IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING APPARATUS FOR DRYING AGRICULTURAL, ANIMAL, AND CHEMICAL AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alfred Gibbs, of Gilwell Park, in the
County of Essex, Esquire, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRYING APPARATUS FOR DRYING AGRICULTURAL, ANIMAL, AND CHEMICAL AND
COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS."
Sealed the 24th January 1871, and dated the 1st August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alfred Gibbs
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st August 1870.
I, WILLIAM ALFRED GIBBS, of Gilwell Park, in the County of Essex,
Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN DRYING APPARATUS FOR DRYING AGRICULTURAL, ANIMAL, AND
CHEMICAL AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist of various mechanical movements and
arrangements whereby the waste heat from furnaces or chimney shafts
or the heat obtainable from stoves and other heat suppliers may be fully

page_text: and economically utilized for drying agricultural, animal, and chemical
products, and usually I draw the heated air by means of fans or blowing
machines, as described in my Patents No. 3036, A.D. 1866, and No. 289,
A.D. 1868, and, firstly, for drying wet hay and other similar substances
I impel such hot air into and amongst successive portions of the said
substances, and by means of levers attached to ordinary hay forks I
enable the workmen to lift and "shake out" large masses of these sub-
stances in such a manner as to facilitate the passage of the hot air
through every portion of the wet masses.
Secondly. For drying damp grain of all kinds, coffee, and other beans,
brewers' and distillers' spent grains and hops, and other similar substances,
I construct at the exit mouth of a hot blast fan a hopper into which the
substance to be dried is lifted either by hand power aided by the levers,
as herein-before described, or by the endless band arrangement com-
monly known as the "Jacob's ladder," or by any other convenient means
of elevating such substances.
both back and front, so that the hot air from the blast has free passage
through it, hence when the wet substances fall slowly down in successive
portions (after being lifted up as described) they are subjected in rotation
to the drying act of the hot air.
The lower part of the hopper is left open.
In order that no portion shall remain for too long a time exposed to
this drying action, I adapt pushing machinery consisting of a pair of
scrapers travelling to and fro horizontally through the open passage at
the lower part of the hopper; the blades of these scrapers are hinged
on to the rods, by which they are moved to and fro in such a manner as
that in their forward or pushing movement they move at right angles
and drive forward the substances lying in the bottom of the hopper,
but in their retiring movement they present only a thin edge like as in
the feathering action of a paddle wheel; moreover, in their forward
movement they pass under two guide rods hinged on to the sides of
the hopper at an angle of 45 degrees or thereabouts, so as to form two
inclined planes up which the scrapers in their retiring movement are
made to pass; this obviates any danger that might arise from the
dragging back of any portion of the substance operated on.
.
Sometimes I prefer to construct for the purposes of drying grains and
other uses an apparatus of the following character :-I make a revolving
tapering case into which I fit a stationary tapering hot air duct with a

page_text: slit between lips extending along its whole length. Into this duct I
drive heated air by means of one or more hot blasts as herein-before
described. I introduce the wet grains or substances to be dried by
means of a fixed hopper adjusted to the larger end of the revolving case
in such a manner as that the substances fall through apertures in the said
hopper end into the said case, these apertures also serve to let out the
vapour from the revolving case. Or the substances may be introduced
into the revolving case by means of a spring valve on its upper circum-
ference, which valve as it comes in the course of rotation under a fixed
hopper containing a quantity of the grains or other substances yields to
the pressure of the said substances and allows a regulated quantity to
fall into the case. I provide for the discharge of the dried substances
by depressing the smaller end of the revolving case to any angle which
may be found needful to cause the drying substances to slide gradually
from the larger to the smaller end, at which smaller end suitable outlets
are provided. The rotation of the outer case may be obtained by any of
the well known mechanical methods, such as spur wheel and pinion or
bevilled cog wheels at either end of the case, or by a band from the
case itself taken to the driving wheel of any motor, but I prefer to
obtain an intermittent and vibratory rotation by the use of a ratchet
wheel and levers, this allows the wet substances to remain for a time
exposed to the full action of the hot blast and then shakes them apart
so as to expose fresh surfaces to the heat. When large quantities of
grains have to be dried the outer case and air duct should be of con-
siderable length, say, from 25 to 100 feet, and where it is desired to
have machinery of these sizes in a portable form I construct both the
outer case and the interior air duct in any convenient lengths, say, 12,
15, or 18 feet, and adjust these lengths to slide one inside the other on
the principle of the ordinary telescope. The tapering form (besides its
many other advantages over the plain cylinder) gives great facility for
this mode of construction.
Sometimes I give an oscillating motion to the external tapering case
instead of the rotating movement, and I then prefer to leave the upper
side of the said case either wholly or partially open. I also construct
the hot air duct of such a shape and place it in such a manner so that
a portion of the substances to be dried shall at each oscillation slide
over the upper surface of the said air duct whilst other portions are
receiving the full force of the hot air from the open lips of the said
ducts.

page_text: Finally for drying oats or barley in the straw (when they require to
be unsheafed), I construct at the exit mouth of the hot blast (before-
described) a hot air chamber or trough of any convenient dimensions.
The upper side of such receiver being open I construct a running
platform of wire,net or perforated plate of twice the area of this upper
side, and of such a form as that one half of this platform will exactly
cover the aperture of this upper side (somewhat in the manner of a
sliding lid over a large box or trough). The mode of using this arrange-
ment is to unsheaf and spread out the oats or other crop on that half
of the platform which is not over the trough, and then to run that half
over the upper and open side thereof. Whilst the oats or other crop on
this half are being thus dried a similar quantity of the wet crop should
be spread in like manner on the other half, hence when the first quantity
is dry and drawn [away from the upper side of the trough the second
quantity is drawn over it, thus by alternately drawing the running
platform to and fro the whole crop may be conveniently dried.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Alfred Gibbs in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ALFRED GIBBS, of Gillwell Park, in the County of Essex, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
forth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Alfred Gibbs, Her special
licence that I, the said William Alfred Gibbs, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Alfred
Gibbs, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-

page_text: tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING APPARATUS FOR DRYING AGRICULTural,
ANIMAL, AND CHEMICAL AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Alfred Gibbs, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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 Alfred Gibbs, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My improvements comprise various mechanical arrangements, whereby
the waste heat from furnaces or chimney shafts or the heat obtainable
from stoves and other heat suppliers, may be fully and economically
utilized for drying agricultural, animal, chemical, and commercial
products, and usually I draw the heated air by means of fans or
blowing machines as described in my Patents, No. 3036, A.D. 1866,
and No. 289, A.D. 1868, and firstly for drying wet hay and other
similar substances I impel such hot air into and amongst successive
portions of the said substances, and by means of levers attached to
ordinary hay forks I enable the workmen to lift and "shake out" large
masses of these substances in such a manner as to facilitate the passage
of the hot air through every portion of the wet masses.
""
Secondly. For drying damp grain of all kinds coffee and other beans,
brewers' and distillers' spent grains and hops, and other similar sub-
stances I construct at the exit mouth of a hot blast fan a hopper, into
which the substance to be dried is lifted either by hand power aided
by the levers as herein-before described, or by the endless band arrange-
ment, commonly known as the " Jacob's ladder or by any other
convenient means of elevating such substances. The lower part of the
hopper is left open both back and front, so that the hot air from the
blast has free passage through it, hence when the wet substances fall
slowly down in successive portions (after being lifted up as described),
they are subjected in rotation to the drying action of the hot air.
In order that no portion shall remain for too long a time exposed to
this drying action I adapt pushing machinery, consisting of a pair of

page_text: :
scrapers travelling to and fro horizontally through the open passage at
the lower part of the hopper, the blades of these scrapers are hinged
on to the rods by which they are moved to and fro in such a manner
as that in their forward or pushing movement they move at right
angles and drive forward the substances lying in the bottom of the
hopper, but in their retiring movement they present only a thin edge
as in the feathering action of a paddle wheel, moreover, in their forward
movement they pass under two guide rods hinged on to the sides of the
hopper at an angle of 45 degrees or thereabouts, so as to form two
inclined planes up which the scrapers in their retiring movement are
made to pass; this obviates any danger that might arise from the
dragging back of any portion of the substance operated on.
Sometimes I prefer to construct for the purposes of drying grains and
other uses an apparatus of the following character:-I make a revolving
tapering case into which I fit a stationary tapering hot air duct, with a
slit between lips extending along its whole length. Into this duct I drive
heated air by means of one or more hot blasts, as herein-before described,
I introduce the wet grains or substances to be dried by means of a fixed
hopper adjusted to the larger end of the revolving case in such a manner
as that the substances fall through apertures in the said hopper into
the said case. These apertures also serve to let out the vapour from
the revolving case; or the substances may be introduced into the
revolving case by means of a spring valve on its upper circumference,
which valve at it comes in the course of rotation under a fixed hopper
containing a quantity of the grains or other substances, yields to the
pressure of the said substances and allows a regulated quantity to fall
into the case. I provide for the discharge of the dried substances by
depressing the smaller end of the revolving case to any angle which
may be found needful to cause the drying substances to slide gradually
from the larger to the smaller end, at which smaller end suitable a
outlets are provided. The rotation of the outer case may be obtained by
any of the well-known mechanical methods, such as spur wheel and
pinion or bevilled cog wheels at either end of the case, or by a band
from the case itself taken to the driving wheel of any motor; but I
prefer to obtain an intermittent or vibratory rotation by the use of a 3
ratchet wheel and levers. This allows the wet substances to remain for
atim eexposed to the full action of the hot blast, and then shakes them
apart so as to expose fresh surfaces to the heat. When large quantities

page_text: of grains or other substances have to be dried, the outer case and air
duct should be of considerable length, say from 25 to 100 feet; and
when it is desired to have machinery of these sizes in a portable form,
I construct both the outer case and the interior air duct in any con-
venient lengths, say of 12, 15, or 18 feet, and adjust these lengths to
slide one inside the other on the principle of the ordinary telescope.
The tapering form (besides its many other advantages over the plain
cylinder) gives greater facility for this mode of construction.
Sometimes I give an oscillating motion to the external tapering case
instead of the rotating movement, and I then prefer to leave the upper
side of the said case either wholly or partially open. I also construct the
hot air duct of such a shape and place it in such manner that a portion
of the substances to be dried shall at each oscillation slide over the
upper surface of the said air duct whilst other portions are receiving
the full force of the hot air from the open lips of the said ducts.
Finally, for drying oats or barley in the straw (when they require to
be unsheafed) I construct at the exit mouth of the hot blast (before
described) a hot air chamber or trough of any convenient dimensions.
The upper side of such receiver being open, I construct a running
platform of wire net or perforated plate of twice the area of this upper
side, and of such a form as that one half of this platform will exactly
cover the aperture of this upper side (somewhat in the manner of a
sliding lid over a large box or trough.)
The mode of using this arrangement it to unsheaf and spread out the
oats or other crop on that half of the platform which is not over the
trough, and then to run that half over the upper and open side thereof.
Whilst the oats or other crops on this half are being thus dried a similar.
quantity of the wet crop should be. spread in like manner on the other.
half, hence when the first quantity is dry and drawn away from the
upper side of the trough the second quantity is drawn over it; thus
by alternately drawing the running platform to and fro the whole crop
may be conveniently dried.
Having thus far described the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practice, I now
for the better exemplification thereof refer to the Drawings with which
I have accompanied these Presents, that is to say :—

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, a view, partly sectional, shewing the application of my Inven-
tion in cases where it is convenient to attach the hot blast and tapering
case to any chimney shaft already constructed.
.
On this Drawing the letter A denotes the chimney shaft; B, damper
to cut off the ordinary draught; C, chain whereby the damper can be
actuated; D, the aperture to be made for the passage of hot air from
the chimney to the hot blast; E, hot blast, which is the ordinary
fan arrangement; F, tapering hot air duct; G, outer case of same;
H, passage for the introduction of the substances to be dried, which
may be supplied by means of a hopper or other convenient arrangement;
I, point of support for the end of the tapering hot air duct and case,
which support I prefer to construct in similar manner to the mechanical
arrangement known as the carriage jack by fitting the part
in a
bearing in the said carriage jack arrangement (placed at right angles.
thereto or nearly so), by actuating the lever whereof I am enabled to
raise or depress the tapering hot air duct and its case, the other end of
the same being of course so constructed as to be free to allow sufficient
play for the purpose, as, for instance, by simply suitably concing the
same to the exit outlet duct of the hot blast, or by the joint known as
the lobster tail joint. L, auxilliary furnace of any known suitable
character for providing additional heat if required.
*
Fig. 2 view, partly in section, showing the application of my Inven-
tion in cases where it is desirable to have the drying arrangement at a
distance from the chimney shaft. Here (as in Fig. 1), A denotes the
chimney shaft; B, sliding damper; Z flue or hot air duct leading as
shown from the chimney through a hot chamber Y to the drying
arrangements. The other parts of these arrangements shown in this
Fig. (2) are marked with the same letters of reference as Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 view, partly in section, showing the application of my Invention
in such manner that the necessity of a tall chimney shaft is obviated;
A, dwarf chimney shaft; X, hot air conduit, by which the hot air and
products of combustion are drawn into the drying arrangements. In
other respects the parts are the same as in Fig. 1, and the same letters of
reference are used in this Fig. (3) as in Fig. 1.
It is here to be remarked that in the several drying arrangements
before described it will be necessary that the outer case of the tapering

page_text: hot air duct should be free to rotate on such duct, friction rollers
being suitably arranged to facilitate the rotation. Rotary motion can
be given to such outer case by levers or gear at the point *, for
instance.
,
,
In Fig. 4 (view partly in section), and Fig. 5 (partial front and top
view) of drying arrangements applicable where oats or other crops
(unsheafed or loose) have to be dried. Here a denotes a hot air box
which is connected with the hot blast in the manner shown in the
Drawing. Though in this case a portable engine is shown as the heat
supplier any other convenient source of heat may be adopted. And
the other arrangements herein-before, described might draw their heat
supply from portable engines instead of stationary engines as herein-
before described.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, I hereby declare that I claim the "Improvements in
Drying Apparatus for Drying Agricultural, and Animal, and Chemical
and Commercial Products," the nature and character whereof is defined
in the part of this Specification which precedes the Description of the
Drawings, (which are illustrative of such nature and character). It
being understood that I do not claim any mere mechanical details per se,
referred to in such description, nor do I confine or limit myself to use
of only such details.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alfred Gibbs, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 31st day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM ALFRED GIBBS. (L.S.)
THOMAS MORgan,
Secretary
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Ld.,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross.