An Improved Grain Silo.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
An Improved Grain Silo.
I, PETER HOFT, Landowner and Overseer, of Gadeland, per Neumünster, in the
Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to a grain silo, and I will fully describe it in reference
to the accompanying drawing which shows, in central vertical section, a silo
embodying my invention.
A is a tower extending from the foundation to the roof of a building or structure
furnished at the requisite places with doors for giving ingress and egress and with
sliding windows C, C Around this tower A a floor B is erected in helical fashion
commencing as indicated at Zat a convenient distance from the roof of the
building and terminating and merging into a floor G about the ground level.
The pitch of the floor B is made sufficient to obtain a somewhat precipitous
descent of the grain fed thereto by an elevator E, close to which the grain 19
delivered and finally removed. This elevator traverses the height of the silo and
connects, as will be presently explained, with the top and bottom of the floor B,
whose surface, to ensure the free motion of the grain, is formed of smooth material,
such as planed deals or zinc, and sometimes wholly or partially constructed sieve-
like, for separating impurities as the grain passes thereover.
Further, portions of the floor B are disposed to constitute flaps K, K normally
covering or closing apertures or holes therem, the flaps tapering outwardly, by
preference as shown, from the tower A whereat they are binged and adapted by
suitable means to be raised and lowered to aid the uniform descent of the grain"
When these flaps are raised or lowered from the position illustrated, the grain
in passing over the floor 13 falls through the now open apertures or holes on to the
portion of the floor immediately beneath, or upon the floor G, and in this way any
liability to lie or stick is obviated However, when the flaps are positioned as
exemplified, the grain flows over the whole of the floor.
"
"
For operating the flaps K, K chains may be conveniently applied as indicated,
each flap being connected to a chain co-acting with a hook so that it may be
either lengthened or shortened by "linking up or letting down to obtain and
maintain the desired situation of the flap. The hooks for the flaps K, K on the
upper part of the floor B may be fixed to the ceiling of the building and those for
the succeeding flaps located at the underside of the superjacent portion of the
floor.
For obtaining access to the floor B from the bottom of the silo, openings D, D are
made in the wall of the tower A wherein a spiral staircase is built as indicated
to permit them being reached.
The elevator E is of the ordinary construction and is situated in a chamber
adjoining the chamber containing the floor B, communication between the two
being established by a pipe H (or several pipes) passing from the floor G to the
foot of the elevator E, into the region of which the grain is supplied in the first

page_text: instaner and removed therefrom when desired, access for these purposes being
given by a door or other opening (not shown) in the wall of the former chamber.
Fis a shoot disposed so that it may receive the grain from the elevator buckets
and deliver it into the buckets of a revoluble bucket wheel S mounted in close
The elevator E and wheel S are
proximity to the upper extremity of the floor B
driven by any appropriately operated motor or mechanism, their speeds being pre-
ferably so related that a large quantity of grain is delivered to the wheel at a time
which thereby assists the motion of the elevator
In use, the grain is carried upwards by the elevator E and discharged into the
shoot wherefrom it fails into the buckets of the wheel S which in turn deliver it
upon the floor B down which it flows to the floor G whence it passes through the
pipe H (or pipes) to the foot of the elevator E to be again raised to undergo the
tame transference, if such be deemed necessary to prevent deterioration in quality.
The tendency of the grain is to descend the floor 13, but in some conditions, as when
affected by damp or when the silo is not full, such motion may be impeded; this,
however, is prevented by the flaps K, K for on operating them as described the
grain is caused to fall as required.
The windows C, C provide for efficient ventilation
The construction of the building, the construction of the floor B, the means
for operating the flaps K, K and the arrangement of the other details for success-
fully carrying my invention into practice may be variously modified to meet
particular circumstances as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
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1. The combination of the various parts constituting a complete grain silo,
all arranged and adapted for use substantially as herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
2. The improved grain silo comprising a tower A, helical floor B, pipe (or
pipes) H, elevator E, shoot and wheel S all arranged and adapted for use sub-
stantially as described
3 In a grain silo, the use of a helical floor such as B, with or without flaps such
as K K in combination with means for conveying the grain from one extremity
and delivering it at the other, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of February 1099.
For the Applicant.
J. A. HARVEY,
Associate Agent.