MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRANARIES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, of King William
Street, in the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRANARIES."
Sealed the 12th August 1856, and dated the 8th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Charles Louis
Devaux at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th May 1856.
I, ALEXANDER CHARLES LOUIS DEVAUX, of King William Street, in the City
of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRANARIES, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the details of my novel
construction of ventilating granary, for which I have obtained Her Majesty's
Royal Letters Patent. In order to economise space as much as possible.
without detracting from the ventilation of the bins through the sides and ends
thereof, I propose to form the bins rectangular, or of such other regular figure
(hexagonal for example) as will permit of their fitting together without waste
of space. These bins I construct of pierced metal, woven wirework, or other
suitable material, and I so fit them together as to leave a free air space all
around each. I provide means for closing these air spaces at top, and I bring
the air spaces into communication with an air flue, provided with blowers, for
the purpose of passing currents of air or gas when required through the mass
[Price 8d.]

page_text: of grain contained in any or all of the bins. When this artificial blast. is not
used, a natural ascending current of air will circulate freely around the bins,
and materially assist in ventilating the grain, and keeping it in condition. In
order to increase this natural current. I propose in some instances to connect
the air spaces with the shaft of the steam boiler furnace, by means of branch
ventilating pipes. Within the bins I provide discharge pipes, which are
fitted at various levels with gates opening to the bin, and closed by sliding
shutters. These gates will permit of the escape of the grain first at the upper
part of the bin, then at a lower level, and so on, and thereby prevent the move-
ment of the whole body of the grain, which takes place when the discharge
is effected at the bottom, and necessitates the constructing of the bins of con-
siderable strength to withstand the downward pressure of the moving grain.
The discharge pipes, which open at bottom to a shute, trough, or other recep-
tacle, will conduct down the grain thereto as it escapes from the bins through
the opened gates.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Charles Louis Devaux in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CHARLES LOUIS DEVAUX, of King William Street, in the. City of London,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, Her special licence that I, the said
Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, 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
Knigdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRANARIES."
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Charles Louis
Devaux, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: 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 Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, do
hereby declare the nature of my 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention, of "Improvements in the Construction of Granaries,"
relates to certain improvements in the details of my novel construction of
ventilating granary, for which I have obtained Her Majesty's Royal Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April 1856.
The object of my present improvements is to economise space as much as
possible without detracting from the ventilation of the bins through the sides
thereof. In order to effect this object I propose to form the bins of a rectangular,
or of such other regular figure (hexagonal for example) as will permit of their
being placed together, or near each other, without waste of space. These bins
I construct of perforated metal, or of woven wirework or other suitable
material, and the bins are so arranged or fitted together as to leave a free air
space on all sides of each of the bins. These air spaces are to be closed at
top, and they are to be brought into communication with an air flue, provided
with blowers or fans, for the purpose of passing currents of air or gas, when
required, through the mass of grain contained in any or all of the bins.
When this artificial blast is not used, a natural ascending current of air will
be allowed to circulate freely on all sides of the bins, and will materially assist
in ventilating the grain, and keeping it in good condition. In order to increase
this natural current, I propose, in some instances, to connect the air spaces
with the shaft or flue of a steam boiler furnace, by means of branch ventilating
pipes. The. sides of the bins I provide with discharge pipes or exit apertures,
fitted with doors or gates, and placed at various levels. The doors or gates
are made to open to the bin, and are closed by sliding shutters. These gates
or openings will permit of the escape of the grain, first at the upper part
of the bin, then at a lower level, and so on, into a vertical pipe or channel,
which will conduct the grain downwards to a vehicle or receptacle below.
By this means the movement of the whole body of the grain, which would
take place if the discharge were effected at the bottom, and which would
necessitate the constructing of the bins of considerable strength. to withstand
the downward pressure of the moving grain, is obviated. The discharge pipes
which receive the grain from the gates are open at bottom, and allow it to fall

page_text: on a shute, trough, or other receptacle which will conduct down the grain as
it escapes from the bins through the opened gates.
Figure 1 represents in plan view four bins, constructed and arranged accord-
ing to my present improvements; and Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the
same. A, A, A, A, are the bins, the sides of which are made of perforated
metal, strong wirework, or other open work, which is strengthened and held
together at convenient intervals by means of the horizontal framing a, a, com-
posed of angle iron or other suitable material. Vertical rods or bars b, b, are
crected at or near the angles of each bin, for the purpose of supporting the
horizontal framing a, a, which is secured at various heights, depending upon
the size of the sheets of perforated material, of which the sides of bins are
constructed. These bins I propose to erect upon columns c, c, c, c, of suf-
ficient height from the ground to allow of a truck d or other vehicle being
passed underneath the bins, for the purpose of receiving the corn or grain as
it is discharged therefrom. e, e, e, e, are gates or openings made in the sides
of the bins at suitable heights, and are closed by sliding shutters that may be
opened or shut from below or above by any convenient mechanical contrivance.
These gates or openings communicate with vertical pipes or channels e*, which
conduct the grain as it flows from the bins into the truck d, or into sacks placed
below to receive it.
It should be understood that on all sides of the bins and between each of
them, extending from top to bottom thereof, is a narrow open space or channel,
which admits of free circulation of the air; but when I desire to ventilate by
forcing or drawing air through the corn in the bins by artificial means, I con-
nect this channel with the pipe of a fan or blower, and I close the open space
between the bins by means of valves g, or other convenient and suitable con-
trivance, placed a little below the level of the upper surface of the corn contained
therein. The sides of the channels must also be closed by similar means, for
the purpose of preventing the escape of the air, and cause it to pass through
the mass of corn in the bins.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the construction
of Granaries," and the means of carrying the same into effect, I would observe
that although in order that my present improvements may be clearly under-
stood, I have shewn and described various parts which are contained in the
Specification of my former Patent, yet I do not mean or intend to claim such
parts separately as constituting part of my present improvements; but that
which I consider to be new in the present Invention, and therefore desire to
secure by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, is,
First, constructing and arranging the bins for holding the grain in the

page_text: manner above described, that is, of a rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, or
other form, so that the sides, which are constructed of perforated metal, may
be brought close together, so as to leave but a narrow space between them,
but which space will allow of a free passage of air for ventilation, as above
described.
I also claim ventilating the bins by means of an ascending current of air,
caused by connecting the narrow spaces or passages between the bins with a
shaft or chimney, for the purpose of increasing a draft therein.
I further claim the use of the doors or gates communicating with the vertical
passages, whereby any one of the bins may be emptied when required without
interfering with the others.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Charles Louis Devaux, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
5
Witness,
THOS. NOLAN,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. C. L. DEVAUX. (L.S.)