An Improved Apparatus for Assisting in the Drying of Hops.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1894--Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Assisting in the Drying of Hops.
1, JOHN HARPER, of Bromtrees Hall, Bishops Froome near Bromyard, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This apparatus is to be used in conjunction with or in addition to the means now.
employed for the drying of hops and it consists of tubes or pipes constructed so as
to revolve, having holes or apertures in them and being connected by a spiral
screw (or other arrangement which will enable the apparatus to revolve) to an
upright shaft communicating with a stove containing burning fuel, the heat from
which ascends the shaft, and enters the before mentioned tubes or pipes and passing
through the holes therein is distributed over the hops lying beneath the tubes.
This ascending current of heated air caused by the burning fuel in the stove causes
the apparatus to revolve by means of the spiral screw or other arrangement, thus
assisting the distribution of the heated air.
If desired the revolving of the tubular arms of the apparatus may be assisted by
a jack or other simple mechanical contrivance.
Dated this 17th day of August 1893.
HENRY F. TALBOT,
7, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Assisting in the Drying of Hops.
I, JOHN HARPER of Bromtrees Hall, Bishops Froome, near Bromyard, in the
County of Hereford, Farmer, 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 :-
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon.
This apparatus is intended to be used in conjunction with, or in addition to, the
means now employed for the drying of hops. It consists of an arrangement of tubes
or pipes constructed so that they will travel round a common centre whilst
distributing heated air over the hops.
The accompanying drawings will assist in the setting forth of the invention.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. And
Fig. 2 a sectional view.
(a) is a tube or shaft communicating at its lower end with a stove containing
burning fuel, or other heat generating apparatus, placed in any convenient situation.
The upper end of the tube (a) is formed into a chamber (b) in the centre of which,
upon the cross bar (k), is an upright bar (c). This chamber (b) rises to a convenient
height above the bed of hops (h). Upon the upright bar (c) is centered a cap or
covering (d) so constructed that its edges (d') will overlap the sides (6') of the
chamber (b) and allow of the sides of the cap (d) to revolve round the sides of the
chamber (6). From openings in the sides of the cap or covering (d) any desired
number of tubes (t) extend, having curved ends (e) and end apertures (g). Holes (f)
being also in the sides of the tubes.

page_text: The current of heated air rising up the tube (a) will pass into the chamber (b)
and out through the holes (f) and (9) in the tubes (t) and cause the cap or
covering (d) to revolve, carrying round also the tubes attached to it.
I do not find it convenient to revolve the cap (D) on a spiral screw as proposed
in my Provisional Specification but I employ instead the simple means described
and illustrated for supporting and allowing of the rotation of the upper part of the
apparatus (d) on the bar (c) or I may use other suitable arrangements for the
purpose.
And in order to assist the rotation and not be dependent upon the force of the
heated air bringing it about, I may use a jack or other simple mechanical
contrivance hanging the cap or covering (d) therefrom by the loop (i).
The tubes (t) may be made jointed with overlapping joints as at (j) so that
they can be removed for the greater convenience of attending to the hops beneath
them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
An apparatus to assist in the drying of hops consisting of pipes constructed
substantially as described, for the distribution of heated air over the hops, and
caused to revolve round a common centre for the better distribution of the
heated air.