IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND CURING HOPS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
DRYING AND CURING HOPS." A communication from abroad by Nathan
Seaward Hayes, of New Hartford, State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 23rd January 1880, and dated the 12th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1879.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND CURING HOPS." A communication from
abroad by Nathan Seward Hayes, of New Hartford, State of New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to improved means for regulating the temperature and
currents of air in hop kilns during the process of drying and curing hops. And it
consists chiefly in an improved arrangement of the inlets of the exterior air relative
to the floor of the kiln and furnace or heating apparatus, by which arrangement all
moisture is eliminated from the air admitted in the kiln, and nothing but dry and
moderately heated air is allowed to pass through the drying floor, thus facilitating
its circulation through the hops and accelerating the drying and curing process. It
also consists in the combination and arrangement with the lower compartments of a
hop kiln of a pipe or duct, extending from the vicinity of the furnace and near
the bottom of the kiln to the chimney or flue, and provided with a suitable valve
or damper for regulating or closing it, by means of which the surplus moisture is
carried off and the accumulation of same in the kiln is prevented. And it further-
more consists in the combination and arrangement with the lower compartment of
a bop-kiln of adjustable cold air inlets, arranged between the heating pipes and
drying floor, whereby the drying process can be readily arrested at the proper time,
and the hops cooled before removing them from the kiln. The said improved
arrangement of air inlets at the bottom of the kiln may be obtained by providing

page_text: each of the lateral air openings with an upward deflecting case or flue on the inside
of the kiln, which Hues have their discharge end approximately on a level with the
top of the furnace, or sufficiently above the ground floor to prevent the cool damp
air which rests at the bottom of the kiln from being disturbed and mixed with the
current of fresh air. The discharge end of said flues is provided with a valve or
damper, serving to regulate the admission of air and to direct the current towards
the center of the kiln.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND CURING HOPS." A communication from
abroad by Nathan Seward Hayes, of New Hartford, State of New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to improved means for regulating the temperature and
currents of air in hop kilns during the process of drying and curing hops. And it
.consists chiefly in an improved arrangement of the inlets of the exterior air relative
to the floor of the kiln and furnace or heating apparatus, by which arrangement all
moisture is eliminated from the air admitted in the kiln, and nothing but dry and
moderately heated air is allowed to pass through the drying floor, thus facilitating
its circulation through the hops, accelerating the drying and curing process, and
materially improving its results. It also consists chiefly in the combination and
arrangement with the lower compartment of a hop kiln of a pipe or duct extended
from the vicinity of the furnace and near the bottom of the kiln to the chimney or
flue, and provided with a suitable valve or damper for regulating or closing it, by
means of which the surplus moisture is carried off and the accumulation of same in
the kiln is prevented.
And it furthermore consists in the combination and arrangement with the lower
compartment of a hop-kiln of adjustable cold air inlets, arranged between the
heating pipes and drying floor, whereby the drying process can be readily arrested
at the proper time and the hops cooled before removing them from the kiln.
All arranged and combined to operate substantially as hereinafter more fully
described.
The Invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, wherein Fig. 1
is a side elevation of a hop-kiln provided with the present improvements; Fig. 2
is a longitudinal section of same; and Fig. 3 a horizontal secton on line X, X.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the main frame or structure of the hop kiln, constructed in the
usual manner and of the ordinary. form and dimensions, generally having posts

page_text: about twenty feet in height. About fifteen feet above the ground floor is arranged
the drying floor B, formed of cleats or strips of wood laid short distance apart across
joists and covered with burlaps or other suitable material to support the hops to be
dried. Crepresents the furnace or stove usually employed for generating the heat
requisite for the drying process. The said furnace is generally placed on the ground
floor of the kiln, and the products of combustion are conducted to the chimney or
flue D by means of pipes a, a, connected with circuitous or serpentine horizontal.
pipes a, a, arranged at a proper and safe distance below the drying floor, and.
communicating with the chimney D. The air necessary to the drying process has
heretofore been admitted into the kiln through openings in the sides of the building
at the bottom thereof. A close observation of the operation of kilns thus con-
structed has convinced the inventor that the ingress of air at the locality aforesaid
causes the moisture or aqueous vapor accompanying said air to become heated and
to be carried up to the drying floor, and thus retard the drying process. To obviate
these injurious effects each of the openings c is provided with an upward deflecting
case or flue 6 on the inside of the kiln, which flues have their discharge end nearly.
or quite on a level with the top of the furnace, or sufficiently above the ground
floor to prevent the cool damp air which naturally rests at the bottom of the kiln
from being disturbed by and commingled with the current of fresh air. To regulate
the ingress of the air the. discharge end of said flues is provided with a valve or
damper d, which is hinged horizontally to the side of the kiln, and thus when
opened serves to deflect the current of fresh air toward the center of the kiln and
cause it to become thoroughly diffused over the heating apparatus. By its circula-
tion over the calm stratum of cool air the moisture accompanying the fresh air
becomes condensed and is caused to descend to the bottom of the kiln, which by the
arrangement of the flues b before described is constituted a reservoir for moisture,
and is designated as such by the letter R in the Drawings. All moisture being
thus eliminated from the current of air ere it reaches the vicinity of the heated
pipes a¹ the light dry air rapidly ascends, circulates freely around the said pipes,
and permiates thoroughly and at a moderate temperature through the hops in the
chamber above. In its passage through the latter it absorbs the moisture of the
hops and carries it off through the ventilator above. By this means the stratum of
hops under treatment is dried and cured uniformly throughout, and being thus
maintained in a loose layer the circulation of air is facilitated and the process
materially expedited.
The moisture in the reservoir R before described is drawn into the furnace or
stove by the natural draught thereof, and thus utilized to promote combustion in
same. To guard against accumulation of moisture an extra natural ventiduct is
provided in the form of a pipe E, communicating at one end with the reservoir R
in the vicinity of the furnace, and at the opposite end with the chimney. By
means of a suitable valve v connected with the pipe E the exhaust through same is
controlled. To guard against excessive drying and bleaching of the hops without
the necessity of removing the same from the drying chamber of the kiln while yet
hot, as has been customary heretofore, apertures F are provided in the sides of the
kiln between the pipes a' and drying floor for the inlet of air, which is regulated
and directed toward the said floor by valves u, pivoted horizontally in the openings.
By opening these ventilators and closing the draft of the furnace the drying process
is at once arrested and the hops cooled rapidly and uniformly.
CLAIMS.
1. The combination and arrangement with a hop kiln of the reservoir R at the
bottom of the kiln, formed by the flues b, b, extended from the openings c, c, nearly
or quite the height of the furnace, substantially as described and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In combination with a hop kiln divided into two compartments by the drying
floor B, as described and shown, and having in its lower compartment a furnace or

page_text: stove supplied with air for combustion through openings c in the sides of the kiln,
the flues b, b, connected with said openings, and having their discharge end above
the ground floor to form the reservoir R, substantially as described and shown, and
for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a hop kiln provided at its base with the openings c, c,
the flues b, b, connected with said openings, and having their discharge end nearly
or quite on a level with the top of the furnace, and the valves d, d, hinged bori-
zontally to the side of the kiln, all arranged to operate substantially as described
and for the purpose set forth.
4. In combination with the lower compartment of a hop kiln having the ingress
of fresh air nearly or quite on a level with the top of the furnace, as described, the
ventiduct E extended from the floor of said compartment to the chimney, and
provided with a suitable valve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination with a hop kiln of the apertures F in the sides of the kiln,
between the pipes a¹ and drying floor, and the valves u pivoted horizontally in said
apertures, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of February, A.D. 1880.