IMPROVE.. MENTS IN TREATING GRAIN, PULSE, HAY, STRAW, AND. ROOT CROPS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPEEDILY DRYING, AND BRINGING THE SAME INTO SOUND CONDITION, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Aitken at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd.
September 1868.
I, HENRY AITKEN, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE..
MENTS IN TREATING GRAIN, PULSE, HAY, STRAW, AND. ROOT CROPS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF SPEEDILY DRYING, AND BRINGING THE SAME INTO SOUND CONDITION,
AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to.say :-
This Invention, which relates to an improved mode of treating crops,_
such as wheat, oats, barley, beans, pease,, hay,, straw; bere; maize, rye,.
or other cereals, consists in treating these cereals. in any of the ways..
after mentioned, so that the natural sap and damp in and on the grain
or straw after being cut may be speedily expelled or driven off, and
the grain thoroughly dried and brought into a safe and sound condition
without being exposed to bad weather and made liable to be damaged or
injured thereby: So soon as the corn or other cereals are cut, should the
Weather be in the least degree unfavourable, they are at once carted.

page_text: .
to the stackyard, and there placed upon the usual beds, platforms,
or stools (the wood of the platforms being made somewhat closer
than is customary) in stacks having a large opening or core or spaces
up the centre or through the stack to within a few feet of the top.
Air, gas, or steam is then forced into the core or openings of the
stack, either in a cold or hot state, and this is continued until the
straw or grain are brought to a dry and sound condition. When
heated air, or gas, or hot steam is used it will be proper towards the
end of the process to introduce air of the ordinary temperature, or air
cooled down with ice or otherwise, or by allowing air at a high degree
of pressure to expand into the stack and so produce great cold. It may
be necessary, in order to regulate the air so as to make it pass
through the whole of the stack, to lower and raise a piece of wood,
sheet iron, or other material, so as to divert the current to any point
desired.
By another process the air may be exhausted from the centre of the
stack by any means of creating a vacuum, and the current from the
atmosphere thereby made will pass through the stack and dry it.
By another process the stack may be entirely covered with sheet iron
or other air-tight material, and the hot air, or gas, or hot steam forced :
in at the bottom, sides, or top until the stack is dry.
By another process pipes with steam or hot air may be placed in the
stack, and the stack thereby dried, and a current of air or gas may be
added so as to facilitate the process.
By another process the grain may be placed in a house or covered?
over space, and air, gas, or steam forced or drawn through the same,
the grain being placed upon a series of revolving shelves so that it
could go in at the one end damp and come out dried at the other;
or the grain may be simply placed in by manual labour and again
E
taken out.
In drying root crops such as potatoes, turnips, and "mangold wurtzel,"
the same may be placed on the usual bed or platform, and small airways
made in the said bed or through amongst the root crops, so that the
air may be forced or drawn through the same as desired; should the
root crops be kept in a house the same arrangement may be used, and 3

page_text: the air forced or drawn through them. If thought necessary the air or
gas may be dried before introduction into the stack by being passed
over or through sulphuric acid or lime shells, or otherwise.