Improvements in Drying Grain and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying Grain and in Apparatus therefor.
I, FREDERICK DRESSER of 20 Bixteth Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved method or process of drying whole or
granulated rice, wheat, barley or other grain or cereal which has been gelatinized
by any of the usual processes of steaming or cooking at a high temperature either
for the purpose of preparing the same as a food stuff or as artificial malt for
brewing or distilling purposes, and the object of my said invention is to dry out or
abstract from the said grain the moisture absorbed in the cooking process in such
manner and by such means as to avoid the possibility of any transformation or
vitrifaction of the starch granules or the gluten of the said gelatinized grain.
In my said improved process I subject the gelatinized grain to a current of cool
or slightly warmed dry air immediately or very shortly after it has undergone the
steaming or cooking process, and to render the said air more highly absorbent than
when in its normal condition I first pass it over or through a highly absorbent
chemical substance or medium such as dried chloride of calcium or other
deliquescent or hygroscopic salt or other similar material or substance possessing
equally absorbent properties, and afterwards warm the said air to a temperature
of from 100° to 150° F either by passing it through pipes surrounded by steam at a
pressure, or arranged within a stove and heated by fire direct. And further for
the continuous drying and changing of the said absorbent material employed.
The apparatus employed to carry my said invention into effect is set forth upon
the sheet of drawings hereunto appended and is as follows:-
The grain to be dried is fed into the revolving drying cylinder B by means of
the shoot A, this cylinder is of the usual type employed for such purpose and is
provided with lifting blades and propellers for carrying the grain forward to the
outlet B¹, the revolving of the cylinder causes a turning over of the grain which
subjects it all equally to the influence of the current of air blown into same by the
fan C, the said air employed having been subjected to the said drying & warming
process by being drawn by the said fan first over the said absorbent material placed
upon the annular trays F, F, F, F, carried by the vertical shaft J, and then
through the pipes D, grouped within the steam vessel E, the said annular trays
carrying the absorbent material are slowly revolved by means of the worm and
wheel K, or other suitable mechanism may be employed, for the purpose of taking
in the dry and bringing out of the chamber G the damp absorbent material into the
chamber H where it is continuously dried by the heat radiating from the top of the
steam vessel E.
I do not confine myself absolutely to the form and construction of the apparatus
herein described for carrying my said invention into effect, I may somewhat vary
the means & mechanism for applying the absorbent material to the use herein
specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for drying gelatinized grain the employment of cool or slightly
warmed dry air from which all possible moisture has been abstracted by causing
the said air to pass over or through an absorbent chemical substance such as
chloride of calcium or other deliquescent or hygroscopic salt or similar material,
substantially as herein set forth and for the purpose stated.

page_text: 2. In apparatus for drying gelatinized grain as above the method of continuously
removing the damp absorbent material, drying and re-using same, substantially as
herein shewn and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 27th day of May 1893.
FREDERICK DRESSER.