Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Grain and Seeds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Completa
Date of Application, 15th July, 1896
40027
45AL
1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Grain and Seeds.
1, WALTER BYERS, of Borough Corn Mill, Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
'Corn Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention the drying of the grain or seeds is effected by means
of the hot air radiating from the external surfaces of vertically disposed steam-
heated pipes or columns. Around each of the pipes I arrange-one above the other
-a number of short tubes each surmounted by a funnel-shaped mouth answering
as a hopper. The short tubes are of somewhat larger diameter that the steam-heated
pipe and they are preferably tapered or opened out so as to be wider at the bottom
than at the top. The bottom edge of cach tube is arranged to stand above the next
hopper below so as to leave a space or interval between them within which interval
or space is interposed a conical collar or flange sloping outwardly and downwardly.
The grain or seeds to be dried are fed to the hopper surmounting the uppermost
tube and descend within the annular space formed between the outer surface of the
steam-heated pipe and the inner surfaces of the short tubes and meet each of the
conical flanges in turn the latter causing the grain or seeds to be agitated or spread
out as they fall into the hopper below and the combined lower edges of the short
tubes the downwardly sloping conical flanges and the funnel-shaped mouth of the tube
below forming what may be described as "circular louvres which allow of the
escape of vapour and also the intermittent mixing of the grain or seeds with them-
selves and the outer air until the grain or seeds at length escape at the bottom of the
apparatus when they may if desired be subjected to any of the usual or other convenient
cooling processes.
The apparatus as above described may be arranged in series that is to say in a row
or rows and an overhead horizontal feed or supply trough and a worm conveyor or
other method of feeding the material to the several drying pipes may be employed.
Also the inlets and outlets for the material to pass to and from the several drying
pipes may be provided with suitable controlling valves arranged if desired to act
automatically.
To assist the withdrawal of the vapours given off from the grain or seeds during
the drying process an exhaust or suction fan may be employed in conjunction
either with each of the pipes separately enclosed within a suitable casing or with
a chamber or chambers surrounding or enclosing one or more of the drying
pipes.
For the purpose or purposes of my invention sheet metal either perforated or
otherwise or wire netting or gauze may be employed.
Dated this 15th day of July 1896.

page_text: another sectional elevation illustrating on a larger scale certain details of my improved
apparatus.
Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate the arrangement of steam-heated pipes and attendant parts
in a series of six although they may be of greater or less number or arranged singly
as may be found desirable.
a represents the steam-heated pipe or column the steam inlet pipe and c the
outlet pipe. d d are the short tubes surmounted by the funnel-shaped hoppers d' d'.
The bottom edge d2-preferably in the form of a flange (see Figs. 7 and 10)-stands
over its neighbouring hopper below and may conveniently be supported in the manner
shewn at Figs. 7 and 8 in which ee are the conical collars or flanges-these being
made preferably of cast metal bolted together at el e-and fastened to the pipes a a
by means of sunken set screws (see Fig. 7). The conical flanges e e are formed
with projecting lugs or ears ee with horizontally disposed setting-up screws e
to hold and regulate the sidewise position of the hopper d' and its short tube d and
with vertically disposed setting-up screws (see Fig. 7) to support and adjust
their vertical position. The combined hoppers and short tubes-which may be in the
form of light metal castings-are preferably made in halves bolted together at d³
(see Figs. 7, 8, and 9). Fig. 10 (see also plan view at Fig. 9) illustrates an arrange-
ment for securing two lengths of steam pipe together by means of a flanged coupling y
and screw bolts and nuts g g the conical collar or flange e being in this case
preferably of sheet metal and being carried or supported on the outer edge of the
upper coupling flange as shown. At Fig. 7 the upper end of the steam-heated
pipe is shewn with a closing disc a¹ and a central hole for the steam
inlet pipe and the lower end similarly closed with a central hole c¹ for the outlet
pipe c.
At Figs. 1, 2, and 3 4 is the enclosing casing-which may conveniently be of sheet
metal i exhaust or suction fans for extracting any vapours given off by the grain
or seeds during the drying process jj delivery or discharge rollers and a worm
conveyor all of which may be of the usual or any other convenient kind. At the
upper end of each steam-heated pipe 1 provide a hopper 1 and a centrally placed cone m
the several hoppers 11 being fed or supplied with the grain or seeds to be dried by
means of a worm conveyor or conveyors or by any of the well-known grain supplying
or feeding contrivances. nn are other hoppers at the lower end of the pipes which
discharge the dried grain or seeds into other hoppers oo which in turn discharge into
the worm conveyor trough or box p below.
The several steam-heated pipes may be supported or held in position in any suitable
manner. In the drawings is shewn an arrangement in which the upper ends of the
pipes are held within a cast iron frame or plate g-preferably in parts bolted together
at the weight of each pipe being sustained by the projecting lugs r r (see Figs. 5
and 6). The holes through the plate q being of larger diameter than the pipes
afford openings ss for the downward passage of the grain. tt are mid-feathers for
supporting the pipes centrally in the holes 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for drying grain or seeds the employment of a vertically disposed
steam-heated pipe or pipes and means for causing the grain or seeds to descend
around the outer surface or surfaces of the said pipe or pipes substantially in manner
as berein described and shewn in the drawings.
2. In combination with a vertically disposed steam-heated pipe or pipes the use
of hoppers and conical collars or flanges arranged in series one below the other
substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings, for the purpose
specified.
3. In combination with a vertically disposed steam-heated pipe or pipes having
hoppers and conical collars or flanges arranged in series one below the other an