IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DRYING OR PREPARATION OF MALT, MEAL, SEEDS, CORN, AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lawrence, of Colnbrook, in the County.
of Middlesex, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
DRYING OR PREPARATION OF MALT, MEAL, SEEDS, CORN, AND OTHER
GRAIN,"
Sealed the 2d August 1853, and dated the 24th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lawrence at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th February 1853.
I, JAMES LAWRENCE, of Colnbrook, in the County of Middlesex,
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DRYING OR PREPARATION OF MALT, MEAL, SEEDS,
CORN, AND OTHER GRAIN," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forcing or otherwise passing malt, meal,
seeds, corn, and other grain through a heated tube or apparatus so con-
structed, or containing machinery so constructed, as to stir or agitate or
"otherwise cause the particles of the malt, meal, seeds, corn, or other
grain to impinge upon or come in contact with the heated surface, and
so become gradually dried when a moderate heat is employed, or, when
greater heat is used, be suitably prepared for different purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Lawrence, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 23d August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LAWRENCE, of Colnbrook, in the County of Middlesex, Brewer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of February, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Lawrence, Her special licence
that I, the said James Lawrence, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Lawrence, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE DRYING OR PREPARATION OF MALT, MEAL, SEEDS, CORN, AND OTHER
GRAIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Lawrence, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Lawrence, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists in forcing or otherwise passing malt, meal,
seeds, corn, and other grain through a heated tube or apparatus so
constructed, or containing machinery so constructed, as to stir or
agitate or otherwise cause the different particles of the malt, meal, corn,
or other grain to impinge upon or come in contact with the heated

page_text: surface, and so become gradually dried when a moderate heat is
employed, or, when greater heat is employed, be suitably prepared
for different purposes, by means of a fan, blade, or worm, or of studs
or pins helically or spirally suitably arranged upon or around a solid
spindle or shaft, or a hollow perforated spindle or shaft which revolves
in a fixed tube or chamber, heated by steam, water, or hot air, or by
means of a fan, blade, or worm, or of studs or pins helically or spirally
suitably arranged upon or around a solid spindle or shaft, or a hollow
perforated spindle or shaft, which is fixed, with a chamber heated by.
steam, water, or hot air revolving around it.
The above being the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner in which the same is to be performed, for which
purpose I have prepared the accompanying illustrative drawing, which"
I will now proceed to explain.
Figure 3, is a view
apparatus I employ
Figure 1, is a view principally in section, but partly in exterior
elevation, of the apparatus I employ when the material to be dried or
prepared is somewhat coarse, such as corn or other like grain, and does
not contain much moisture, or does not require much vapour or gas to
be driven off by the heat applied. Figure 2, is a transverse section of
the same through the line Z, Z, in the Figure 1.
corresponding with Figure 1, of one end of the
when the material to be dried or prepared is also somewhat coarse, but
does require much vapour to be driven off, and which is precisely
similar in construction to the former apparatus, excepting that the
fan or screw, spindle or shaft, instead of being solid, is hollow, and is
perforated in order to allow the vapour or gas to escape the more
freely, and which also may be facilitated by means of an ordinary blower,
or exhausting apparatus, if preferred. Figure 4, is a transverse section
through the line Y, Y, in the Figure 3. Similar letters of reference
are placed upon and denote corresponding parts in all the figures, and
apply to both constructions of apparatus. a, is a bench or table, upon
which the supporting plates or frames b, b, are placed, one at either
end; c, is the outer tube or jacket, which I make of cast iron, but
which may be made of wrought iron, or of copper or brass, if preferred;
and d, is the inner tube, which I make of copper or brass, and fix in

page_text: the manner shewn, so as to form a space or steam chamber e, between
its outside and the inside of the outer tube or jacket, closed at the ends,
but leaving both ends of the inner tube d, open. Steam is admitted.by
the pipe f, to the chamber e, and is discharged by the pipe g, the tube
or chamber being placed at a slight inclination to allow any condensed
water to drain to the lower end, and to pass off by the latter pipé,
which is placed at that end for this purpose; but the degree of inclina-
tion may be varied, or its direction reversed, when preferred or required.
h, is a hopper or feeding trough (fixed to the outer tube or jacket),
opening into the upper end of the inner tube. i, is the fan shaft (solid
in the one case, and hollow and perforated in the other), supported
in suitable bearings at its ends, and passing completely through the
inner tube, and through the hopper. This carries the helical fan, blade,
or worm k, fixed upon it, and which is perforated 'to. facilitate the
escape of the vapour or gas arising from the contents of the tube, the
perforations being made smaller or larger according to the nature of
the materials to be dried or prepared. 7, is a small fly-wheel, with a
winch-handle m, for slowly turning the shaft and fan by hand, which is
'to be done at intervals or continuously during the process, according to
the nature of the material to be acted.on. This will mechanically force
or pass the contents through the tube d, and cause them to be stirred
about, and expose varying surfaces to different parts of the said tube,
whereby they will be gradually dried when a moderate heat is applied,
or, in the case of malt, be gradually coloured or high dried to any degree
required where a suitable heat is employed.
It is to be understood that instead of the perforated fan or blade
described, a fan or blade of wire, gauze, or other suitable material may
'be made use of, or studs or pins helically or spirally disposed or arranged,
may be employed. It is also to be understood that, instead of the hollow
spindle or shaft being perforated as described, it may be made with
'large openings covered over with gauze, wire, or other suitable material.
When the chamber or heated tube is intended to revolve, and the
blade or fan is intended to be a fixture, the inner tube is made to
revolve in an ordinary steam-tight packing or joint at each end of the
:

page_text: outer tube or jacket, and is lengthened out so as to receive a drum or
other suitable driving apparatus.
It is to be remarked that the apparatus may be furnished with an
eccentric or any other suitable jogging or shaking contrivance, if it
should be preferred to be so constructed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lawrence, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES LAWRENCE. (L.S.)