Apparatus foring Variously, or At, or andzing forizing,ing, Dising,izing, oraching Material,
Year: 1879

page_text: Apparatus for Producing Variously Heated, or Cold Atmospheric,
or Mixed Air, and Utilizing the Same for Volatilizing, Drying,
Disinfecting, Deodorizing, or Bleaching Organic Material, &c.
LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Stobbs, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, and George Seagrave, of Wellington Buildings, Chelsea,
also in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF VARIOUSLY HEATED, OR
COLD ATMOSPHERIC, OR MIXED AIR, AND FOR UTILIZING THE SAME FOR
VOLATILIZING, DRYING, DISINFECTING, DEODORIZING, OR BLEACHING ORGANIC
OR OTHER MATERIAL REQUIRING SUCH TREATMENT."
Sealed the 20th February 1880, and dated the 18th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Hobbs and George
Seagrave at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November
1879.
MATTHEW STOBBS, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, and
GEORGE SEAGRAVE, of Wellington Buildings, Chelsea, also in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF VARIOUSLY HEATED, OR COLD ATMOSPHERIC, OR MIXED AIR, AND FOR UTILIZING
THE SAME FOR VOLATILIZING, DRYING, DISINFECTING, DEODORIZING, OR BLEACHING
ORGANIC OR OTHER MATERIAL REQUIRING SUCH TREATMENT."
The objects of this Invention are to provide an efficient apparatus for the
production of highly-heated or moderately heated currents, thin sheets, streams, or
annular columns of air, in combination with an equally efficient process for
discharging and forcing same into and amongst and through a material requiring to
be volatilized, disinfected, bleached, deodorized, or dried, the latter process being
equally applicable, without the heating apparatus, to cases where cold air may
require to be used instead of highly or moderately heated air.
For the purpose of carrying into effect the first part of this Invention we use a
super-heater for super beating steam or atmospheric air of specially designed form,
consisting of a rectangular metal box having divisions loaded with refractory

page_text: material, and arranged so that the steam or air will be compelled to take a zigzag
course, and be effectually broken up and heated on its passage through the super-
heater;
for this purpose we take either live steam from a boiler or exhaust-steam
from the exhaust-pipe of an engine, or atmospheric air from a blower, by which
super-beater we can readily heat the steam or air thus derived to the required
temperature to answer the purpose in view.
In order that the heat from the super-heated steam or air thus obtained may be
imparted to the currents, thin sheets, streams, or annular columns of air we construct
a trunk shaft or flue, which for convenience we call a trunk, by preference of
rectangular section. In this trunk we either place longitudinal parallel plates or
tubes of a good heat-conducting material. We may so place the parallel plates as
to cause the divisional spaces to be of alternately varied width, or we may so
arrange them to be equal in divisional space. The trunk and its internal fittings
of plates or tubes may be placed vertical, inclined, or horizontal, the arrangement
being the same in each position.
The alternate spaces between the plates are made to terminate near each end of
the trunk.
For the purpose of the passage of the super-heated steam or air between the
plates thus described lateral openings are provided at the base of the plates, similar
parallel lateral openings also being provided for the simultaneous passage of air
from a blower, under which circumstances it will be readily seen that the heat
from the super-heated steam or air will be imparted to the direct cold air from the
blower on its passage to the material to be dried, volatilized, disinfected, deodorized,
or bleached; or instead of super-heated steam or air the products of combustion from
a furnace or any other source of heat from direct combustion may be similarly
conveyed to effect the same object; or both super-heated steam and products of
combustion may be simultaneously conveyed through separate lateral openings on
both sides of the air passage for the same object, separate provision being made for
the outlet of the steam and products of combustion into a chimney to prevent their
being mixed with the heated air to be used for drying or other before mentioned
purposes; similar provision is applicable to the use of tubes instead of plates, or
we may obtain the desired highly heated or moderately heated currents of air
by use only of the said super-heater and a blower to drive the air through it.
For the purpose of carrying out the second part of our Invention, on the top of
the trunk we construct a chamber or chambers for receiving the heated air on its
passage from the trunk, which chamber or chambers may assume any convenient
form, and on the top of which chamber or chambers we place a perforated cover
(which cover, for convenience, we call an air distributor) of segmental or arched
form, or of any desired degree of convexity or concavity, or of any other desired
form, which air distributor acts as a roof of the said chamber or chambers. This
air distributor may be constructed of any suitable metal, or of earthenware, or of a
combination of both, or of any other suitable known material.
For the object of allowing the air to pass through or providing the means for same,
this air-distributor is perforated with holes of any convenient size or shape, or is
provided for the same purpose with slot spaces similar to the ordinary form of
open iron gratings, or may be provided with any other ordinary device for the
same object.
Above and immediately over the air distributor we form a chamber following
the shape of the air-distributor which, for convenience, we call a drying-room; this
drying-room may be constructed of the same material as the air-distributor and
similarly perforated, or it may be constructed of different material from that of the
distributor and of a plain surface, or it may be formed of ordinary brick-work
structure, but for the purpose of more effectually carrying out the objects of our
Invention we prefer the drying-room to be formed of double plates or walls of
suitable material placed parallel with each other, with a sufficient space between
the plates or walls to admit a portion of heated or cold air from the trunk or the

page_text: products of combustion from the furnace, the space between these plates or walls to
be open only at their base for the reception of the air from the trunk or products
from the furnace; the inner plate or wall may be perforated as in the case of the
air distributor, for the purpose of allowing the air to pass or be forced into, through,
and amongst the material to be dried or otherwise treated, as before described,
which inner plate or wall, for convenience, we call an air distributing wall.
The drying-room may be open at the top, but for giving full effect to our process
when operating upon various materials we prefer to cover the drying-room with a
dome of any convenient shape, on the top of which we may place an exhaust-fan of
any well known and approved form to assist and quicken the extraction of the
moisture or vapour from the material under treatment.
If we use our apparatus for disinfecting, deodorizing, or bleaching any material
or materials we cause a gas or vapour having the desired properties to be generated
in any suitable or convenient manner, and by means of the blower we drive the
desired gas into the chamber over the trunk, where it becomes mixed with the air
from the trunk and is then driven so diluted or mixed through the distributor into
and amongst and through the material under treatment; or we may operate the
desired gas in any other convenient way for the same object without departing
from the principle of our Invention.
Instead of using heat from a furnace or otherwise, or superheated steam, we may,
with the same apparatus, when cold air is required, use a cooling medium, without
departing from the essential features of our Invention.
The arrangement of the trunk and plates or tubes, hereinbefore mentioned, may
be advantageously employed as a surface condenser by the introduction of cold
water and steam in the alternate spaces.
The whole apparatus can be mounted on wheels and thus made portable by the
use of any available motor; if by a traction engine, the same may be employed for
actuating the fans or blowers when the apparatus is set to work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Matthew Stobbs and George Seagrave in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th May 1880.
MATTHEW STOBBS, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, and
GEORGE SEAGRAVE, of Wellington Buildings, Chelsea, also in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF VARIOUSLY HEATED, OR COLD ATMOSPHERIC, OR MIXED AIR, AND FOR UTILISING
THE SAME FOR VOLATILIZING, DRYING, DISINFECTING, DEODORIZING, OR BLEACHING
ORGANIC OR OTHER MATERIAL REQUIRING SUCH TREATMENT."
The objects of this Invention are to provide an efficient apparatus for the
production of highly heated or moderately heated currents, thin sheets, streams, or
annular columns of air in combination with an equally efficient process for
discharging and forcing same into and amongst and through a material requiring to
be volatilized, disinfected, bleached, deodorized, or dried, the latter process being
equally applicable, without the heating apparatus, to cases where cold air may
require to be used instead of highly or inoderately heated air.
For the purpose of carrying into effect the first part of this Invention we use a
(super-heater for super-heating steam or atmospheric air of specially designed form),
consisting of a rectangular inetal box, having divisions loaded with refractory
material, and arranged so that the steam or air will be compelled to take a zigzag
course and be effectually broken up and heated on its passage through the super-
heater. For this purpose we take either live steam from a boiler or exhaust steam
from the exhaust pipe of an engine, or atmospheric air from a blower, by which
superheater we can readily heat the steam or air thus derived to the required
temperature to answer the purpose in view.
In order that the heat from the super-heated steam or air thus obtained may be
imparted to the currents, thin sheets, streams, or annular columns of air we construct
a trunk shaft or flue, which for convenience, we call a trunk, by preference of
rectangular section. In this trunk we either place longitudinal parallel plates or
tubes of a good heat conducting material; we may so place the parallel plates as to
cause the divisional spaces to be of alternately varied width, or we may so arrange
them to be equal in divisional space. This trunk and its internal fittings of plates
or tubes may be placed vertical, inclined, or horizontal, the arrangement being the
same in each position.
The alternate spaces between the plates are made to terminate near each end of
the trunk.
For the purpose of the passage of the super-heated steam or air between the
plates thus described lateral openings are provided at the base of the plates, similar
parallel lateral openings also being provided for the simultaneous passage of air
from a blower, under which circumstance it will be readily seen that the heat from
the superheated steam or air will be imparted to the direct cold air from the blower
on its passage to the material to be dried, volatilized, disinfected, deodorized, or
bleached; or instead of superheated steam or air the products of combustion from a
furnace or any other source of heat from direct combustion may be similarly
conveyed to effect the same object; or both super-heated steam and products of
combustion may be simultaneously conveyed through separate lateral openings on
both sides of the air passage for the same object, separate provisions being made
for the outlet of the steam and products of combustion into a chimney to prevent
their being mixed with the heated air to be used for drying or other before
mentioned purposes; similar provision is applicable to the use of tubes instead of

page_text: plates; or we may obtain the desired highly heated or moderately heated currents
of air by use only of our superheater and a blower to drive the air through it.
For the purpose of carrying out the second part of our Invention, on the top of
the trunk we construct a chamber or chambers for receiving the heated air on its
passage from the trunk, which chamber or chambers may assume any convenient
form (on the top of which we place a perforated cover, which cover, for convenience,
we call an air distributor), of segmental or arched form, of any desired degree of
convexity or concarity, or of any other desired form, which air distributor acts as
a roof of the said chamber or chambers.
For the object of allowing the air to pass through or providing the means for
same this air-d stributor is perforated with holes of any convenient size or shape or
is provided for the same purpose with slot spaces similar to the ordinary form of
open iron gratings, or may be provided with any other ordinary device for the
same object.
Above and immediately over the air distributor we form a chamber following
the shape of the air distributor, which for convenience we call a drying room; this
drying room may be constructed of the same material as the air distributor and
similarly perforated, or it may be constructed of different material from that of the
distributor and of a plain surface, or it may be formed of ordinary brickwork
structure, but for the purpose of more effectually carrying out the objects of our
Invention we prefer the drying room to be formed of double plates or walls of
suitable material placed parallel with each other, with a sufficient space between
the plates or walls to admit a portion of heated (or cooled) air from the trunk, the
space between these plates or walls to be open only at their base for the reception
of the air from the trunk. The inner plate or wall may be perforated, as in the
case of the air distributor, for the purpose of allowing the air to pass or be forced
into, through, and amongst the material to be dried or otherwise treated, as
before described, which inner plate or wall, for convenience, we call an air
distributing wall.
The drying room may be open at the top, but for giving full effect to our process
when operating upon various materials we prefer to cover the drying room with
a dome of any convenient shape, on the top of which we may place an exhaust
fan of any well known and approved form to assist and quicken the extraction of
the moisture or vapour from the material under treatment.
We drive the desired gas into the chambers over the trunk, where it becomes
mixed with the air from the trunk and is then driven so diluted or mixed through
the distributor into and amongst and through the material under treatment;
or we may operate the desired gas in any other convenient way for the same
object.
The arrangement of the trunk and plates or tubes herein before mentioned, may
be advantageously employed as a surface condensor by the introduction of cold
water and steam in the alternate spaces.
The whole apparatus can be mounted on wheels and thus made portable by
the use of any available motor; if by a traction engine the same may be employed
for actuating the fans or blowers when the apparatus is set to work.
Our Invention is clearly represented in the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1
shows a plan, Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal section, Figure 3 a side elevation,
Figure 4 a transverse section of an apparatus constructed or arranged according to
one form.
A is the casing supporting at each end an axle B, B¹, on which are hexagon
shaped wheels C, C, for carrying a travelling belt or endless apron D, on to which
the material to be operated upon, as before referred to, is supplied by the hopper E.
F, F, are a series of revolving pickers which are rotated by chain or other appliance G
from the axle of the drum B to pick up and throw the material, as it passes under
them, up, and separate it in such a manner that every particle is acted upon by
heat forced into the casing A through the trunk H from the heating apparatus

page_text: which is arranged (preferably) alongside, as in Figure 1. I is an exhaust fan for
sucking the heat through the meshes or spaces of the travelling belt.
The heating apparatus is composed of a furnace J, the heat and products of
combustion from which are caused to pass through the bottom bars of the grate
and then through between a series of partitions K (see Figures 1 and 5) composed
of alternately arranged thin plates of heat sustaining material that atmospheric air
which passes through the alternate spaces between the partitions may be highly
heated in its passage before it enters the easing A. Instead of using a furnace in
the apparatus a special supply of steam (either live or spent) may be passed through
between double partitions K to heat the air, and these two agents may travel in
the same or in contrary directions, the object being to heat currents of atmospheric
air to the greatest extent before it enters the casing A for drying the material
which may be upon the travelling belt or apron D. The air and flue passages of
the heating apparatus may be arranged in straight lines, with or without baffle
plates at intervals, or they may be arranged in zigzag or irregular order, either
vertically or otherwise, as "desired, these serving also as bearers or runners for the
trays L, L.
The furnace fires are in sections and each fire is between two partitions K, K,
and suspended from top or hanging rails that the baskets can be lifted for lighting
and stoking purposes, the top plate Q, Q, being of angular or other form and
perforated for the passage of air to the fires.
L, L, are a series of trays arranged under the travelling belt to catch any
material which may fall through the meshes of the belt; M, M, are inclined plates
arranged over the sides of the trays to direct the particles of material into the
trays, and N, N, are baffle plates to prevent the entrance of cold air to the interior
of the casing. End plates P, P, prevent escape of heated air except through the
meshes of the belt.
=
Instead of employing the travelling or endless belt the casing to which the
material is to be supplied may have a revolving action imparted to it, as will be
understood by Figures 6, 7, and 8, the material being supplied to the casing from
a fixed hopper E.
The casing A in these Figures is cylindrical and has curved hollow and perforated
partitions R provided at intervals, through which heated air is caused to flow into
and among the material under operation as the material is being agitated by the
rotation of the cylinder A, the curved arms R acting as rakes for breaking up or
separating the particles for the thorough drying or disinfecting of the material.
The cylindrical casing A may also have tubes S arranged within it, as in Figure 6
and 9; or the divisions may be of tubes only, as in Figure 10; or the tubes, as
arms, may spring from a hollow central tube 9, as at Figures 11 and 12, in which
case it is proposed to make the casing vertical and with a lining chamber T,
through the perforations of which the heated air may be drawn off by an exhaust.
This vertical vessel may be a fixture or it may be rotated by gearing U, as
shown.
Figures 13 and 14 are part section views of another form of apparatus for the
same purposes.
In this case a series of drawers or trays D are arranged in a
separate casing A. Beneath the fire place is a chamber in which the heated air is
allowed to commingle from the heating partitions K, K, Figure 15; the descending
and ascending smoke and products of combustion pass in a zigzag direction between
the partition and find an outlet at V. In Figure 13 the apparatus is shown that
the heated air may enter the rotating cylinder and also the additional casing in
order that two kinds of material may be operated upon at the same time.
or
Figure 16 and 17 represents in part section an apparatus with a top screen
perforated plate, on to which the material to be dried or otherwise treated is placed.
Under this plate is a chamber for the heated air, and around it is another chamber
for the passage of steam after it leaves the partitions, and also for the escaping
products of combustion.

page_text: The steam from an engine or otherwise first passes through a superheater
composed of a rectangular box X provided with open partitions fitted with a
refractory material, which gives off the heat from the fire and raises the heat of
the steam in the passage through the box to great intensity; other openings
between the partitions permit the passage of the smoke and products of combustion
from the fire to the flue.
In this construction it is intended to force currents of air from a blower Y,
Figure 18, up through the partitions.
The rectangular box X, shown separately at Figures 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, is
composed of a series of hollow partitions arranged at increased distances apart from
the steam entrance a to give an increased area to the increased volumn of steam
generated by the heat of the products of combustion which pass through the
partitions.
Figures 24, 25, and 26 represent the apparatus mounted upon wheels that it may
be moved from place to place. J is the furnace, and above this is a vessel provided
with hollow partitions, through the chambers of which air and fire heat are allowed
to pass.
Above the furnace of this portable machine is a series of vessels set at an angle,
containing water, and within which steam can be raised to any desired density, a
safety valve being attached. The air from the vessels is exhausted to produce
a vacuum. Atmospheric air is forced through between the several vessels by a
blower Y and passes into a receiver or chamber Z.
The parts of the box which are most exposed to the action of the fire are below
the level of the other parts, and as steam is generated the higher part of the boxes
become filled with steam, which the passing currents of air condenses and trans-
forms into water, which flows down to the lower part to be again converted into
steam under vacuum.
The apparatus, Figures 24 and 25, has a partitioned frame, the walls of the frame
being hollow and perforated on one side that a free passage of heated air from the
receiver to the drying chamber or trunk may take place. An exhaust can be used
instead of or in combination with a blower.
Figures 28 and 29 represent an apparatus so arranged that at each side of each
flue a steam chamber is formed, and an air chamber between these, that the air to
be heated passes and takes heat from the steam, the products of combustion taking
a zigzag course along the flues by the baffle plates b.
Figures 30 and 31 show a series of tubes c, c, as air tubes, these being surrounded
by the products of combustion from the fire, and each enclosing a steam tube d
connected by bends e with a return tube which is arranged in the products of
combustion spaces of alternately. The whole of these tubes are arranged within a
jacket forming the flue. The steam as it is generated by the products of combustion
within the tubes becomes cooled down or partially condensed in its passage down
the tube, and so on, a constant circulation of heated and partially condensed steam
passing through the tubes and again becomes superheated in its return passage
through the tube which is within the flue.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
The arrangement of apparatus, hereinbefore described and shown in Sheet 1 of
the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly. We claim the arrangement of apparatus shown in Sheet 2 of the
annexed Drawings, for the purposes described.
Thirdly. We claim the apparatus shown in Sheet 3 of the annexed Drawings, for
the purposes described.
Fourthly. We claim the portable apparatus described with reference to Sheet 4

page_text: of the annexed Drawings, whether the steam heating apparatus shown in Figures 28
and 29 or that shown at Figures 30 and 31 be fitted thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Seagrave, for myself and on behalf of
the said Matthew Stobbs, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
40, Fleet Street,
London.
GEO. SEAGRAVE. (L.S.)