An improved Malting Apparatus
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th May, 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
An improved Malting Apparatus,
I, JULES DECLERCQ, of 38, Rue du Trichon, Roubaix (Nord), in the Republic of
France, Dyer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus, the object of which is, to substitute or
comprise in itself, all those apparatus which are at present employed for malting
grain, barley, maize, winter barley, wheat and the like, for the purpose of succes-
sively carrying out the operations of germination under the action of moist air at
a graduated temperature for effecting the drying or treatment in the malt kiln,
the germinating and lastly the polishing.
Whereas all these operations are, under ordinary circumstances, carried on in
different apparatus which complicate the working stock of malt-houses, I carry
these operations out by means of one single combination apparatus.
This apparatus essentially consists of a cylinder with perforated outer wall
enclosing around its axis another likewise perforated cylinder.
This cylinder,
which encloses the grain to be treated between the two perforated walls, is set in
continuous rotary motion, the speed of which can be modified according to the
various phases of the operation.
The perforated central cylinder receives, in accordance with the various phases
of the malting operation, moist air at a constant temperature, for the purpose of
producing the germination of the grains which, as in the ordinary process, have
been previously moistened with moderately heated air, subsequently with very dry
and very hot air for effecting the drying or the treating in the malt-kiln and
finally an accelerated movement imparted to the apparatus causes the same to act
as a real grain polishing apparatus, while the dried and separated radicles, drop
in form of dust or powder through the perforations of the outer cylinder, which
constitutes the ungerming operation.
Such is, in principle the characteristic feature of the apparatus which I have
devised and which I will now describe in detail.
The apparatus is composed of a drum, the cylindrical periphery of which con-
sists of perforated sheet iron and is provided with a feed door for the grain; this
'drum is closed at its two ends by riveted discs connected by tie-rods running
parallel with the axis. Near the centre another cylinder, likewise perforated is
arranged, which forms the prolongation of two hollow journals, through which
moist and tepid air or hotter air or hot and dry air enter the apparatus, according
to the respective phase of the operation. This admission of air through the two
ends of the cylinder has the advantage of rendering its action more regular and
uniform throughout the mass of grain under treatment. These tubular feed
openings are provided with gates or dampers, by which the amount of air admitted
into the drum can be regulated. In order that the distribution of air may be as
uniform as possible all over the extent of the drum, I arrange in the inner

page_text: cylinder centrally perforated discs, which form baffles; these discs are preferably
provided with holes decreasing in diameter from the extremities toward the
centre.
The hollow journals are adapted to turn in bearings; moveover the drum rests
and rotates on friction rollers carried by suitable bearings.
This drum receives a rotary movement which is transmitted to it by the inter-
mediary of a transmission shaft, provided with fast and loose pulleys. This trans-
mission shaft is provided with an engaging and disengaging coupling in connection
with speed changing gearings upon another and the latter is, on its part, connected,
by means of gearings with the shaft of an endless screw engaging with teeth pro-
vided on the drum.
Owing to this transmission device the drum is enabled to receive a very slow
movement, of from two to three revolutions per hour only, during the process of
germination, this continuous rotary motion, however slow, being sufficient to pro-
duce within the bulk of the grains a displacement which ensures a thorough germ-
ing of all grains under treatment and absolutely prevents the mass from "felting."
The rate of the rotary speed must be greater when the time for proceeding to
the ungerming operation has been reached, that is to say when the radicles are
to be broken off and removed; this change of speed then is obtained by the engag-
ing coupling or gear above described.
I will now explain, the manner in which all the malting operations may be
effected with this single apparatus.
I must first of all state that this apparatus is placed in a chamber which is
closed and, if so required, heated to prevent condensations taking place; the same
is provided with ventilating chimneys enabling the air the carbonic acid gas, steam
or the like to be discharged.
This chamber encloses inspection and controlling apparatus of the ordinary
kind, a thermometer, hygrometer and the like. A pipe terminating in the
axle journals of the apparatus branches off from the outlet of a ventilator serving
to convey moist air, either moderately hot or very hot and dry according to cir-
cumstances.
After the first phase of the germinating operation, which lasts from 7 to 9 days,
is completed, the germed grain is to be dried as is done at the present time in malt
kilns. Without the grains being displaced, slightly heated air is passed through
the ventilator, whereby a desiccation at a low temperature takes place, which con-
stitutes the first part of the malt kilu treatment."
To effect the second part of the kiln treatment, it is necessary that hotter and
dryer air be supplied, to impart flavour to the malt; this very hot air supplied
in abundance, dries the grains, the radicles become separated, are reduced to dust
or powder and drop out through the perforations of the drum.
It will be understood that owing to the perforations provided in the outer
cylinder the more or less hot or more or less moist or dry air circulates with
facility through the mass of constantly agitated grains which the apparatus
encloses and passes out together with the gases which are set free.
Lastly at the end of the operation, the apparatus turns at its highest speed,
at the same time the air circulating in the mass of grains is dryer and hotter, the
grains rubbing against each other and against the inner walls of the drum become
polished and are freed from all dust particles and germs that may still adhere
thereto.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JULES DECLERCQ, of 38, Rue du Trichon, Roubaix (Nord), in the Republic of
France, Dyer, 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 relates to an apparatus, the object of which is, to substitute or
comprise in itself, all those apparatus which are at present employed for malting
grain, barley, maize, winter barley, wheat and the like, for the purpose of succes-
sively carrying out the operations of germination under the action of moist air at
a graduated temperature for effecting the drying or treatment in the malt kiln,
the germinating and lastly the polishing.
Whereas all these operations are, under ordinary circumstances, carried on in
different apparatus which complicate the working stock of malt-houses, I carry
these operations out by means of a single apparatus so combined as to suit this
purpose.
This apparatus essentially consists of a cylinder with perforated outer wall
enclosing around its axis another similarly perforated cylinder. This cylinder,
which encloses the grain to be treated between the two perforated walls, is set in
continuous rotary motion, the speed of which can be modified according to the
various phases of the operation.
The perforated central cylinder receives, in accordance with the various phases
of the inalting operation moist air at a constant temperature, for the purpose of
producing the germination of the grains which, as in the ordinary process, have
been previously moistened with moderately heated air, subsequently with very dry
and very hot air for effecting the drying or the heating in the malt-kiln and
finally an accelerated movement imparted to the apparatus causes the same to act
as a real grain polishing apparatus, while the dried and separated radicles, drop
in form of dust or powder through the perforations of the outer cylinder, which
constitutes the ungerming operation.
Such is, in principle the characteristic of the apparatus which I have devised
and which I will now describe in detail with reference to the accompanying draw-
ing, in which:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus, while
Figure 2 represents a view of the end from which the apparatus is actuated.
The apparatus is composed of a drum, the cylindrical periphery A of which con-
sists of perforated sheet iron and is provided with a feed door for the grain, this
drum is closed at its two ends by riveted dises B B, connected by tie-rods & run-
ning parallel with the axis. Near the centre another cylinder C, likewise per-
forated is arranged, which forms the prolongation of two hollow journals 1)D,
through which moist and tepid air or hotter air or hot and dry air enter the
apparatus, according to the respective phase of the operation. This admission of
air through the two ends of the cylinders has the advantage of rendering its action
more regular and uniform throughout the mass of grain under treatment. These
tubular feed openings are provided with gates or dampers, by which the amount
of air admitted into the drum can be regulated. In order that the distribution
of air may be as uniform as possible all over the extent of the drum, I arrange in
the inner cylinder C centrally perforated dises Z, which form baffles; these discs
are preferably provided with holes decreasing in diameter from the extremities
toward the centre.
The hollow journals D D are adapted to turn in bearings E E; moreover the

page_text: drum A rests and rotates on a suitable number of friction rollers FF carried by
suitable bearings G G.
This drum receives a rotary movement which is transmitted to it by the inter-
mediate of a transmission shaft H provided with fast and loose pulleys I I¹ respec-
tively. This transmission shaft H is provided with an engaging and disengaging
coupling K, in connection with speed changing gearings upon another shaft L,
and the latter is, on its part, connected, by means of gear wheels ab, with the
shaft M of an endless screw V engaging with teeth N provided on the drum.
Owing to this transmission device the drum is enabled to receive a very slow
movement, of from two to three revolutions per hour only, during the process of
germination, this continuous rotary motion, however slow, being sufficient to pro-
duce within the bulk of the grains a displacement which ensures a thorough germ-
ing of all grains under treatment and absolutely prevents the mass from "felting."
The rate of the rotary speed must be greater when the time for proceeding to
the ungerming operation has been reached that is to say when the radicles are
to be broken off and removed; this change of speed then is obtained by the engag-
ing coupling or gear above described.
I will now explain, the manner in which all the malting operations may be
effected with this single apparatus.
I will first of all state that this apparatus is placed in a chamber N¹ (Figure 3),
which is closed and, if so required, heated to prevent condensations taking place;
the same is provided with ventilating chimneys 00 enabling the air the carbonic
acid gas, steam or the like to be discharged. This chamber encloses inspection
and controlling apparatus of the ordinary kind; a thermometer, hydrometer and
the like. A pipe P terminating in the axle journals DD of the apparatus
branches off from the outlet of a ventilator serving to convey moist air, either
moderately hot or very hot and dry according to circumstances.
After the first phase of the germinating operation, which lasts from 7 to 9 day,
is completed, the germed grain is to be dried as is done at the present time in malt
kilns. Without the grain being removed, slightly heated air is passed through
the ventilator, whereby a desiccation at a low temperature takes place, which con-
stitutes the first part of the malt kiln treatment.
To effect the second part of the kiln treatment, it is necessary that hotter and
dryer air be supplied, to impart flavour to the malt; this very hot air supplied
in abundance, dries the grain, the radicles become separated, are reduced to dust
or powder and drop out through the perforations of the drum.
It will be understood that owing to the perforations provided in the outer
cylinder, the more or less hot or more or less moist or dry air circulates with
facility through the mass of constantly agitated grains which the apparatus
encloses and passes out together with the gases which are set free.
Lastly, at the end of the operation, the apparatus turns at its highest speed,
at the same time the air circulating in the mass of grains is dryer and hotter, the
grains rubbing against each other and against the inner walls of the drum become
polished and are freed from all dust particles and germs that may still adhere
thereto.
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:
A malting apparatus, enabling all the operations of germinating, malt drying,
ungerming and polishing to be executed, the said apparatus consisting of a rotary
drum perforated upon its periphery and enclosing around its centre another per-
forated cylinder, the grain to be treated, being placed between these two per-
forated cylinders, the central cylinders communicating by its ends with two hollow
journals which permit of moist or more or less hot and dry air being admitted
simultaneously from the two sides, the said central cylinder being provided with
dises perforated in their centre and forming baffles which ensure a thorough dis-

page_text: tribution of the air throughout the longitudinal extent of the apparatus, and con-
sequently throughout the bulk of grain, this rotary drum being enclosed in a closed
and heated chamber, in order to prevent condensations.
Dated this 10th day of May 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London W.C., Agents for the Applicant.