IMPROVEMENTS IN STEEPING TANKS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALT
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Free of Mistley in the County of Essex,
Maltster for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STEEPING TANKS EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Free at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1882.
ROBERT FREE of Mistley in the County of Essex, Maltster
IN STEEPING TANKS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALT"
"IMPROVEMENTS
The Invention has for its object improvements in steeping tanks employed in
the manufacture of malt and relates to a novel construction whereby the draining
of the grain and the discharge of the same from the steeping tank are facilitated
whilst the grain is not subjected to the injury it receives in the method of
discharging the tanks heretofore employed and at the same time a considerable
saving in labour is effected..
Steeping tanks as heretofore constructed have been provided with a floor
inclining slightly from the sides towards the centre where a longitudinal drain was
formed to carry off the drainage water and the contents of the tank were
shovelled out therefrom by men who had to stand in the tank amongst the grain
for that purpose thereby causing injury to the grain and consequently to the malt
made therefrom.
According to my Invention I avoid the necessity for the maltsters to get into the
tank and by thus preventing injury to the grain I am enabled to produce better
malt than when employing the old construction of tank.
In carrying my Invention into effect I construct the tank preferably square and
I form the bottom part thereof with inclined sides terminating at the bottom in a
discharge aperture which can be opened and closed when desired by a valve; just
above this discharge valve is a draining aperture which is covered by a perforated
plate either flush with the inner surface of the tank or slightly recessed below the
same and such aperture is connected with a pipe to convey the drainage water to
any desired position and the said pipe is provided with a cock or valve to enable
the passage therethrough to be opened and closed as desired.
I operate the valve preferably from the upper part of the tank and in order to
facilitate the raising thereof I form the upper part of the valve conical so as to
reduce the resistance thereof to rising in the malt.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Free in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd September
1882.
ROBERT FREE of Mistley in the County of Essex Maltster
IN STEEPING TANKS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALT.
"
"IMPROVEMENTS
The Invention has for its object improvements in steeping tanks employed in
the manufacture of malt and relates to a novel construction whereby the draining
of the grain and the discharge of the same from the steeping tank are facilitated
whilst the grain. is not subjected to the injury it receives in the method of
discharging the tanks heretofore employed and at the same time a considerable.
saving in labour is effected.
Steeping tanks as heretofore constructed have been provided with a. floor
inclining slightly from the sides towards the centre where a longitudinal drain was
formed to carry off the drainage water and the contents of the tank were
shovelled out therefrom by men who had to stand in the tank amongst the grain
for that purpose thereby causing injury to the grain and consequently to the malt
made therefrom.
According to my invention I avoid the necessity for the maltsters to get into the
tank and by thus preventing injury to the grain I am enabled to produce better
malt than when employing the old construction of tank. In carrying my invention
into effect I construct the tank preferably square and I form the bottom part
thereof with inclined sides terminating at the bottom in a discharge aperture which
can be opened and closed when desired by a valve; just above this discharge valve
is a draining aperture which is covered by a perforated plate either flush with the
inner surface of the tank or slightly recessed below the same and such aperture is
connected with a pipe to convey the drainage water to any desired position and
the said pipe is provided with a cock or valve to enable. the passage therethrough
to be opened and closed as desired.
I operate the valve preferably from the upper part of the tank and in order to
facilitate the raising thereof I form the upper part of the valve conical so as to
reduce the resistance thereof to rising in the malt.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed. aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figures 1 and 2 are two side elevations partly in section drawn at right angles
to each other and Figure 3 is a partial plan of a steeping tank constructed
according to my Invention.
a is the body of the tank which is preferably of 'square form the bottom part a¹
of which is formed with inclined sides terminating at the bottom in a discharge
aperture a² which can be opened and closed when desired by a valve b; just above
this discharge valve is a draining aperture a³ which is covered by a perforated
plate aeither flush with the inner surface of the tank as shown or slightly
3.
11
Figures 1 and 2 are two side elevations partly in section drawn at right angles
to each other and Figure 3 is a partial plan of a steeping tank constructed
according to my Invention.
a is the body of the tank which is preferably of square form the bottom part a¹
of which is formed with inclined sides terminating at the bottom in a discharge
aperture a² which can be opened and closed when desired by a valve b; just above
this discharge valve is a draining aperture a³ which is covered by a perforated
plate at either flush with the inner surface of the tank as shown or slightly
recessed below thei same and such aperture w' is connected with a pipe a³ to convey
the drainage water to any desired position; the said pipe a³ is provided with a
cock or valve as to enable the passage therethrough to be opened and closed as
desired.
I operate the valve b preferably from the upper part of the tank a by means of
a handle c' fixed on one end of a shaft c the other end of which has a worm or

page_text: screw c which takes into a worm wheel d¹ fixed on a shaft d which has also fixed
thereon a toothed pinion d' which takes into the rack or teeth b² formed on the
rod b¹ of the valve b.
Other suitable means may however be employed for operating the valve b and
in order to facilitate the raising thereof I form the upper part of the valve conical
so as to reduce the resistance thereof to rising in the grain, and if desired the valve
or its seat may be provided with leather, india rubber or other packing to ensure
a tight joint.
I provide the draining aperture as with a slide valve a² to enable the flow of
the grain to be immediately checked when desired before the tank a is completely
emptied.
The body of the tank is preferably constructed of a number of cast iron
plates bolted or rivetted together as shown but it may be otherwise constructed if
desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect I would have it understood that what I claim in the
construction of steeping tanks employed in the manufacture of malt is forming
the lower part a¹ of the body a thereof with inclined sides terminating in a
discharge aperture a² controlled by a valve.b and providing the said tank with a
drainage aperture a³ covered by a perforated plate a' and communicating with a
pipe a provided with a cock or valve as all substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof I the said Robert Free have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty second day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.