IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM AND APPARATUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BINS OF GRAIN ELEVATORS OTHER VERTICAL GRAIN STORES
Year: 1885

page_text: Grain; in Ventilating, Cooling, Mixing, and Drawing Off
the Grain.
We WILLIAM BURGESS JOHNSON and JOHN ALFRED JOHNSON of 33 King
Street Wigan in the County of Lancaster Civil and Mechanical Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM
AND APPARATUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BINS OF GRAIN ELEVATORS
OTHER VERTICAL GRAIN STORES and in what. manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
AND
Our improvements consist in carrying up into or through the bins in the centre
at one side, in the corners or like manner a shaft pipe or pipes for drawing off and
ventilating the grain, constructed of any suitable material but shewn constructed
in metal on Section A with five valves or outlets in the withdrawing pipe two at
the bottom at opposite sides a¹ a' and the others marked a³ a a³ each valve being
actuated by its own valve rod four from the top of the elevator at c on plan and
one beneath by the lever and rod e.
The connection marked d is either the usual valve and swivel end and shoot or a
valve and shoot leading directly onto the traversing. band in the tunnels, and the
valve g arranged either horizontally or vertically as shown on the section; this is
the usual outlet valve at the bottom of the bin and is used to close the bin and to
regulate the discharge of the grain from the bin onto the traversing band or down
the shoot into the sacks or wagons.
The valves can be arranged either more or less in number and be fixed one over
the other in such case being arranged for the top valve to open first and the others
to follow in succession by means of open links in the valve rods or other suitable
mechanical arrangement or they can all be opened at once by simply lifting the rod
to its full extent at once.
The adjoining bin B is shewn as ordinarily arranged with one valve at the
bottom and as will be perceived that on opening the valve the grain at the bottom
of the bin runs out and is simply transferred to the bottom of the bin into which it
is being moved. The object of the withdrawing pipe is to cause the grain from or
near the top of the bin to be put at the bottom of the other bin and thus to cause
a thorough intermixture of the grain, which on the old principle is simply run

page_text: forward, the heavier grain by natural selection gradually gets the lead and leaves
the lighter portion behind which consequently gets to be at the top of the bins,
thus causing the grain to be unequal in quality through the bulk and not to
sample, the latter portion of the grain being tailings.
Section C shews an arrangement of the withdrawing tube in timber.
Section D shews the withdrawing tube which may be slotted or perforated but
preferably prepared with branches f1f2f3 &c to which are coupled perforated or
slotted pipes o, o, o through which when the valve d is opened a current of air will
pass through the withdrawing pipe E which will ventilate and cool the grain
should the natural ventilation at any time prove insufficient to maintain the grain
in condition an exhauster is connected to the pipe h. section D and by means of a
stop or closing valve hung from a chain or rope F which is lowered down the with-
drawing pipe and closed by means of the attached cord just above the bottom row
of the perforated pipes and the air being exhausted or drawn off a circulation of
air will be caused through the bottom row of perforated pipes into or amongst the
grain and through the short arm of the connection f' into the main pipe the valve
being raised above the next row the whole of the grain can be gradually aired, the
hatchway being closed during the operation by an air tight cover.
But preferably the ventilating and cooling can be done by forcing air by a
compressor or blower into or amongst the the grain through the pipe and connections
shown in dotted lines at Z on section D the top of the main pipe being closed
and the hatchway open, the air is forced into the main and through the perforated
pipes into or amongst the grain and escapes at the top, or the ventilating pipes can
be carried up in the angles of the bins and the air escape through the perforated
branches into the main pipe and out at the top. This can be accomplished in
a simple manner which is suitable for places where the grain is not stored for any
considerable length of time; that is to simply pass the air in at the bottom into
the grain at one or more places with or without a perforated false bottom and to
allow the air to percolate through to the top, either by natural ventilation or
by forced draught.
The stop or closing valve consists of two unequal weights the one above the
other with an inflated diaphragm between them, the lower and lighter weight
being pulled towards the heavier by means of a cord compresses the inflated
diaphragm shortens its length and forces it out sideways thus blocking up or
stopping the pipe, on releasing the cord the weight falls and the diaphragm clears
the tube and allows of its being 'withdrawn, the valve is slung by the chain F
section D.
The grain can be partially turned over or changed by placing valves in the sides
of the bins as shewn in the wall of bin between section B and C so that they
would require to stand in pairs one empty and the other full, the full one could
have the top grain transferred to the bottom of the empty one simply by opening
the valves fitted in the sides and the remainder being passed through the bottom
valve and elevated onto the top of the grain that had been passed on before, but
we prefer the withdrawing pipe This would still leave the ventilation unprovided
for. If valves were placed at the opposite sides of the bins a whole row could be
emptied and filled by keeping the end ones empty. One stand pipe fixed half the
height of the bins gives a partial turn over but does not allow of the proper inter-
mixture of the grain being carried out.
Having particularly described the nature of our said Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be carried out we declare our invention to be
First. The arrangement of a shaft pipe or pipes for drawing off grain from bins
at different heights in the bins with suitable valves fitted either internally or
externally to the shaft pipe or pipes to allow of their being opened one at a time
or all together as may be desired and substantially as herein before described.
Secondly. An arrangement of pipes perforated or slotted for the purpose of airing
cooling and ventilating the grain either by natural draught or by the application of

page_text: an air exhauster to draw off the air, or a compressor or blower to force the air into
or amongst the grain, the pipes and machines to be connected up to the bins
as substantially herein before described.
Thirdly. A simple arrangement of injection pipes either in connection with a
perforated false bottom or without a false bottom as substantially hereinbefore
described.
Fourthly. A stand pipe at or about half the height with valves as substantially
herein before described.
.
Fifthly. A stop or closing valve to be let down the main pipe consisting
principally of two unequal weights with an inflated diaphragm between them
capable of being compressed and expanded or lengthened and contracted by
means of a cord attached to the centre and drawing the lesser against the heavier
weight and thus closing the pipe and causing the air to pass outside amongst
the grain.