Improved Means of Heating Air for Distribution in Hop, Malt, and other Drying Kilns and Stores.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
PRETADIONAL DI MUITICATION.
Improved Means of Heating Air for Distribution in Hop, Malt, and
other Drying Kilns and Stores.
I, HORACE WILLIAM JOYCE, of Wyndham House, Hereford, in the County
of Hereford, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide more efficient means for heating to
required temperature air required for distribution and for dissipating the reek and
drying the hops, malt, or other substance on the kiln floor or when packed away
in stores.
According to my present invention I construct the fire-grate of a series of
separate sections (preferably three) of suitable areas. Each is composed of hollow
fire-bars communicating at their ends with suitably formed junction boxes adapted
for easy connection. The sections are laid preferably with opposite inclinations of
suitable degree, but the end junction boxes are practically horizontal. When three
sections are used the central one inclines upwards towards the uptake, and external
air is admitted to the lower ends of the outer sections of bars. It rises there-
through to the junction boxes, through which it flows, and thence into the next or
central section of hollow grate bars. The back ends of these are gathered up into
a cone-shaped box, from the upper part of which the uptake or distributing hot
air pipe leads to the upper part of the kiln or store. In the pipe is arranged a
suitable valve or damper for regulating or shutting off the heat, and one or more
openings with covers are formed so as to admit the hot air direct to the well or
lower part of the kiln if required. A small fan or blower may be used in
conjunction with the above described arrangement for increasing the velocity of
the air circulation.
Dated this 8th day of March 1895.
J. C. CHAPMAN, C.P.A.,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Heating Air for Distribution in Hop, Malt, and
other Drying Kilns and Stores.
I, HORACE WILLIAM JOYCE, of Wyndham House, Hereford, in the County
of Hereford, Manufacturer, 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 object of my invention is to provide more efficient means for heating to
required temperature air required for distribution and for dissipating the reek and
drying the hops, malt, or other substance on the kiln floor or when packed away in
stores.
According to my present invention 1 construct the fire-grate of a series of
separate sections (preferably three) of suitable areas. Each is composed of hollow

page_text: fire-bars communicating at their ends with suitably formed junction boxes adapted
for easy connection. The sections are laid preferably with opposite inclinations of
suitable degree, but the end junction boxes are practically horizontal. Cold
external air is admitted to the box or boxes communicating with the lower ends of
one or more sections of the inclined hollow fire-bars, and rises through same to
the other end junction boxes through which it flows, and thence returns through
the adjoining section or sections of hollow grate-bars, the back ends of which are
gathered up into a cone-shaped box surmounted by the uptake or distributing
hot-air pipe leading to the upper part of the kiln or store. The arrangement of
the bars in combination with the junction boxes is such as to be most effective in
heating the flow of air throughout the system, and the parts and joints are
constructed so as best to avoid leakage of cold air into the system at any point.
I will fully describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings in
which heating apparatus constructed according to my invention and composed of
three sections is illustrated;
Fig. 1 is a plan partly in section ;
Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections respectively on lines 1-2, 2--3, 3-4, and 4—5
of Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing my whole improved apparatus, the direction
of flow of air being modified from that of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a constructional detail of Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a section through ends of one bar and its sockets showing fixing
arrangement; and
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are cross-sections of hollow bars.
The table or bed a of the apparatus may be supported on brickwork a' as shown,
or it may be mounted on an enclosed iron stand, an opening being provided for the
admission of air to the underside of the grate.
Referring to Figs. I to 5, 6¹ b¹ are two similar rear chambers to which cold air
is admitted through pipes or air ways preferably contracted towards the
chambers as illustrated. From the lower part of the front wall of each of the rear
chambers a set of hollow grate bars g¹ g¹ inclines upwardly to and communi-
cates with the upper part of the rear wall of two similar front air chambers 6262
at each side, these having internal draught deflecting plates or devices h by
which the current is deflected, as shown by the arrows, round and somewhat
downwards through the central part of the chamber 63, which is also provided
with air-deflecting devices h h, to a central set of oppositely inclined hollow fire-
bars proceeding from the lower part of the rear wall of said central front
chamber 3, and leading to and communicating with the upper part of the front
wall of a rear central air chamber 6. To this chamber, which has preferably a
coned removable roof, is fixed the uptake K through which the hot air passes up
to the upper part of the kiln or store, and in which is arranged a suitable valve or
damper for regulating or shutting off the heat, and one or more openings with
covers may be formed so as to admit the hot air direct to the well or lower part of
the kilu if required in the well-known manner and to suit individual kilns or
situations. To the lower part of the final air chamber 6 a supplementary air
supply, heated to some extent by passing beneath the fire-bars in the closed support
thereof, may be admitted as at a², Fig. 5.
By a modified arrangement, and in order to cause the coldest air, (that is, the
air first entering,) to pass below the hottest part of the grate, that is, the central
part, I may arrange the parts so as to change the direction of flow of the air
current as shown in Fig. 6. In this arrangement the cold air admission b is at the
back of the central rear chamber 61, from whence the air passes up the central
upwardly inclined fire bars g¹ to the middle part 2 of the front box, and is deflected
to the sides ³ ³ thereof and passes into the lower ends of each side section of
bars g up which it flows to two similar rear boxes 6 and thence upwardly and
laterally into a central part of the same box 6 which is surmounted by the valved
uptake K. The box is separated from the one 'immediately below it by a

page_text: diaphragm, or its own base, or by the roof of 6', or by both, according to the
construction adopted. In Fig. 7 the detail of these rear chambers is shown; the
upper part of each of the side boxes is curved inwardly and fits into a flanged
recess formed on either side of the central part, and the uptake K is formed on a
removable lid part k fitting well over the flanges of the said recess, and hence an
air-tight joint formed. The supplementary air supply a² may be led into the
box as before.
The grate bars g', g², may be any suitable uniform hollow section such as shown
in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, and their ends fit well into the sockets s of their respective
boxes b', 62, 63, 64. The junction boxes or chambers may be cast in one, but they
are preferably constructed with movable covers chaving internal flanges c¹ extending
down into the inner front of the box and formning abutting flanges serving to keep
the hollow bars in place, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 8. By this construction when
the cover C is removed, any of the bars in the grate can be slid back into the end
box for a sufficient distance to enable them to be taken out and renewed or
replaced as required without disturbing the rest of the grate.
In order to maintain the bars straight and prevent lateral bending, I find it
advisable to provide one or more intermediate cross-bearing bars such as E formed
in a number of separate sections corresponding to the number of sections of bars
composing the grate. These bearers have on their upper surfaces projectious or
distance pieces e. e. intervening between their bars, and the adjacent abutting ends
are formed with downwardly projecting lugs el e¹ slotted and fixed together by
bolts e², so that by raising or lowering any section the distance pieces can be
adjusted to hold the bars straight.
The inclination of the bars may be 1 in 24, and they support the usual coke,
charcoal, or smokeless fuel fire which serves to heat the air passing through the
whole apparatus sufficiently to dry it and effect its purpose of dissipating reek in
the drying chambers above the kiln.
A small fan or blower may be used if desired in conjunction with the above
described arrangement for increasing the velocity of the air circulation.
I am aware that hollow fire-bars are old, and I do not claim them alone, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved means of heating air for distribution in hop, malt and other
kilns and stores which consists in constructing the fire-grate of a series of separate
sections of hollow oppositely inclined fire-bars combined with suitably formed end
junction boxes, cold air being admitted to and caused to flow successively through
all the bars and boxes forming the system to an uptake leading to the kiln or store,
substantially as set forth.
2. The construction and arrangement of parts forming together my improved
air-heating apparatus for hop, malt and other kilns and stores, substantially as
described and illustrated in the drawings.
D
11 10th of Octabo 1805