Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 20th Sept., 1887.
Communicated from abroad by LOUIS H. WALES, of East Orange, New Jersey, in
the United States of North America.
I WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie Consulting
Engineers and Patent Agents 156 Strand in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of that class of grain
driers in which the grain is caused to descend in zig-zag courses along inclined
plates arranged in horizontal and vertical series and heated by steam applied under
the plates, the object being, to contrive a simpler and cheaper construction, and to
provide for greater security against the pressure of the steam; which said invention
consists essentially of the contrivance of the sloping plates or shelves, of thin, and
preferably rolled metal ▲ shaped plates, for the grain to flow on, with common light
weight, and preferably rolled metal steam heating pipes, located under the plates, and
a little separate or apart from the plates, for air spaces between the pipes and the
plates, all as hereinafter described, reference being made to the accompanying drawing,
in which-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a grain drier, showing my improved construction
of the said plates and pipes, the section being taken, partly within the interior shell,
and partly between the same and the outer shell or case, substantially as indicated by
the line a, a, Figs. 2 and 3, and this Figure together with Figs. 2 and 3 is broken
apart vertically and horizontally to indicate greater dimensions in the practical
construction than would otherwise appear from the drawings.
Fig. 2 is a central, transverse, vertical section.
Fig. 3 is an horizontal section of the shells or cases below the pipes.
Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the drying plates and pipes, on an enlarged scale, to
illustrate the construction and arrangement more clearly.
Hitherto this form of grain drier, has been made of cast metal tubes, of large size,
in triangular or approximately triangular shape, adapted to form the zig-zag shelves
or plates to be heated, and for the flow of the grain slowly down along them. Said
tubes having closed ends into which the steam pipes are tapped for the circulation of
the steam. The large sizes necessary to afford the desired breadth of the sloping
[D7

page_text: plates, exposes so much area of flat sides to the bursting pressure of the steam, that
the castings have to be made very thick and heavy, to provide the necessary strength,
which makes these driers very expensive, in material, besides being heavy and
expensive in transportation and construction, and the grain is exposed, in direct
contact with the steam heated plates, which is objectionable on account of the liability
of overheating the grain.
My invention consists essentially in the contrivance of the sloping plates or shelves,
of thin or preferably rolled metal shaped plates a, for the grain to flow on, with
common light weight, and preferably rolled, metal steam heating pipes b, located
under the plates, and a little separate and apart from the plates, for air spaces between
the pipes and the plates. The said plates and heaters, being arranged, for operation
substantially in the same order, as in the previously constructed driers of this
character, that is, so that grain descending between the plates and escaping from the
lower edges of one plate, will be directed on to the middle, or thereabout, of the side
of the plates next adjacent thereto, and a little lower down; the apices of the lower
plates being located in suitable relation with the plates above, as to height, to prevent
the grain from reaching the top of them. And the pipes are connected together for
the circulating of steam, by the short bent pipes c, and have a supply pipe d, and a
discharge pipe e, suitably for maintaining a circulation through them, for heating the
plates, to dry the grain descending along said plates, as above described. The grain
being spouted into the hopper f, at the top, and escaping from the hopper g, at the
bottom, where a gate or slide g will be employed, in practice, to regulate the flow of
the grain through the drier, and gates g, may be employed, if desired, to regulate the
inflow at the top.
The terminals at each side of the case may consist of the half plates a, and be joined
to the sides of the case. The plates may consist of two parts made separately and
connected at the apex if desired; but the single plate is best.
The air charged with moisture, from the grain, collects in the spaces m, under the
apices of the plates, and flows along to the vent holes h, which are made in the side
plates i, of the case, coincident with said spaces. In practice the air may be exhausted
by a fan arranged to draw from the spaces n, at the sides of the drier, into which these
vents discharge.
This contrivance of the A shaped drying plates a, in combination with steam pipes b,
for the heaters, makes an exceedingly cheap and efficient construction, as compared
with combined plates and steam pipes heretofore made, and used, for this form of
driers, which being made of cast iron have to be made very thick to sustain the
pressure, and are consequently expensive and heavy to handle, and at best are not
very reliable for resisting the pressure. Whereas by the use of ordinary steam pipe
for the heaters b, and plain flat sheet metal for the plates a, I have far greater strength
to sustain the steam pressure, and much lighter material to handle at a much
cheaper cost.
The plates being cut to the proper length and breadth have merely to be bent along
the apex, and the heaters b, having ordinary steam pipe caps o, at the ends, will have
the circulating pipes screwed into holes tapped in them for the purpose.
Any approved studs or brackets j, may be attached to the side plates i, for support
of the ends of the heating plates, and approved supports may be provided. for the ends
of the heated pipes, but practically they will be sufficiently supported by the circulating
pipes c, resting in the plates i, through which they connect with said heated pipes.
The plates a, or the heater pipes may have intermediate bearers l, to support the
plates sufficiently above the heater pipes, to provide the space for the air to rise into
the angles above the pipes, for its escape at the vents h; which space is also desired
for avoiding the direct contact of the plates and pipes, by which the grain might in
some cases be overheated.
The metallic case i, containing the heating pipes and plates is enclosed in an outer
metal or wood case p, to make the air space n, for economy of heat and for suction,
by which to take away the moist air escaping from under the heating plates, and for
effecting the required circulation of air through the grain.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I do hereby declare that what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent, is :—
1. In a grain drier, of the character herein described, the shelves or inclined plates
consisting of the shaped metallic plates a, made separate from the heaters, and being
independent of the steam pressure, in combination with heaters consisting of separate
steam pipes, located under the said plates, and having the usual pipe connections for
the circulation of steam, substantially as described.
2. The arrangement, substantially as herein described of heating pipes for steam
circulation, and inclined plates for conducting the grain, in which the plates are
separated from the heating pipes, by air spaces, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of August 1887.
WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY.