IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Forbes, of the City and County of Perth,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING
MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEANS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR.
"
Sealed the 17th May 1870, and dated the 1st December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Forbes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st December 1869.
I, JOHN FORBES, of the City and County of Perth, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN DESICCATING MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention which relates to improvements in drying or desiccating
grain, malt, and other materials consists in heating the kiln, wherein
the desiccation is effected by means of steam, which may be that ex-
hausting from steam engine cylinders. For this purpose the steam is led
into tubular chambers which are placed in air-tight connection with the

page_text: bottom of the kiln, so that no air can pass into the kiln except through
the tubes, which are surrounded with steam, and in order to cause a
current of air to sweep through the tubes the space above the kiln floor
is made air-tight, and the air exhausted therefrom by means of a fan,
pump, or other apparatus. The passage by which the steam is admitted
into the tubular heaters is provided with a safety valve, it is also provided
with a shut off valve which is closed when the grain or other material is
dry. By this arrangement the steam when the kiln is not at work blows
off or escapes through the safety valve on the pipe between the engine
and the kiln, and the desiccation of grain or malt in distilleries or
breweries where steam is used for other purposes is effected in much less
time and at a considerable reduction in cost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Forbes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FORBES, of the City and County of Perth, North Britain, send greeting.
1
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Forbes, Her special licence that I, the
said John Forbes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Forbes, my executors, administrators, or
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 DESICCATING MALT,
GRAIN, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN MEANS EMPLOYED THEREPOR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Forbes, by
an instrument in writing under 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

page_text: 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 John Forbes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what inauner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings.
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say
My said Invention which relates to improvements in drying or
desiccating grain, malt, and other materials consists in heating the kiln
wherein the desiccation is effected by means of steam, which may be that
exhausting from steam engine cylinders. For this purpose the steam is
led into tubular chambers which are placed in air-tight connection with
the bottom of the kiln so that no air can pass into the kiln except
through the tubes, which are surrounded with steam, and in order to
cause a current of air to sweep through the tubes the space above the
kiln floor is made air-tight and the air exhausted therefrom by means of
a fan, pump, or other apparatus. The passage by which the steam is
admitted into the tubular heaters is provided with a safety valve, it is
also provided with a shut off valve which is closed when the grain or
other material is dry. By this arrangement the steam, when the kiln is
not at work, blows off or escapes through the safety valve on the pipe.
between the engine and the kiln, and the desiccation of grain or malt in
distilleries or breweries where steam is used for other purposes, is effected-
in much less time and at a considerable reduction in cost.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood Ţ
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say.-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a transverse
section of a kiln for drying or desiccating malt, grain, or other similar
substances, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same at right
angles to Figure 1. On these two Figures the improvements which con-
stitute this Invention are shown applied, and corresponding parts are
indicated by the same letters of reference.
The chamber A of the kiln into which the hot air to be employed
in drying or desiccating the malt, grain, or other similar substance is
first introduced is constructed in the usual curvilinear form as shown.
The air is conducted through a series of tubes à arranged in a cylinder

page_text: or casing B in the manner shown on the accompanying Drawings, and
is thence passed into the chamber A through the chamber D at the end
of the casing or cylinder B, as shown at Figure 2, and the air in its
passage through the tubes a is heated to the required temperature by
means of steam, surrounding the tubes, and which is conducted into the
cylinder or casing B through the pipe or passage C provided with a cut
off or throttle valve c so that the supply of steam to the cylinder or
casing B may be discontinued or cut off when required. When the steam
is so cut off it is conducted through the branch pipe or passage E, as
shown more particularly at Figure 2, and is thence discharged into the
atmosphere. The branch pipe or passage E is also provided with a
valve in order to prevent the steam passing through the pipe or
passage C from entering the branch E when the valve c is open, that is
to say, when it is required to conduct the steam into the cylinder or
casing B, as herein-before set forth. The valve x is also so arranged.
that it lifts when the pressure of steam in the pipe or passage C becomes
too great, and thereby allows the superfluous steam to escape into the
branch E. The heated air after passing into the chamber A is conducted
therefrom into the drying or desiccating chamber F through the openings
or apertures e in the floor of the chamber F, on which floor the malt,
grain, or other similar substance to be dried or desiccated is spread,
and in order to cause a continuous current of the heated air to pass
into the chamber F, and through the substance being operated upon,
the space above the floor of the said chamber is made air-tight, and the
air is exhausted therefrom through the conductor or passage H by means
of the fan G as shown more particularly at Figure 1. The conductor or
passage H is provided with a number of sliding doors 6 by which the
quantity of air admitted from the drying or desiccating chamber F to the
fan or exhauster G is regulated. The fan or exhauster G is arranged
within a casing of wood, iron, or other suitable material, as more particularly
shown in section at Figure 1, and is actuated by means of a belt placed
round the driving pulley I on the shaft of the fan or exhauster G. As the
air is exhausted from the chamber F it passes into the duct or passage J,
as shown at Figure 1, and thence escapes into the atmosphere through the
flue or chimney K. At that part of the fan or exhauster casing where it
joins with the duct or passage J a thermometer tube L is placed in order
that an attendant may read and regulate the temperature of the air
passing through the drying or desiccating chamber F. The steam which
is condensed in the heating cylinder or casing B is conducted therefrom by

page_text: the pipe M attached to the under side of the cylinder or casing into the
vessel N, and the water or condensed steam is led from thence through
the pipe O, or the condensed steam may be conducted from the heating
apparatus B in any other suitable manner. In order to flavor the malt,
grain, or other substance being operated upon by means of peat or fire,
a fire-place or furnace R is provided as shown at Figure 1, and should
the amount of steam passed into the heating apparatus B be at any time
insufficient to heat the air to the required temperature, heat from the
furnace R may be used as an auxiliary to supply the deficiency of heat
caused by such insufficiency of steam. In lieu of placing a heating
apparatus at one side of the kiln, as shown on the appended Drawings,
heating apparatus may be placed at more than one side.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may bo
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement and construction of apparatus by which the
air is, caused to pass through the tubular heater or heaters into tho
drying chambers of malt and grain kilns by the formation of a partial
vacuum as herein-before described or any mero modification thereof.
Second. The utilization of exhaust steam for heating the air and
purifying malt and grain as herein-before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Forbes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.