Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Drying Coffee, Tea, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: watc
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Drying Coffee, Tea,
and the like.
I, MATTHEW BLAKE of the Firm of Blake, Barclay and Company Victoria
Works Greenock Renfrewshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention to be as follows:-
- U
This invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement and
combination of machinery or appliances for drying coffee, tea, and the like.
According to my improvements I erect a vertical vessel, and I fit within same at
short spaced distances apart a series of horizontal louvre plates or ducts of inverted
V shape, that is angled at each side from apex and open below, and these plates
would be arranged to locate over the spaces between each pair of the series below;
while angled or baffle plates would be fitted to each side of vessel in tiers at short
vertical spaced distances apart. The ends of these louvre plates would project
through slits formed in transverse plates at ends of vessel, and have spring or
turned out slits to prevent end movement. Boxed in chambers would be fitted
outside the end plates of vessel, and be fitted with a series of horizontal partitions
at short vertical distances apart, so as to form circulating spaces for the passage of
heated air as hereinafter described. Cleaning out doors would be fitted in each of
these partitioned spaces.
The lower end of vessel would be fitted with a series of angled or conoidal
hopper chambers, preferably eight sectional chambers, each situated at its top end
between centre line of vessel and each opposite side respectively; there being four
sets in each half of vessel. Slits or openings would be formed bear the lower apex
end of hopper at its inner plate for the treated material to escape into a lower
common accumulating hopper chamber for each four sections preferably formed as
a continuation of. the side angled plates; and from these two common chambers the
dried material would automatically pass through angled shoots to the buckets of an
elevator below. Or a revolving drum may be located below hopper chambers and
be fitted with radial vanes to receive and deliver the material to elevator.
elevator would consist of an endless vertical chain of buckets passing over pulleys
and chain guides at the side of vessel, and having its top chain pulley driven
through bevel or other gear and shafting from the crank shaft of an engine at floor
level.
The
The coffee berries or like material to be treated would be fed to a charging
hopper leading to lower part of elevator, and the latter would elevate the material
and discharge same into top of vessel until the latter was nearly filled, a flap or
valve being fitted on the discharge shoots of vessel to prevent the material passing
out of hoppers while this is going on.
Air would be heated in a furnace chamber close to drying vessel. This chamber
would preferably consist of a fire grate below with a series of vertical tubes
leading the hot gases from same to a compartment at top of chamber. The gases
would pass from this compartment through ducts to a parallel compartment and
from thence pass down a series of vertical tubes to a compartment at lower end of.
chamber, and from the latter pass through ducts to a similar parallel chamber, and
in circuit pass through another set of vertical tubes to a compartment at top end,
from which the spent gases would escape by an uptake to a chimney. Portable

page_text: covers would be fitted over the upper chambers for access to get sponging out
the tubes, cold air would be forced by a fan (preferably driven by a band from
crank shaft of engine) into the furnace chamber and this air in passing round the
tubes would get heated. The hot air would be conveyed from furnace chamber
by a pipe leading to the lower box compartment at end of drying vessel.
From this the air would pass into vessel, and the inverted V louvre plates or ducts
would form passages for it to circulate along to the box chamber at opposite end
of vessel, part of the air also, no doubt, escaping amongst the material being dried.
From the last named box chamber, which would be of greater height than the one
at the other end the air would circulate through the louvre channels at the
opposite end of vessel, and this circulation of hot air would go on alternately from
opposite ends of vessel until it reached the top of vessel from whence it would
escape by an outlet. The hot air in its passage through the channel spaces formed
by louvre plates would thus heat and dry the coffee berries or material in the
vessel, and at same time carry away with it all vapour arising from the material
being dried.
After the material has passed through the drying vessel it can be automatically
elevated again to top of vessel and thus be passed through as many times as
desired, and when the mass has been fully treated a portable angled shoot would be
fitted through a slit at side of vessel for its top end to come below buckets of
elevator at upper end of vessel so as to deliver the treated contents of vessel into
any suitable receptacle.
Dated the 27th day of June 1895.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Drying Coffee, Tea,
and the like.
I, MATTHEW BLAKE, of the Firm of Blake, Barclay and Company, Victoria
Works, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing that is
to say :-
This invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement and
combination of machinery or appliances for drying coffee, tea, beans, grain or other
cereals, also sugar or other granular substances, and the like.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
same into practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two
sheets of explanatory drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a transverse section through drying machine, and showing also the
actuating gearing for endless chain of buckets and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 1, while
Figure 3 is a plan view, showing hoppers at bottom, corresponding to these
former figures.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a tubular air heater; and
Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional broken away views at right angles of
the louvre plates and material being dried.
Referring to these drawings:-According to my improvements I erect a vertical
vessel A and I fit within same at short spaced distances apart a series of horizontal
louvre plates or ducts a of inverted V shape, that is angled at each side from apex
and open below, and these plates would be arranged to locate over the spaces
between each pair of the series below; while angled or baffle plates a³ would be

page_text: Boxed in
fitted to each side of vessel in tiers at short vertical spaced distances apart. The
ends of these louvre plates a would project through triangular openings A' formed
in transverse plates A' at ends of vessel and have spring or turned out slits a¹ to.
prevent end movement as shown particularly in Figures 5 and 6.
chambers B would be fitted outside the end plates A¹ of vessel A and be fitted
with a series of horizontal partitions B¹ at convenient vertical distances apart, so
as to form circulating spaces for the passage of heated air as hereinafter described.
Cleaning out doors B would be fitted in each of these partitioned spaces B.
The lower end of vessel A would be fitted with a series of angled or conoidal
hopper chambers C preferably eight sectional chambers each situated at its top
end between centre line of vessel and each opposite side respectively; there being
four sets in each half of vessel. Slits or openings C' would be formed near the
lower apex end of hopper C at its inner plates for the treated material to escape
into a lower common accumulating hopper chamber C¹ for each four sections
preferably formed as a continuation of the side angled plates; and from these two
common chambers C₁ the dried material would automatically pass through angled
shoots to the buckets of an elevator below. Or an ordinary revolving drum
may be located below hopper chambers and be fitted with radial vanes to receive
and deliver the material to elevator. The elevator would consist of an endless
vertical chain D of buckets passing over pulleys D₁ D'D' and chain guides D' at
the side of vessel, and having its top chain pulley D' driven through a shaft and
bevel or other gear and shafting E from the crank shaft E' of an engine E³ at
floor level.
The coffee berries, beans or like material to be treated would be fed to a
charging hopper E³ leading to lower part of elevator, and the latter would elevate
the material and discharge same into top of vessel A until the latter was nearly
filled, a flap or valve C being fitted on the discharge shoots C³ of vessel to prevent
the material passing out of hoppers while this is going on.
Air would be heated in a tubular heater by steam or open fire, but preferably
the latter in a furnace chamber F close to drying vessel A. As shown in Figure 4
this chamber would preferably consist of a fire grate F¹ below with a series of
vertical tubes F leading the hot gases from same to a compartment fat top
of chamber F. The gases would pass from this compartment through ducts fl
to a parallel compartment f' and from thence pass down a series of vertical
tubes F to a compartments at lower end of chamber F and from the latter pass
through ducts to a similar parallel chamber and in circuit pass through
another set of vertical tubes F' to a compartment fat top end from which the
spent gases would escape by an uptake foto a chimney. Portable covers f" would
be fitted over the upper chambers f, f2 for access to get sponging out the tubes.
Cold air would be forced by a fan (preferably driven by a band from crank shaft
of engine) through an inlet branch F into the furnace chamber F and this air in
passing round the tubes would get heated. The hot air would be conveyed from
furnace chamber F by a pipe F leading to the inlet branch F3 of the lower box
compartment B at end of drying vessel A. From this the air would pass into
vessel, and the inverted V louvre plates or ducts a would form passages for it to
circulate along to the box chamber B at opposite end of vessel, part of the air
also escaping upward amongst the material being dried. From the last named box
chamber which would be of greater height than the one at the other end the air
would circulate through the louvre channels a to the opposite end of vessel, and
this circulation of hot air would go on alternately from opposite ends of vessel
until it reached the top of vessel A from whence it would pass out by an outlet B³.
The hot air in its passage through the channel spaces formed by louvre plates a
would thus heat and dry the coffee berries, beans, or material in the vessel A and
at same time carry away with it all vapour arising from the material being
dried.
After the material has passed through the drying vessel A it can be automatically
elevated again to top of vessel and thus be passed through as many times as desired,

page_text: and when the mass has been fully treated a portable angled shoot G would be fitted
through a slit at side of vessel for its top end to come below buckets of elevator at
upper end of vessel so as to deliver the treated contents of vessel into any suitable
receptacle.
But instead of using this angled shoot at intermittent intervals, the elevator
might only be used for keeping the machine filled with green berries or substances
and the material when completely dry be passed out of the bottom of vessel by the
revolving drum, and by this means continuous working will be obtained.
In cases where motive power is not conveniently at band, instead of using an
endless chain of buckets as an elevator, the berries to be dried may be fed into a
single bucket, and the latter be raised and lowered by a rope passing over a pulley
at top of drier and actuated by a hand winch. The charging bucket would slide
on guides on outside surface of drier, said guides being curved at their upper end
so that when the strain of the winch comes on, the bucket is tipped and emptied at
top of drier. Instead of having hopper chambers, this modification of drier may
have the material discharged through a slide at bottom of machine, either in the
completely died state or to be elevated by bucket to pass again through drier.
In this modification the hot air would preferably pass by natural draught only from
a hot air furnace located below level of drier, and the vapour making its exit at
top of drier would escape into chimney of furnace which may be carried a
considerable distance up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The appliances for drying coffee, tea and the like substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. For drying coffee, tea and the like, the arrangement of drier with air
circulating louvre plates or ducts, substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated 27th day of March 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.