An Improved Apparatus for Drying Grain, Malt, Seeds, and other analogous Vegetable Products.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Drying Grain, Malt, Seeds, and other
analogous Vegetable Products.
I, JOHN CHARLTON, of the Town Mills, in the Town and County of Dumfries,
North Britain, Miller and Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to an improved apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds
and other analogous vegetable products has for its objects to effect the said drying
operations in a much more efficient and economical manner than hitherto, the said
apparatus being practically automatic in its working, and not liable to get out of
order.
In carrying out my said invention I construct a suitable chamber or compartment
of a square, oblong or other convenient shape, and built of brick or other suitable
material, this chamber being provided with a heating flue extending along its bottom
which has perforations formed in it for allowing the heat to come into the chamber,
the said flue getting its heat from a suitable furnace or furnaces built outside and
provided with suitable dampers so as to regulate the supply of heat. This chamber
is preferably forined with an arched roof having suitable cross beams for carrying
a suitable exhaust chimney which is formed near the centre of the roof and is
provided with small side flues so as to allow the heated air in the arch above the
bottom of the chimney to pass into it, this chimney is also provided with a suitable
swivel damper and a suitable louvre lid or cowl so as to prevent any rain or other
matter entering the chamber through the chimney.
Inside this chamber or compartment I construct a suitable frame or case having
the necessary bearings and other parts for carrying a number of spiral screw threaded
cylinders. The said spiral screw threaded cylinders being preferably arranged in a
number of series extending along the chamber and each series composed of three or
more cylinders mounted underneath each other, having their shafts or axes running
across the chamber and driven by suitable bevel, spur, or worm gearing from suitable
cross shafts mounted on outside of the chamber, one of these cross shafts is driven
from the main driving shaft by suitable belts and pulleys, but, as the speed of the
main driving shaft is greater than what required for the cross shafts, I reduce
the said speed by any suitable arrangement, preferably by a suitable counter shaft,
pulleys, bevel or spur gearing, and variable speed cone; the other cross shafts are
driven by suitable spur or toothed gearing from this cross shaft. The before-mentioned
gearing being so arranged as to drive the cylinders either right or left as may be
required.
The said spiral screw threaded cylinders are preferably formed by mounting, at
certain intervals along their horizontal shafts, a suitable number of centres having
four, six, or other number of arms, to the extremities of which I mount a suitable
number of bars or plates which run from end to end of the cylinder, and outside
these bars I mount suitable wire cloth, gauze, or other perforated material so as to
form a perforated cylinder, which I again strengthen on the inside by winding in
the inside a suitable spiral wire of a sufficient strength, this wire also tending to
convey any grain, seed or other substance being dried, (which may have passed
through the wire cloth,) out at the end of the cylinder. The said bars have also
screwed into them, at the required places, a number of studs or pins, the ends of
which extend beyond the circumference of the wire cloth, and to which is fixed by
suitable means, a sheet-iron or other material screw-thread which forms the conveyor,
and outside this screw-thread or conveyor, I mount another wire-cloth, gauze, or
other perforated material covering, the whole forming a double perforated cylinder

page_text: having a conveyor or screw-thread mounted therein.
The ends of these cylinders
which receive the grain or other material are preferably closed by means of a wire-
cloth, gauze or other covering, and the end centre is formed with a solid circular
rim which is turned and fitted so as to work in a groove formed in a suitable
feeding head, which is placed against the end of the roller and held in its proper
position by suitable collars on the shaft, the head having a suitable hole formed in
it for allowing the shaft to revolve therein, this head being held stationary by suitable
knees or brackets fixed to the main frame or case. This feeding head is provided with a
suitably shaped spout or hopper which extends upwards and receives the grain or other
material and feeds it into the space formed between the two wire cloth coverings of
the cylinder.
The arrangement of the whole apparatus being such, that on the raw grain or other
material entering through the spout at top of chamber, it falls into the hopper on
the top cylinder of the first series, thence traverses along its length and falls into the
hopper on end of second cylinder, thence along its length and falls into the hopper
on next cylinder, and so on in a zig-zag fashion till it reaches the delivering end of
the bottom cylinder from whence it gets conveyed up to the hopper on end of the
top cylinder of the next series by means of any suitable cup and chain elevator, and
so on as described with reference to the first series till it reaches the last cylinder,
from whence it runs through a suitable opening or passage, (formed in the chamber's
wall,) into the mill where it is ready for the elevator or sacks, owing to the said grain
or other material having become thoroughly dried in the above process, by means
of the heated air from the Aues passing thoroughly through it all the time.
Any number of series of cylinders may be employed, having elevators between each
series, or only one series may be employed, in which case the grain or other material
enters into the top cylinder and passes out from the bottom one, in which case the
cylinders are driven by suitable spur, bevel, or worm gearing from a vertical shaft on
outside which is again driven from the main driving shaft by suitable spur, bevel, belt
and pulleys, or variable cone gearing.
The grain or other material being dried is thus constantly in motion, and the
apparatus is practically automatic, no hand labor being necessary, the results of which
are, a better quality of, and a more evenly dried grain than has hitherto been obtained,
and at the same time there is a less consumption of coal or fuel, and therefore it is
less expensive, with a great saving of labor, as only the fire requires a little attention,
and owing to the cylinders being capable of running at different speeds, the grain
may be dried more or less, and delivered faster or slower as required, without any
additional heat from the fire.
Dated thin 4th In
11000
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Drying Grain, Malt, Seeds, and other
analogous Vegetable Products.
I, JOHN CHARLTON of the Town Mills in the Town and County of Dumfries, Miller
and 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: :-
This invention which relates to an improved apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds
and other analogous vegetable products has for its object to effect the said drying
operations in a more efficient and economical manner than hitherto, the said apparatus
being practically automatic in its working, and not liable to get out of order.
In carrying out my said invention I construct a chamber or compartment which is
provided at its bottom or base with a suitable flue or flues and furnace or furnaces,
and at its top with an exhaust chimney having suitable damper, louver outlets and
cowl as also two or more side flues or chimneys leading into said exhaust chimney.

page_text: Inside this chamber or compartment I construct a suitable frame or case which carries
one or more series of spiral screw threaded cylinders, hoppers, shafting and gearing
as also suitable elevators where more than one series of cylinders are employed.
The whole is so arranged that the grain or other material being dried is caused to
enter into the hopper of the top cylinder of the series of cylinders and after passing
along its length (the said series of cylinders working inside the heated chamber) it
falls into the hopper of the cylinder immediately underneath and so on till it reaches
the delivery end of the bottom cylinder, where if only one series of cylinders is
employed it passes out of the heated chamber, and if more than one series of cylinders is
employed it gets elevated to the hopper of the top cylinder of next series and so on
till it reaches the delivery end of the bottom cylinder of last series, whence it then
passes out of the heated chamber; the grain or other material being dried is thus
kept constantly in motion during its passage through the chamber and as the said
cylinders work in heated air the material is thus more evenly dried than hitherto and
owing to the construction the apparatus is practically automatic, no hand labor being
required unless the attention that has to be given to the furnace or furnaces, and owing
to the capability of the speed of the cylinders being varied the grain or other
material being dried may be dried more or less or otherwise regulated at will without
any extra consumption of fuel.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to
the accompanying drawings which illustrate my apparatus as constructed with two
series of screw threaded cylinders, and in which the same reference letters denote
the same parts in all the various figures.
Figure 1, sheet 1, is a front elevation.
Figure 2 sheet 1 an elevation showing the driving end of same having the end wall
or gable removed.
Figure 3 sheet 1, an elevation of the opposite or back end of same also having the
end wall or gable removed.
Figure 4, sheet 2, is an elevation shewn partly in section of a series of three spiral
screw threaded cylinders and hoppers.
And Figure 5 sheet 2 is a part sectional end elevation of same on line X Y,
of Figure 4.
Referring to the said drawings I construct a chamber or compartment A, which in
this particular case forms an additional building to the main mill, it being built of
brick or other suitable material against the end gable B of the mill, though if desired
it may be constructed of any other convenient size or shape according to the special
requirements of each case,; this chamber A is provided at its bottom with an arched
heating flue C, which extends across the length thereof and is provided with a
number of openings c along its top side so as to permit of the heat rising up through
the chamber, the said heat coming into this flue C through the furnace flue D, which
is also provided with openings d, from the furnace E, which is provided with a suitable
damper, such as is shewn at e, or otherwise so as to allow of the supply of heat being
regulated, and to assist the regulation of the heat in the chamber A, I may if desired
form one or more auxiliary dampers e', e, in the wall of the chamber a. little above the
top of the flues, thus enabling cold air to be supplied to the chamber should it be
desired to cool the air therein. This chamber A, is preferably formed with an arched
roof a, having iron or other inmaterial cross beams a¹ near its centre for carrying or
supporting the exhaust chimney F, and which is also connected to the top ends of
the arch by means of the side flues F¹ F2, thus enabling all the heated air to get
egress from the chamber, the said egress being regulated at will by means of the
swivel damper G, eccentrically hung in the exhaust chimney F, and actuated by
means of the lever G', and cord G², from below, and in order to prevent any rain or
other matter from entering the chamber from the chimney I preferably form a
number of louver boards f, in the side openings f¹, and 1 also mount a suitable cowl
such as is shewn at f2, or its equivalent on the top of the chimney.
Inside this chamber or compartment A, I construct a suitable metal or other frame

page_text: or case H, which carries the necessary bearings H¹, and brackets H2 for supporting a
number of right and left handed spiral screw threaded cylinders K, hoppers and
gearing. Tho said cylinders being preferably arranged in one or more series of
ihree or more (in this instance two series of three as shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3,
sheet 1) which extend along the chamber in such a manner as to permit of the hot
air in the chamber getting free access to them. The said cylinders being driven in
their respective directions, that is some to the right and some to the left, by means of
bevel or other gearing L, which consists in this case of a bevel wheel 1, keyed or
otherwise secured to the axle k, of each of the cylinders, which gear with bevel
pinions, mounted on cross shafts M, which are driven relative to each other by spur
or other wheels N, mounted on their ends one of the said shafts being again driven
by spur, belts and pulleys or other gearing N¹ from the main driving shaft O, of the
mill, but preferably through the medium of a counter shaft P, and variable speed
cones PP, one of which is mounted on counter shaft and the other on the main
driving shaft, so as to reduce and regulate the speed of the said cylinders at will,
so that the grain or other material being dried may be dried more or less or
faster or slower as desired.
:
The said spiral screw threaded cylinders K are preferably formed as shewn
more particularly in Figures 4 and 5, sheet 2) by mounting at certain intervals
along their horizontal shafts or axles k, a suitable number of centres k', having
four, six or other number of arms 2, to the extremities of which I mount by any
suitable means an equivalent. number of bars, rods or plates ³, which extend from
end to end of the cylinders, and around the outside of these bars I wind or twist
spirally a strong wire or rod, and over which I secure a wire-cloth gauze or
other perforated material covering ³, thus forming a perforated cylinder having a
wire conveyor, inside, which tends to convey any grain or other material which
may have passed through the perforated cover, out through the delivering ends
of the cylinders. The said bars k³, have also screwed into them at the required
places a number of studs or pins, which project beyond the circumference of the
perforated covering, and to which is fixed by bolts or otherwise a sheet iron or
other material screw thread 7, which forms the conveyor, and outside this screw
thread or conveyor I mount another wire cloth, gauze or other perforated material
covering, the whole forming a double perforated cylinder having a screw thread
or spiral conveyor mounted therein. The ends of these cylinders which receive the
grain are provided with a centre R, having a circular rim or rims, which are
turned and fitted so as to work in a groove s formed on the feeding heads or hoppers S,
and which are placed against the end of the said cylinders K, and held in their
proper positions by suitable collars on the shafts or studs s¹, connected to the main
frame or case H, the said heads having suitable holes formed in them for allowing
the shafts to revolve therein, and if desired the said heads may be further held
stationary by means of suitable knees or brackets fixed to the main frame or case.
The said feeding heads or hoppers are provided with suitably shaped spouts or top
hoppers T, which extend upwards and receive the material to be dried and afterwards
feed it into the space between the two perforated coverings of the cylinders through
the openings s², formed in the heads S, thus forming a self-feeder as at each revo-
lution of the cylinder the end of the conveyor cuts off the desired amount from the
head or hopper and no more.
The arrangement of the whole apparatus being such that on the raw material
entering through the shoot or spout U, at top of chamber, it falls into the hopper T,
of the top cylinder K, of the first series, theuce traverses along this cylinders length
and falls into the hopper on the end of second cylinder of series, thence along its
length and into the hopper on next cylinder and so on in a zig-zag fashion till it
reaches the delivering end of the bottom cylinder where it falls into a suitable
delivering hopper V, after passing through which in the case where only one series of
cylinders is employed it would pass back into the mill through a suitable shoot or
spout, but in the case where more than one series of cylinders are employed it enters
the receiving shoot or spout of any suitable metal or other cup and band or chain

page_text: elevator W and gets elevated up to the hopper of the top cylinder of next series and
so on as described with reference to the first series till it reaches the delivering
hopper V of the last series where it then runs through a suitable outlet opening v, in
the wall of the chamber into the shoot or spout U¹, and into the mill where it is ready
for the elevator or sacks, owing to the said grain or other material having become
thoroughly dried in the above process by means of it coming in contact with nothing
but heated air from the flues which passes continually through it during the whole
process.
It is to be understood that any number of series of cylinders containing 2, 3, or
more cylinders may be employed having elevators between each series, or only one
series may be employed in which case the gearing for driving the cylinders will
require to be modified to fit such, as for example the cylinders may be driven by spur
bevel or worm gearing from an upright or vertical shaft which is again suitably
driven from the main driving shaft. Also that according to the size of the chamber
I may use one or more furnaces and flues and their connections.
Having now particular 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.
.
First. The general arrangement combination and construction of the various parts
constituting my improved apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds, and other analogous
vegetable products, all substantially as and in the manner, and for the purposes
hereinbefore described with reference to and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds, and other analogous vegetable
products the employment of double perforated cylinders having spiral conveyor
therein, arranged in series above one another whereby the grain during its travel
through them comes in contact with heated air only, all substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Third. In apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds, and other analogous vegetable
products the arrangement of furnace or furnaces and arched flues having perforations
whereby the hot air is supplied direct to the material being dried all substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In apparatus for drying grain, malt, seeds and other analogous vegetable
products the general arrangement combination and construction of cylinders K,
feeding heads S, hoppers T and V, whereby they work practically automatic all
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shewn in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of S.
1000
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.