Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Malt and like Materials on a Kiln Floor.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Malt and like Materials on
a Kiln Floor.
I, CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD of Lavenham Hill, Lavenham, Suffolk,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for turning malt and like materials on the floor
of the kiln in which they are treated.
,'I
For this purpose, I provide a pair of carriages adapted to run on rails at each
side of the kiln, these carriages forming bearings for the two ends of a revolving
shaft which extends across the kiln and which, in order to give stiffness without
involving great weight, is preferably a tube. On this shaft there are fixed
at intervals radial arms to the ends of which are pivotted blades that can swing
upon their pivots to a certain extent either way as determined by stops upon them
meeting the arms to which they are pivotted. These blades are of such length, and
the intervals between the arms are such that, as the shaft revolves, the floor of the
kiln is swept by the blades throughout its whole width, and the blades are so formed
that as they swing round they lift the material, and then, turning partly over, drop
it thus turning it over on the floor.
The shaft is caused to revolve by bevil gearing from a longitudinal shaft
extending along one side of the kiln, this shaft being supported on swing bearings
which are moved out of the way as the carriage passes them. Along each side of
the kiln is fixed a rack engaged by a pinion which is geared to the tubular shaft, so
that, as this shaft revolves, both carriages are caused to travel equally along the
kiln lengthwise. The carriage which carries the gear for driving the tubular shaft
has reversing gear so arranged that when a lever mounted on the carriage meets a
stop at the end of its travel in the one direction this lever is moved so as to effect
reversal of the direction of rotation of the tubular shaft, and thereupon the
carriages travel in the opposite direction till reversal is effected by the lever
meeting another stop. The blades are preferably edged with leather or other
somewhat yielding material so that they can be adjusted to scrape the floor with
their yielding edges.
14th den of Janua1906
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "
Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Malt and like Materials on
a Kiln Floor.
I, CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD, Lavenham Hill, Lavenham, Suffolk,
Engineer, 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 apparatus for turning malt and like materials on the
floor of the kiln in which they are treated, as I shall describe referring to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a kiln floor and
Fig. 2 is a transverse section having applied to it apparatus according to my
invention for turning malt or other materials while they are being operated on.
Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of the two travelling carriages and
Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of one set of the revolving arms and blades.
I provide a pair of carriages A A' adapted to run on rails B B at each side of
the kiln, these carriages forming bearings for the two ends of a revolving shaft C
which extends across the kiln and which in order to give stiffness without involving
great weight, is preferably a tube. On this shaft there are fixed at intervals radial
arms D to the ends of which are pivotted blades E that can swing upon their pivots
to a certain extent either way as determined by stop staples E upon them meeting
the arms D to which they are pivotted. These blades are of such length, and the
intervals between the sets of arms D are such that, as the shaft C revolves,
the floor of the kiln is swept by the blades throughout its whole width, and the
blades are so formed that as they swing round, they lift the material, and then,
turning partly over, drop it, thus turning it over on the floor.
The arms D are fixed to the shaft C in an adjustable manuer as by screws
provided with lock nuts as shewn and the blades E are preferably edged with
leather or other somewhat yielding material, which by the proper adjustment of the
arms D, is made to scrape the kiln floor.
The shaft C is caused to revolve by a bevil wheel F on it gearing with a pair of
bevil pinions F1 F2 on a longitudinal shaft G extending along one side of the kiln,
this shaft being supported on bearings H which are moved out of the way as the
carriage passes them. Each of the bearings H is carried on rods sliding through
fixed guides H1 H2, these rods being held up by a counterweighted lever K.
As the carriage A advances towards one of the bearings H, an inclined horn M
projecting from the carriage pushes the bearing down so as to allow the bevil
pinions FF and a clutch sleeve Q between them to pass. When these parts have
passed, the weight on the lever K raises the bearing H again. The rails B B¹
have their undersides toothed as racks engaged by pinions P P which are geared
to the tubular shaft C, so that, as this shaft revolves, both carriages-A and A¹ are
caused to travel equally along the kiln leugthwise. The carriage A which carries
the gear for driving the tubular shaft C has reversing gear consisting of a sleeve Q
sliding on a feather of the shaft G so that its clutch end can engage with the one
or other of the bevil pinions F1 F2 which are loose on the shaft G. When
a lever L mounted on the carriage A meets a stop S at the end of its travel in the
one direction, this lever is moved so as to move the clutch sleeve Q effecting
reversal of the direction of rotation of the tubular shaft C, and thereupon
the carriages A A' travel in the opposite direction till reversal is effected by the
lever meeting another stop S¹.
In order to support the overhanging weight of the carriage A, a rail b is fixed to
the side wall, and a roller & mounted on A runs along this rail.

page_text: 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. Apparatus for turning malt and like materials on a kiln floor, constructed
and operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. In apparatus such as that referred to in the preceding claim, the construction
and mounting of revolving arms and blades, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus such as is above referred to, the driving gear consisting of the
longitudinal shaft G with bevil pinions F F and clutch sleeve Q, the bevil
wheel F, the shaft C, the carriages A A¹, the pinions P P¹, the rails B B¹ and
their racks, substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of February 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.