IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR DRYING GRAIN
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Norton, of Hollybank, in the County of
Cavan, Mill Owner and Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN KILNS FOR DRYING GRAIN."
Sealed the 11th April 1860, and dated the 17th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Norton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th October 1859.
I, WILLIAM NORTON, of Hollybank, in the County of Cavan, Mill Owner
and Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN KILNS FOR DRYING GRAIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of apparatus whereby the
drying of grain may be both economically and efficiently performed. The
. drying kiln I form with a rotatung circular head, mounted on a vertical shaft
and driven by suitable gearing. To the centre of this kiln head (which is to
be heated by fire underneath, or heated air) the grain is supplied by an
adjustable loading spout fitted at its lower end with a sliding or telescope tube
which is intended to lengthen or contact the spout, and thus increase or
decrease at pleasure the supply of grain to the kiln head, the spout forming
a channel for leading down the grain direct from the grain store or bin.
Extending from the centre of the circular head to its circumference is a
rotating brush, formed of wire and hair or other suitable elastic material set
helically around a horizontal axle. This brush receives a slow rotary motion

page_text: and is for the purpose of distributing the grain over the surface of the kiln
head, and of discharging it over the edge therefrom after it has been suffi-
ciently exposed to the rotating heating surface.
The apparatus may be driven by steam or other power, and the speed
regulated, if thought desirable, by means of a pendulum which admits of easy
adjustment to suit varying circumstances; the time to which it is necessary to
expose the grain to the heat of the kiln depending in a great measure on
the state of the atmosphere and condition of the grain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Norton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NORTON, of Hollybank, in the County of Cavan, Mill Owner and Farmer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Norton, Her special license that I, the said William Norton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Norton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS
IN KILNS FOR DRYING GRAIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
William Norton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and 'cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Norton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: This Invention of "improvements in kilns for drying grain relates to a novel
arrangement of apparatus whereby the drying of grain may be both economically
and efficiently performed. The drying kiln I form with a rotating circular
head or platform, mounted on a vertical shaft and driven by suitable gearing.
To the centre of this rotating kiln head or platform (which is to be heated by
fire placed underneath or by means of heated air) the grain is supplied by an
adjustable leading spout, fitted at its lower end with a sliding or telescope
tube, which is intended to lengthen or contract the spout, and thus increase or
decrease at pleasure the supply of grain to the kiln head or rotating platform,
the spout forming a channel for leading down the grain direct from the grain
store or bin. Extending from the centre of the circular rotating head or
platform to its circumference is a rotating brush, formed of wire and hair or
other suitable elastic material set helically around a horizontal axle. This
brush receives a slow rotary motion, and is for the purpose of distributing
the grain over the surface of the kiln head or rotating platform, and of
discharging it over that edge therefrom after it has by being exposed on the
rotating heating surface been sufficiently dried. The apparatus may be driven
by steam or other power, and the speed may be regulated, if thought desirable,
by means of a pendulum which admits of easy adjustment., to suit varying
circumstances; the time to which it is necessary to expose the grain to the heat
of the kiln depending in a great measure on the state of the atmosphere and
condition of the grain.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of a
kiln constructed according to my improvements; Fig. 2 is another transverse
vertical section of the same, but taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a
partial plan view shewing part of the circular platform; a, a, are the walls of
the kiln; b, b, is a perforated false bottom or hearth, beneath which is another
bottom c, which is heated by the flame and gases from a furnace or fireplace d
placed below. Atmospheric air from the outside passes into the narrow space
between the two bottoms b and c, and when heated passes up through the
openings in the bottom 6 into the interior of the kiln, as indicated by the
arrows. The grain to be operated upon passes from a bin above, down a
spout or pipe e, on to a horizontal circular platform f, technically called a head.
This platform consists of a frame formed of ribs, and is covered with wire gauze
or perforated metal, and is mounted on a vertical pin or stud 9 (Fig. 1), and
is provided on its under side with a toothed rack h, h, into which gears a pinion i
on the short shaft j, which also carries a toothed wheel k, that is driven by
another pinion on the shaft or spindle m. On this shaft m is mounted a
cylindrical brush n, which is driven by a band passed over a band wheel n',

page_text: at the outer end of the said shaft. From the foregoing description it will be
understood that upon actuating the shaft or spindle m, a slow rotary motion
will by means of the pinion l, wheel k, pinion i, and rack h; be communicated
to the horizontal circular platform or head f on to which the grain is delivered
as before mentioned from the pipe or spout e. It will be seen that the brush
n rotates much more rapidly than the platform or head f moves, and conse-
quently it stirs up the grain on the platform, and thereby facilitates; its drying.
A small fixed brush or scraper o (Fig. 2) is placed. at or near the edge of the
rotating platform, and as the latter moves round the brush o sweeps the grain
into a spout or scoop p, whereby it is conducted out of the kiln, and is
deposited in any suitable receptacle placed there for the purpose. Imme-
diately under the rotating brush n, is placed another scoop, spout, or inclined
channel q, on to which will fall any small seeds that may pass through the
perforations of the circular rotating platform when the grain is stirred by the
brush. By this means these seeds are prevented from falling on to the heated
hearth 6 below, and will be conducted out of the kiln and deposited in any
suitable receptacle. In order to confine the heat, the upper part of the
kiln is enclosed with a wooden cover r, r, as shewn in the Drawing.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in Kilns for Drying Grain," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, I claim submitting grain to be dried to the heat of
drying kilns, and discharging the same therefrom when dry by the means
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Norton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.