Today in 1895, US Patent 549699 A was issued, an invention of Christian Abele, for his “Hop Separator.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to an improvement in separators, in which the material to be operated upon is given repeated trajectory movements during its passage on an incline.

The machine which I have here illustrated is particularly well adapted for separating the foreign substance from hops; but it may be used for general separating purposes, and I therefore wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular use named.