IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS, AND ALL KINDS OF EARTHENWARE, FOR GLUE, WOOD, TURF, STARCH, LINEN, WOOL, SILK, PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Weigelin, of Sachsenhausen, near Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS, AND ALL
KINDS OF EARTHENWARE, FOR GLUE, WOOD, TURF, STARCH, LINEN, WOOL,
SILK, PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS."
Sealed the 10th October 1873, and dated the 12th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Weigelin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th April 1873.
I, GUSTAV WEIGELIN, of Sachsenhausen, near Frankfort-on-the-Main,
Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS AND ALL
KINDS OF EARTHENWARE, FOR GLUE, WOOD, TURF, STARCH, LINEN, WOOL, SILK,
PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for
drying articles such as bricks, earthenware, glue, wood, turf, starch,

page_text: linen, wool, silk, paper, and the like, which I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings, in which
Fig. 1, Sheet I., shows a longitudinal section of two drying chambers a, a,
on line A, B, Fig. III.; Fig. II. shows a plan of the arch of the drying
chamber with a passage h² above the arch in sectional plan; Fig. III.
shews a sectional plan of the under part of the drying chambers on linc
C, D, Fig. I.
Fig. IV., Sheet II., shows a transverse section of a drying chamber
on line E, F, Fig. II.; Fig. V. shows a transverse section on line G, H,
Fig. III.
Fig. VI. shows a side view, plan, and section of the vapour pipe 1,
showing the different sized openings therein as will be hereafter
described; Fig. VII. shows a side view and section of the air pipe k,
with different sized openings therein.
Fig. VIII. shows a vertical section and sectional plan of a valve and 1
valve seating at n for regulating the passage and supply of air; Fig. IX.
shews the contrivance q for connecting the heating pipes f in an air-
tight manner, consisting of a sheet iron box in two parts in which the
ends of the pipes are inserted and which is filled with sand to render
the joint air-tight.
Fig. X, Sheet 3, shows a transverse, and Fig. XI. a longitudinal
section of the fire-place on the lines J, K, and L, M, (Fig. XIL) respec-
tively; Fig. XII. shows a sectional plan of the same on the line N, O,
(Fig. X.); Figs. XIII., XIV., XV., and XVI., shew respectively front
and back clevations, a vertical section and a sectional plan of double
doors for closing the drying chambers; Fig. XVII. shows longitudinal
sections of the heating pipes and their bends and branches.
From these Figures it will be seen that between several drying
chambers a, a, (of which two are shown in Fig. I.) there is a passage b
under which is the smoke fluc c. In each of the chambers a there is a
fire-place d, and these fires are stoked from the passage b. The products
of combustion pass from the fires by flues p into heating pipes farranged
to circulate below the floors of the chambers a, which consist of move-
able gratings. Each line of the circulating pipes f communicates by
passages o with the smoke flues c, each such passage being provided
with a valve arrangement, such as is shown to an enlarged scale in
Fig. VIII., Sheet 2. There are communicating passages from the
2

page_text: pipes of one chamber to those of other chambers provided with
covers s. By closing one of the valves o and raising a covers the
heated products of combustion instead of being allowed to pass directly
into the flue c from the circulating pipes f in one chamber, may be
caused to circulate in those of another chamber before being led to the
chimney whereby a larger portion of their heat may be utilized. The
fire-place c is covered by a metal arch g, above which there is an air
space into which air can be admitted from the passage b by opening
a slide i covering the mouth of a flue leading to the space h. Air
thus admitted being heated by passing over the crown g of the fire
flows by passages h² to pipes / arranged along the sides of the ceilings
of the drying chambers a. These pipes have along their sides openings
which are made larger the farther they are from the point of supply
(as shown in Fig. VII., Sheet. 2,) in order that the discharge of heated
air from these pipes into the chambers a may be rendered more uniform
throughout their length. Pipes having openings similarly distributed
(as shown in Fig. VI., Sheet 2), are led along the ceilings of the heating
chambers a for carrying off vapour therefrom and air after it has given
out its heat. These vapour pipes communicate by descending flues m
with the flue c, from which they can be cut off by valves n such as
have been already described. The flue c is led to a chimney. There
are openings a¹ and u² for the insertion of thermometers in an air-tight
manner from the passage so as to ascertain the temperature in the
chamber a or flue h².
In working these drying chambers the articles to be dried are intro-
duced by the doors v. If they are fabrics they may be hung up in the
chambers, other materials such as bricks may be placed on the grated
floor or on shelves or tiers of gratings. The double doors are then
closed and the space between them filled in with sand poured in through
the funnel mouth (see Fig. XV., Sheet 3,) so as to render them air-tight.
The proper valves o being then opened the fire is kindled and the
chamber and its contents receive heat from the circulating pipes f.
As the chamber is closed there is no escape of vapour from it, and thus
the articles contained in it are warmed up to the required point through-
out without being merely dried at their surfaces. When the proper
temperature has been attained, as observed by the thermometer ', the
slide i and valves n are opened so as to admit heated air from the
space through the flues ² and pipes to the upper part of the

page_text: chamber and to allow the escape of vapour by the pipes and flues m
to the smoke fluc. The heated air thus supplied, the temperature of
which can be observed by the thermometer u, does not pass through
the articles to be dried but has the effect of carrying off the vapour
evolved from them without allowing it to condense.
By thus uniformly warming up the materials and drying without
passing hot air through them, the disadvantages of surface heating and
drying are completely avoided and in this manner such materials as
silk, wool, and the like can be thoroughly dried without having their
outwardly exposed portions rendered hard and brittle, and materials
such as bricks can be dried without cracking. Also the temperature of
the chambers and the supply of heated air thereto and discharge of
vapour from them being completely under control, while their contents
are excluded from contact with the outer air, the rate of heating and
drying can be suited to the materials operated on, and is entirely
independent of weather.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Gustav Weigelin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAV
WEIGELIN, of Sachsenhausen, near Frankfort-on-the-Main, Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Gustav Weigelin, Her special license,
that I, the said Gustav Weigelin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Gustav Weigelin, 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

page_text: APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS AND ALL KINDS OF EARTHENWARE, FOR GLUE, WOOD,
TURF, STARCH, LINEN, WOOL, SILK, PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Gustav Weigelin, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Gustav Weigelin, do hereby declaro
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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
My Invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for
drying articles, such as bricks, carthenware, glue, wood, turf, starch,.
linen, wool, silk, paper and the like, which I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings, in which
Fig. I., Sheet. I., shows a longitudinal section of two drying chambers a, a,
on line A, B, Fig. III.; Fig. II. shows a plan of the arch of the drying
chambers with a passage ² above the arch in sectional plan; Fig. III.
shows a sectional plan of the under part of the drying chambers on line
C, D, Fig. I.
Fig. IV., Sheet II., shows a transverse section of a drying chamber
on line E, F, Fig. II.; Fig. V. shows a transverse section on line G, H,
Fig. III.
Fig. VI. shows a side view, plan, and section of the vapour pipe l,
shewing the different sized openings therein as will be hereafter
described; Fig. VII. shows a side view of the air pipe k with different
sized openings therein.
Fig. VIII. shows a vertical section and sectional plan of a valve and
valve seating at n for regulating the passage and supply of air; Fig. IX.
shows the contrivance q for connecting the heating pipes f in an air-
tight manner, consisting of a sheet iron box in two parts in which the
ends of the pipes are inserted and which is filled with sand to render
the joint air-tight.

page_text: Fig. X., Sheet III., shows a transverse, and Fig. XI. a longitudinal
section of the fire-place on the lines J, K, and L, M, (Fig. XII.) respec-
tively; Fig. XII. shows a sectional plan of the same on the line N, O,
Fig. X.
Figs. XIII., XIV., XV. and XVI., show respectively front and back
clevations, a vertical section, and a sectional plan of double doors for
closing the drying chambers.
Fig. XVII. shows longitudinal sections of the heating pipes and their
bends and branches.
From these Figures it will be seen that between several drying
chambers a, a, (of which two are shown in Fig. I.) there is a passage b
under which is the smoke flue c. In cach of the chambers a there is
a fire-placed and these fires are stoked from the passage b. The pro-
ducts of combustion pass from the fires by flues p into heating pipes f
arranged to circulate below the floors of the chambers a which consist
of moveable gratings t. Each line of the circulating pipes f communi-
cates by passages o with the smoke flue c, each such passage being
provided with a valve arrangement, such as is shown to an enlarged scale
at n in Fig. VIII., Sheet II. There are communicating passages » from
the pipes fof one chamber to those of other chambers, provided with
covers s. By closing one of the valves o and raising a covers the heated
products of combustion instead of being allowed to pass directly into the
flue c from the circulating pipes f in one chamber may be caused to
circulate in those of another chamber before being led to the chimney,
whereby a larger portion of their heat may be utilized. The fire-place e s
is covered by a metal arch 9, above which there is an air space / into
which air can be admitted from the passage 6 by opening a slide i
covering the mouth of a flue h¹ leading to the space h. Air thus
admitted being heated by passing over the crown g of the fire, flows by
passages to pipes / arranged along the sides of the ceilings of the
drying chambers a. These pipes have along their sides openings which
are made larger the farther they are from the point of supply (as shewn
in Fig. VII., Sheet II.,) in order that the discharge of heated air from
these pipes into the chambers a may be rendered more uniform through-
out their length. Pipes having openings similarly distributed (as a
shewn in Fig. VI., Sheet II.,) are led along the ceilings of the heating
chambers a for carrying off vapour therefrom and air after it has given
out its heat. These vapour pipes / communicate by descending flues m

page_text: with the flues c from which they can be cut off by valves n, such as
have been already referred to. The flue cis led to a chimney. There
are openings u¹ and u² for the insertion of thermometers in an air-tight
manner from the passage b, so as to ascertain the temperature in the
chamber a or flue h².
In working these drying chambers the articles to be dried are intro-
duced by the doors v. If they are fabrics they may be hung up in the
chambers, other materials such as bricks may be placed on the grated
floor or on shelves or tiers of gratings. The double doors w are then
closed and the space between them filled in with sand poured in through
the funnel mouth (see Fig. XV., Sheet III.,) so as to render them air-
tight. The proper valves o being then opened the fire is kindled, and
the chamber and its contents receive heat from the circulating pipes f
As the chamber is closed there is no escape of vapour from it, and thus
the articles contained in it are warmed up to the required point through-
out without being merely dried at their surfaces. When the proper
temperature has been attained, as observed by the thermometer u³, the
slide and valves n are opened so as to admit heated air from the
space through the flues and pipes / to the upper part of the chamber
and to allow the escape of vapour by the pipes and flues m to the
smoke fluc. The heated air thus supplied, the temperature of which
can be observed by the thermometer u², does not pass through the articles
to be dried but has the effect of carrying off the vapour evolved from
them without allowing it to condense. The supply of such heated air
and the degree to which the chamber is heated can be regulated by more
or less opening the valves o and n.
h
By thus uniformly warming up the materials and drying without
passing hot air through them the disadvantages of surface heating and
drying are completely avoided, and in this manner such materials as
silk, wool, and the like, can be thoroughly dried without having their
outwardly exposed portions rendered hard and brittle, and materials
such as bricks can be dried without cracking. Also the temperature of
the chambers and the supply of heated air thereto and discharge of
vapour from them being completely under control, while their contents
are excluded from contact with the outer air, the rate of heating and
drying can be suited to the materials operated on, and is entirely
independent of weather.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim the before described im
proved construction of drying stoves, the characteristic features of which
are the preliminary heating of the articles to be dried by means of hot
air or products of combustion passing through flues at the bottom of
the drying chamber without entering such chamber, the hermetic closure
of such chamber during such preliminary heating so as to subject the
articles to the action of the steam or watery vapour given off from
the articles, whereby they are thoroughly and uniformly warmed without
being dried at the surface; the introduction of heated air at the top of
the drying chamber after such preliminary heating in order to discharge
the vapour therefrom without causing the hot air introduced to pass
through the articles to be dried, and the arrangements of valves and
passages whereby the degree of preliminary heating, the temperature
of the heated air introduced, and the duration of the drying process are
under perfect control, and whereby the hot products of combustion after
doing duty in one drying chamber may be made to act upon the next
chamber or chambers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustav Weigelin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
2423
TRAKTATT TI
GUSTAV WEIGELIN. (L.S.)