IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING, PREPARING, AND DRYING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Coul Sinclair, of Elgin, in the County of
Moray, North Britain, Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING, PREPARING, AND DRYING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE."
Sealed the 14th April 1857, and dated the 1st November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Coul Sinclair
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st November 1856.
I, JAMES COUL SINCLAIR, of Elgin, in the County of Moray, North Britain,
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING, PREPARING, AND DRYING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the adaptation and use of the centrifugal drying
apparatus, technically known as the "hydro-extractor," for drying grain in the
straw, as well as other produce of the farm, so as to insure the rapid drying
and preparation of the grain and other vegetable produce in readiness for
stacking, storing, or the market.
In treating corn, for example, in this way, the sheaves as soon as they are.
reaped, are conveyed at once to the centrifugal apparatus, and the motion of.

page_text: such apparatus immediately removes and throws off the moisture, rendering
the grain dry and fit for future treatment and use. The grain is deposited
in the revolving chamber of the apparatus in such manner that the root or
stubble ends are next to the outside of the arms, whilst the tops or corn ends
overlap each other so far in the middle as to keep the layers tolerably level,
the damper samples being disposed at the parts nearest the extremities.
The centrifugal apparatus may form a useful adjunct to a steam thrashing
mill, so that when dried the grain can be thrashed out at once. When steam
is at hand a jet can be conveyed into a perforated chamber in the centre of the
apparatus, to aid in drying the grain as well by the direct stean heat as by
the aerial current, which may thus be produced in contact with the grain.
The aerial current, too, can be rendered dryer by causing it to flow over or in
contact with layers of muriate of lime, or other matter having a powerful
affinity for moisture. By these means, and by using waterproof covers to pro-
tect the grain in transit from the drying machine to the stack yard, and a
temporary stage or canopy over the "steddle," stack building may safely
proceed in the wettest weather. It is thus intended that grain of all kinds,
beans, pease, and other farm produce, may be satisfactorily prepared and dried
without exposure in the field.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Coul Sinclair in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
COUL SINCLAIR, of Elgin, in the County of Moray, North Britain, Accountant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Coul Sinclair, Her special license that I, the said James
Coul Sinclair, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James Cou! Sinclair, my executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING, PREPARING, AND DRYING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Coul Sinclair,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
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
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Coul Sinclair, do hereby declare
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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the adaptation and use of the centrifugal
drying apparatus, technically known as the "hydro-extractor," for drying
grain in the straw, as well as other produce of the farm, so as to insure the
rapid drying and preparation of the grain and other vegetable produce in
readiness for stacking, storing, or the market.
In treating corn, for example, in this way, the sheaves, as soon as they are
reaped, are conveyed at once to the centrifugal apparatus, and the motion of
such apparatus immediately removes and throws off the moisture, rendering
the grain dry and fit for future treatment and use. The grain is deposited in
the revolving chanıber of the apparatus in such manner that the root or stubble
ends are next to the outside of the arms, whilst the tops or corn ends overlap
each other so far in the middle as to keep the layers tolerably level; the damper
samples being disposed at the parts nearest the extremities. The centrifugal
apparatus may form a useful adjunct to a steam thrashing mill, so that when
dried the grain can be thrashed out at once. When steam is at hand, a jet can
be conveyed into a perforated chamber in the centre of the apparatus to aid
in drying the grain, as well by the direct steam heat as by the aerial current,
which may thus be produced in contact with the grain. The aerial current,
too, can be rendered drier by causing it to flow over or in contact with layers
of muriate of lime, or other matter having a powerful affinity for moisture.
By these means, and by using waterproof covers to protect the grain in transit
from the drying machine to the stack yard, and a temporary stage or canopy
over the "steddle," stack building may safely proceed in the wettest weather.
It is thus intended that grain of all kinds, beans, pease, and other farm
produce, may be satisfactorily prepared and dried without exposure in the
field.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall

page_text: now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of
showing one modification under which my improvements may be judiciously
carried out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a partially sectional elevation of a
building and mechanical apparatus, suitable for treating and drying agricultural
produce, as arranged according to one modification of my improvements;
Figure 2 is a plan, corresponding to Figure 1. In this Figure the roof of the
building is supposed to be removed in order to show the internal arrangement
more clearly. The building is placed upon a suitable foundation of masonry A,
and in the centre of the building is fixed a strong footstep bearing B, which
supports the lower end of the vertical shaft C. The upper and lower ends of
this central or main shaft C are made solid, and the middle portion which is
of larger diameter is cast hollow, the material of which the shaft is made
being, by preference, of iron. The upper part of the shaft C is supported in
a collar bearing, the details of which will be hereafter referred to. Above
the footstep bearing B a collar or shoulder D is formed on the shaft C, which
serves to support a cast-iron frame or eye E; this frame or eye, and another
fitted higher upon the central shaft, carry upon them the framework which
supports the grain or other produce under operation. The framework on
which the grain is placed consists of the horizontal or main frames F, bolted
to the sides of the lower cast-iron frame E, from each face or side of which
the frames project outwards. Upon the frames F the vertical or side frame F'
rests, and are bolted thereto; these frames support the trellis work or lattices
on which the bottom series of sheaves is placed. The side frames F¹ are
bolted to the upper and lower open frames or eyes E, and form the compart-
ments which contain the grain to be dried. The frames Fare bound together
by the tie rods G, connected to the upper, central, and lower parts of the
frames F, and they are additionally strengthened by the transverse ties II
between the frames F¹ and F, and by which the width of each compartment
is regulated. The space enclosed by each pair of the frames F' form the
compartments in which the grain or other agricultural produce to be dried is
placed; and in order to adjust the width of each compartment to the varying
lengths of the sheaves of grain, the outer end or part F beyond the framo E
of one of the ribs of each compartment is made moveable. This adjustable
portion of the frame is made to move in a direction parallel to the opposite
and fixed side of the compartments. To meet the exigencies of this variation
in the width of the compartments, the tie rods G are made with a swivelling
link and screw, by means of which they may be lengthened or shortened, as

page_text: required. The light iron lattices I form the sides of each compartment, and
are bolted to the frames F. A corresponding lattice J is placed across the
frames F and forms the bottom of each compartment, and, at a suitable dis-
tance above the bottom lattice, corresponding to the diameter of a sheaf, is
fitted a double lattice frame K. Each compartment is thus divided by pairs
of lattices, as shown on the left-hand side of Figure 1 of my Sheet of Draw-
ings; the larger spaces L between these lattices, being intended to receive
the grain to be dried, and the narrower spaces M for the circulation of air
between each tier of sheaves. The outer end of each compartment is closed
by a latticed door N, secured by bolts O or other suitable fastening.
In this modification of my improvements the drying apparatus is arranged
in an octagonally-shaped building, at each angle of which is an iron column P,
resting upon the plates Q, which form the lower frame of the building. On
the top of each of the columns P a radial girder R rests. The inner end of
cach girder is bolted to the ring or eye S, in which the collar bearing of the
shaft C is fitted. The brasses T forming the collar bearing for the journal of
the shaft C are fitted between the upper and lower sides of the ring or eye S
and are retained in their proper position and adjusted to the journal by means
of the cotters U.
In the arrangement shown in my Drawing the central shaft is supposed
to be driven by a belt carried from a fast and loose pulley outside the building
containing the drying apparatus, and passed round the pulley V on the shaft C,
as shown by the red lines, Figure 1. This pulley V is made of different
diameters, to afford the means of varying the velocity of the drying com-
partments; and, if required, means may also be adopted for reducing the
number of rotations of the shaft C'towards the end of the drying operation.
Instead of driving the shaft C by means of a belt pulley, as represented, it
may be accomplished by a bevil toothed wheel fast to the shaft C at the under
side of the lower cast-iron frame or eye E, this bevil wheel being in gear
with another wheel keyed to a horizontal shaft passing through a channel W,
which is made in the masonry forming the foundation of the superstructure.
The horizontal shaft is connected with any suitable prime mover outside the
drying building. The channel W is made for the purpose of conveying either
heated air or steam to the interior of the building for the purpose of expediting
the drying operation, the current of air or steam thus introduced being rapidly
carried off by an opening in the roof, the arrangement of which will be
presently described. The outer casing or wall of the building is, by preference,
of wood, and made to form a series of double doors X opening from the centre
of each of the eight sides formed between the columns P. By means of this

page_text: arrangement the operation of drying agricultural produce may be facilitated
by opening the doors to the windward, and, if required, those to leeward, in
order to obtain a current of air through the building.
In the modification shown in my Drawing the upper part of the drying
chamber is enclosed by a light roofing Y of iron, covered with zinc, galvanized
iron, or other suitable material, and at the upper part is an opening in which
a moveable hood Z is fitted. The lower part of this hood Z is made to turn
easily within the opening in the roof, and the hood itself is hinged at one side,
so that it may be raised by means of the rope or chain a, which is passed over
the pulleys b, and attached to the lower end of the rack c, into the teeth of
which a catch d falls when the hood or cover Z is raised. When the hood is
raised it is placed with its convex side to the wind, so that the moist air within
the drying chamber may be carried off. In drying grain by means of this
machinery, the sheaves or a layer of other agricultural produce is placed on
the bottom lattice of each compartment, and above these another lattice is
placed on supporting brackets, or upon the grain, then another lattice, and
upon this the second series of sheaves or layer of agricultural produce is
placed, and so on, until the compartment is filled. In arranging the grain
to be dried, preference is given to the plan or method of placing it with the
lower part of the plant in the direction in which the apparatus is made to
revolve. When the compartments are filled and the lattice doors fastened,
the shaft C is put in rapid motion, causing a current of air to pass with great
velocity through the tiers or layers of grain or other vegetable matters to be
dried, by which means they are speedily rendered fit for thrashing or stacking,
as may be required.
The agriculturist having a machine of the kind herein-before described is
thereby enabled to dry and prepare his crops in a rapid and efficient manner
irrespective of unfavourable weather or atmospheric changes, that would
otherwise retard his progress, and at times be attended with heavy pecuniary
loss.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus

page_text: for drying and preparing grain and other agricultural produce, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of depriving grain or other agricultural produco
of moisture by means of the apparatus or mechanical arrangements herein.
before described.
Third, the application and adaptation of a centrifugal action to the drying
wheat or other agricultural products, as herein-before described, in com-
bination or not with artificial drying currents.
Fourth, the system or mode of preparing and drying agricultural produce
by the agency of aerial currents made to flow over or in contact with muriate
of lime or other matter having a powerful affinity for moisture.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Coul Sinclair, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
J. C. SINCLAIR. (L.S.)