Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Conditioning or Drying Grain.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Conditioning or
Drying Grain.
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 relates to an Apparatus for Conditioning or Drying Grain, into
which the produce (after being washed and drained in the usual way) is placed, and
falls by 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.
An apparatus of the same nature is described in the specification of Letters
Patent No. 14,182, and granted to me bearing date October 2nd 1888. The present
invention comprises certain improvements in the construction of said apparatus.
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) showing,
a small scale the pipes and ventilators for drying the produce.
on'
Figure 2 is a side elevation with a portion of the casing removed, thereby showing
the steam and hot water pipes arranged in the descending path of the grain.
Figure 3 a longitudinal section through the grain channel, showing, on a
larger scale than the preceding Figure 1, the pipes and ventilators for drying the
produce.
Figure 4 a longitudinal section taken at right angles to Figure 3.
Figure 5 a detail view of the ventilator.
Figures 6 and 7 are detail views respectively of the air admission orifice" and
bracket for steam or hot water pipes.
Figure 8 the device for discharging the produce.
I
In these Figures, AA are the floors of the building in which the apparatus is
fixed, B a casing or channel for the grain, arranged in a winding or zig-zag form and
carried to any suitable height. I have found the slope shown on the drawing to
answer best, as it permits the column of grain to freely descend by gravity. The
channel B is equipped with steam or hot water pipes C C. C2 is the feed pipe
through which steam or hot water enters. The pipes C C₁ are bent round at the top,
in such manner that steam (which is what I generally prefer to use) ascends through
the pipos C and descends through the return pipes C into the tank C* which is partly
filled with water. The steam is discharged into the water near the bottom of the
tank, and rises through the water to the top of the tank from whence it is led
away to the steam trap D¹ by the outlet pipe d or, if preferred, it may be discharged
into the atmosphere without using a trap. The pipe d¹ conveys any steam which may
condense in the pipes C into the steam trap D. The feed pipe (2, and the tank C
may be provided with steam pressure gauges adapted to indicate the difference
in pressure in the steam as it comes from the boiler, and the steam as it is discharged
into the tank. I have found from experiment that, when the steam is discharged
direct into a steam trap without using a tank, there is a certain amount of back
pressure in the longer or outside pipes while through the shorter or inner ones
the steam circulates freely. By the use of a tank however, the steam will circulate
through each pipe with equal pressure, the opposing force of the water through which
the steam has to pass being the same for all the pipes. The pipes C are mounted in
position in the channel in brackets or sockets b, which are formed with necks
elliptical in cross section and so designed to reduce to a minimum any obstruction to
the descent of the grain. They also enable the pipes to expand or contract longi-
udinally. D D are vapour shafts or pipes which follow approximately the course of
D

page_text: the grain channel B and are connected therewith at intervals by ventilators E E
(Figures 1 to 5 inclusive). The said ventilators on each length of channel are
preferably on the uppermost side. The ventilators have perforated surfaces which
provide a free passage for the air. F F are air admission orifices, adapted to admit
air into the channel B. Both the perforated ventilators E and the air admission
orifices F are so constructed (as shown in Figures 3, 4 5 and 6) that, while affording
no means of escape for the grain, they subdivide the descending stream of grain and
enable artificial currents of air to be drawn through the said stream for the purpose of
drying it and drawing off the moisture. The vapour pipes Dare placed in coinmunica-
tion with an exhaust fan or its equivalent whereby moisture or vapour from the grain
is drawn off.
1
G is a pivotted valve or shutter adapted to control the discharge chutes g. In the
position shown on the drawings of the valve both chutes are discharging grain, but by
moving the said valve to the right or to the left by the operating cord g', the discharge
from either of said chutes can be cut off..
The mode of action is as follows:-
Grain from the drainer or washer is continuously fed into the zig-zag channel B,
through which it descends by gravity in-a thin layer or stream in contact with the
steam or hot water pipes CC. The fan or its equivalent draws a continuous current
of air from the orifices F through the descending stream of produce, and through
ventilators E into the vapour pipes D, from whence it escapes at any suitable
discharge orifice. At the end of each bend of the channel, the direction of the motion
of the produce is reversed, and being turned bodily at each bend is ventilated on
alternate sides. The heat radiated from the pipes CC' and the constant currents of
air which are drawn through on the. descending stream of grain have the effect
of thoroughly drying it, and it is finally discharged through the chutes g in a dry state
and in condition for grinding.
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 improvements in apparatus of the kind described for drying or conditioning
grain, which consists in providing the internally heated winding or zig-zag channel B
with a series of perforated ventilators E (communicating with vapour or discharge
pipes D) and a series of air admission orifices F, the said ventilators E and orifices F
being so arranged that, while affording no means of escape for the grain, they
subdivide the descending stream of grain, and enable artificial currents of air to be
drawn through the said stream into the vapour pipes aforesaid for the purpose
of drying the grain and carrying off the moisture therefrom, substantially as
described.
:
2. In an apparatus of the kind described, the improved means for mounting the
internal heating pipes, whereby the obstruction to the descending stream of grain is
reduced to a minimum, and the pipes are enabled to freely expand or contract longi-
tudinally, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described for drying or conditioning grain, the means
of preventing back pressure in the steam circulating pipes, which consists in dis-
charging the steam after it has passed through the pipes into a body of water
in a closed tank or other vessel, through which the steam rises to the top of the tank
above the surface of the water, whence it is discharged, or led away to a steam trap or
other like device, substantially as described.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.