Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
1, CHARLES MALLINSON of 34 Great Mersey Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention has for its object a simple and inexpensive apparatus for drying
grain.
In carrying out the invention the apparatus is constructed so that when the grain
is placed therein, it falls gradually by its own gravity, in contact with steam or
hot water pipes, arranged in its path, and in such a way as to impart the greatest
possible amount of heat and drying effect to the grain. The boiler may be of any
suitable construction. Any convenient number of pipes may be used, and they may
be arranged so that the steam or water is in constant circulation.
In order that the pipes may impart the greatest drying effect, I generally prefer
to arrange them in a sort of zig-zag or irregular form, the pipes proceeding for
example, for a convenient distance quite straight, then turning at an angle
and following a straight course in an opposite direction, and so on. The casing or
walls of the apparatus follow the course of the pipes, or are constructed in such a
manner as to cause the grain to follow their course, sufficient space being left between
the walls and pipes, or between the pipes themselves as found necessary. The course
of the pipes is of course, such as to facilitate the free passage of the grain the bends
not being so sudden as to cause a block. A valve at the bottom of the apparatus
regulates the discharge of dried grain, and by opening or closing this valve the speed
at which the grain descends can be easily regulated. A hopper is generally provided
at the ton

page_text: For the purpose of allowing any damp vapour to escape, which may accumulate
in the apparatus, I provide orifices at intervals in the casing with shutters if desired,
from which the said vapour may pass away. In conjuction with these orifices, I
sometimes use exhaust fans or their equivalent for drawing off any vapour which
may accumulate.
T
COL. 1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES MALLINSON, of 34 Great Mersey Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Mill Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The invention has for its object an apparatus for conditioning or drying grain, into
which the grain (after being washed and drained in the usual way) is placed, and
falls by its own gravity in contact with steam or hot water pipes, arranged in such
a way in its path as to impart the greatest possible drying effect thereto.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus partly in section, with pipes and
orifices for drawing off the vapour.
Figure 2 an end view, having a portion of the casing and vapour pipe removed,
thereby showing the steam and hot water pipes arranged in the descending path of
the grain.
Figure 3 an end elevation of the lower part of Figure 1, viewed from the right
hand side of the Figure.
Figure 4 a front elevation of an alternative arrangement, having two channels for
drying the grain.
Figures 5 and 6 end elevations of the lower part of Figure 4, viewed respectively
from the left and right of the said figure.
In these A A are steam or hot water pipes arranged in a winding or zig-zag form,
the pipes proceeding for a short distance in a straight line, then turning an angle, and
following a straight course in another direction and so on. a a are the floors of the
building in which the apparatus is fixed. B is a casing surrounding the pipes A,
which follows their course and forms a channel b for the grain. It is provided with

page_text: a shutter or valve B¹ for shutting off or regulating the discharge. I prefer to make
the casing B of approximately the shape shewn in the drawings, so that the grain
will descend in thin streams or layers. a' are plates or clamps for holding the pipes A
in position. In some cases I place these clamping plates or their equivalent near
the ventilators C₁ C³, hereafter described, as I find that by so doing the stream of
grain is stirred or spread, and ventilation and drying thereby facilitated.
Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, CC, are vapour shafts
or pipes, which preferably approximately follow the course of the grain channel b
and are connected therewith at intervals by ventilators CC. The said ventilators
on each length of channel 6 are preferably on the uppermost side, so that both sides of
the descending stream of grain are alternately ventilated. The width of their inlet
The vapour
orifices is approximately equal to the width of the channel aforesaid.
pipes CC may be placed in communication with exhaust fans or their equivalent,
whereby moisture or vapour from the grain is drawn off. D D are shutters or valves
for closing or regulating the opening to the ventilators C₁ 02. E¹ is a worm for
conveying the grain direct from the washer or drainer to the hopper F. Ga trough
for receiving the grain after it has passed through the apparatus having a worm G¹
for carrying it away to the sacks or other receptacles.
Steam or hot water enters through pipe d (Figure 3) and rises through the
circulating pipes A placed in communication therewith, and descends through the
return pipes A placed in connection with pipe E, which either returns to the boiler,
or is led away to exhaust. Valves e may be provided for adjusting the admission
of steam or hot water, thereby regulating the drying temperature.
The mode of action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Grain from the drainer or washer is continuously fed by the worm E¹ into the
hopper F and it descends by gravity in a thin layer or stream through the channel b
in contact with the steam or hot water pipes A. After descending a short distance,
it is freed from steam and vapour by the ventilator C₁ whose width is equivalent.
to the width of the channel 6. So far one side of the stream of grain has been
ventilated, namely, the side adjacent to the ventilator C₁, but when the falling grain
reaches the first bend, the direction of its motion is altered, thus causing the grain
to be turned. That which was on the underside in its passage through the first
length of the channel b is now on the top during its passage through the second
straight length, and it is freed from steam and vapour by the ventilators C placed at
suitable intervals. The grain is turned at each bend of the channel b and ventilated
on alternate sides. It is finally discharged dried, and in a fit state for grinding
into the trough G and is carried away by the worm G¹.
In practice, I have generally constructed the grain channels b and pipes A with 8
bends, so that the grain in its downward descent is turned an equivalent number of
times and ventilated on alternate sides. In a machine recently constructed in this
way, I have been able to deliver 40 to 50 sacks of dried grain per hour.
In Figures 4, 5 and 6, I show the apparatus with two channels b, which are fed
simultaneously from a hopper F. Steam or hot water circulates through pipes in
these channels. It is admitted by pipe d (Figure 6) ascends through pipes A in the
direction indicated by the arrows, descends through the return pipes in the other
channel band is led back to the boiler or to exhaust through the pipe E (Figure 5).
e are valves for regulating the exhaust. In other respects the action of the apparatus
is similar to that described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3.
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 drying grain in which one or more winding or zig-zag
channels or shutes b, heated internally by an approximately parallel series of centrally
placed steam or hot water pipes A A, and having ventilators C₁ C³, at intervals on
alternate sides thereof, are adapted to receive the grain at their upper ends and
permit it to descend in contact with the steam or hot water pipes A aforesaid, and

page_text: periodically turn each side of the descending stream uppermost and expose it to the
heating action of the pipes and the drying action of the ventilators CC, whereby
it is freed from moisture and ultimately delivered in a sufficiently dry state for
grinding, substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for drying grain, the combination with the winding or zig-zag
channels or shutes of the vapour pipes or shafts C, the ventilators C₁ Carranged
at intervals on the uppermost sides of the channels or shutes b, (whereby both sides
of the descending stream of grain are ventilated alternately), and the regulating
shutters and valves D, substantially as set forth.
3. The apparatus for drying grain, combined and arranged as a whole, substantially
as described.