Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1887
Complete Left, 10th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
We, ALFRED SAVILL TOMKINS, FRANK ARTHUR CRACKNALL and ALFRED GORDON
COURAGE of 61 Mark Lane in the City of London, Malsters, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specifications to Patents No. 509 of 1881. and 1457. of 1886 we describe an
improved construction of kilns for drying malt grain or other materials, and apparatus
for heating the same.
Our present invention relates to an improved construction of kilns, more especially
applicable for the "withering "and drying of tea or similar substances, which is so
arranged that the drying operations can be carried on continuously and that the heat
radiated from the outside of the kiln is utilised for the preliminary drying of the
substance operated on.
For this purpose we employ a construction of kiln generally similar to that
described in the Specifications, above referred to, but having the drying floor made
horizontally moveable to and fro and of a length double that of the kiln itself, through
which it is caused to slide by means of a rack and pinion or other suitable means;
while the material on the one half of the drying floor is being subjected to the drying
operation within the kiln, the other half of the floor is protruded from the one or the
other side of the kiln and can be discharged and recharged ready to be slid into the
kiln in its turn, the drying operation being thus carried on continuously. The pro-
truded part of the drying floor may be charged from suitable hoppers arranged above,
and the dried material may be discharged into trucks below. There may be several
floors thus arranged at different levels.
For the purpose of utilising the radiated heat of the kiln, we enclose the kiln and
the lower part of its chimney within an outer casing covered by another drying
floor on which the material can be subjected to a preliminary drying or withering
operation.
D
11
101
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1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants,

page_text: We, ALFRED SAVILL TOMKINS, FRANK ARTHUR CRACKNALL and ALFRED GORDON
COURAGE of 61 Mark Lane in the City of London, Malsters, 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:-
In the Specifications to Patents No. 509 of 1881 and 1457 of 1886 we describe an
improved construction of kilns for drying malt grain or other materials and apparatus
for heating the same.
Our present invention relates to an improved construction of kilns more especially
applicable for "withering" and drying tea or drying malt grain and similar substances
which is so arranged that the drying operations can be carried on continuously and
that the heat radiated from the outside of the kiln is utilised for the preliminary drying
of the substance operated on.
For this purpose we employ a construction of kiln generally similar to that described
in the Specifications above referred to, but having the drying floor made horizontally
moveable to and fro and of a length double that of the kiln itself, through which it is
caused to slide by means of a rack and pinion or other suitable means. While the
material on the one half of the drying floor is being subjected to the drying operation
within the kiln, the other half of the floor is protruded from the one or the other side
of the kiln and can be discharged and recharged ready to be slid into the kiln in its
turn, the drying operation being thus carried on continuously. The protruded part of
the drying floor may be charged from suitable hoppers arranged above, and the dried
material may be discharged into trucks below. There may be several floors thus
arranged at different levels.
For the purpose of utilising the radiated heat of the kiln, we enclose the kiln
and its chimney--within an outer casing or structure having other drying floors
on which the material can be subjected to preliminary drying or withering
operations.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of part of a kiln with
sliding floor according to our invention, Fig. 2 is a general transverse section, to a
reduced scale, of the building.
A is the heating apparatus which is shewn as being of the kind described in the
previous Specifications above referred to, but which may be of other form suitable for
heating air. The air to be heated may be supplied by natural draught or a fan may
be employed in the air inlet to force in air as shewn at B, or in some cases an exhaust
fan may
be provided in the outlet. Above the heating apparatus is fitted the perforated
floor C, the length of which is about twice the width between the walls D E of the
kiln. This floor C is fitted to slide or to run on rollers and may be moved by a
pinion F engaging a rack on the underside of the floor C. While one half of the

page_text: kiln floor C is occupying the space between D and E, the heated air from A passing
through the material spread upon it, the other half of C which is then outside the kiln
space may have the dried material removed from it and fresh material to be dried
spread upon it. It is convenient to dispose the material in separate trays laid side by
side on the sliding-floor, so that if there is inequality in the drying action, the trays
may be changed from one part of the floor to the other. Any suitable arrangement
of rakes may be used to spread and turn over the material on the trays. The air
which has passed the kiln ascends through the pyramidal hood H to the flue G which
is enclosed in the annular chimney flue K by which the smoke and hot products of
combustion from the heating apparatus ascend. The heat of the current in the annular
flue K while it partly heats the current in G promoting the draught through the kiln
also serves to warm by radiation the upper chambers of the building. In these
chambers the material to be dried on the kiln may undergo a preliminary drying or
withering, the moist air escaping by the louvred outlet L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction and use of a kiln having a floor arranged to slide above an air
heating apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The enclosure of a kiln and its chimney within a casing or structure arranged
for utilising their radiated heat for preliminary drying or withering operation,
substantially as herein described.
Dated this 10th day of Fah 1888
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.