IMPROVE- MENTS IN MECHANICAL MALT KILNS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Albert Reinhold Hildebrandt, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANICAL MALT KILNS." A communication from abroad by
Engelbert Hahn, of Mülheim-on-Rhine, Germany, Brewer.
Sealed the 25th June 1878, and dated the 1st January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Albert Reinhold
Hildebrandt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st
January 1878.
JOHN ALBERT REINHOLD HILDEBRANDT, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL MALT KILNS."
[A communication from abroad by Engelbert Hahn, of Mülheim - on - Rhine,
Germany, Brewer.]
The object of the Invention is to obtain economy in the fuel for heating, easier
management, saving of time and labor, and to ensure the production of a fine malt
of a uniform quality in a short time.
To obtain this object the kiln is constructed somewhat after the manner of a
tower, adjoining a building, being of limited dimension in the plan, and of consider-
able height, the heating arrangement being below, and the drying arrangement at
the top; the plan is preferably rectangular, but may be of any other shape.
The heating is effected with coke or other suitable fuel, and the products of com-
bustion pass directly to the malt.
The heating arrangement consists of a casing of cylindrical or other section lined
for some distance up with fire and other brick, the tuel being introduced through a
sloping tube laterally from a floor in the adjoining building, the mouth of which
tube is closed with a lid after having being filled. This stove has no grate, but
lateral air canals are provided, having valves by which the admission of
air is regulated, the canals being also used for removing ashes and like
purposes.

page_text: The top of the stove is curved outward, and provided with a hood, space being
left between the edges of the stove and the hood for the escape of the products of
combustion. This stove is enclosed in another casing of brick or other suitable
material, so as to leave an annular space between it and the stove, and terminating
near the top edge with an enlarged terminal, sloping downward towards the out-
side. This terminal and the hood are constructed with such a slope that any grain
falling on the latter or on the terminal may roll outward without falling into the
air space between the stove and the casing, and that any fine ashes issuing from the
stove between the edge and the hood may also receive an outward direction and
fall on an adjoining floor or shelving.
The casing is pierced below with a number of canals through which air may
enter the annular space which is divided in as many portions by vertical
partitions.
The upper portions of the outer casing is further surrounded by a casing of sheet
iron or the like material, again leaving an annular space, and carrying a floor on
both the top and bottom; the upper one being placed close to the terminal above
alluded to, and provided with fine perforations, in order to retain grain and to pass
ashes which may have been carried up with the current; these floors separate the
lower from the upper part of the kiln. On one or more sides the kiln is surrounded
near the lower portions by a cold air canal, into which the cold air enters through
one or more grids, and thence through openings left in the wall to the lower portions
of the kiln, and from there partly to the fire and partly through the small canals
into the annular space to be heated, and to rise and mingle with the products of
combustion on reaching the upper portion of the kiln.
The drying arrangement in the upper portion consists of a number of hurdles or
trays, one over another, each consisting of a perforated bottom in one or more pieces,
each carried on swivel centres in a suitable framing, which also contains a perforated
box. Each pivot or swivel centre carries a lever, which, by being turned to a suffi-
cient angle, inclines a tray bottom so as to allow the malt upon it to slide off on
the tray below.
If more than one swivel is used in one tray, the levers are connected by a bar,
so that by turning one of them, the motion is transmitted to all.
The top and bottom trays slide upon rollers or wheels, so that they may be with-
drawn sideways; the top one that it may be filled with green malt, the bottom one
that the dried malt may be discharged into a funnel or hopper, thence to be dropped
to the floor below, or removed in some other way. These two operations are carried
on in the adjoining building; the floor on which the green malt is kept being nearly
on a level with the upper tray.
When the fresh malt has been kept on the top tray a sufficient length of time, it
is dropped on the second by means of the levers on the swivel bottom, and the tray
recharged with fresh material; when another interval of time has elapsed, the malt
is dropped from the second tray on the third, and from the top to the second, the
top one is then filled again, and so on in succession. The hot gases rising from the
stove pass through the perforated bottoms of the trays, and also through the perfo-
rated boxes, from one to the other in succession, and finally escape through the
chimney above, the draught being assisted, if necessary, by a supplementary flue
discharging into it, and causing an induced currant. The necessary openings for
cleaning and testing are provided.
Important points in this Invention are,-
The general construction and arrangement of the whole.
The charging and discharging of the green and dried malt respectively.
The construction of the trays with swivels, &.
The circulation of the air and 00000

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Albert Reinhold Hildebrandt in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th June 1878.
JOHN ALBERT REINHOLD HILDEBRANDT, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL MALT KILNS."
A communication from abroad by Engelbert Hahn, of Mülheim - on - Rhine,
Germany, Brewer.
The object of the Invention is to obtain economy in the fuel for heating, easier
management, saving of time and labor, and to ensure the production of fine malt
of uniform quality in a short time.
To obtain this object the kiln is constructed in the shape of a tower adjoining a
building, and of limited dimensions in the plan, but of considerable height, the heating
arrangement being below, and the drying arrangement at the top. The plan is
preferably rectangular, but may be of any other shape.
The heating is effected with coke or other suitable fuel, and the products of com-
bustion pass directly to the malt.
The heating arrangement consists of a casing of cylindrical or other section, lined
for some distance up with fire or other brick, the fuel being introduced through a
lateral opening. This stove has no grate, but lateral air canals are provided, having
valves by which the admission of air is regulated, the canals serving also for the
removal of the ashes.
The top of the stove is curved outward, and provided with a hood, space being
left between the edges of the stove and the hood for the escape of the products of
combustion. This stove is enclosed in another casing of sheet iron or other suitable
material, so as to leave an annular space between it and the stove. The hood is
constructed with such a slope that any grain falling on it may roll outward without
falling into the air space between the stove and the casing, while the curved top
end of the stove gives an outward direction to any fine ashes issuing from the
stove between the edge of the latter and the hood, and lets them fall on an adjoining
floor or shelving.
The casing is pierced at the bottom and near the middle of its height by a
number of slits, through which air may enter the annular space, some or all of which
may be arranged for opening and closing.
The upper portion of the outer casing is further surrounded by a casing of sheet
iron or other material, which again leaves an annular space of considerable capacity,
extends upwards and carries a floor at the bottom, and another floor close to the
curved top end of the stove. The top floor is provided with fine perforations
which retain grain, but allow the passage of any ashes which may have been
carried up with the current. This floor seperates the lower from the upper part of
the kiln.
The drying arrangement in the upper portion consists of a number of hurdles or
trays, one over another, each having a perforated bottom in one or more pieces,
carried on swivel centres in a suitable framing which also carries a perforated box.
To each pivot or swivel centre a lever is attached, which on being turned through
a sufficient angle inclines the tray bottom, so as to allow the malt upon it to slide
off on the tray below.
If more than one swivel is used in one tray the levers are connected by a
coupling rod, so that, by turning one of them, the motion is transmitted
to all.
The top and bottom trays are mounted on rollers or wheels, so that they may be
withdrawn sideways for the purpose of filling the top one with green malt, and dis-
charging the dried malt from the bottom one into a funnel or hopper, thence to be

page_text: dropped on the floor below, or removed in some other way. These two operations
are carried on in the adjoining building, the floor on which the green malt is kept
being nearly on a level with the upper tray.
When the fresh malt has been kept on the top tray 'a sufficient length of time it
is dropped on the second by means of levers on the swivel bottom, and the tray
recharged with fresh material; when another interval of time has elapsed the malt
is dropped from the second tray on the third, and from the top to the second, and
the top one filled again, and so on in succession. The hot gases rising from the
stove pass through the perforated bottoms of the trays, and also through the per-
forated boxes from one to the other in succession, and finally escape through
the chimney above, the draught being assisted, if necessary, by an induced
current.
The Drawings illustrate a malt kiln with eight trays, in a kiln of quadratic
section, resting on four columns,―
Fig. 1 being a vertical section; Fig. 2, an elevation; Fig. 3, a horizontal section
(a-3) through the bottom of the stove; Fig. 4, a horizontal section (6-7) through
the stove and the lower part of the outer casing.
Fig. 5, a vertical section through the top of the kiln, taken at a right angle to the
section of Fig. 1, and showing the drying arrangement.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, showing a plan of the lowest tray mounted on
wheels, and also the grid over the funnel into which the dried malt is discharged.
Fig. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate the construction of a tray in section and plan on a
larger scale, Fig. 7 showing the position of the perforated plates during the
drying process, and Fig. 9, the position they take in delivering the malt to the
following tray.
The same letters denote the same parts.
A is the iron stove, lined at its lower portion with brick b, receiving the fuel
through the door e, and air through the canals i and l, covered by the doors f and g.
The top end k is bent outward, and carries the hood q, which may be filled with fire-
proof material.
The stove is surrounded by a casing of sheet iron B, forming the annular air
space c, and which is provided with the openings r and d for the admission of air,
so arranged that they may be partly or entirely closed; O is the outer case of the
kiln, with the solid bottom o and the perforated floor p, resting on the columns u.
The hot gases go through the hurdles L, K, I, G, F, E, and D to the top M, and
escape through the chimney w. The latter is constructed so as to avoid any preju-
dicial effect of the wind on the draft in the kiln.
The upper hurdle D, carried on rollers on the floor V, receives the green malt
from the floor T, while the lowest hurdle L is equally moveable on the floor Q, and
discharges the dried malt through the grid S into the funnel R. The hurdles (F,
G, H, I, K) are provided with doors which allow of their inspection, the taking of
samples, observing the temperature, &c.
The construction of the hurdles is shown in detail by Figs. 7, 8, and 9, X being
Besides the move-
the perforated plates, moved by the levers vand coupling rod z.
able plates X the hurdles contain prismatic boxes j, formed of two perforated plates,
which are joined at a sharp angle. These boxes let the hot air pass towards the top
of the kiln while the plates X are covered with malt.
In order to produce light colored beer, which requires a strong draught of air,
the four air canals h, h, h, h, are provided, which may be closed when not required.
Through the doors Y and Z the lower and middle portion of the kiln can be inspected
and cleaned.
I do not however limit myself to the exact shape and dimensions, or the number
of parts shown in the Drawing, but claim as my Invention, substantially,―
1. The general construction and arrangement of the whole apparatus.
2. The charging of the green and discharging of the dried malt.

page_text: 3. The construction of the trays with swivels.
And, 4. The circulation of air through the hurdles.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Albert Reinhold Hildebrandt, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the
year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Vitness,
E. C. THOMPSON,
Clerk to A. Hildebrandt,
Bow Chambers,
Manchester.
TITUALITY