IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS OR DRYING FLOORS FOR THE DRYING OF HOPS, MALT, WOOL, OR OTHER MATTERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL
DIECIFICATION.
We BENJAMIN PRESTON HARRIS of Southfleet near Gravesend in the County
of Kent Farmer and ALFRED STAGG of Milton next Sittingbourne in the same
County Fellmonger and Woolstapler do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS OR DRYING FLOORS FOR THE DRYING OF HOPS,
MALT, WOOL, OR OTHER MATTERS to be as follows:-
In the drying of hops and other matters it is of great consequence that the same
should be dried to a certain extent and yet not overdried or burnt and in order to
obtain the best results it is generally desireable to be able to control accurately the
temperature of the chamber or kiln and of the heating means for heating the
matters to be dried or the atmosphere passed into and between the matters treated.
When such heating is effected by direct fire heat as is at present generally the case
such control is difficult and the results obtained are not uniformly satisfactory.
The object of our invention is to provide means for drying hops, malt, wool,
grain, seeds, roots, and other matters in an efficient manner with ready control of
the heating means and without danger of over heating or burning the matters
under treatment.
It is well known that, in the drying of hops for instance, a steady sufficient flow
of warm dry air at somewhere about one hundred degrees (Fabrenheit) is adapted
to give the best results in quality and flavor for brewing purposes, whilst on the
other hand the employment of too high a degree of temperature in the drying is
highly detrimental to condition or quality in hops and deteriorates their value and
destroys their useful properties.
Again in the drying of grain and seeds as well as other matters it is essential to
the preservation of their best qualities and value that a certain temperature be not
exceeded and that the same should be capable of steady maintenance.
For this purpose we construct a kiln or drying floor with a suitable reticulate or
openwork surface such as perforated zinc supported on wooden or other supports
so as to admit of free passage of a heated current of air therethrough and beneath
this openwork floor we arrange tubes or pipes to serve as channels for the flow of
steam therethrough and we find it convenient to arrange these steam pipes so that
they traverse to and fro across the floor and to connect the one end of the series to
031

page_text: the steam boiler, or superheater, for the supply of steam and the other end to the
exhaust, or outlet.
These channels for the passage of the steam (which may be super heated) we
according to one modification form as chambers or hollow plates.
In some cases shelves may be employed in the chamber to support some of the
matters under treatment and these shelves are similarly heated by steam.
Beneath the floor we produce the vapour of sulphur when, as for hops, such is
desired to be admitted to the chamber and this vapour then passes into and
amongst the matters in the chamber. The fire heat for subliming the sulphur
may be that of a small fire provided for the purpose, or in the case of the adapta-
tion of our invention to a kiln or chamber already provided with a fire place such
may be utilised for the purpose.
"'
We supplement the natural draught through the kiln or chamber created by our
heating arrangements already described, by means of a fan or other suitable forcing
means to force in air below the floor and steam heating means, when desired.
We find it economical to connect the exhaust end of the zig zag or other series
of steam pipes to a syphon or trap to intercept the condensed water and return it
to the boiler.
If desired steam heated pipes may be applied within the chamber.

page_text: We BENJAMIN PRESTON HARRIS of Southfleet near Gravesend in the County
of Kent, Farmer and ALFRED STAGG of Milton next Sittingbourne in the same
County Fellmonger and Woolstapler do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS OR DRYING FLOORS FOR THE DRYING OF HOPS,.
MALT, WOOL OR OTHER MATTERS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In the drying of hops and other matters it is of great consequence that the same
should be dried to a certain extent and yet not overdried, or burnt, and in order
to obtain the best results it is generally desirable to be able to control accurately
the temperature of the chamber or kiln and of the heating means for heating
the matters to be dried or the atmosphere passed into and between the matters
treated.
When such heating is effected by direct fire heat as is at present generally
the case such control is difficult and the results obtained are not uniformly
satisfactory.
The objects of our invention are to provide efficient means for the drying of
hops, fruit, malt, wool, grain, seeds, roots and other matters with ready control
of the heating means and to avoid danger of over heating or burning the matters
under treatinent.
In the drying of hops for instance, it is well known that a steady sufficient flow
of warm dry air heated to somewhere about one hundred degrees (Fahrenheit) is
adapted to give the best results in quality and flavor for the purposes of brewing,
whilst on the other hand the employment of too high a degree of temperature in
the drying is highly detrimental to condition or quality in hops and deteriorates
their value and destroys their useful properties.
Again in the drying of grain and seeds as well as other matters it is essential to
the preservation of their best qualities and value that a certain mean temperature
be not much exceeded and that such temperature be capable of steady maintenance
throughout the drying operation.
For this purpose we dispense with the employment of fire as the direct heating
means for drying the hops or other matters and we employ in lieu thereof the heat
obtained from steam passing through pipes arranged in proximity to the supporting
floors on which the matters or the appropriate receptacles of those matters rest and
thereby we avoid all scorching, burning or such like damage, gain considerable
weight in hops in each kiln load, obtain better quality and uniformity of quality,
retaining the aromatic and other properties of the hops or other matters treated.
In carrying out our invention we employ a kiln or drying floor with a suitable
reticulate or openwork floor having located a short distance below it but in close.

page_text: proximity a series of steam pipes supplied by a suitable steam boiler or heater,
with supplemental shelves or part floors similarly arranged conveniently above
the main floor.
These floors support the matters to be treated in wire work sievos or trays
adapted for conveying and holding the matters without necessitating handling
or walking over them.
In the accompanying drawings Fig 1. shews by vertical section our invention
modified and applied to a kiln of circular section and Fig. 2. shews by sectional
plan taken at the line A A Fig 1 such an arrangement of kiln floor with a series
of sieves, say, for hops upon it.
Fig 3 shews a similar plan of a floor of a kiln of square section or ground plan.
Figs 4. 5 & 6 shew separately by plan, side and sectional view respectively one
of the sieves g. a indicates the walls ba suitable door for ingress and egress and
removal of goods. c are a series of steam pipes supported on beams or girders d
supported by the walls of the kiln a. care steam pipes supplying steain from the
steam boiler c² to the pipes c. e are joists or supports for the battens f, or it may
be metal gratings in lieu thereof, to support a perforated zinc or other reticulate or
openwork floor e on which are laid the sieves g with the contained matters being
treated. ³ ³ are supplemental pipes conveying steam to and fro under the part
floors or shelves e*, e*, supported on girders or supports j and k, k are other supports
for the series of heating steam pipes c³. c' are also pipes of supply therefor.
Pipes for return or exhaust ends of the zig zag or series of steam pipes are connected
to a syphon or trap to intercept the condensed water or return it to the boiler as
will be well understood.
If it be desired for some purposes steam heated pipes may be applied within thẹ
chamber supplementarily of the series below the floors.
Fig 3 shews by cross section of a kiln of rectangular form a the arrangement of
the sieves on the floor e, a portion of that floor e, a portion of the battens f, a
portion of the heating pipes c, a part of one of the beams d, parts of joists e¹, and
the position of the door 6 also substantially as already described with respect to a
circular kiln, excepting as regards adaptation to variety of form of kiln.
In operating upon the goods to be dried such as hops for instance; we place the
hops in the wire or other openwork sieves g and we place these in series best
adapted for filling the kiln floor or floors e-the sieves being of rectangular or
other form to fit to each other and to the kiln sides a.
By these means the hops may be readily transported into and from the kiln,
avoiding any necessity for treading upon and consequently injuring the hops as is
now commonly the practice if not the necessity in passing to and from the interior
of the kiln a.
The dotted lines B, C respectively indicate the position which contiguous kilns
may occupy and be served by the same steam boiler as the central kiln, branch
pipes taking a supply of steam to each side kiln.
The series of pipes c for conveyance of the steam under the floors e may be
substituted by series of chambers or hollow plates ample air spaces between being.
left for passage of air.
Owing to the improved treatment which is afforded to hops especially by our
process we are enabled to dispense with sulphuring to a great extent but where
such process is desired to be resorted to, and the sulphur vapour introduced into
and amongst the goods in the chamber this may be produced by means of fire
heat from a small fire in a portable fire place or where a fire place already exists as
in most old kilns such may be utilized for the purpose or the vapour be introduced
in any convenient known manner.
When the natural draught of air through the kiln or chamber created by our
heating means is insufficient or is desired to be augmented we use a fan or other *
suitable forcing means to force or draw air in below the floor e and up there-
through and past the steam piping.
-1
.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The construction and arrangement of kilns or drying floors with perforated or
reticulate floors suitably supported over and in proximity to steam heated pipes,
chambers or hollow plates, adapted to dry matters placed upon the floors by
radiation and currents of heated air as set forth.
2. The construction and arrangement of kilns or drying floors with perforated
floors and part floors having steam heated pipes, chambers or hollow plates arranged
and supported in proximity below the same adapted to heat currents of air passing
therethrough and to heat and dry matters supported thercon as set forth.
3. The construction and arrangement of removeable openwork sieves or holders
for the goods to be dried upon the floors or shelves of kilns or drying floors heated
by steam pipes or chambers as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The general arrangements and combinations of parts of kilns or drying floors
heated by steam pipes or chambers as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of May 1885.
WM BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the said Benjamin Preston Harris
and Alfred Stagg.