An Improvement in Grain Drying Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1896--Accepted, 20th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Grain Drying Apparatus.
I, THOMAS GIBBONS FROST, of Richmond Hill, Chester, in the County of
Chester, Miller and Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In many grain drying apparatus the grain descends in a thin layer between
walls which are perforated or have openings through them of various forms,
sometimes louvres, while air is caused to pass through the descending grain. The
openings through which the air issues are apt to become clogged with dust and
other matter separated from the grain.
My invention relates to means of clearing these openings so as to maintain free
passage of air through them. For this purpose, at the side or each side of the
drying apparatus, which is usually in the form of a high column, I arrange several
uprights which can move to and fro on horizontal guides, each upright having
projecting from it brushes which bear against the wall of the drying apparatus,
or, in cases where the openings are in the form of louvres, I incline the brushes
so as to enter into the louvre openings.
For each set of the uprights carrying the brushes I provide a vertical shaft
having on it pinions gearing with horizontal racks fixed on the uprights, so that
by giving these shafts a rocking motion from any convenient motor, the brushes
are caused to move to and fro clearing the openings over or along which they pass
When the column of the drying apparatus is of cylindrical form, I attach all the
uprights (of which there may be a number arranged at intervals around the
column) to rings so that they all move together, and guide them on rings con-
centric with the column. In this case a single rack and pinion for each of
the rings that connect the uprights serve to move all the brushes to and fro
simultaneously.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Grain Drying Apparatus.
1, THOMAS GIBBONS FROST, of Richmond Hill, Chester, in the County of
Chester, Miller and Corn Merchant, do bereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In many grain drying apparatus the grain descends in a thin layer between walls
which are perforated or have openings through them of various forms, sometimes
louvres, while air is caused to pass through the descending grain.
The openings through which the air issues are apt to become clogged with dust
and other matter separated from the grain.
My invention relates to means of clearing these openings so as to maintain free
Pedi

page_text: passage of air through them. For this purpose, at the side or each side of the
drying apparatus, which is usually in the form of a high column, I arrange several
uprights which can move to and fro on horizontal guides, each upright. having
projecting from it brushes which bear against the wall of the drying apparatus, or,
in cases where the openings are in the form of louvres, I incline the brushes so as
to enter into the louvre openings.
For each set of the uprights carrying the brushes I provide a vertical shaft
having on it pinions gearing with horizontal racks fixed on the uprights, so that by
giving these shafts a rocking motion from any convenient motor, the brushes are
caused to move to and fro clearing the openings over or along which they pass.
When the column of the drying apparatus is of cylindrical form, I attach all the
uprights (of which there may be a number arranged at intervals around the
column) to rings so that they all move together, and guide them on rings concentric
with the column. In this case a single rack and piniou for each of the rings that
connect the uprights serve to move all the brushes to and fro simultaneously.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention as applied to a drying
apparatus of cylindrical form, Fig. 1 being a part elevation partly in section, and
Fig. 2 a sectional plan.
A A¹ are the external and internal columns to which are attached the two sets
of louvres B B between which the grain descends, all this being of ordinary
construction. To the columns A A'I fix guide eyes C C through which can
slide outer and inner rings D D', these being repeated at various heights.
To the rings D D' are attached uprights E E', one between each pair of the
columns A A', and on the faces of these uprights I fix brushes F F' directed
obliquely downwards into the space between the louvres B B'.
On a pair of the outer uprights EI fix toothed racks G, and on a pair of the
inner uprights E' I also fix toothed racks G', these racks gearing with pinions HH'
on two upright rocking shafts K K. On giving these shafts a reciprocating
movement by suitable gear from any convenient motor, the two sets of uprights E E
are caused to move to and fro, their brushes F F¹ cleaning the spaces between the
louvres B B¹.
When the drying apparatus is of rectangular form, the uprights carrying
brushes are driven and guided to move to and fro rectilineally, one upright
between each pair of the supporting columns, there being four sets of the racks,
pinions and shafts, one for each side of the rectangular structure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
For cleaning the air openings of grain drying apparatus, apparatus consisting
of uprights caused to move to and fro, these uprights carrying brushes which
enter the air openings, clearing them, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of May 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.