IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING GRASS, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR EXPEARING BUT SAM
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Baldwin Latham, Civil Engineer, of Croydon, Surrey,
and Robert Campbell, Buscot Park, Berkshire, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING GRASS, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY FOR EXPEARING BUT SAM"
Sealed the 16th January 1866, and dated the 29th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Baldwin Latham and
Robert Campbell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 29th July 1865.
We, BALDWIN LATHAM, Civil Engineer, of Croydon, Surrey, and ROBERT
CAMPBELL, Buscot Park, Berkshire, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING GRASS, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES,
AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR EFFECTING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists of a chamber or number of chambers which may be
heated by steam pipes, hot water pipes, hot air flues, or by a current of hot
air, or by any other known means. Within this heated chamber a porous or
open floor is constructed, which floor may be either moveable or fixed, and
on this floor the substance to be dried is placed. Upon the upper surface of.
this drying floor a machine is made to traverse backwards and forwards the

page_text: whole length, or any part of the length of the floor, and the reciprocating
motion of this machine shall be made to give a rotary motion to revolving
'forks carried by the machine, and these revolving forks will break or shake
up the substance to be dried.
Beneath the drying floor before mentioned another machine is made to
traverse the entire length or any part of the length of the floor, and the
reciprocating motion of this machine shall be made to give motion to revolving
'fans carried by the machine, and such fans shall revolve at sufficient speed to
-drive the heated air through all parts of the drying floor and the substance
to be dried. The Invention also includes the adaptation of the revolving
'forks into a fan, and also of a fan to traverse either above or below the drying
floor. The reciprocating motion is given to the machinery for breaking or
shaking up, or for driving air through the materials to be dried, by means of
endless bands, chains, or ropes, or by any other known method, and the
rotary motion of the parts of the machine is given from or by means of
toothed gearing working into a rack placed in a suitable position, or by the
friction of wheels rolling upon certain parts of the framework of the machine,
or upon rails affixed to any part of the same, and the required rotary speed
of the various machines is got by means of intermediate gearing of known
and proper character for effecting this purpose.
The before-described arrangement of traversing and revolving, breaking,
or shaking machines and fans may also be employed for drying purposes inde-
pendently of the -before-described heating and drying chamber. Such
machinery may be worked by means of a steam engine, or by hand or other
power, arranged in any suitable known manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Baldwin Latham and Robert Campbell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BALDWIN
LATHAM, Civil Engineer, of Croydon, Surrey, and ROBERT CAMPBELL, Buscot
Park, Berkshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Baldwin Latham and Robert Campbell, Her special licence that we, the

page_text: said Baldwin Latham and Robert Campbell, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Baldwin Latham and Robert
Campbell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agres
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
DRYING GRASS, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES; AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR EFFECT
ING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Baldwin Latham and Robert Campbell, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their or one of their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanro 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 tho
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Baldwin Latham, on behalf of myself and
the said Robert Campbell, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawing and to the figures and letters marked
thereon; that is to say :-
The Invention consists of a chamber or number of chambers which may ba
heated by steam pipes, hot water pipes, hot air flues, or by a current of hot
air, or by any other known means. Within this heated chamber a porous or
open floor is constructed, which floor may either be moveable or fixed, and on
this floor the substance to be dried is placed. Upon the upper surface of
this drying floor a machine is made to traverse backwards and forwards the
whole length, or any part of the length of the floor, and the reciprocating
motion of this machine shall be made to give a rotary motion to revolving
forks carried by the machine, and these revolving forks will break or shake
up the substance to be dried.
Beneath the drying floor before mentioned another machine is made to
traverse the entire length; or any part of the length of the floor, and the
reciprocating motion of this machine shall be made to give motion to revolving
fans carried by the machine, and such fans shall revolve at sufficient speed to
drive the heated air through all parts of the drying floor, and the substance
to be dried. The Invention also includes the adaptation of the revolving
forks into a fan, and also of a fan to traverse either above or below the drying.

page_text: floor. The reciprocating motion is given to the machinery for breaking or
shaking up, or for driving air through the materials to be dried, by means of
endless bands, chains, or ropes, or by any other known method, and the
rotary motion of the parts of the machine is given from or by means of
toothed gearing working into a rack placed in a suitable position, or by the
friction of wheels rolling upon certain parts of the framework of the 'machine,
or upon rails affixed to any part of the same, and the required rotary speed of
the various machines is got by means of intermediate gearing of known and
proper character for effecting this purpose.
The before-described arrangement of traversing and revolving, breaking, or
shaking machines and fans may also be employed for drying purposes,
independently of the before-described heating and drying chamber. Such
machinery may be worked by means of a steam engine, or by hand or other
power, arranged in any suitable known manner. .
But in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we will now proceed more particularly to describe the arrangement
of the same, shewn on the accompanying Drawing.
Figure shows a longitudinal section on line X, X, Figure 2, of a building
and apparatus constructed according to our Invention; Figure 2 shows a
transverse section of the same; Figures 3, 4, and 5 show respectively an
enlarged transverse section, a longitudinal section, and a plan of one of the
drums D, and part of the open floor C. Similar letters of reference indicate
similar parts in each of the Figures.
The building A, which may be of any convenient length, is here shown of
such a width as to contain four separate drying apparatus arranged side by
.side; it may however be made to contain only one or any other number of
such apparatus as may be desired. Upon the floor P of the building are laid
in a longitudinal direction a series of pipes B, B, B; through which steam,
hot water, or hot air is made to circulate in order to raise the temperature of
the air within the building to the requisite degree. Above each set of these
pipes is arranged a perforated or lattice floor C, (shown in dotted red lines
in Figure 1), upon which is spread the hay or other substance to be dried.
This floor is by preference constructed and supported in the following
manner: A number of endless leather or other bands a, a, are stretched a
small distance apart over two drums D, D, (shown in red in Figure 1),
at each end of the building. Upon the upper half of the length of these
bauds are fixed transversely a number of laths or battens b, b, b, with small
spaces intervening between them, as shown more clearly in Figures 3 to 5,
so as to constitute, with the bands, a sort of latticework. This floor is

page_text: arranged as at
The object of
supported over the space between the drums D by means of small rollers E, E,
arranged either as shown in compartment I, Figure 2, where a longitudinal
joist F, dividing the width of the space beneath the floor C into two, serves
as an intermediate bearing for the rollers, or those may be
compartment III, so as to span the whole width of the floor.
constructing and supporting the floor C as described is to facilitate the loading
of the same with the bay or other substance to be dried, and the discharging
of the same when dried. For this purpose the drums D are capable of
being made to revolve slowly by means of a pulley y fixed to the spindle of
one of them, driven by means of a band y¹, or by other known suitable-
gearing, from a steam engine or other source of motive power. When it is
required to load the floor with the hay or other substance, which in this case
is supposed to take place at the end Y of the building, the drums are first.
niade to revolve so as to cause the entire lattice floor C to pass underneath the
drums, and then, when the loading commences, to cause the floor to pass up-
slowly over the drum D at Y, the hay being placed upon the same as it
passes along, either by hand through the door H, or by means of an elevator
of any suitable known construction, as shown at I, in dotted lines. In order
to regulate and equalize the thickness of the layer of hay or other substance:
upon the floor, a gauge roller J may be applied as shown, being carried by
two levers c, working on fulcra attached to the platform K, and the height of
which roller from the floor C is capable of adjustment by means of the rods d,
bell crank lever e, and handle f. When the entire floor C has been covered.
in this way with the substance to be dried, a breaking machine Lis made to.
travel backwards and forwards over the floor, in order, by the action of a.
series of revolving forks 9, to break or shake up the substance during the
operation of drying. The breaking machine is for this purpose provided with
grooved wheels h, h, made to run upon grooved rails M,. laid upon the platform.
K, K, on either side of the moveable floor C. The two side frames i, i, to these-
wheels are connected at the ends by transverse framing, and carry between
the grooved wheels h grooved pinions j, j, in gear with the former ;. and upon.
the spindle k, carrying the forks g, are other pinions 1, l, in gear. with the
pinions j, the spindle & being supported by brackets from the framing i, i, as
shown. From this arrangement it will be seen that as the machine is made
to travel backwards and forwards upon the rails M, the forks- 9. will revolve
first in one direction and then in the other, and break or shake up the hay or
other substance upon the floor C. This reciprocating motion of the machine
is obtained by means of endless travelling ropes, bands, or chains N, stretched
over driving pulleys O, O, and guide pulleys O¹, 0¹; fixed on the platform K,,

page_text: on each side of the floor C; the machine L is connected to these ropes by
means of short lengths of chain N, attached at one end to the rope N, and
provided at the other end with a ring capable of sliding on a bar , fixed on
either side of the framing i. By this arrangement when the machine has
arrived at one end of the floor C. the ropes N, in still continuing to travel in
the same direction, carry the ends of the chains N' round the end pulleys O
(which are for this purpose made to overhang their bearings), and, in then
drawing the chains in the reverse direction to that in which they moved
before, cause. them first to slide along the bars i, i, of the machine; and then
to draw the machine in the reverse direction to that in which it moved before.
If it is desired to have a fence or railing on each side of the floor C, in order
to keep the substance being dried in proper position, upon the. floor, the
endless bands N, and pulleys O, O¹, must be raised up to such a height that
the chains N connecting the breaking machine with the bands shall clear
the top of such fence. It will be observed that the pulleys O' at the end
of the building are situated some distance. beyond where the lattice floor C
terminates. The object of this, is to. enable. the breaking machine to be
drawn back into the position indicated in red lines in Figure 1, when the hay
or other substance. is being laid upon or removed from the floor C. For per-
forming the latter operation the drums. D are set in motion so as to cause the
floor C to travel towards the end of the building, where, as the floor passes
round the drum D, the lay or other substance falls down on to the floor P of
the building, whence it is, removed through the doors Q. In order to accele-
rate the drying, of the hay or other substance. upon the floor C, the. hot air in
the building is made to circulate freely, and currents of the same are caused
to pass through the layer of bay or other substance upon the floor by means
of a travelling fan R, caused to travel backwards and forwards beneath the
floor C by means of endless travelling ropes, bands, or chains S, caused to
travel over the pulleys T, T, T, T, and, connected to the carriage m of the
fan by chains. S¹ and bars m', in the same manner as before described with
reference to the breaking or shaking machine. The. rotary motion of the fan
blades, is also, obtained in a similar manner to that by which the forks in the
breaking machine are made to rotate, namely, by means of a grooved pinion n
upon the spindle o of the fan in gear with the grooved, wheels. p, p, of the
carriage, which run upon grooved rails q, q, on the floor. The pulleys T being
situated behind the drums D, whilst the fan only can travel to the front, of
the latter, the chains S have to be made proportionately longer than N
The fan is by preference surrounded by a casing ?, as an ordinary fan, having
central openings at the sides through which the air enters, and a long narrow
:

page_text: opening at the top, immediately beneath the floor C, through which opening
the heated air is propelled by the fan, and is consequently forced through and
brought into intimate contact with the hay or other substance upon the floor.
As by the reciprocating motion of the carriage the fan blades revolve
alternately in contrary directions the casing instead of being formed as the
casings to ordinary fans requires to be concentric with the fan blades, and
in order under these circumstances to effect the propulsion of the air in the
proper manner a moveable division plate or stops is introduced into the
space between the ends of the fan blades and the casing, which stop extends
across the whole width of the fan and is carried by arms t, t, passing down
between the sides of the casing and the sides of the fan blades; these arms
are fixed to loose bushes u, u, upon the fan spindle, to one of which bushes is
fixed, outside the fan casing, a lever v, whereby according as the fan is
travelling, and consequently the blades are revolving, in one direction or the
other, the stop s is thrown to the one side or the other of the opening in the
casing, and is held there by a pin or catch on the casing passing through or
holding the lever v. The fan blades and casing may either be divided into
two in their width, so as to afford four entrance openings for the air, as
shown in the compartment I, or the fan blades and casing may be made of
the entire width of the floor, as shown in the compartment III. The requisite
motion of the endless ropes N and S to the breaking machines and fans, and
of the drums D is imparted from a steam engine or other source of motive
power by means of driving bands w³, x', and y, and pulleys w, a, and y, or
by other known gearing.
It is an essential part of our Invention in order to economize as much as
possible the requisite beat employed for the purposes of the process that the
hot air should be retained in the building and made to circulate in the manner.
described until it has become so charged with moisture from the hay or other
substance that it will no further promote the drying process. For this pur-
pose all parts of the building are kept closed when once the floor C is charged,
or only a definite amount of air is admitted or ejected, and the building is for
this purpose provided with a perforated or porous ceiling at U,.and the part:
of the roof above this ceiling is made to communicate at pleasure with the
external atmosphere by means of louvre boards V, V, or other known arrange-
ment, which can be opened or closed by means of a series of rods and
levers W, W, in a manner well understood. Air may be admitted into the
building through suitable openings below the steam pipes. B, B.
The arrangement of the above-described building and, apparatus may be
variously modified in carrying our Invention into practice,, as has. been already

page_text: stated; thus in place of or in addition to having a number of the moveable
floors C arranged side by side as described, two or more such floors may be
arranged one above the other, and a series of fan blades may be fixed upon
the spindles of the breaking machines in order to increase the circulation of
the air. Also, although we prefer to make the floors C moveable as described
in order to facilitate the loading and unloading of the same, yet they may also
be made fixed, and the charging and discharging of the same effected by hand.
Again, instead of driving the breaking machines and fans by means of grooved
frictional gearing, the wheels h, p, and rails M and q may be made smooth,
and the rotating forks and fan blades be driven by means of ordinary cog wheels
fixed to or formed on the wheels h, p, and if requisite such
cog wheels may gear
into a rack upon the floor. Also, in place of using travelling fans as
described, one or more fixed fans may be employed in any convenient positions
for producing the requisite circulation of the air in the building, and for
forcing currents thereof in, among, or against the substance that is undergoing
the process of drying.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the best means we
are acquainted with of performing the same, we wish it to be understood that
we do not limit ourselves to the particular arrangement thereof as herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing, as this may be
variously modified, as already stated, without departing from the nature of our
Invention; nor do we claim generally the employment of currents of heated
air within a building or receptacle for drying grass, hay, or other substances
contained therein; nor do we claim the various details of apparatus herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing, when taken
separate and apart from the purposes of our Invention, as forming any part
thereof, but what we claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First, drying grass, hay, straw, corn, seeds, flax, hemp, cotton, wool, hair,
malt, and other substances by bringing them into intimate contact with
currents of heated air inside a closed building or receptacle, the entrance
and exit of the air into and out of the building being controlled in such
manner as to cause the air to become more or less saturated with moisture,
and useless for drying purposes, before it escapes from the building.
Second, constructing and using apparatus or machinery for drying grass,
hay, straw, and other substances, consisting of a perforated, porous, or lattice
floor, situated inside a building or receptacle heated in any suitable known
manner, upon which floor the substance to be dried is laid, and beneath which
floor one. or more fixed or travelling blowing fans is or are made to force

page_text: currents of hot air among the substance to be dried, while above the floor a
breaking machine is caused to travel backwards and forwards so as to
break or shake or stir up the substance during the process of drying, sub-
stantially as herein-before described with reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
Third, the particular arrangement of the moveable floor C, capable of being
made to travel round the drums D in manner and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
Fourth, the particular arrangement of the travelling breaking machine L,
with revolving forks g, or equivalent appliances for breaking or shaking or
stirring up the substances being dried.
Fifth, the particular arrangement of the travelling fan R for forcing currents
of heated air through the substance being dried.
In witness whereof, I, the said Baldwin Latham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
BALDWIN LATHAM. (L.S.)