APPARATUS FOR DRYING MALT AND OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for APPARATUS FOR
DRYING MALT AND OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS, a communication to me from
abroad by Philippe Lauth, Brewer, of Carcassonne, France, to be as follows:-
The apparatus which forms the object of the present invention consists of seven
superposed floors supported by four Ŭ shaped iron uprights. These floors consist
of a bottom of plate-iron 5 / thick, whose edge is cut out into 6 similar circular
arcs of 40/ radius; the centres are equi-distant on a circle of 60/m radius.
Each flooring is pierced with seven holes, the diameter of the centre one
being 40°/
The other six boles are concentric to the circumferential arcs of the plate.
Over the central hole, affording a passage for the materials to be dried on the
upper floor and for their removal on the lower floor, there are placed three small
bars fastened to the floor by a bolt which is countersunk at both ends.
These three bars enable the workman to bring down the grain to the lower floor,
and they are provided with a small channel of 2% which receives a sleeve
terminating a central tube.
1
This central tube is made of perforated sheet iron of an upright cylindrical form,
having a regular hexagonal base, the sides of which form circular arcs of 4%
radios, and these arcs belong to the circumference of each floor.
The above mentioned tubes have their base terminated by a cylindrical piece
penetrating the hole in the floor to the depth of 1-2%m
The tube of the lower floor is provided with a bottom intended to prevent the
access of the external air, and, altogether, these tubes form a common chimney
for the vapors which are disengaged laterally at the centre of the floors, and
horizontally at the surface of the grain couches,
IP Q77

page_text: These tubes are of unequal height like the perforated circumferential partitions;
and moreover, they are movable, as they have to be removed, in order to lower
the grain from one story to another.
Each of these six holes receives a cylindrical tube of 30%/m in diameter, the
bottom part of which carries a piece of angle iron, serving to bolt it to the flooring
concentrically with the circumferential holes.
The distribution of the hot or temperate air takes place through these tubes.
The upper part of the tube is closed by a cast iron cover, surmounted by a small
cope enclosing a grooved pulley.
A hole is pierced at the centre of the circle, covered by a sheet iron disc to
prevent the entry of the grain, but affording a passage to a chain, cord or
galvanized iron-wire passing over the pulley and actuating a, cylindrical plug,
which sometimes rests on the lower orifice of the floor, and sometimes on a
movable annular cast iron collar placed in the upper part of the interior of the
tubes.
This collar is rendered movable by means of a cylindrical spring, situated between
the tube and a channel in the cast-iron collar which is therefore supported by
the friction of the spring against the interior wall of the tube. " .
"
The cast iron collar is 29 / in external diameter, 6m wide and 2/m thick.
The spring is 1./m in diameter and its extremities overlap each other, so that
it forms a continuous spiral spring exactly adapted to the circumference of the
tubes.
The diameter of the cast iron plug is 28 m.
The connection of the plug and the collar is effected by means of a gutta-percha
U shaped.washer carried by the collar itself.
The plugs can stand at any height between the bottom and the cover of the
tubes, and thus serve to limit the entry of the dry air according to the depth of
the couches of material to be dried, or to allow the passage of hot air over a
portion of the couch either while the dry material is being removed or while it is
being shifted from one floor to another, without interfering with the working of
the rest of the apparatus.
The plugs are manipulated on each story, by means of an iron ring working in
the space between the floors and the cylindrical casing.
The chains or cords are attached to this ring by means of a grooved pulley
which guides the cord vertically to the iron ring.
The workman lifts the ring by taking it before with his left hand and with the
right band by means of a chain passing beneath the upper floor and supported by
three grooved pulleys; this chain terminates at a point of the iron ring diametrically
opposite to that held by the right hand.
With the left hand he replaces the ring provided with a catch and placed at the
inlet door of the floor and then attaches the chain to another catch rivetted to an
upright, so that the ring always preserves a horizontal position when being raised
or lowered. The floors are stayed by vertical bars of angle iron of 2/m Angle
bars of the same size terminate the lateral faces of each compartiment above and
below, and serve for rivetting these faces to the bottom or floor.
The lateral faces of the floor are formed of iron plates the lower part of which is
perforated to a height corresponding to the height of the grain in the different
stories. The upper part of the plate is not perforated.
Owing to the gradual diminution of the volume of the grain, the height of the
perforated portion is diminished by degrees. On the upper floor it is 1 / high,
and on the lower 60%/m
The solid plate is connected with the perforated one by leaving on each story an
opening of 60/ surrounded by a frame of angle iron which can be closed by a
plate-iron door sliding up and down.
The height of the upper floor can be determined by the lateral faces of.the
perforated nlate.

page_text: Round the floors a partition forms the external part of the discharge chimney
for the vapors issuing from the perforated plates. This circular wall of 1.08 / in
radius is provided with an opening opposite to the other above mentioned.
The external door slides up and down and is composed of two leaves, one, of
which opens from below and discovers the door serving for the workman to get on
to the floor, and the other opens from above, discloses the iron ring and serves for
manipulating the plugs.
The doors are placed on the landing of each story.
The upper floor does not require a door but can remain open.
The cylinder is rivetted to the inner side of the uprights, to the middle of which
are bolted two plates forming two double passages on each side, one for hot air and
one for temperate air as far as the 4th story. From the fourth story to the top there
is only passage for the admission of temperate air.
The apparatus is worked as follows:
The external air is driven back by a ventilator into a conduit, where it plays
round a heater made of cast and plate iron; it then escapes through the upper part
above the dome of the heater into a double passage made of plate iron, enclosing
both parts of the feeding apparatus above the lower floor which it serves to
supply by means of tubes starting from the holes in the floor and ending in the
above-named passage.
Hot air is admitted to the other floors by the same passage in which similar
tubes terminaté on each story.
A second ventilator drives the air into another conduit where it becomes heated
in the upper part of the heater, and after being divided like the hot air by means
of a double conduit made of plate iron and situated above, it enters the apparatus,
passes round the hot air conduit from the first floor to the fourth and thence into a
conical conduit to be distributed to the three upper floors by means of tubes.
In order to prevent the hot air from going direct to the upper part of the
apparatus, horizontal partitions separate each story above the inlet tubes, only
leaving a small passage 29m long at the extremity opposite tlie inlet. for the
passage of the bot air, so that the air enters the conduit, supplying the second floor
from the side opposite the heater, the conduit of the 3rd floor on the same side as
the heater, and the conduit of the 4th on the side opposite the heater.
The ascent of the temperate air is checked by horizontal partitions on all the
floors.
During the ascent of the air from its source to the 4th floor, the partitions. only
affect alternately one half of the conduits;-the partitions of the 2nd and 3rd upper
floors leaving passages of 29° for the temperate air, the 1st on the side of the
heater, and the 2nd on the opposite side.
E
A spiral stair-case, giving access to the various stories, is constructed round the
exterior of the building, and has a landing before each door, the staircase making
complete turn for every two stories, so that the doors of two successive stories are
placed exactly opposite to each other.
The grain is manipulated on the floors as follows:
The barley after germinating is brought from the ventilating granaries to the
opper floor by a trolly, and the process of drying commences by the action of two
urrents of air, the greater portion of which serves to raise the whole apparatus
o its normal temperature, at the same time economizing the fuel. About three
ours later, this barley is landed on the lower floor and the upper floor is charged
fresh.
This operation is continued bringing another floor into play every three hours.
When all the floors are charged, the apparatus is in normal working order.
When the barley has been about three hours on the lower floor, it is discharged
to a trolly, so that it is within reach of a bucket-chain which conveys it to the
The barley is shifted and removed from the apparatus by means of the afore
entioned apertures in the floor.

page_text: A movable cone, covering the tube of the floor to be charged, prevents the barley
from falling down on the other floors.
During this operation the cylindrical plugs already described are lowered on to
the two floors at work, in order to intercept the hot air.
Thermometers are placed in the air-conduits of each floor and show, on the
outside the temperature of the dry air on the uprights, as these bars are pierced to
receive the thermometers, the lower part of which is fixed at an angle.
Certain tubular necks, closed by an outer flange, afford the means of removing
any grain that may fall into the tubes.

page_text: Apparatus for Drying Malt and other Granulous Materials.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67 Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Philippe Lauth, Brewer, of Carcassonne, France, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This apparatus chiefly comprises seven (or any other convenient number of)
plates k, placed over each other and supported by four vertical U shaped stands
indicated in the drawing by the letter u.
Each plate is formed of a bottom of 5 m/m of sheet-iron, cut at the outside into
six segments of equal radius of 40 centimetres, and the centres of which are
situated in equal spaces on a common circumference of a radius of 60 centimetres.
Each bottom has seven holes, the central one of which a having a diameter of
40 centimetres. The six other perforations bare concentric with the arcs limiting.
the exterior of the plate.
On the central hole a serving for transferring or removing the material to be
dried, are situated three little bars & Figs 3 and 4, bolted at each extremity under
the plate k. These three bars allow the workman to transmit the grain to the
lower plate floor or platform, and are fitted with a small groove i of two centimetres
allowing the passage of the muff terminating the central tube a, Fig. 3.
This central tube a is made of perforated iron plate and has the shape of a
straight cylinder with regular hexagonal base, the arched sides of which are
determined by the radii of 40 centimetres, these arches belong to the same circles
which limit outside each plate kc.
The tubes a terminate at their base with a cylindrical part, passing into the
bole of the plate of 1 to 2 centimetres. The tube of the lower plate has a bottom
serving to prevent the introduction of atmospheric air, and they form altogether a
common flue for the vapours proceeding laterally from the centre of the plates and
horizontally from the surface of the grain-layer.
These tubes a are of unequal height, like the perforated partitions of the
circumference, moreover they are movable as they must be removed for causing the
grain of each storey to descend to the lower one.
Each of the six holes of the circumference receives a cylindrical tube c of
30 centimetres diameter, the lower part of which carries an angle iron, serving
to bolt it to the plate, concentrically to the perforations of the circumference.
Through these tubes is produced the distribution of the hot or warm air.
The upper part of the tubes c is closed by a cast iron cover c¹ surmounted by a
small cap c, carrying a grooved pulley, Figs 3 and 4; in the centre of the cover is
bored a hole (furnished with a hood c" for preventing the introduction of the
grain), allowing the passage of a chain r or a cord or rope of galvanised iron wire,
passing over the pulley and actuating a cylindrical valve or disc t which is
supported alternately by the orifice b of the plate k and by a cast iron annular
stop t¹, placed in the upper part of the tube c.

page_text: The motion of the stop this produced by means of a cylindrical spring v placed
between the tube c and a groove provided in the cast iron ring t¹. The latter is
thus secured by the spring pressing against the interior wall of the tube.
The outer diameter of the cast ring is 29 centimetres; its breadth is 6 centimetres
and its thickness two centimetres.
The diameter of the spring is 1 centimetre; its fluted extremities join the cap,
and thus it forms a continued circular coil, abutting exactly against the entire
circumference of the tubes'c.
The cast iron plug t has a diameter of 28 centimetres.
The joint of the plug t on the stop t¹ is produced by means of a U shaped
caoutchouc washer carried by the stop proper, Fig. 3.
As the plugs t can occupy all vertical positions from the plate, on the holes b, up
to the covers of the tubes c, they allow the introduction of dry air to be limited
according to the height of the layers of the material to be dried, or the heated air
to pass at will only over a part of these layers, and finally the distribution of hot
air to be stopped either during the removal of the dry material, or during the
transfer of the material to other plates, without interrupting the working of the
other parts of the apparatus.
The plugs t are actuated at each storey by means of a counterpoise o.
The workman lifts the counterpoise o, Fig. 4, by seizing it with his left hand and
pulling it towards himself, and with his right hand by means of a chain, passing
under the upper plate and supported by three grooved pulleys 2, which chain
terminates at the counter poise diametrically opposite to that held by the right
hand.
The plates are braced against each other by vertical angle irons of 2 centimetres.
Angle irons of the same size terminate above and below the lateral walls of each
compartment and serve to rivet these walls on the bottoms, that is to say, on these
plates or platforms.
The lateral walls are formed by sheets, perforated at the lower part up to a
height equal to the thickness of the layer of grain on the different storeys and by
solid sheets at the upper part.
Owing to the successive diminution of the volume of the grain, the height on
the perforated plate is successively diminished; its height on the upper plate is
1 metre and on the lower plate 60 centimetres.
The solid plate is joined to the perforated plate by leaving at each storey an
opening of 50 centimetres of breadth and 60 centimetres of height, limited by an
angle iron frame, on which closes a door of sheet iron p opening upside from below.
The height of the upper plate may be limited by lateral walls of perforated sheet
iron. Round the plates, the partition 8 forms the exterior part, which is enclosed
at the top.
This circular partition of 1.08 metres of radius is provided with a door p¹
opposite to the door P.
The outer door p is provided with blinde. It is managed like the door of a
Prussian chimney, Fig. 4. It opens half with two swings or flaps, the one upside
from below uncovering the door p and serving for the passage of the workmen to
the platforms; the other half opens down from above.
The doors and p¹ are arranged on the floors of each storey. The uppermost
platform need not be provided with a door, but the access through the same may
be free.
The cylinder s is-riveted to the inner sides of the posts a; to the outside and
middle of the same posts are riveted two plates g, h forming two double conduits
from each side, the one for the hot air, the other for the temperate air, up to the
fourth platform. From the latter to the seventh platform there remains but one
conduit on each side namely that for the temperate air.
The apparatus works as follows:—
The exterior atmospheric air is pressed by a ventilator into the conduit m
Fig. 2 x,y; being there, it flows round a beating apparatus M of cast iron and sheet'

page_text: iron, Figs 2 and 5; subsequently it escapes through the upper part over the bell
of the heating apparatus into. the double conduit of sheet iron-embracing the two
parts of the feeding apparatus under the lower platform, which it feeds through
the tubes (bb) proceeding from the holes 6 of the platform and ending at the
conduit at b.
The admission of hot air to the other platforms is effected through the same
conduit, into which terminate on each platform the similar tubes b, b¹.
A second ventilator drives the air into the conduct n, Fig. 2, wherefrom it
proceeds to be heated at the upper part of calorifier or heating apparatus M, and
after having been divided like the hot air, by means of a double conduit of sheet
iron, it enters the apparatus, passes round the conduit of hot air from the first
platform up to the fourth and from there into the common conduit for being
distributed upon the three upper platforms through the tubes b b¹.
To prevent the hot air from proceeding immediately to the upper part of the
apparatus, horizontal divisions N, Figs 1 and 3, separate each storey above the
inlet tubes, leaving for the passage of the hot air but a small opening of 29 centi-
metres breadth, situated at the extremity opposite to its inlet passage, so that the
air enters the conduit serving the second platform from the side opposite to the
heating apparatus, into the conduit of the third platform from the side of the heating
apparatus, and to the conduit of the fourth platform from the side opposite to the
heating apparatus.
The temperate air is deflected in its rise by horizontal partitions under all.
platforms.
During the passage of the air from the starting place to the fourth platform, the
partitions act but alternately on one half of the conduits. The partitions of
the second and third platform leave to the temperate air passages of 29 centi-
metres, the first open from the side of the heating apparatus, the second from the
opposite side.
.
The way of the hot air in the heating apparatus is indicated by arrows, marked
with the cipher 1.
The distribution of the hot and temperate air is effected through the tubes c.
The direction of the temperate air is indicated by arrows marked by the
cipher 2.
The way of the smoke, which flows in the direction opposed to that of the air
is indicated by ciphers, put in the interior of the tube Fig. 2, that of the vapours
by arrows, marked with the cipher 3.
Staircases for the access to the different floors or storeys are arranged in spiral
shape outside the apparatus, with a platform before each door. The staircases
make a complete turn for any two consecutive storeys so that the doors for two
successive storeys are placed at diametrically opposed points.
The apparatus is covered by an evaporating chimney with a'conical base.
This base is movable and is adapted to slide at a height of 1.6 metre in the upper
stationary part, so as to allow the charging of the upper platform.
The sprouted barley is conducted from the sprouting or airing chambers upon
the upper platform, and its drying commences by the action of the two currents of
air, the greater part of which then serves to raise the whole apparatus to its
normal temperature and at the same time to economise fuel.
About three hours afterwards this barley is discharged to the lower platform,
and the upper platform is again charged. The same process is continued, increasing
each three hours the number of platforms in action. All the .platforms being
charged, the normal working of the apparatus begins.
After having been for about three hours on the lowermost platform, the barley
is discharged into a truck P, therefrom it is carried into a chain lift, which forwards
it to the store room.
The different displacements of the barley and its removal from the apparatus
take place through the holes a mentioned above, a movable cone R covering the

page_text: tube a of the platform to be charged preverts the barley from falling down on
the other platforms.
During this operation the pistons of the tubes c are lowered upon the two
platforms in movement, for interrupting the communication of the hot air.
Thermometers are placed into the air conduits of each platform for indicating
outside the temperature of the dry air at the posts u, the latter being perforated
for allowing the introduction of the thermometers bent or curved at their lower
part.
In the drawings are tubes, closed by a lid, which permits to remove the grains,
which may fall into the tubes b b¹.
Fig. 1 is an elevation and half section, along lines A B C D and K J, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a plan and cross section along line E F G H of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 a cross section along line K I of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 a cross section along line C-D of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 a cross section along line A B C C₁ of Fig. 2.
As a practical result, the apparatus allows to obtain malt completely broken up
after drying, which gives easily for every hundred kilogrammes of malt according
to the nature of the grain, from 60 to 66 kilogrammes of useful extract by means
of the saccharifying apparatus employed in breweries.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A drying apparatus comprising in its construction a series of superposed
compartments into which air currents are forced from the bottom and at a
temperature gradually diminishing from the lowest compartment where the hottest
air passes through the driest material, up to the topmost compartment, where the
dampest material is in contact with the most temperate air.
2. A drying apparatus constructed as specified under (1), and in which the air
charged with moisture escapes laterally, firstly in the centre through the walls of
prismatic chimney made of perforated sheet metal and movable on a circular
opening provided in each floor or platform, and secondly at the circumference
between the perforated walls and a partition separating the hot air conduits of
contiguous compartments or drying floors, the chimneys of the lowest floor being.
closed at the base in order to prevent the access of the outer atmosphere, the
necessary air being forced by two fans into two separate conduits, one serving to
conduct the hot air to the lower compartments, while the other supplies temperate
air to the upper compartments.