Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Hay, Straw, and Clover, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Hay, Straw,
and Clover, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, DAVID ADAM FYFE, of Victoria Mills, Wharf Road, Stratford, Essex,
Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Heretofore chopped hay, straw and clover have been improved and rendered
more fit for food by steaming for a long period with free steam in wooden bins ;
then after standing for some weeks the hay or material becomes fit for use.
According to my invention I employ high pressure steam and to admit of this
being done I enclose the hay, straw or clover in vessels capable of sustaining this
high pressure with safety. The use of high pressure steam enables me to treat
the material in the truss or bale which with free steam is impracticable; indeed
when operating with high pressure steam the more closely the material is
compressed the better. A comparatively short period of steaming with high
pressure steam is all that is required; thus I find that a good result is obtained by
half an hour to one hour's steaming at a pressure of 60 lbs. to the square inch.
After the steaming is complete and the steam is blown off 1 exhaust the vessel
containing the hay straw or clover by connecting it with an air pump which rapidly
draws off any remaining moisture.
The trusses or bales of hay or other material are ready to be cut up for use as
soon as they are removed from the steaming vessel and no storage is required.
The apparatus which I prefer to employ consists of a long iron cylinder of
sufficient strength laid horizontal or at a slight inclination so that water resulting
from the condensation of steam may drain to one end where a suitable tap or cock
for evacuating the water is provided. One end of the cylinder is removeable but
can be secured in its place by screw clamps to close the cylinder steam tight. Rails
are laid along the bottom of the cylinder and trolleys to be loaded with the trusses
or bales of hay straw or clover are provided to be run into the cylinder along these
rails. A pipe leading from a boiler is fitted to supply steam to the cylinder and
maintains a high pressure therein. A pressure gauge is mounted upon the
cylinder; also there should be a vacuum gauge and a thermometer. An air pump
and suitable means for working it are provided and proper connections are made
with the cylinder.
To prevent as far as may be condensation taking place in the cylinder, it should
be well covered with a lagging of non-conducting material; or it may be steam
jacketed.
Although I prefer to treat the material in a compressed state in the truss or bale
it may sometimes be required to treat loose or chopped hay or the like in which
case the treatment may be carried on in a vertical cylinder with a perforated false
bottom to support the loose or chopped material and at the top and bottom with
filling and emptying doors closing steam tight. Suitable inlet and outlet passages
and other connections are also provided.
Dash out 1.m
1004

page_text: CORDULE
Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Hay, Straw,
and Clover, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, DAVID ADAM FYFE, of Victoria Mills, Wharf Road, Stratford, Essex,
Corn Merchant, 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 :-
In order to prepare hay straw and clover for use as food for animals I make use
of high pressure steam which I apply whilst the material is contained in a cylinder
or vessel capable of sustaining this high pressure with safety. And in order that
the material may be delivered in a dry state I pump or withdraw air and moisture
from the interior of the cylinder or vessel by an air pump or like appliance. Also
I provide for the supply of heat to the material under treatment by means of a
steam heated coil or otherwise independently of the steam admitted to the interior
of the cylinder or vessel.
These arrangements enable me to treat or cook bales or trusses of hay straw and
clover without opening them out, for when operating with high pressure steam the
more closely the material is compressed the better." The material is delivered dry
and ready for immediate use.
The annexed drawing shows apparatus in accordance with my invention for the
treatment of bales or trusses of hay straw and clover with high pressure steam.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section and Figures 2 and 3 are end
elevations.
a is an iron or steel cylinder or vessel; it has a moveable end or cover a¹ which
fits steam tight to its place and is secured by a number of screw bolts a' a² hinged
to the cylinder and engaging lugs upon the cover. These bolts are arranged at
short intervals all around the circumference of the cover but a few only of the bolts
are shown in the drawing. The cover is suspended from a crane mounted upon the
side of the cylinder so that when unbolted the cover can be readily removed and
returned to its place. At the other end of the cylinder or vessel is a connection b
by which high pressure steam may be admitted to its interior from a steam boiler
not shown; 6' is a cock to regulate the admission of steam to the cylinder or
vessel a. Also at the same end of the cylinder or vessel there is a connection c
with a stop cock c', by this communication may be opened with an air pump
worked by a steam engine or in place of an air pump some other suitable exhauster
may be used.
d is a pipe entering the cylinder or vessel and formed into a coil d¹ within it.
The coil has an outlet at d' on which there is a regulating cock d³.
To prevent as far as may be condensation taking place in the cylinder, it should
be well covered with a lagging of non-conducting material; or
jacketted.
may be steam
A blow off pipe e leads out from the interior of the boiler or vessel a and it has a
regulating cock e' upon it. The cylinder should incline somewhat so that any
water deposited in it may at once find its way to the outlet.
A pressure gauge is provided also a vacuum gauge f¹ and also a safety valve g.
The safety valve should be set to blow at 60 lbs. to the square inch for this or a
little under is a suitable working pressure.
•
In preparing to work, the cylinder or vessel a is filled with the bales or trusses to
be treated and the cover a¹ is then put on and secured. Steam is then allowed to
flow through the coil d' until the vessel and its contents are well warm and then by
opening the air pump communication, air and moisture is drawn out. Afterwards
when the vessel a and its contents are hot enough to avoid undue condensation the
cock c² is closed and high pressure steam is admitted by opening the cock b'. The
blow off cock e is to be opened from time to time during the cooking.

page_text: A comparatively short period of steaming with high pressure steam is all that is
required; thus I find that a good result is obtained by half an hour to one hour's
steaming at a pressure of 60 lbs. to the square inch. After the steaming is.
complete and the steam is blown off I also exhaust the vessel containing the hay
straw or clover by connecting it with an air pump which rapidly draws off any
remaining moisture.
The trusses or bales of lay or other material are ready to be cut up for use as
soon as they are removed from the steaming vessel and no storage is required.
The material is removed from the cylinder or vessel as soon as it is cool enough
to be handled it will be found as before mentioned in a state fit for immediate use.
Very advantageously hay as it comes from the hay field may at once be pressed
into bales and treated as above described, damaged or wet hay may be similarly
treated.
It will be observed that there are several important elements in the process as I
prefer to conduct it, viz.
-
By the use of steam confined under high pressure I am able to apply a temperature
sufficient to rapidly complete the cooking operation.
By heating the cylinder or vessel by a coil d' within it or by other equivalent
means I prevent undue condensation of the steam.
By the exhaustion of air from the cylinder or vessel I facilitate the penetration
of the steam amongst the material and also I remove moisture so effectually that
the material is delivered in so dry a state as to be ready for immediate use.
In place of working with high pressure steam I may employ in a similar manner
hot air under pressure. The air in this case is compressed by an air pump into a
receiver in which it is suitably heated and it is drawn off for use as required in the
same way as when working with steam.
Although I prefer to treat the material in a compressed state in the truss or bale
it may sometimes be required to treat loose or chopped hay or the like in which
case the treatment may be carried on in a vertical cylinder with a perforated false
bottom to support the loose or chopped material and at the top and bottom with
filling and emptying doors closing steam tight. Suitable inlet and outlet passages
and other connections are also provided.
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. The treatment of bales or trusses of hay straw or clover by submitting them
to the cooking action of high pressure steam contained in a strong closed cylinder
or vessel and prevented from condensing by heat supplied to the said cylinder or
vessel independently of the steam admitted to its interior and also submitting them
to the drying action of a partial vacuum formed in the said vessel or boiler in which
the bales or trusses are contained.
2. The treatment of bales or trusses of hay straw or clover by submitting them
to the cooking action of high pressure steam contained in a strong closed cylinder
or vessel and prevented from condensing by heat supplied to the said cylinder or
vessel independently of the steam admitted to its interior.
3. The treatment of bales or trusses of hay straw or clover by submitting them
to the cooking action of high pressure steam contained in a strong closed cylinder
or vessel and also to the drying action of a partial vacuum formed in the said
cylinder or vessel in which the bales or trusses are contained.
4. The treatment of bales or trusses of hay straw or clover by submitting them
to the cooking action of heated aériform fluid contained under pressure in a strong
closed cylinder or vessel.
5. The treatment of hay straw or clover either loose or chopped or cut into
chaff in the way described in either of the preceding claims relating to the
treatment of hay straw or clover in the bale or truss.
6. Apparatus for the treatment of hay straw or clover and consisting of a strong

page_text: cylinder or vessel with a removeable end or cover to admit of easy filling and
emptying and a heating coil within the cylinder or vessel as represented by the
annexed drawing; such cylinder or vessel also having connections by which hot
aeriform fluid under pressure may be admitted and being connected with an air
pump by which air and moisture may be withdrawn and a vacuum maintained all 5
as herein described.
נ..
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