Improvements in or relating to Wheat Drying Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1894
'
Complete Specification Left, 5th July, 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1395
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wheat Drying Machines.
I, JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM of 32 Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
My invention is applicable to those classes of wheat drying machines in which a
column of grain to be dried descends between perforated walls or surfaces through
which a current of hot, warm or cold air is being forced for the purpose of carrying
off the moisture and drying the grain.
The objects of my invention are:-
1st. To enable a greater volume of air to be passed through the descending
grain:
2nd. To secure a more uniform distribution of the air currents through the
descending grain :
3rd. To secure an arrangement of apparatus whereby an increased velocity of air
current may be passed through the descending grain without causing a stoppage in
the descent of the grain and whereby such increased velocity of air current may
cause an increase in the rate of the descent of the grain.
In carrying out my invention, I place a series of holes or apertures, in the first
wall through which the hot, warm or cold air first enters, and I preferably make
these holes of a greater size than the grains being treated, also I preferably make
the spaces between these holes about the same width as the, holes, themselves, also
I preferably arrange the apertures in horizontal rows with the apertures of an
upper row set over the spaces between the apertures of the next row.beneath.
I also place a series of inclined planes on the outside of the. first. wall; such.
inclined planes are set close or attached to the wall at their lower, ends, they are
also set away from the first wall at their upper ends in such manner,as. to form.an
augle preferably of about 60 degrees therewith.
I make an inclined plane leading to the bottom of each, aperture, or, in the case,
of a horizontal row of apertures, one inclined plane is arranged to serve one row of
apertures.
The air entering between these inclined planes passes in a downward direction,
through the aperture and blows or impinges in jets upon the wheat between the two
walls in a downward direction.
Such jets of wind occur only where there are apertures, and the spaces between
such apertures form quiet spaces into which the wheat is forced by means of the
jets of air assisted by gravity.
The wheat descending by gravity, assisted by the jets of air, then falls into the
next succeeding jet, and so on until the exit is reached."
By the use of these quiet spaces, I am enabled to use a greater speed of air.
current through the wheat and through the outer perforated wall without causing
the wheat to become stationary or motionless upon the inner face of the outer.
perforated wall, also the jets cause the grain to impinge in a downward direction.
upon, the inner face of the outer perforated wall, thus keeping such inner face clear.
of fibre or light grains which would choke the same.

page_text: The inner or outer perforated walls, through which the moist hot air passes, may
be either flat or corrugated.
Dated this 13th day of September 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
DI MULTICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wheat Drying Machines.
I, JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM of 32 Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Milling 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 is applicable to those classes of wheat drying machines in which a
column of grain to be dried descends between perforated walls or surfaces through
which a current of hot, warm or cold air is being forced for the purpose of carrying
off the moisture and drying the grain.
The object of my invention is to enable a greater volume of air to be passed
through the descending grain. To secure a more uniform distribution of the air
currents through the descending grain. To secure an arrangement of apparatus
whereby an increased velocity of air current may be passed through the descending
grain without causing a stoppage in the descent of the grain and whereby such
increased velocity of air current may cause an increase in the rate of the descent of
the grain.
On the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a drying machine showing my
invention; and
Figure 2 an elevation of a portion of one of the walls.
In carrying out my invention 1 place a series of holes or apertures A in the first
wall B through which the hot, warm or cold air first passes and I preferably make
these holes of a greater size than the grains being treated, also I preferably make
the spaces between these holes about the same width as the holes themselves, also
I preferably arrange the apertures in horizontal rows with the apertures of an
upper row set over the spaces between the apertures of the next row beneath, as
shown in Figure 2.
I also place a series of inclined planes or louvres C on the outside of the first
wall B, such inclined planes being set close or attached to such wall at their lower
ends b, set away therefrom at their upper ends in such manner so as to form an
angle, preferably of about sixty degrees therewith.
I make an inclined plane leading to the hottom of each aperture, or in the case
of a horizontal row of apertures, one inclined plane is arranged to serve one row of
apertures.
The air entering between these inclined planes passes in a downward direction'
through the aperture and blows or impinges in jets upon the wheat passing between
the two walls B and D in a downward direction.
Such jets of wind occur only where there are apertures, and the spaces between
such apertures form quiet spaces into which the wheat is forced by means of the
jets of air assisted by gravity.
The wheat descending by gravity, assisted by the jets of air then falls into the
next succeding jet and so on until the exit is reached.
By the use of these quiet spaces I am enabled to use a greater speed of air
current through the wheat and through the outer perforated wall B without causing
the wheat to become stationary or motionless upon the inner face of the said outer
perforated wall, also the jets cause the grain to impinge in a downward direction

page_text: upon the inner face of such wall, thus keeping such inner face clear of fibre or light
grains which would choke the same.
The inner or outer perforated walls through which the moist hot air passes, may
be either flat or corrugated.
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 :-
The improvements in wheat drying machines of the kind herein described where
a forced or induced current passes through the wheat, while confined between
perforated walls, which consists in arranging substantially as described a series of
apertures of larger size than the grains being treated in the wall through which the
air first passes, in combination with the inclined planes or louvres joining the outside
of the wall below these apertures for the purposes set forth.
Doted this 4th day of Tule 1005
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.