AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING, DRYING, DECOLORIZING, AND DEODORIZING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN OR SEED
Year: 1872

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LETTERS PATENT to David Johnson, of Wrexham, in the County of
Denbigh, Corn Miller, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS
AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING, DRYING, DECOLORIZING, AND DEODORIZING
WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN OR SEED."
.
Scaled the 5th July 1872, and dated the 13th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th May 1872.
I, DAVID JOHNSON, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Corn
3 Miller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING, DRYING, DECOLORIZING, AND
DEODORIZING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN OR SEED," to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to a novel process and apparatus whereby
wheat or other grain or seed which has acquired a bad colour and odour
may be thoroughly freed from the same at a very slight cost. The said
Invention-is-particularly-designed for treating foreign wheat, which is

page_text: irequently brought to the market in a very offensive condition, arising
from the want of ventilation during the voyage, and more especially
Egyptian wheat, which when it arrives in this country is extremely
dirty, and has a peculiar smell that is very objectionable, and detracts
greatly from its market valuo.
In practising my Invention I construct a number of tanks, or a tank
with a number of compartments, of iron, wood, or other suitable material,
each containing a cylinder with an internal revolving worm. Theso
cylinders are inclined in opposite directions, and so arranged that the
upper end of each one will feed into the lower end of the next one. The
cylinders have their under sides made of perforated metal or woven wire
to permit the liquid to drain through them. If desired I may provide
the tanks with simple worms without cylinders.
'
The first tank contains water, and the wheat requiring to be cleaned
is placed therein and carried up the cylinder by the worm. As it arrives:
at the top of the said cylinder it falls down a shoot or spout into the
worm in the next tank, which I prefer should also contain water. From
this tank it is fed to the worm of a third tank containing caustic soda,
lime water, or other alkaline solution. From this tank it is conducted
to the worm of a fourth tank which contains water, thence to the worm
of a fifth tank which contains a solution of bleaching powder or chloride
of lime, thence to the worm of a sixth tank containing water, then it is
conducted to the worm of the seventh tank which contains hydrochloric,
sulphuric, or other suitable acid, and thence to the worm of another
tank containing water, in which it is well washed; it is then preferably
conducted from this tank into the worm of another tank also containing
water, wherein it receives its final washing. In some cases the arrange-
ment of the tanks may be varied, and the alkaline solution may be
omitted, but I prefer generally to adopt the arrangement described.
These tanks, with their inclined worms arranged as above described,
form a very efficient apparatus for conducting my process, but if it is
desired to use simpler means I may employ common wicker baskets,
placed in tubs or other vessels containing the required liquids. In some
instances I may wash the wheat or other grain in an ordinary grain
washing machine before putting it in the aforesaid tanks.
From the last tank or vessel of the series the wheat is discharged into
a centrifugal machine, whereby it is deprived of the greater portion of
3

page_text: its moisture, and it is then taken to a drying and bleaching apparatus,
constructed as follows:-
This apparatus has a chamber of brickwork, iron, or other suitable
material, in which are placed a series of inclined or sloping shelves or
trays one below the other, formed of perforated metal or woven wire.
These trays or shelves are arranged in connection with cams or eccentrics,
whereby they are agitated or shaken to facilitate the passage of the
grain from one to the other. The chamber has a hopper at the top,
through which the grain is passed to the upper shelf or tray. Falling
on this tray the grain passes to the lower end thereof, and then falls
upon the next shelf, and so on till it reaches the bottom of the chamber,
from which it is discharged through a suitable aperture. This chamber
is heated by gas, hot water, hot air, or by a coke fire. A pan or chafing
dish containing sulphur is placed in the chamber under the bottom tray
or shelf, and the fumes of sulphur acting on the moist or damp wheat
or other grain as the same passes down the perforated shelves, completo
the bleaching or whitening of the same. Instead of the shelves I may
use sloping or inclined cylinders of perforated metal to conduct the
wheat through the chamber. A current of air is produced by an exhaust
fan or other apparatus through the said chamber to carry off the vapor
produced therein during the drying and bleaching of the grain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
JOHNSON, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Corn Miller, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said David Johnson, Her special license that I, the
said David Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such

page_text: others as I, the said David Johnson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
WASHING, DRYING, DECOLOURIZING, AND DEODORIZING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN OR
SEED," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 1
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Johnson, do hereby declare 1
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification :-
My said Invention relates to a novel process and apparatus whereby 2
wheat or other grain or seed which has acquired a bad color and odour
may be thoroughly freed from the same at a very slight cost. The said
Invention is particularly designed for treating foreign wheat, which is
frequently brought to the market in a very offensive condition, arising
from the want of ventilation during the voyage, and more especially?
Egyptian wheat, which when it arrives in this country is extremely
dirty, and has a peculiar smell that is very objectionable, and detracts
greatly from its market value.

page_text: யல்
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
I construct a number of tanks a, a¹, a³, a³, a', a³, aº, a³, or a tank with
a number of compartments, the said tank or tanks being made of iron,
wood, or other suitable material. Each tank or compartment contains
an internal revolving worm. These tanks and worms are inclined in
opposite directions, as shewn in Figure 1, and so arranged that the upper
end of each tank will feed into the lower end of the next one. The
tanks have within them at their under sides, as shewn at 6, perforated
metal or woven wire, through which the liquid is drained.
The first tank a contains water, and the wheat requiring to be cleaned
is placed therein and carried up the tank by the worm c. As it arrives
at the highest end of the said tank it falls down a shoot or spout & into
the worm c¹ in the next tank a', which I prefer should also contain
water. From this tank it is fed to the worm c³ of the next tank a³, con-
taining caustic soda, lime water, or other alkaline solution. From this
tank it is conducted to the worm c³ of the next tank a³ which contains
water, thence to the worm ct of the next tank at which contains a
solution of bleaching powder or chloride of lime, thence to the worm c³
of the next tank a³ containing water, then it is conducted to the
worm c³ of the next tank a' which contains hydrochloric, sulphuric, or
other suitable acid, and thence to the worm c' of another tank a³ containing
water, in which it is well washed; it is then preferably conducted from
this tank into the worm of another tank also containing water, whercin
it receives its final washing.
In some cases the arrangement of the tanks
may be changed, and the alkaline solution may be omitted, but I prefer
generally to adopt the arrangement described. These tanks, with their
inclined worms arranged as above described, form a very efficient appa-
ratus for conducting my process; but if it is desired to use more simple
mcans I may employ common wicker baskets, placed in tubs or other
vessels containing the required liquids. The tanks must be provided
with suitable apparatus for keeping them properly supplied with the
solution, and for conducting away the waste or overflow.
In some
instances I may wash the wheat or other grain in an ordinary grain
washing-machine before putting it in the aforesaid tanks.

page_text: From the last tank or vessel of the series tho wheat is discharged
through the spout or shoot e into a centrifugal machine, whereby it is
deprived of the greater portion of the moisture, and it is then taken to
a drying and bleaching apparatus. f is the drum of this centrifugal
machine, which is mounted on the shaft g, and is caused to revolve at.
the required velocity by a belt passed over the pulley h, or by other
suitable means. i, i, are partitions, between which the liquid is thrown
out by the drum, while the grain passes out at the large end of the said
drum into the hopper j, which conducts it to the bleaching apparatus.
This apparatus is contained within a chamber of brickwork, iron, or 1
other suitable material, in which are placed a series of inclined or sloping
shelves or trays jointed or hinged together and placed one below the
other, the said trays being formed of perforated metal or woven wire.
These trays or shelves are arranged in connection with a cam, eccentric,
or crank m, whereby they are agitated or shaken to facilitate the passage
of the grain from one to the other. The grain descends through the
hopper or spout ; to the upper shelf or tray. Falling on this tray the
grain passes to the lower end thereof, and then falls upon the next shelf,
and so on till it reaches the bottom of the chamber k, from which it is
discharged through a suitable spout n. The chamber is heated by gas,
hot water, hot air, or by a coke fire, placed at o. A pan or chafing
dish p containing sulphur is placed in the chamber under the bottom
tray or shelf, and the fumes of sulphur acting on the moist or damp
wheat or other grain as the same passes down the perforated shelves
complete the bleaching or whitening of the same. Instead of the 2
shelves I may use sloping or inclined cylinders of perforated metal to
conduct the wheat through the chambers. A current of air is produced
by an exhaust fan q or other apparatus through the said chamber to
carry off the vapour produced thercin during the drying and bleaching
of the grain.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The improved process of washing, drying, decolourizing and
deodorizing wheat and other grain or sced, as herein described.
Second. The tanks and rotating worms arranged and combined 3
together, as herein set forth, and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Third. The supplementary bleaching and drying apparatus, constructed
and operating as herein set forth.
Fourth. The apparatus for treating wheat and other grain or seed,
consisting of the tanks, the centrifugal machine, and the supplementary
drying apparatus, as herein set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said David Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
'W. RonT. LAKE.
DAVID JOHNSON. (L.S.)
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