IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND THE APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MALT
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND THE APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MALT."-A communication from
Alexander Stenger and Alfred Walther, residing at Strassburg
(Alsatia).
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th October 1874.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency,
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND THE APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MALT," a communication,
to be as follows :—
The said apparatus may be applied as well for the germinating of the
barley and other corn or grain as for the drying of the malt. A cylinder

page_text: is provided in the interior with bent shovels, which in the rotation of the
cylinder withdraw the barley and malt, and raise it so that the grains
fall by degrees through the empty case in the cylinder, and are at the
same time subject to an interrupted turning and to a continual
ventilation. This cylinder has neither a passing axis nor spokes, but
rests on the pillow block which is at the end, and on bearing rolls
answering to the weight. By this arrangement the springing forward
and backward of the grains, and thereby mixing of the dry with the wet
grains, is avoided.
For germinating this cylinder is constructed of wood or iron without
a mantle, and is provided with a level movable by the thumbscrews.
The swelling barley is mechanically brought into the cylinder, which
turns very slowly (about one rotation in an hour); thereby the turning
is continual, every single grain moves constantly, and falls free through
the empty room of the cylinder. The carbonic vapours escape free, and
not only in certain moments, like in the moment of turning by the
hand with shovels, but constantly, therefore no heat can collect, for each
grain is subject to the air current going through the cylinder. As in
each moment a moistening of the barley is possible by the quite regular
work, also a quite regular germinating can be effected, which totally
avoids, besides other faults by example, also the grown-out leaf buds.
The germinating may be effected quickly or slowly, answering to
everybody's demands, as the apparatus concerning rapidity and inclination
is easily to be regulated under the observation of the temperature of the
air current. This well-temperated air current will make once for ever an
end to the wavering in the germinating by the influence of the exterior
temperature answering to the seasons, otherwise said, by means of this
apparatus one can malt through the whole year. The reap green malt
passes out by means of an extractor, which is placed at the end of the
cylinder, and against which the green malt moves by itself, answering to
the rapidity of the rotation, and by the level of the cylinder; from there
it is brought by transporters into the drying apparatus.
:
For drying the cylinder is constructed of iron, provided with a wooden
protecting handle, and turns with a facultative rapidity of several rotations
per minute. Through the cylinder goes a current of warm air (produced
by a direct heating apparatus or by steam), and the best in the opposite.
direction with the advancing of the drying object, so that the lowest

page_text: temperature is at the introduction drum. The air can also be introduced
in any other direction.
The green
malt is lead to the introduction drum by a device which
consists of an endless coil, on which the green malt is resting in a box,
and is brought in a quantity regulated by the intercalory work and by
the register into the introduction drum, so constructed that the grains
run into the cylinder under the absolute stopping of the outward air.
Just as in the germinating apparatus every grain is touched by the
air current the water vapours are driven to the outlet chimney, and
thereby the very important advantage is gained that the interior chemical
passing work of each malt grain is not hindered in the least by the
condensation obstacles which take place in the hurdle kilns, on which
the vapours of the lower grains of a heap, often very. thick, must wind
through it into the height, and not without leaving pernicious spots on
and in the grains.
The continuing turning or rotation produces, answering to the drying
of the grains, the complete disgerminating work. The root buds fall
down as light bodies, the air current drives them, and they fall into the
bolter, which is emptied by means of an automatic clack valve.
The above-mentioned continuous rotation removes further in unsorted
barley the foreign bodies (for instance, strange seed corns, little stones,
sand, and so on), and collects them after form. The malt itself is quite
clear and smooth by the uninterrupted rubbing of the grains, and the
dust is withdrawn by the air current, so that a special sorting machine
and even the blowing or windmill can be spared, both. The rotation is
rapidly changeable as required, and the inclination of the cylinder can
be regulated by means of thumbscrews. The malt particles to the
extractor, which like the introduction drum is protected against the
entrance of the outward air. The finished malt is then brought to the
magazine by means of transporters.
Besides the above-mentioned advantages, as the sparing of the sorting,
the germinating and blowing machines, this apparatus furnishes in its
application before all quite regular work, which in a great sparing
of time and forces surpasses the present products highly in equalness
and quality.

page_text: Both the apparatus adapt themselves quite to the different methods
applied by the brewing and malting public. The inclination of the
cylinder, the rapidity of rotation, the force and temperature of the air
currents, all can be regulated as desired. The dimensions of the cylinder
in length and diameter can be variable naturally under the observation
of the proportional sizes of the mechanical parts.
The number of labourers is reduced on a minimum; one workmen
can serve several apparatus, for he has only to observe the equalness of
the temperature that is for germinating in the germinating room, and
for drying in the introduction sluice of the warm air. Also the health
of the workman is totally protected against the consumptive collar
vapours and kiln heats.
The production can everywhere be enlargened, because much less room
is necessary, and in the entire process not only much time is gained, but
the summer months heretofore wasted can be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special license that I, the
said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such.
others as I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND

page_text: THE APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MALT," a communication from Alexander
Stenger and Alfred Walther, persons resident at Strassburg (Alsatia),
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frank Wirth,
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 Frank Wirth, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
The said apparatus may be applied as well for the germinating of the
barley and other corn as also for the drying of the malt. It consists
of a cylinder K provided in the interior with bent shovels p,
which in the rotation of the cylinder withdraw the barley, resp
the malt, and raise it so that the grains fall by degrees through the
empty room of the cylinder, and are at the same time subject to an
uninterrupted turning and to a continual ventilation. This cylinder has
neither a passing axis nor spokes, but rests on the pillow block which is
at the end, and on bearing rolls answering to the weight. By this
arrangement the springing forward and backward of the grains, and
thereby the mixing of the dry with the wet grains, is avoided.
For germinating, the cylinder K is constructed of wood or iron
without the mantle J, and provided with a level movable by the
thumbscrews n. The swelling barley is mechanically brought into
the cylinder which turns very slowly (about one rotation in an
hour), thereby the turning is continual, every single grain moves
constantly, and falls free through the empty room of the cylinder.
The carbonic vapours escape free, and not only in certain moments
like in the moment of the turning by the hand with shovels, but
constantly; therefor no heat can collect, for each grain is subject to
the air current going through the cylinder, as in each moment a
moistening of the barley is possible by the quite regular work, also a

page_text: quite regular germinating can be effected which totally avoids besides
other faults, by example, also the grown-out leaf buds (only hussars).
The germinating may be effected quickly or slowly, answering to
everybody's demands, as the apparatus, concerning rapidity and
inclination, is easily to be regulated under the observation of the
temperature of the air current. This well temperated air current will
make once for ever an end to the wavering in the germinating by the
influence of the exterior temperature answering to the seasons; other-
wise said, by means of this apparatus one can malt through the whole
year. The reap-green malt passes out by means of an extractor which
is placed at the end of the cylinder, and against which the green malt
moves by itself, answering to the rapidity of the rotation and by the
level of the cylinder. From there it is brought by transporters into the
drying apparatus.
For drying, the cylinder K. is constructed from iron provided with a
wooden protecting mantle J, and turns with a facultative rapidity
of 10 rotations per minute. Through the cylinder goes a current
of warm air (produced by a direct-heating apparatus or by steam),
and the best in the opposite direction with the advancing of the drying
object, so that the lowest temperature is at the introduction drum;
the air can also be produced in every other direction.
The green malt is lead to the introduction drum by the arrange-
ment G. This arrangement consists of an endless coil on which the
green malt is resting in a box, and is brought in a quantity regulated
by the intercalary work G¹ and by the register G" into the introduction
drum H constructed thus that the caught grains run into the
cylinder K under the absolute stopping of the outward air.
Just as in the germinating apparatus every grain is touched by the
air current, the water vapours are driven to the outlet chimney, and
thereby the very important advantage is gained that the interior
chemical passing work of each malt grain is not hindered in the least
by the condensation; obstacles which take place in the hurdle kilns on
which the vapours of the lower grains of a heap, often very thick, must
painfully wind through it into the height, and not without leaving per-
nicious spots on and in the grains.
1
The continuing turning and rotation produces, answering to the
drying of the grain, the complete disgerminating work (treading off).

page_text: The root buds fall down as light bodies, the air current drives them
against the bodies X, and they fall then into the bolter I, which is
emptied by means of an automatic clack valve.
The before-mentioned continuing rotation moves further in unsorted
barley, the strange bodies (for instance strange seed corns, little stones,
sand, and so on), and collects them after their form. The malt itself is
quite clear and smooth by the uninterrupted rubbing of the grains,
and the dust is withdrawn by the air current, so that a special
sorting machine and even the blowing or windmill can be spared both.
With the rotation, rapidity changeable after one's wish, and the inclina-
tion of the cylinder, which can be placed strong or weak by means of
thumbscrews m, the malt goes to the extractor M, which like the
introduction drum H is protected against the entrance of the outward
air. The finished malt is then brought to the magazine by means of
transporters.
Besides the above-mentioned advantages, as the sparing of the sorting,
the germinating and blowing machines, this apparatus furnishes in its
double application, before all, a quite regular work, which in a great
sparing of time and forces surpasses the present products highly in
equalness and quality.
Both the apparatus adapt themselves quite to the different methods
applied by the brewing and malting public. The inclination of the
cylinder, the rapidity of rotation, the force and temperature of the air
currents, all can be regulated as desired. The dimensions of the cylinder
in length and diameter can be variable naturally under the observation
of the proportional sizes of the mechanical parts.
The number of the laborers is reduced on a minimum; one workman
can serve several apparatus, for he has only to observe the equalness of
the temperature that is for germinating in the germinating room, and
for drying in the introduction sluce of the warm air. Also the health of
the workman is totally protected against the consumptive cellar vapours
and kiln heats.

page_text: drum H, in the manner and for the purpose as described and represented
in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
year
five.