AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF MALT
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOHN HAYES of 27 Leadenhall Street in the City of London Consulting
Engineer, (a communication from abroad by Hermann Hackmann, of Mellrichstadt
in the Kingdom of Bavaria,) do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF MALT" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention has for its object a certain improvement whereby a uniform and
simultaneous germination of barley in the production of malt is obtained and
relates especially to the Invention set forth and described in the Specification
No 2468 of the year 1884. (A Communication from Abroad.)
The method now usually adopted of sprinkling and the treatment generally
of the barley on the malt floors during the germinating process is crude slow
and uncertain in its effects, little if any scientific observation or attention until
recently having been brought to bear upon so important an industry.
The invention consists in the application and combination of compressed air with
water, a plentiful supply of the latter at a temperature not exceeding 55° degrees
Fahrenheit being available; this mixture of compressed air and water being for
the purpose of producing not simply a fine spray of almost infinitesimal degree,
forming a kind of moist atmosphere or mist with which to treat the grain, but also
equally as a means of introducing large volumes of air previously purified into the
malt house, thus enabling the temperature of the same and its ventilation to be
more easily controlled than hitherto.
Having now described the nature of my invention and in order that the same
may be more fully understood I will now refer to the annexed Drawing; it must
however be borne in mind that whilst in referring to the said Drawing I there
show and illustrate the method by which I prefer to compress purify and cool the
air, still I reserve to myself the right of treating the air and water by means of
any other arrangement or process, it will therefore be seen that it is not in the
appliances themselves, nor the specific manner in which they are arranged as
shewn in the accompanying Drawing that my Invention consists, which is simply
and solely for the application of a fine spray of compressed air and water upon the
surface of the grain or seed in malt cellars germinating apparatus and analagous
places, for the purposes of obtaining a uniform germination, and in order that this
principle or application, the subject matter of the present invention may be more
clearly understood I refer to the annexed Drawing which illustrates generally the
manner in which I prefer to put my invention into practice.

page_text: I now proceed to refer to the Drawing Fig. I
The apparatus illustrated in the annexed drawing consists of a pump for the
compression of air, an air receiver, a purifier, a cooling cylinder, and a double line
of lead piping directed to the malting floors for the purpose of conducting the
compressed air and water, with the corresponding air and water cocks, the inhaling
apparatus, which is attached to the end of flexible hose-pipes for the purpose of
being easily carried and worked over the malting floors.
Referring to Fig. I it will be noticed that A is the compressing pump which can
be worked by a small engine of 1 to 2 Horse Power, the motive power being steam,
gas or hot air, B is the air receiver, C the air purifier which is a vertical cylinder
of wrought zinc in which there is water up to the height of about 10 inches, which
is continually running by means of an inlet and outlet pipes 1, 1.
Fixed to the top of this cylinder or purifier is a wide pipe D which descends
into the same, the air inhaled by the pump passes through this pipe as seen by
the arrows, the air being taken from outside the building at the point D', passes
down the pipe D and comes in contact with the water, where impurities, dust &c
are removed and then the air is let into the Receiver B, after passing through the
compressing pump A; from the top of the Receiver B the air is carried by means
of the pipe E into the cooling vessel F where the air is passed through a coil of
piping surrounded by a running supply of cold water, the water inlet to F being
at 2, and the outlet at 3.
Leaving the vessel F, the air passes by means of the pipe G on to the malting
floors ready for use when desired, a second lead pipe H, H, conveying the water
from an overhead tank or reservoir above; the lead pipes or mains are run along
the walls of the malt-house and flexible hose-pipes with the inhaling apparatus are
placed at convenient points so that the whole of the floors no matter how many
either in size or number may be conveniently operated upon.
The inhaling apparatus or spray K carried in the hand of the operator consists of
a straight pipe for the compressed air and of a second pipe which is let into the
first at an acute angle, this latter conveying the water which has to be spread, both
pipes being provided with taps.
The action of the spraying apparatus K is as follows,-the water which has a
pressure due to the height of the overhead tank above the level of the malting floor
is crossed by the air, which has a temperature of about 40° degrees Fahrenheit,
and so produces an expansion of 4 to 5 atmospheres and divides the water into a
spray of infinitesimal character (water dust ;) this water dust or spray is easily and
accurately. regulated by means of the cocks or taps M M, and m, m, on the inhaling
apparatus or spray K.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that what I claim is
1. Applying a fine spray of compressed air and water upon the surface of the
grain or seed in malt-houses, cellars, and the like, germinating apparatus and
analagous places for the purpose of obtaining a uniform germination.
2. Also obtaining by the same means, and at the same time a plentiful supply
of pure air for the purpose of cooling ventilating and regulating the temperature of
malt-factories, cellars, and the like.
In witness thereof, I the said John Hayes have hereunto set my hand and
seal this fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand