Apparatus for Germinating Barley and other Cereals for use in Breweries, Distilleries, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1898- Accepted, 17th Dec., 1898
Apparatus for Germinating Barley and other Cereals for use
in Breweries, Distilleries, and the like.
I, MARIE JOSEPH FERNAND SALADIN, of 21, Rue St. Catherine, Nancy, in the
Republic of France, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to an apparatus for allowing the working of the germina-
tion of grains,-barley and other cereals-by revolving or turning them in a
thorough and efficacious manner, for watering or soaking them in a most perfect
manner, for drying them either by moist or dry air according to the progress of
the germination, for carrying out an aerated steeping or soaking by allowing the
simultaneous access of air and water into the midst of the mass under treatment,
and for completely and rapidly emptying the apparatus of the raw malt therein
contained.
This apparatus comprises a cylindro-conical vat or tub, of a capacity proportioned
to the amount of grain to be treated.
This vat consists of an upper portion made of metal, brickwork, cement or any
other suitable material and of a lower truncated cone portion of perforated sheet
metal; the opening of this truncated cone is so arranged that the grain can, by
reason of its own weight, slide or pass over and along its walls or sides. In
certain cases, this lower part may be cylindrical and may then form merely a
continuation or extension of the upper part.
The truncated cone is surrounded by an air-trough into which there lead two
pipes furnished with valves and which allow to be led into contact with the grain,
sometimes damped or moist air from a suitable apparatus and sometimes dry air
from another suitable apparatus.
At the lower part of the trough or case are arranged a discharge trap or door
forming the bottom of the truncated cone, and a sluice or a bung for the emptying
of water in excess. The door is jointed or hinged upon the bottom of the trough
or case and is secured or maintained in its closed position by means of a cramp
or screw-clamp or by any other suitable method.
The cylindro-conical vat is slung or held a certain distance above the ground
line by, for example, a beam, to allow the bottom door to be opened and the
contents to escape thereby.
In the whole truncated vat and along its main axis is arranged a vertical shaft
on which is wound the spiral of a helical blade; the lowermost spiral or spirals
of the helix is or are gradually increased in diameter so that the outer edge of
the helix represents in plan a spiral which is furnished with a projecting flange.
At its upper end the shaft is journaled in a cross piece, extending across the
upper portion of the vat; it is furnished with a gear wheel engaging another
wheel or worm driven by a pulley.
gear
These methods of gearing may be of any kind whatever. An oil box, pan or
trap intended to prevent any oil escaping from the gear wheels on to the grain
may be suitably arranged or situated

page_text: The shaft is at its lowest part supported by or in a socket mounted on the door
and adjustable by means of a screw operated by a hand wheel.
The central shaft is hollow and communicates by a tube with a reservoir of
water under pressure; a stuffing box ensures the joining of the tube to the shaft;
in this latter are formed openings which may be furnished with spray pipes.
The grain intended to be germinated having been previously sorted or picked
over, and cleaned or washed by any suitable means, is delivered either soaked or
not, into the vat. The helix being put into motion, the grain is revolved or
turned in a complete and efficacious manner, that at the centre is raised and thrown
at the upper part towards the periphery. It thus forms at the upper part of the
grain a regular, uniform cone the grain of which falls down as soon as it has been
taken to the top by the helical screw. Then it falls along the walls of the vat.
There is thus produced a continuous circulation of the grains, upward centrally
and descending along the walls of the vat.
The grain is compelled to follow this direction of circulation, for the base or
lower part of the helix being the greatest diameter, constantly undermines and
wedges upwards the mass and this having being forced centrally upward is then
allowed to fall down the sides; besides, the spiral flange of the base of the helix
constantly leads the surrounding grain towards the centre where it is drawn into
the upward ascending motion.
The grains can be watered, each one, in the most perfect manner on working
the helix and allowing water to enter the central shaft whence it escapes by the
openings or perforations formed therein. The grain is thus watered with the
minimum of water, this minimum being reached when, by the working of a cock
régulating the entrance of the water, the water in excess ceases to escape by the
pipe, sluice or other discharge outlet at the base of the apparatus.
The ventilation of the grain may take place either by means of moist air or by
dry air and is carried on to exactly the desired degree according to the progress of
the germination by valves controlling the entrance of the dry air and of the moist
air. An aerated steeping or soaking can be imparted to the grain by allowing
simultaneous access of water and air into the midst of the mass. The malt-house-
vat can be completely emptied of the raw malt therein contained, by simply
opening the door which avoids all hand work.
Finally this apparatus allows the grain to be turned either constantly to avoid
felting, or adhering together of the separate grains, or intermittently to allow it
to become a mass which is required in certain methods of malting; this mass
could always be separated or broken up at the proper moment by the working of
the helix.
With the help of this apparatus malting may be performed at any time and
according to any suitable method. It suppresses all hand work and by combining
in a single apparatus the steeping and germinating vats or apparatus, avoids all
management of the grain during malting.
Apparatus for Germinating Barley and other Cereals for use
in Breweries, Distilleries, and the like.
I, MARIE JOSEPH FERNAND SALADIN, of 21, Rue St. Catherine, Nancy, in the
Republic of France, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this

page_text: invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to an apparatus for allowing the working of the germina-
tion of grains, barley and other cereals-by revolving or turning them in a
thorough and efficacious manner, for watering or soaking them in a most perfect
manner for drying them by either moist or dry air according to the progress of
the germination, for carrying out an aerated steeping or soaking by allowing the
simultaneous access of air and water into the midst of the mass under treatment,
and for completely and rapidly emptying the apparatus of the raw malt therein
contained.
I have shewn upon the accompanying drawing a vertical section of my apparatus.
This apparatus comprises a cylindro-conical vat or tub, of a capacity proportioned
to the amount of grain to be treated.
This vat consists of an upper cylindrical portion A made of metal, brickwork,
cement or any other suitable material and of a lower truncated cone portion B of
perforated sheet metal; the opening of this truncated cone is so arranged that
the grain can, by reason of its weight, slide or pass over and along its walls or
sides. In certain cases, this lower part B may be cylindrical and may then form
merely a continuation or extension of the upper part.
The truncated cone B is surrounded by an air trough D into which there lead
two pipes E E' furnished with valves F F and which allow to be led into contact
with the grain, at certain times damped or moist air from any suitable apparatus
and at other times dry air from another suitable apparatus.
At the lower part of the trough or case D are arranged a discharge trap or door C
forming the bottom of the truncated cone B, and a sluice or bung N for the
emptying of water in excess. The door C is jointed or hinged at c upon the
bottom of the trough or case and is secured or maintained in its closed position
by means of a cramp or screw-clamp or swing-bolt or by any other suitable
method.
The cylindro-conical vat is slung or held a certain distance above the ground
line by, for example, a beam M to allow the bottom door C to be opened and the
contents to escape thereby.
In the whole truncated vat A B and along its main axis is arranged a vertical
shaft G on which is wound the spiral of a helical blade L the lowermost spiral
or spirals L of the helix is or are gradually increased in diameter so that the
outer edge of the helix represents in plan a spiral which is furnished with a
projecting flange l.
At its upper end the shaft G is journaled in a cross-piece K, extending across
the upper portion of the vat A it is furnished with a gear wheel H engaging
another gear wheel or worm H¹ driven by any suitable motor, by a pulley R and
the ordinary connections.
These methods of gearing may be of any kind whatever. On the drawing I
An oil box, pan
have shewn a worm gearing with and driving a worm-wheel.
or trap I intended to prevent any oil escaping from the gear wheels on to the
grain may be suitably arranged or situated towards the upper portion of the
apparatus.
The shaft G is at its lowest part supported by or in a socket c mounted on
door c and adjustable by means of a screw operated by a hand wheel ².
The central shaft G is hollow and communicates by tube J with a reservoir of
water under pressure; a stuffing box j ensures the joining of the tube J to the
shaft G in this latter are formed openings which may be furnished with spray
pipes.
The grain intended to be germinated having been previously sorted or picked
over, cleaned or washed and otherwise treated by any suitable means at present
in use. is delivered either soaked or not, into the vat A B. The helix being put
into motion, the grain is revolved or turned in a complete and efficacious manner;
that portion at the centre is raised and thrown outwards at the upper part towards

page_text: the periphery. It thus forms at the top of the mass of grain a regular, uniform
cone, the grain of which falls down as soon as it has been taken to the top by the
helical screw. Then it falls along the walls of the vat. There is thus produced
a continuous circulation of the grains, upward centrally and descending along
the walls of the vat.
The grain is compelled to follow this direction of circulation, indicated by the
arrows, for the base or lower part of the helix being of greater diameter, con-
stantly undermines and wedges upwards the mass, and this having being forced
centrally upward is then allowed to fall down the sides; besides, the spiral flange
of the base of the helix constantly leads the outermost grains towards the centre
where they are drawn into the upward ascending motion.
The grains can be watered, each one, in the most perfect manner on working
the helix and allowing water to enter the central shaft G whence it escapes by
the openings or perforations g formed therein. The grain is thus watered with
the minimum of water, this minimum being reached when, by the working of a
cock regulating the entrance of the water, the water in excess ceases to escape by
the pipe, sluice or other discharge outlet N, at the base of the apparatus.
The ventilation or winnowing of the grain may take place either by means of
moist air or by dry air and is carried on to exactly the desired degree according to
the progress of the germination by valves F F1 controlling the entrance of the
dry air and of the moist air. An aerated steeping or soaking can be imparted to
the grain by allowing simultaneous access of water and air into the midst of the mass.
The malt-house-vat can be completely emptied of the raw malt therein contained,
by simply opening the door C which avoids all hand work.
Finally this apparatus allows the grain to be turned either constantly to avoid
felting or adhering together of the separate grains, or intermittently to allow it
to become a mass which is required in certain methods of malting; this mass
could always be separated or broken up at the proper moment by the working of
the helix.
With the help of this apparatus malting may be performed at any time or
season and according to any method employed. It suppresses all hand work and
by combining in a single apparatus the steeping and germinating vats or apparatus,
avoids all management of the grain during malting.
66
It will be seen that my apparatus which I call a pneumo mechanical malt-
house vat" embodies in the most restricted compass possible all the arrangements
necessary for the malting process of cereals from steeping to production of the
raw malt, and these can be carried through without requiring any attention by
hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An apparatus for germinating cereals, consisting essentially of a vat of which
one portion is perforated to allow of access of air, either moist or dry, and in
which is arranged a vertical shaft furnished with a helical spiral, this shaft being
rotatable, as above set forth and described with regard to the annexed drawing.
2. In the apparatus claimed in the preceding claim, a vat the bottom of which
is formed by a door allowing the apparatus to be emptied without management or
hand-work, as above set forth and described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
3. In the apparatus claimed in Claim 1, a vat one portion of which is per-
forated and is surrounded by an air trough or chest communicating with admission
pipes for the entrance of moist air and dry air said pipes being furnished with
regulating valves.
4. In the apparatus claimed in Claim 1, a shaft furnished with a helical spiral,
the lowermost spirals of which are enlarged in such manner as to pass over the
whole surface of the bottom of the vat so as to cause the descent along the walls,

page_text: of the mass of grain, as above set forth and described with reference to the
accompanying drawing.
5. In the apparatus claimed in Claim 1, a helix the lowermost spiral of which
is furnished with a projecting flange and this preferably when the lower spirals
are enlarged, so as to bring or lead the grains from the circumference towards
the centre, as set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
6. In the apparatus claimed in Claim 1, a central hollow shaft perforated length-
wise with openings which may be furnished with spray pipes or nozzles, this shaft
communicating with a water-pipe, as above set forth and described with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
7. The combinations of the whole of the apparatus described with reference to
the annexed drawing, effecting the arrangement in a most restricted compass of
the parts necessary for the carrying out of all the processes of malting from the
steeping to the production of the raw malt without the grain requiring attention
by hand, as above described and set forth with reference to the annexed drawing.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1898.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Chartered Patent Agents.