IMPROVEMENTS IN MALTING AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MALTING AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN. A communication
from abroad by Charles Völckner, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
Engineer.
Sealed the 1st May 1877, and dated the 6th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1876.
£6
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN MALTING AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Charles Völckner, of Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria, Engineer.
This Invention relates to a process of and apparatus for malting by mechanical.
pneumatic agency, the principal object of the apparatus being to turn the malt
continually by mechanical means, which operation can be arrested or continued as
desired, as also the supply of the proper quantity of oxygen or air to the moving
grain, by which means the supply of heat and moisture are regulated as required
for the development of the process of germination.
The apparatus consists of separate cylindrical receptacles or chambers of circular
or polygonal section, which are mounted on bearings in a horizontal position, and.
are capable of being rotated by means of any suitable mechanical arrangement of
wheels or other contrivances.
A certain number of these receptacles or chambers, according to the requirements
of the apparatus, are mounted one above the other and in rows side by side..
Above the uppermost row of receptacles or chambers there are provided prismatic
boxes or hoppers for the reception of the previously steeped barley.
The boxes may either be used as couches or merely as hoppers, the bottoms of
which can be closed by slides or hinged doors.
The horizontal receptacles or chambers have hollow axes which rotate with them,
and are perforated with numerous holes and covered with very fine wire gauze.
The hollow axes are closed at one end and at the other end are in connection with
a pipe leading from a pneumatic apparatus, herein-after described.
I Price 1
ว

page_text: The horizontal receptacles or chambers are provided with an opening in their
sides, extending throughout their whole length, which may be opened or closed
by means of a hinged or sliding cover or other suitable contrivance.
A pneumatic apparatus, consisting of a fan or cylindrical blower in connection
with an apparatus for introducing water in the form of spray, supplies the air
required for the receptacles or chambers, and this air is capable of being introduced
into such receptacles or chambers in either á dry or moist condition, and at a
regulated temperature.
The receptacles or chambers of each horizontal row are connected together by a
tube, and suitable appliances are provided for cutting off the connection with a
vertical main pipe with which the said tube communicates.
The apparatus operates in the following manner :-The steeped grain is placed
in the boxes or hoppers by means of suitable distributing appliances, and thence
it passes by opening the covers or slides into the uppermost row of the receptacles
or chambers, which are turned into such a position that the opening is uppermost
with respect to the two middle. receptacle chambers. When the receptacles or
chambers filled with steeped grain are turned until the opening comes opposite the
door the motion closes the aperture by shooting bolts provided for the purpose in
such a manner that the receptacle or chamber is--closed on all sides, and is capable
of rotating uninterruptedly.
The germinating process now commences; which by the rotation of the receptacle
or chamber effecting the turning over of the steeped grain and the introduction of
dry or moist air may be regulated with accuracy, according to the requirements of
the maltster.
After a certain time, the duration of which depends upon the quality of the grain,
as well as upon the temperature and upon the class of malt to be manufactured,
the second row of receptacles or chambers are stopped with the openings upper-
most, and rails provided in connection with the uppermost row of receptacles or
chambers are pushed against the sides of the said receptacles or chambers by means
of hand levers; other levers are brought into action, which when they come in
contact with the rails the pressure of the door draws back the bolts, the door
remains supported on the rail, and the receptacle or chamber continuing to rotate
the opening is freed, and the contents of the upper row of receptacles or chambers
are discharged into those immediately below them, which receptacles or chambers
being charged again are set in rotation.
The opening and shutting of the closing arrangement for the opening of the
receptacle or chamber can moreover, if preferred, be accomplished by other appli-
ances adapted for effecting, the same object. The operation is continued in like
manner from one row of receptacles or chambers to another, while an uninterrupted
rotation goes on, and air is introduced through the hollow axis as required until
the prepared malt is discharged from the lowest row of receptacles or chambers
ready for the drying process.
The sides of the receptacles or chambers are formed of metal, protected against
oxidation, and the door is formed of similarly protected wire gauze in order to allow
the carbonic acid generated in the germinating process to escape.
This malting apparatus works, as herein before described, continuously, as the
contents of one row of receptacles or chambers are regularly discharged into the
next in succession, while the uppermost row is continually supplied as soon as
emptied from the hoppers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
June 1877.
"
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN MALTING AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
A communication from abroad by Charles Völckner, of Vienna, in the Empire of
Austria, Engineer.
The said Invention relates to an improved process of malting, and to improved
apparatus to be employed in carrying out such process.
According to the process ordinarily adopted in the manufacture of malt, the grain
having been steeped in water is laid upon the malt floor in heaps, and under the
influence of the moisture and the heat which is generated the radicles are produced,
the same resulting from the process of germination which ensues when the temperature
is raised. If this process of germination were allowed to proceed without supervision,
the entire contents of the grain would be absorbed in the formation of the plant, but
the art of the maltster consists in so regulating the process as only to admit of such a
change being produced in the substance of the grain as is required for the purposes
of malting without losing any useful portion of the contents. For this purpose the
heaps require to be carefully watched to prevent the overheating of the same and to
ensure the necessary supply of oxygen of the atmosphere, and at the same time to
remove the carbonic acid which is generated. The process of germination is arrested
when required by removing or discontinuing. the supply of moisture and heat.
The foregoing process is usually performed by manual labour, but various attempts
have been made with a view to the introduction of mechanical appliances for
carrying out the said process, which however have hitherto proved unsuccessful.
Now the said Invention has for its object enabling the said process to be carried
out entirely by means of mechanical appliances in substitution for manual labour,
which object is effected by the employment of a peculiar construction and arrange-
ment of apparatus, whereby the grain is continually turned by mechanical means,
the turning operation being arrested or continued as desired, and also by supplying
the requisite quantity of oxygen or air to the moving grain. By these means the
heat and moisture of such grain are regulated as required for the developement of
the process of germination.
The apparatus consists of a number of separate cylinders or chambers of a circular
or polygonal section, which are mounted in bearings in a horizontal position, and
are capable of being rotated by means of any suitable mechanical arrangement of
wheels or other contrivances, the whole being arranged and combined with means
for admitting the requisite supply of air in the manner herein-after described,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a longitudinal
section of a malting house fitted with the improved malting apparatus constructed
and arranged according to the said Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse section of
the same.
Figures 3 and 4 represent respectively a transverse longitudinal section of one of
the chambers of the apparatus drawn to an enlarged scale; and Figure 5 is a detail
which will be herein-after referred to.
In carrying out the process of malting according to the said Invention, the grain
is first placed in steeping vessels A arranged in the upper part of the malting
house B, from which vessels it is discharged when sufficiently steeped on to the floor
or platform C to be fed as required into hoppers D fitted with either sliding or
hinged doors, and situate above the rotating receptacles or chambers E; these recep
tacles, which are arranged in horizontal series one above another, are provided with
hollow perforated axes F, Figs. 3 and 4, working in bearings G carried on transverse
beams or girders H and I built in the walls of the malting house B, and are actuated
5 by means of the gearing ƒ from a steam or other motive-power engine g. The

page_text: hollow axes F are surrounded with fine wire gauze a, and are each closed at one end
by a plate b, whilst the opposite ends of each horizontal series of axes are connected
by means of branches c to a pipe K, communicating through branches K¹ (fitted
with suitable cocks or valves for cutting off the communication when required) and
a vertical tube L with a pneumatic apparatus L' (Figure 1) for the supply of-the
necessary quantity of air. Each of the receptacles or chambers E is provided with
an aperture d extending throughout its whole length, and which may be opened or
closed as required by means of a cover e, or by any other suitable contrivance.
The pneumatic apparatus L', consisting of a fan or blower, is in connection with
an apparatus, not shewn in the Drawing, for introducing into the chambers E water
in the form of spray, together with the air required to be supplied thereto, which
air may be admitted in either a dry or moist condition, and at a regulated tem-
perature.
The apparatus operates in the following manner:-The steeped grain is intro-
duced by means of any suitable distributing appliances into the hopper D (which
may also serve as couches if desired). The top row or series of the receptacles E
are turned into such a position that their apertures d are uppermost, as shewn in
Figure 2, and the doors of the hoppers are then opened to allow the grain to pass
therefrom into the top series of receptacles E. When this top series of receptacles
are sufficiently charged with steeped grain they are rotated in the direction of the
arrows, Figures 2 and 3, and upon the apertures d arriving opposite the doors e
such doors close the apertures in the manner next herein-after described, when the
receptacles may continue to rotate uninterruptedly.
The closing of the apertures d by the doors c is effected in the following manner:-
The door e of each of the receptacles E carries two bolts M, M', the outer ends of
which enter annular recesses N, N', formed respectively in the opposite ends of the
receptacles E, whilst the inner ends of the bolts are connected to the opposite ends
o, o, of an oscillating lever P (see Figures 3, 4, and 5) working on a centre pin Q
carried between a strap R and the door e. The lever P is provided with a tail
piece S fitted with a pin or projection T, upon which bears the outer end of a blade
spring U connected to the strap R, and acting upon the lever P in such a nanner
as to force the bolts M, M¹, into recesses V, VI, forined in the ends of the receptacle
E. The bolts M, M, are withdrawn from the recesses V, V₁, and the door e is
prevented from rotating by means of a bar W centred at one end to the girder H,
whilst its opposite end is connected to another bar W common to the whole of the
bars W of one of the horizontal series of receptacles E. The bar W¹ is actuated
by a lever handle X, so as to bring the bar W under the pin T, which by acting
upon the lever P causes the bolts M, M¹, to be withdrawn from the recesses V, VI,
when the receptacle E will continue to rotate, leaving the door e supported by its
strap R upon the bar W. The apertures of the top series of receptacles E having
been closed the germinating process commences, which process by the rotation of
the receptacle E effecting the turning over of the steeped grain, and by the intro-
duction of dry or moist air, may be regulated with accuracy according to the
requirements of the malster. After a suitable period, which will vary according to
the quality of the grain, the degree of temperature, and the class of malt to be
manufactured, the motion of the second series from the top of the receptacles E is
arrested when they arrive in such a position that their apertures d are uppermost.
The bars W of the top series of receptacles are now brought against the sides of
the said receptacles by means of the lever handle X connected therewith, and cause
the bolts M, M, to be withdrawn from the recesses V, VI, the doors e remaining
supported on the rail W, and the receptacles continuing to rotate until the apertures
d of the top series arrive opposite those of the second series, when the contents of
the upper series of receptacles will pass into those immediately below. The top
series of receptacles are then brought into a position to receive a fresh charge of
steeped grain, and having received their charge are again rotated together with the
second series, and the operation is continued in like manner from one row of re-
ceptacles to another until the whole of the receptacles are charged. An uninterrupted

page_text: rotation is then imparted to the whole of the receptacles, air being introduced into
the chambers through the hollow axes a as required.
When the contents of the lowest series of receptacles have been sufficiently treated
in the manner above described they are discharged therefrom ready to be subjected
to the drying process, the charges of the other upper series of receptacles being
transferred to the next series below in succession, and a fresh charge introduced
into the top series each time the bottom series are discharged, the apparatus thus
working continuously.
The sides of the receptacles E are formed of metal protected against oxidation,
and the doors are formed of similarly protected wire gauze, in order to allow the
carbonic acid generated in the germinating process to escape.
By the use of the said Invention the following advantages are obtained, viz. :—
1st. Economy in labour, one man only being necessary for the supervision of the
largest apparatus.
2nd. Production of an improved quality of malt, by reason of the entire control
exercised over the process enabling the supply of the oxygen of the air (which is
obtained artificially) requisite for the germinating process and the mechanical
action, viz., the turning over of the malt, to be regulated, to meet the requirements
of each particular case.
3rd. Greater protection against injury to the soft and germinating grains, as
compared with the ordinary system of malting by hand, in which the operation
is attended with a liability to the crushing with the foot of a portion of the grains,
whereby mould is formed, which is prejudicial to the quality of the malt.
4th. Economy in cost of erection, the space required for an apparatus constructed
according to the said Invention being considerably less than that which is necessary
for malting by hand.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, malting by mechanical pneumatic means, substantially as heréin-
before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
L In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON.
(L.S.)