AN IMPROVED CENTRIFUGAL DRYING MACHINE
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Rowberry, of the City of Hereford, Plumber,
Glazier, and Painter, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CENTRIFUGAL
DRYING MACHINE."
Sealed the 30th May 1865, and dated the 24th December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Rowberry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
December 1864.
I, JOHN ROWBERRY, of the City of Hereford, Plumber, Glazier, and
Painter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED.
CENTRIFUGAL DRYING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of centrifugal apparatus.
applicable chiefly to the drying of currants. The apparatus consists of a
rectangular or other suitably-shaped box mounted on standards, a cross bar
from which (below the box) carries a screwed centre which is adjustable
vertically. This adjustable centre forms a footstep for supporting a vertical
central spindle which passes up through the box, and turns in a bearing in a
horizontal bar which stretches across the top of the box, and is hinged thereto
to allow of its being raised to lift out the spindle. Keyed to the spindle
(within the box and near the bottom thereof) is a wheel upon which is fixed
a wire gauze cylinder. This cylinder is intended to receive the currants to be
dried, and it is fitted internally with radial taper leaves or separators which

page_text: serve to distribute the currants over the surface of the cylinder while the
machine is in action. A cover is applied to the top of the cylinder when the
currants have been placed therein, and the hinged bar is then brought down
and secured in position to serve as the top bearing for the vertical spindle.
Rotary motion is given to the spindle through bevil gearing from a fly wheel
mounted on a stud axle carried by the box, which wheel communicates
motion through a band to a pulley on the shaft of one of the bevil wheels.
The currants or other goods to be dried are first washed and then placed in
their wet state in the wire gauze cylinder; rotary motion is then given to the
cylinder, and the moisture is thrown off from the periphery of the cylinder.
The bottom of the box is pierced with holes or provided with a channel for
discharging the water therefrom as it flies off from the cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Rowberry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ROWBERRY, of the City of Hereford, Plumber, Glazier, and Painter, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Rowberry, Her special licence that I, the said John Rowberry, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Rowberry, 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 CENTRIFUGAL DRYING
MACHINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Row-
berry, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Rowberry, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of centrifugal drying
machine, which is applicable chiefly to the drying of currants, and offers great
facilities for the supply of the currants to and their discharge from the
machine.
In the accompanying Drawings the improved machine in shewn in front
elevation at Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation.
The machine consists of a rectangular or other suitably shaped box A, of
wood, open at top, and mounted on cast-iron standards B, B, and furnished with
a hinged piece A* in front to facilitate access to the box. A cross bar B*
extending from one standard to the other (below the box) carries a screwed
adjustable centre or footstep C; this footstep serves to support a vertical
central spindle D which passes up through the box A, and turns in a bearing
affixed to the under side of the box. To the upper end of the spindle da
wheel or circular table E is keyed; this wheel or table E is fitted with pins
which enter holes made in the bottom of a cylinder F, which cylinder is
intended to receive the currants or other articles to be dried; this cylinder
consists of a galvanized iron frame covered with galvanized wire gauze, and
it is fitted internally with radial taper leaves or separators f, f, formed, by
preference, of galvanized iron which serve to distribute the currants over the
surface of the cylinder while the machine is in action. A cover fitted with a
central stud axle is applied to the top of the cylinder when the currants have
been placed therein, and a hinged or removeable bar 9 carrying a socket
bearing for the stud axle is then brought down and secured in position
by buttons, or otherwise attached to the ends of the case A. I thus
obtain a removable top bearing for the vertical cylinder, which bearing when
thrown back or lifted off gives instant access to the interior of the cylinder,
and allows of the removal of the cylinder from the box for the purpose of
emptying it. Rotary motion is given to the spindle D through bevil gearing
HI, H; the wheel H' is keyed to a horizontal shaft H³, to one end of which
is keyed a pulley h³. A band from this pulley leads up to a fly wheel and
pulley mounted on a stud axle carried by a bracket on the box A; this
wheel I is driven by a winch handle I', which through a band gives motion
to the pulley H³, and through it to the bevil gear H, H', and the cylinder F.

page_text: The currants
other goods to be dried are first washed and then placed while
in their wet state in the wire gauze cylinder, a rapid rotary motion is then
given to the cylinder, and the moisture is thrown off from the periphery of
the cylinder. The bottom of the box is pierced with holes, as shewn at
Figures 2 and 3, or it may be provided with a channel for discharging the
water therefrom as it flies off from the cylinder.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of an improved centrifugal
drying machine, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim, constructing centrifugal drying machines, in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Rowberry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JOHN ROWBERRY. (L.S.)