Invalidity dossier
US 230378
Added 9/23/2026, 5:38:03 PM
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Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Patent Overview — US 230,378
Title: Grain-Toller
Inventor: William J. Wilson, of Stephenville, Erath County, Texas
Patent number: US 230,378
Application filed: April 27, 1880 (No model)
Granted/Published: July 20, 1880
Legal status (as listed): Expired – Lifetime; anticipated expiration July 20, 1897
Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US230378](/patent/US230378)/en
Purpose. The invention is an apparatus for tolling grain — that is, measuring a customer's grain while simultaneously separating out a proportional share retained by the miller as toll. According to the specification, the invention "consists in a novel construction of a revolving cylinder provided with cavities representing certain measures, and of a casing in which said cylinder works," which measures grain by revolution and separates the toll, and which can vary the toll measure "according to the amount of toll to be taken."
Plain-language scope. A frame (A) journals a shaft (B) carrying a cylinder (C), drivable by a pulley (b). Toward one end the cylinder face has multiple cavities (D) representing measures such as bushels or fractions; the embodiment shows five. Toward the opposite end is a single toll cavity (E). With five measures D, toll taken is one-sixth of the grain passed through. The toll measure has an adjustable follower or false bottom (G), moved by a subjacent screw (H) working in a tapped hole, to raise or lower capacity. A casing (J) encloses the cylinder; a partition (K) fits closely against the cylinder surface and divides the lower casing into two discharge spouts (I I) — one for the main measured grain, one for toll. A hopper (M) sits atop the casing with its bottom fitting the cylinder; a metallic plate (P) on the advancing side resists grain friction and wear. The cylinder may be wood with measures D and E faced with metal.
Claims. (1) The combination of hopper M with cavities D (customer's grain) and cavity E (miller's toll), the cavities spaced apart near opposite edges of the wheel. (2) In a tolling-wheel, measure E with a false bottom having a subjacent screw for adjusting depth.
Not established by this excerpt. The supplied text does not establish any assignee, ownership, or transfer of rights; the front-page "Assignee" field is absent, and Wilson is named only as inventor. It also provides no litigation, validity, or prior-art analysis, and no information on commercial use or later modifications. One related document, US 2,489,592 (Shaffer, "Sampling apparatus"), is listed as citing this patent, but the excerpt gives no further detail.
Generated 10/1/2026, 9:43:27 PM
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Assignment history
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Prior art
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Obviousness
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Derivative works
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