Improvements in Apparatus for use in connection with the Manufacture of Fodder Cakes and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1850
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in connection with the
Manufacture of Fodder Cakes and the like.
I, SIGMUND SECKENDORF of the firm of Seckendorf & Co. of No. 11 Hari Street in the
City of London Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Max Reuland of Dortmund in the Empire of Germany
Civil Engineer, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to drying apparatus for granular, pasty and similar material,
for instance brewers grain, distillers returns, and has for its purpose to provide an
improved apparatus of this class which at the same time allows the dried material to be
ultimately formed into fodder cakes and such like.
The improvements forming the subject of this Specification represent supplements
to former Letters Patent No. 16051 A.D. 1888 and No. 3089 A.D 1890 and are
intended to allow
1) A portion of the liquid contained in the material to be dried to be eliminated
before the latter arrives on the drying surfaces proper.
2) A more perfect stirring and gradual movement of the material to be dried on
the drying surfaces to be effected by means of an improved scraper and transporter
system, whereby moreover the heating surfaces are caused to be constantly well
covered and a most complete utilization of the eradiating heat is ensured.
3) The drying material to be continually and uniformly stirred and moved on by a
peculiar construction of supplementary drying troughs and by an improved system of
stirrers operating in said troughs thereby causing at the same time the heated trough
surfaces to be uninterruptedly covered and the heat eradiating from the hollow shafts
to be efficaciously utilized.
4) The dried material, when leaving the troughs, to be formed, if required with
the addition of suitable substances into cakes for animal food or other purposes by
means of a peculiar press in order to admit of easier transport and storage of the said
material, while the steam used therefor is subsequently employed for the heating of the
whole apparatus or other purposes.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings (Sheets I to V).
Fig. 1 is a side view and partial section of the press for removing liquid from the
material.
Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.
Figs. 3, 3 and 4 illustrate the improved scraper and transporter system, and
Figs. 5, 5 and 6 a modification of the same.
Fig. 3 being a front view, Fig. 3ª a side view of a scraper and section of scraper arm
arm and adjusting block,
Fig. 4 a top view to Fig. 3, showing the guide-bar and pivots,
Fig. 4 side view of a transporter with its guiding in the scraper arm,
Fig. 5 a front view,
Fig. 5 a side view of the scraper and section of scraper arm and adjusting
block,
Fig. 6 a top view of a modification of the improved system.
Fig. 7 is a side view and partial section of the troughs showing the disposition of
stirrers.
Fig. 8 is a cross section thereof.
Fig. 9 is a side view of a steam cake-press.
Fig. 10 a top view thereof, and
Figs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate details, hereafter referred to, of said press.
The chief constituents of the preliminary press. Fig. 1 and 2 are the casing A,

page_text: feed hopper a which is regulated by the travel of rollers 1 and 2 (or a single
roller), the conic discharge funnel 6, and the peculiarly shaped hollow worin k.
The material to be dried is brought into funnel a, falls into a space enclosing
worm and is forced by the latter into discharge funnel b. This funuel has lodged
therein a suitable number of rings c, slightly overreaching one another successively in
their inner surfaces, and so shaped as to form a series of outward channels d destined
to receive the liquid eliminated which then accumulates in channel fand is discharged
at h. The rings c, instead of exceeding each other as mentioned above may also
form a smooth inner surface; in this case suitable apertures must be provided for the
passage of the liquid.
In order to allow any obstruction of channels d and f to be removed, outwardly
projecting and movable wires e and gare provi led within the same.
To admit of increased elimination of liquid the worm k has a hollowing or bore 3
into which terminate narrow sliis 4 from the outside thereof. Said bore communicates
with hollow elongation o of the worm. This elongation or shaft is provided with a
suitable number of apertures 5, through which the liquid collected in the worin passes
into groove or grooves 6 whence it flows off at h¹.
The conic discharge funnel referred to contains at its mouth the pressing roller i,
which, being acted upon by spring j, allows the material to pass through under a
pressure dependent on its consistency.
Worm k corresponds in diameter and length to casing A and discharge funnel b
and is actuated by gearing which suitably also operates rollers 1 and 2 in hopper a.
To prevent the stop m of worm k from pressing excessively against casing A a corre-
spondingly lodged set screw n is adapted to be moved against elongation o of the worm
shaft, and thereby compensate excessive friction between casing A and stop m.
The scraper and transporter system mentioned above is arranged as follows:-
In scraper arm a', which may have any convenient cross section, for instance that
shown in Fig. 3 and 4, are lodged vertically movable scraper rods b', which-if
required assisted by weights press with their feet or scrapers f¹ constantly and
automatically on heating surface C in such a manner that the fore edge of the scraper
passes smoothly over said surface between the latter and the material lying thereon.
As shown in Figs. 3ª and 5 the scrapers have a triangular or similar cross section
while their plan has the shape of a trapezoid, Fig. 4, or of a rhomb or any other
suitable figure.
By the triangular or similar cross-section of the scraper the material to be dried is
simultaneously somewhat advanced, while by the said shape of its plan also a lateral
movement thereof is attained. Within the stirrer arm, .e. between the two guide
openings provided in its flanges, the rod carries a block d' adjustable by means of
screw said adjusting block, owing to its flattened side q lying against the inner
vertical side of the stirrer arm, is prevented from allowing the scrapers to undergo a
displacement of its axis relatively to the position of the scraper arm, and consequently
rodi.e. the whole scraper is compelled to remain in the position once given by the
adjusting block.
For the purpose of supporting the forward movement of the material, transporters gl
may be provided which are likewise vertically and laterally adjustable in the scraper
arm, their vertical position being determined by ring a, secured to rod, and their
lateral position by pins, horizontally displaceable in suitable apertures of the
vertical side of arm a and connected with guide rod 1, Figs. 4.and 4.
The transporters may also be given their corresponding position by adjustable
blocks in the same or similar manner as the scrapers; this modification is illustrated
in Figs. 5 and 6.
The supplementary drying troughs mentioned above consist of two adjoining
cylinder portions (nearly semi-cylindric) a" and a¹ joined longitudinally with one
edge and lodged in a casing e, a heating space being thus formed between the
latter and the cylinders. Steam passes at into this space and, after flowing
through suitably arranged chambers, escapes at n', thus heating the sides of the
troughs.

page_text: Hollow shafts " and " revoluble by suitable gear and adapted to be likewise
heated by steam passing through, are concentrically lodged in the segmental troughs;
each of these shafts carries a conveniently arranged series of scoops r adapted to
take, when the shafts revolve towards each other, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 8,
the material out of the troughs and throw it each upon the other hollow shaft whence
it falls hack into the troughs, whose surfaces are consequently always covered with
Diaterial.
The scoops are moreover so placed as to cause, by the revolution of the shafts, the
material to move worm-fashion towards the ends of the troughs; their position must
of course be so chosen as to prevent the scoops of one shaft to collide with those of
the other. The hollow shafts may also be replaced by plain shafts in cases where the
nature of the material to be dried renders supplementary beating by hollow shafts
superfluous.
From the troughs the dried material arrives in the press shown by Figs. 9 and 10
and serving to form the material-if necessary with admixture of suitable binding
material, such as molasses, crushed oil cake, into cakes in order to allow easier storage
and transport of the dried material.
The supply and escape of steam are so arranged in the said press that the steam
utilized for actuating the latter, can be subsequently employed for heating the drying
apparatus or for any other purposes.
The material to be pressed arrives through funnel 8 into the double-sided preliminary
steam-heating chamber 9, wherein it is mixed through stirring device 10 indicated by
dotted lines (Fig. 9); subsequently the material is passed through connecting pipe 11
to the pressing plate 12. The latter has three openings or moulds 13, 133 13 and
receives intermittent motion by gear 14 and 15 provided underneath. To produce
said movement, only about one third of the circumference of wheel 14 is toothed,
while wheel 15 has teeth all round.
The valve motion 16, shown in detail by Fig. 12, is so disposed that as soon as
opening 13 of plate 12 precisely coincides with pressing piston 17, the latter makes
an entire up-and-down-stroke thereby compressing the material contained in mould 13b
to a cake.
While now the wheels 14 and 15 are out of gear and the pressing plate 12 at rest,
the mould 13, which moves in a slide-guiding, is drawn out by handle 18, and the
finished cake taken out. During this manipulation, the nose 19 provided on the slide
moves the lover 20 pivoted at 21 and having attached thereto the double feeding
slide 22, 23. By means of the latter the required quantity of material is, simulta-
neously with the drawing out of mould 13", filled into mould 13.
The valve motion 16, Figs. 12 and 13, consists of wheels 24 and 25 operating through
noses 26 and 27 and lever 28 the steam-cock 29. Wheel 24 is secured on vertical
shaft 30, while wheel 25 is loose on shaft 31 and can be taken off and adjusted at
pleasure.
The steam pressure piston 17 moves more or less rapidly corresponding to the
position of the above mentioned noses 26 and 27 relatively to each other.
The steam enters at 32 into cock 29 and escapes at 33, the channels in said cock
being so arranged as to allow the steam to escape after having acted upon piston 34 ;
on the cock being turned by valve motion 16, the utilized steam is allowed to escape
from under piston 34, while live steam acts upon piston 35.
The faces of said pistons 34 and 35 are so determined relatively to each other that
the utilized steam can be further used corresponding to the difference of pressure
produced. The large piston 34 works with full pressure compressing the material and
simultaneously overcomes the resistance of the steam above piston 35, such resistance
being equal to the steam pressure chosen for the drying apparatus or other work.
After compression of the material the cock 29 is reversed through gear 16, and a
corresponding quantity fresh steam passes through channel in plug y on the small
piston 35, whereby the large piston 34 is pressed down and the steam is driven from
thereunder into the drying apparatus. The steam therefore, which acts on the large

page_text: piston has to effect the pressing of the cake and, as mentioned above, also to overcome
the pressure produced on piston 35.
The combined drying apparatus and press works as follows:
The material to he dried is supplied to the preliminary press and partly freed in the
same of liquid moisture, hence it falls on the heating surfaces, is kept moving by the
scrapers, then passed into the troughs and finally into the press which forms it into
cakes.
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) In apparatus for drying granular, pasty, and similar material, a preliminary
press, having in its conic discharge funnel a series of rings e placed side by side
and either slightly exceeding one another with their inner surfaces or forming
together one smooth surface, said rings being so shaped as to leave between them
outward annular channels d, which contain outwardly projecting movable wires e
serving to remove obstruction, and are destined to collect the liquid eliminated from
the material and allow it to pass through channel f. likewise provided with a clearing
wire g, to the discharge aperture h, the worm k having a longitudinal bore
communicating with a series of slits 4, this bore serving to collect any surplus of
liquid from the material during pressure and pass such liquid through apertures 5
into groove 6, whence it flows off, in combination with set screw n and roller i, which
latter regulates the discharge of the material and is acted upon by spring j, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2) In apparatus for drying granular pasty and similar material the application of a
vertically self-acting system of scrapers which are adapted to be held in position
relatively to scraper-arm a¹ by means of peculiarly shaped adjusting blocks dand
set screws connected therewith, in combination with auxiliary transporters whose
vertical position is determined by collars or stops while their lateral position
relatively to scraper arm a' is ensured either like the scrapers by adjusting blocks or
by means of pins connected with collars and guide rod, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3) In apparatus for drying granular, pasty and similar material, the application of
a steam-heated double trough consisting of two longitudinally adjoining cylinder
portions each of which encloses either a hollow or a plain revoluble shaft, said shafts
revolving inwardly towards each other and carrying suitably placed scoops adapted
to take the material out of the troughs and throw it mutually upon the opposite
shaft and into the opposite trough, and, owing to their lateral displacement to the
shaft-axis, to gradually move the material towards the end of the trough, the scoops
of one shaft being so placed relative to those of the other shaft as to prevent their
coming into collision, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4) In combination with drying apparatus for granular pasty or similar material, a
steam press for forming the dried material into blocks or cakes, consisting of pressing
plate 12, having moulds 13, 13, 13b, toothed wheel 15, partially toothed wheel 14
pressing piston 17 connected with differential steam pistons 34 and 35, valve
motion 16, which is composed of wheels 24 and 25 having respectively noses 20
and 27, and of a lever 28, and steam cock 29 having steam channels so arranged as to
allow the steam used for producing the required pressure to be again utilized for
heating the drying apparatus or other purposes, substantially as illustrated and
described.
S. SECKENDORF.
By Huelser & Co.,
Attorneys.