Improvements in Machinery for Malting Grain.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Malting Grain.
I, JOHN WASHINGTON FREE, of 2 & 9 West 55th Street, in the City of New
York, in the County of New York and State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MALTING GRAIN, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particulary described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention is an improvement in devices for stirring grain which is under-
going the malting process, and either while in the growing or the drying chambers
or compartments of a malt-house.
Heretofore machinery has been employed for this purpose, but my present
invention is an improvement on such devices and has for its object to provide a
stirring device, automatic in its action, which when being impelled or operated by
suitable motive power will pass in a direct line over a malting floor, stirring or
turning the barley evenly and thoroughly in its progress, and which after each
complete advance movement will return to its starting point without disturbing
the grain.
To accomplish this, I have devised, and in this my invention broadly consists,
-a malt-stirring or turning device which has (1) a rotary movement by which the
grain is lifted from the floor, turned over and deposited again on the floor; (2) a
forward rectilinear movement bodily over or across the floor space, by which all the
portions of the grain are successively lifted and turned, and (3) a retrograde
movement bodily through a higher plane, by which after each advance the stirrer
is returned to its starting point without disturbing the grain.
By means of such an apparatus it is evident that all the grain on any floor may
be evenly and perfectly treated whether during its germination or its drying, and
the process of malting, which by the most approved appliances heretofore employed
has been more or less uncertain, is rendered much more thorough and perfect.
My invention also resides in certain details of mechanism which will be more
fully hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention in detail:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of our improved machine as arranged in a chamber with a
malt-drying floor; but it may be here stated that the same machine arranged in a
similar manner would be used for stirring the malt in the growing or germinating
chambers, but the floor in such chambers would be imperforate.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with some parts removed of one end of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the machine on the dotted line 8. 7. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
and 6 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the stirring wheel on a larger scale.
Fig. 5 is a plan of a portion of the shaft, hub, pinion and driving chain of the
stirring-wheel.
It will be understood that the barley to be malted after having undergone the
preliminary process of soaking is spread on the floor of the growing chambers or
after germination in such chambers on the floor of the kiln or drying chamber, on
either of which floors it is necessary to turn or stir it periodically.
Referring now to Fig. 1, A is the wheel which I prefer to employ as the device
for effecting this turning or stirring, in connection with the other apparatus or parts.
which comprise the combination subject of my invention.
This wheel, which is illustrated more in detail in Fig. 4, is mounted on a shaft A³
to which are attached hubs A. From these hubs radiate arms a which are twisted

page_text: and bent forward as shown, and to these latter are attached sheet metal buckets a¹.
These buckets are made of bent sheets of metal and the leading end of each bucket
is fastened about two-thirds of the way up the side of the next preceding bucket,
as at a²; it is, then bent into a semi-cylindrical form on that portion of its
perimeter which is nearest the hub and forms about a semi-cylinder in the part
between the arms at this point.
The nearest approach of the sheet metal bucket to the center of the stirring-
wheel is about one-third from the extreme circumference to the axis of the shaft.
The outer edge of the rear portion of this bucket is formed upon a curve of greater
diameter than the cylindrical portion just referred to, and the edges of this bucket
are fastened to the arms a, as shown. Arranged continuous with the outer edge or
side of the bucket there is a metal scoop which extends out to the extreme
periphery of the wheel. If this wheel be revolved in the direction of the edges of
the scoops through a bed of grain, with a constantly progressive motion, it will
lift the grain from its position on the bed, and will spill it again behind the wheel
as it advances, and if the advance of the wheel and its rotation be properly
regulated the grain will be lodged substantially on the same part of the floor from
which it was gathered up.
As the means for revolving the stirring-wheel and at the same time imparting
thereto a progressive movement, I have devised and employ the means which
shall now proceed to describe.
The devices used in connection with each end of the wheel shaft being duplicates
of each other, it will only be necessary to describe one set in detail.
At the end of the shaft A³ of the stirring-wheel is a pinion D which is cogged or
toothed at its end, but provided with a smooth portion on the side of the stirring-
wheel and formed with a collar or flange, as shown. Between this pinion and the
hub A is a sleeve or block C which is loose on the shaft A³, permitting the free
revolution of the same within it, and which is secured to one of the links of
a chain B.
B is an endless lag chain which passes around two sprocket-wheels E placed at
opposite ends of the floor space upon which the grain is spread. One of these
sprocket-wheels is mounted on and fixed to a shaft that carries a gear-wheel F
which receives its motion from a pinion F' engaging therewith and mounted on a
driving-shaft carrying a belt-pulley F3 to which power may be applied.
Inside the lines of the chains B and sprocket-wheels E are the sides of the tank
or receptacle which confines the germinating or drying grain that is to be stirred
by the wheel A. The wheel A reaches across this tank and comes close to its
sides so that ends to the wheel are not necessary.
The sprocket-wheels and driving mechanism above described are supported on
vertical posts G rising from the floor timbers of the chamber in which the machine
is placed, and these posts also support the track stringers D' the width of which
is approximately that of the diameter of the sprocket-wheels E. These stringers
have semicircular ends corresponding in radius with the sprocket-wheels and to
their upper and lower and end edges are applied racks D' with which the pinions D
engage.
At the ends of the stringers D2 are secured curved guides in the form of hoods D'
the axes of which are coincident with the axes of the sprocket-wheels.
Beneath the lower horizontal rack sections and parallel therewith are guide
rails that form together with the hoods D'a continuous track around the curved
end and lower horizontal sections. Upon these tracks the smooth portions of the
pinions D rest so that at all times during the progress of the stirring-wheel A the
pinions D will be held in engagement with the racks either by gravity, as when
they are travelling along the upper horizontal sections of the rack, or at other
times by the hoods D and rails T. At the same time the wheel is prevented from
lateral displacement while doing its work by the engagement of the flanges on the
pinions with the sides of the rails T'.

page_text: The operation of the machine is as follows:
Power being applied to the driving-pulley F³, rotation is imparted to the cog-
wheel F and the sprocket-wheels on the shafts of the same. This sets in motion
the endless chains B, which drag forward the shaft of the stirring-wheel. The
engagement of the pinions on this shaft with the stationary racks causes said shaft
and wheel to revolve. The forward movement of the wheel A being along the
lower rack section, the scoops and buckets of the wheel lift the grain and then
deposit it again on the floor. The wheel on reaching the end of its forward course
travels to the upper rack section and returns along the same to its starting point,
being thereby raised so as not to reach the bed of grain.
In germinating malt by this machine, we have found it necessary from time to
time to sprinkle it, because the moisture is rapidly absorbed by the germination, or
is carried off by ventilation, and should be maintained by a supply of fresh water.
In order that this may be done regularly while operating the machine, track
beams I are supported on posts some little distance above the top of the wheel F.
On these beams are secured tracks i on which a carriage is mounted for carrying a
sprinkling apparatus.
This carriage has wheels K K, two of which are on a shaft k, shown in Fig. 3,
which shaft carries a cog-wheel H³. In standards K₁ carried on top of the carriage
is mounted the hose-roller H. This hose-roller is hollow and has a hollow shaft
at one end, which communicates through a stuffing-box with the pipe h. This
pipe communicates by an elbow with the perforated pipe h2, which extends across
the machine and one end of which is carried in a bracket h³ dependent from the
carriage.
Roll-wheel H2 which meshes into roll-wheel H³ is on the axis of the roller H¹;
on the exterior of the roller H' is coiled a flexible hose H, one end of which com-
municates with the cavity of the roller H or a pipe extending from the periphery
to the hollow shaft, and the other end of which is attached to a source of water
supply. It is obvious that water can be supplied through the hose to the radial
pipe or interior of the roller H' and through the hollow bearing hand the pipe h¹
to the perforated pipe, and this perforated pipe can, by moving the apparatus
along the malt tank, be carried to any place and deliver its water to any portion of
the length of the tank. It is desirable that this water shall be sprinkled upon the
grain as it falls from the bucket of the stirring-wheel A; consequently the pipe h¹
and the perforated pipe h² are arranged to be in the line of the vertical tangent of
the wheel A, and in order that they shall always hold this position there are
attached to the carrier two pendants K' which come together at or about the line
of the axis of the wheel A, and there form a fork, one blade of which is shown
at K in Fig. 2, and the other blade of which is shown at K* in the same figure.
These two members of the fork straddle the shaft A³ of the stirring-wheel, and
when the wheel is moved from right to left in a machine in the position represented
in Fig. 2, with the shaft of the stirring-wheel below the track stringer D², the
member K³ of the fork will be engaged and the carriage carried forward and the
hose unwound from the roller H. When the stirring-wheel reaches the hood D³
and rises up to the upper track D₁ of the machine represented in Fig. 2, it will rise
through the long notch of the fork and finally reach the upper part of the fork,
and as the stirring-wheel begins to travel from left to right out of the grain, the
member K of the fork will be engaged with the shaft A³ of the stirring-wheel
and will drive the carriage backward reversing the action of the gears H3 H2 and
roll up the hose H upon the roll H. The water can be readily shut off at any
time desired.
It will now be understood from the nature of the mode of operation of the
machine or combination of apparatus hereinbefore described, that the essential
features of the invention, as recited above, are in large measure independent of the
special means employed in connection with the stirring-wheel or device for
imparting to the same the desired movements, and that the details of the several

page_text: mechanisms described as elements essential to the combinations of my invention
may be varied in many particulars.
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. The combination with a malting floor, of a stirring-wheel capable of rotation
on its axis, of forward movement bodily in a plane parallel with the floor, and
retrograde movement bodily in a different plane, and mechanism for imparting and
guiding such movements, substantially in the manner set forth.
2. The combination with a malting floor, of a rotary stirring-wheel mounted on
a shaft parallel with the floor, a track supporting said shaft and advancing and
returning above the floor at different elevations, means for imparting rotation to
the stirring-wheel and means fór propelling it along the track, as set forth.
3. The combination with a malting floor, of a continuous track above the same
advancing and returning at different elevations, a shaft travelling on and confined
to said track, a stirring-wheel carried by the shaft, and means for propelling the
shaft along the track, as set forth.
4. The combination with a malting floor, of a continuous track advancing and
returning above said floor at different elevations in the same vertical plane, a rack
or racks along the line of the track, a pinion shaft travelling along the track and
engaging with said rack or racks, a stirring-wheel carried by the shaft and means
for propelling the shaft along the track, as set forth.
5. The combination with a malting floor, of toothed or racked tracks one above
the other, a pinion shaft engaging therewith, a stirring-wheel carried by the shaft,
an endless chain to which the shaft is connected with the capability of rotating,
sprocket-wheels supporting and driving the chain, whereby the shaft is propelled
along the tracks in opposite directions, and means for confining the shaft to the
tracks, as set forth.
6. The combination with a malting floor, of an endless track advancing and
returning above the floor at different elevations and formed with cogs or teeth, of
a pinion-shaft engaging with the tracks, a stirring-wheel carried by the shaft, a
driving-chain by which the shaft is drawn along the track and a guide parallel to
the track for maintaining the pinion-shaft in engagement therewith.
7. The combination with a malting floor, of the track stringers D² provided
along their edges with racks D³, the sprocket-wheels E, chain B, pinion-shaft A³
and stirring-wheel A, and hoods D³ for the purpose described.
8. The combination with a malting floor, of stringers D2 having circular ends,
racks attached to the edges of the stringers, a shaft provided with pinions engaging
with said racks, a stirring-wheel carried by said shaft, the endless chain B,
sprocket-wheels E and means for imparting rotation to the same, as set forth.
9. The combination with a malting floor, of a stirring device capable of an
advancing and retrograde movement in different planes above the floor, a sprinkling
device mounted on a track parallel with the planes of advancing and retrograde
movement of the stirring device and a connection between the said sprinkling
device and the stirring device which is extensible vertically, as set forth.
Dated this 25th day of April 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.