 ure 4, which collects 
 the streams from all 
 the ducts and dis- 
 charges them as one 
 stream (which is 
 one-half of the 
 original material) 
 into the loAver pan 
 through a protected 
 opening in the up- 
 per pan.. 
 
 The upper pan, 
 illustrated in figure 
 5, is designed so that 
 it catches and holds 
 
 Fig. 2. — Side view of complete device. 
 
 the half of the material i)assing through the unobstructed openings, 
 but permits the other half of the material, which has passed through 
 
6 BULLETIN 857, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
 
 the diverting ducts and funnel, to fall into the lower pan through 
 a protected opening. The lower pan, also shown in figure 5, is a 
 simple receptacle with a handle and a pouring spout. 
 
 Three detachable legs are provided to carry the lower cylinder, 
 and on these legs are supports for the upper pan. 
 
 The device can be made of brass or block tin, but the material 
 used must be of sufficient stiffness to resist bending or denting under 
 working conditions. 
 
 The primary purpose of this device is to divide an original sam- 
 ple into smaller portions, which may be analyzed without the undue 
 loss of time incident to handling a large sample, and to make this 
 division in such a manner that each small portion will correctly re- 
 tain the original proportion or percentage of the various factors 
 
 l^iG. 3. 4, Top view of lower cylinder showing cone and arrangement of ducts and 
 
 openings. B, Top view of upper cylinder showing hopper and gate (open). 
 
 comprising the original sample. If the correct proportions of the 
 orio-inal factors are retained, it is not an indication of failure on the 
 part of the device if the grain or other material is not divided into 
 absolutely equal parts every time it is run through the sampler, the 
 essential feature being the retention of the correct proportion of the 
 factors of the original sample. 
 
 OPERATION. 
 
 After the device is set up with the cylinders, legs, and pans in 
 correct position, and the gate in the hopper closed and locked, the 
 sample to be divided is poured into the upper hopper. 
 
 Then the gate should be opened and swung clear of the opening, 
 that the sample may fall through the opening in the hopper onto the 
 point of the cone, where it slides over the entire surface of the cone 
 
A MODIFIED BOERNER SAMPLER. 7 
 
 in a shallow sheet and is divided into as many streams as there are 
 spaces between the partitions at the base of the cone. As every 
 alternate stream falls into one pan, and the intermediate streams are 
 diverted into the other pan. the sample will be divided into ap- 
 proximately equal parts. In order to further divide the sample, it 
 will be necessary only to close the gate and pour the contents of one 
 of the pans — the lower pan will be found to be more convenient to 
 use for this purpose — into the hopper, replace the pan, open the gate, 
 and let that half of the original sample run through the device 
 again. This action can be repeated, pouring always from the same 
 pan, until the quantity of the sample deposited in one pan is the 
 amount desired for analysis. By various combinations, pouring from 
 
 PiQ_ 4. — A, Botton view of lower cylinder, showing spout at bottom of funnel and 
 shield surrounding this spout. D, Bottom view, upper cylinder, showing bottom of 
 hopper with gate open. 
 
 the same pan ever}^ time, as described, or by sometimes using the 
 other, almost any desired size of sample can be obtained,^ provided 
 the entire contents of the pan being emptied are poured into the upper 
 hopper each time. 
 
 For instance, if the weight of the original sample is 1,000 grams, 
 and it is desired to obtain approximately 30 grams for analysis, the 
 sample should be poured through, or " cut *' as it is connnonly called, 
 five times. The first cut starts with 1.000 grams, giving 500 grams 
 in each pan; the second cut starts with 500 grams, giving 250 grams 
 in the pan just emptied, and 750 grams in the other; the third cut 
 
 » U. S. Department of Agriculture Bulletin .574 will be found convenient for use in 
 grain grading in connection with this apparatus, as it contains tables of the conversion of 
 the weights of mechanical separations of grains into percentages. 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 8 bulletin 857, u. s. department of a 
 
 ^ 000 935" 04q''''2''''# 
 
 gives, respectively, 125 grams and 8<5 grams; the louriu mt, ^j-^.z" 
 
 grams and 937.5 grams; the fifth cut, 31.25 grams and 9G8.75 grams. 
 These weights may vary slightly in amount, as previously explained, 
 but this will not affect the accuracy of the portion. 
 
 CARE OF THE DEVICE. 
 
 As there are practically no moving parts to this device it requires 
 little care except to keep it clean. If the openings around the base 
 of the cone, or the ducts, are allowed to become choked or partially 
 clogged by pieces of straw, corncob, etc., the accuracy of the results 
 may be vitally affected. 
 
 With the present device it is a simple matter to lift out the upper 
 cylinder, examine the openings and ducts around the base of the 
 cone, and remove any obstructions lodged there. This precaution 
 
 Fig. 5.- 
 
 -A, Upper pan, showing pi-otected opening through which material passes to 
 pan. B, Lower pan. 
 
 should never be neglected, as it affects the correctness of the sample 
 and, by so doing, the analysis and grading of the grain in question. 
 
 HOW TO OBTAIN THE SAMPLER. 
 
 This device is covered by the same public-service patent as is the 
 original standard apparatus described in Department of Agriculture 
 Bulletin Xo. 287, and anyone in the United States is free to make 
 and use it without the payment of a royalty. 
 
 A modified sampler made of block tin approximately 30 inches 
 high and 10 inches in diameter, with 20 partitions spaced 1 inch 
 apart around the base of the cone, which is considered a suitable size 
 for grain-grading purposes, is now on the market. The design is 
 so simple that any competent tinner or metal worker should be able 
 to make it at about one-third the cost of the standard " Boerner 
 Sampler." Working plans and specifications may be obtained from 
 the Bureau of Markets, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- 
 ton, D. C. 
 
 W.\SHIXOTON ; GOVEUXIIKNT PRINTING OFFICE : 192IJ 
 
A 
 
 HoUingar Corp. 
 pH8.5