IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO KILNS FOR DRYING MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO KILNS FOR DRYING MALT, GRAIN, AND
OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Charles W. Boynton,
of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America; Manufacturer.
Sealed the 27th May 1879, and dated the 4th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1878.
"5
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO KILNS
FOR DRYING MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER MATERIALS." [A communication from
abroad by Charles W. Boynton, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
Manufacturer.]
The present Invention relates to improvements in kilns for drying malt, grain,
and other materials, but is more especially designed for drying malt.
The said Invention comprises, first, the peculiar construction of the damping
trays, of which the drying floor is composed; secondly, a principal air flue com-
bined with two single air-flues with a cut-off between them, and leading to separate
drying floors, the said flues being protected from grain coming from the floors into
a hopper surrounding the flues by means of a deflector. The object attained by
this construction of flues and cut off is the discharge of hot air and gases from the
furnaces into both parts, or either part of a two-part hopper beneath the drying
floor, so that when grain or malt contained on one half of the floor is to be dumped
into its respective part of the hopper below, the hot air and gases from the furnaces
may be excluded and cold air admitted to permit laborers or attendants to enter
the drying room in which such floor is to dump the grain. Thirdly, the combi-
nation with the main air flue and its branches and the two part floor and hopper
Price 6d1

page_text: of one or more furnaces, having side openings communicating with the main air-
flue, whereby the heat is prevented from escaping until supplied with a proper
amount of atmospheric air.
In carrying the said Invention into practice the foundation of the furnaces is of
any ordinary construction for that purpose, and one furnace has a semi-circular
dome terminating in vertical sides, and is provided with an ordinary grate, but.
instead of having openings at the top for the escape of heat and gases it is pro-
vided with side openings for the escape of hot air and gases into an enlarged
chamber where cold air comes in contact with the gases from the furnaces, and
tempers or properly modifies the heat which is to come in contact with the grain
or malt on the drying-floors. The cold air last mentioned is admitted to the
interior of the said enlarged chamber by means of doors.
Another furnace is provided with a hood which extends down to below the fuel
on the grate to prevent the upward escape of heat until it is brought. in contact
with a proper quantity of cold air for the purpose stated. In some localities and
by the use of some kinds of coal the said hood is required to bring the heated gases
down lower than the aforesaid openings before escaping, in order that a better
supply of atmospheric air may be obtained, but under other circumstances the first
named furnace will answer the purpose, but in any event the hot gases should
escape at the sides of the furnaces and into a chamber at those places and com-
mingle with all the oxygen they will retain without deadening the fire in the
furnaces.
This will be the guide for the operation in admitting air to them. When this is
done anthracite coal can be used to produce combustion, and the products thereof
admitted freely to the grain on the drying floors without injuring it, and at the
same time a heat is attained fully sufficient to dry all ordinary substances in a
manner superior to any process now known for that purpose. The distinction in
the said Invention in this regard is that the ordinary anthracite coal furnaces
eliminate the products of combustion from one open end or at a flue at the top in
such a body that oxygen cannot properly commingle with it.
My process is to use the maximum quantity of atmospheric air with the coal-
gases. To effectually utilize the coal-gases and oxygen the air chambers at the
sides of the furnaces should be each of such a width corresponding to about one
third of the length of the furnaces that sufficient oxygen may come in contact with
the fire jets at the middle parts of the furnaces.
Chambers of less size at the sides of the furnaces will operate, but experience
proves that a considerable body of air is required to attain the best effects. I am
aware that the commingling of atmospheric air with coal gases for drying purposes
is known, but I am not aware that air and coal gas have been combined in dry
kilns at the place and by the means herein described. The main flue above the
furnaces is narrower than the aforesaid enlarged furnace chamber; it may be the
same width, but for economy it is made narrower.
This flue extends up to a deflector, which keeps the grain from getting into the
flue in its descent into the hopper. I provide a partition in the upper part of the.
last named flue that gases and air may pass into either part of the said two-part
hopper; and that heat may be excluded wholly from either part of the hopper, the
said partition extends entirely across the hopper, and in order that cold air may be
conducted into either part of the said two part hopper cold air pipes are made to
communicate with the main flue and the interior of the kiln, so that cold air can be
admitted to or shut off from either part of the hopper, and consequently admitted
to or shut off from either drying-room. Above a valve of a size to close either of
the branch flues is hung to the said partition, and a chain is attached to it for the
convenience of operating it at the front or rear of the furnaces. The said partition
unites with another partition, which separates the two drying chambers; and over
the hopper are placed girders for the main support of the drying floor, and trans-
versely across these girders are placed ribs, on which the trays are transversely

page_text: placed. The trays are constructed as follows, that is to say:-Each tray consists
of a substantial longitudinal frame.
Transversely across and between the sides of the trays are placed bearers at such
distance apart as to assist in supporting wire cloth above; and longitudinally
between the ends are placed bearers, which are "gained " into other bearers to form
a floor of suitable strength to support the grain or malt to be dried, and also per-
sons who are to work thereon. The wire cloth should be of such mesh as to allow
a free passage of air and not to let the grain through.
The wire is brought over the sides and ends of the frames, and when the frames
are of wood is secured by screws, staples, or nails. If plates of metal be secured to
sides and ends of the frame where the wire cloth is brought over them the plates
will prevent the wire from being detached by use. The upper edges of all parts of
the tray coming in contact with the wire should be made thin so as not to obstruct
the passage of air and gases.
Longitudinally to the underside of the trays, and at about one quarter of the
distance in from the sides are secured bearers, which are fixtures to the trays, and
serve more especially as bearings, on which the tray may be more readily dumped,
inasmuch as the bearers support the tray more centrally than if the tray had bearing
its entire width on the ribs.
The trays so made are to be long enough to extend across the drying-room, the
length of the room determining the number of trays to be used. For convenience
the width of the trays should not exceed from twenty inches to two feet, and
should fit so closely together as to prevent grain from falling through between them.
It is sometimes desirable to pump the contents of an upper floor into a lower floor,
and thus utilize the heat on two or more sets of floors. In this case the height of
the building would have to be increased to give room for the duplicate floors. The
meshes of the wire should decrease in size on each sub-floor as the grain or malt
shrinks in drying. The furnaces are provided with doors, by means of which coal
can be supplied to the furnaces.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
June 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO KILNS
FOR DRYING MALT, GRAIN, AND OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from
abroad by Charles W. Boynton, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
The present Invention relates to improvements in kilns for drying malt, grain,
and other material, but is more especially designed for drying malt.
The said Invention comprises, first, a peculiar construction of the dumping trays,
of which the drying floor is composed.
Secondly. A principal air flue combined with two single air flues with a cut off
between them, and leading to separate drying floors, the said flues being protected
from grain coming from the floors into a hopper surrounding the flues by means of
a deflector. The object attained by this construction of flues and cut-off is the
discharge of hot air and gases from the furnaces into both parts or either part of a
two-part hopper beneath the drying floor, so that when grain or malt contained on
one half of the floor is to be dumped into its respective part of the hopper below,
the hot, air and gases from the furnaces may be excluded and cold air admitted to
permit labourers or attendants to enter the drying room in which such floor is to
dump the grain; thirdly, the combination with the main air-flue and its branches,
and the two part floor and hopper one or more furnaces, having side openings
communicating with the main air-flue, whereby the escape of heat is prevented
until a proper amount of atmospheric air is supplied.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a dry kiln or apparatus embodying these improve-
ments, with the front of the building, front of the furnace, front of the main air
flue, and front of the hopper removed.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the said apparatus with the larger portion of
the sectional drying room floor removed to show the construction below.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line X, X, Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the furnaces, and case, and lower portions of the
flues and their attached parts removed from the building.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of one of the sections forming the drying
floor.
Figure 6 is a broken longitudinal section of Figure 5 taken on the line Z,
Figure 5.
A represents the building or exterior part of the said kiln; the drying chamber
being removed, the floor is made of such form and size as to support and protect
the apparatus as follows:-The foundation B of the furnaces may be of any
ordinary or suitable construction. The furnace C has a semicircular dome, termi-
nating in vertical sides, and is provided with an ordinary grate N, but instead of
having openings at the top for the escape of heat and gas it is provided with side
openings W, Figure 3, for the escape of hot air and gas into an enlarged chamber U,
where cold air comes in contact with the gases from the furnaces, and tempers or
properly modifies the heat which is to come in contact with the grain or malt on
the drying-floor. This cold air is admitted to the interior of the enlarged cham-
ber J by means of the doors I.
.
The furnace S, S, is provided with a hood C¹, which extends down below the
fuel on the grate N to prevent the upward escape of heat until it is brought in
contact with a proper quantity of cold air, for the purpose stated. In some localities
and by the use of some kinds of coal the hood C¹ is required to bring the heated
gases down lower than the holes W before escaping, in order that a better supply

page_text: of atmospheric air may be obtained, while under other circumstances the furnace Û
will answer the purpose; but in any event the hot gases should escape at the sides
of the furnaces, and into a chamber at those places and commingle with all the
oxygen they will retain without deadening the fire in the furnaces.
This will be the guide for admitting air to them. When this is done anthracite
coal can be used to produce combustion, and the products thereof may be admitted
freely to the grain on the drying floors without injuring it, and at the same time a
heat is attained fully sufficient to dry all ordinary substances in a manner superior.
to that obtainable by any process now known for this purpose. The ordinary"
anthracite coal furnaces eliminate the products of combustion from one open
end or at a flue at the top in such a body that oxygen cannot properly commingle
with it.
According to this Invention I use the maximum quantity of atmospheric air with
the coal-gases. To effectually utilize the coal gases and oxygen the air chambers
at the sides of the furnaces should be each of a width corresponding to about one
third of the length of the furnaces, so that sufficient oxygen may come in contact
with the fire jets at the middle parts of the furnaces.
Chambers of smaller size at the sides of the furnaces will operate, but experience
proves that a considerable body of air is required to attain the best effects. I am
aware that the commingling of atmospheric air with coal gases for drying purposes
is not new, but I am not aware that air and coal gas have been combined.in dry
kilns at the place and by the means herein shewn.
The main flue E above the furnaces is, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, narrower
than the furnace chamber U; it may be of the same width, but for economy it is
made as shown.
This flue E extends up to a deflector K, K¹, which keeps the grain from getting
into the flue in its descent into the hopper L, L. G represents a partition in the
upper part of the flue E, so arranged that gases and air may pass into either part
of the two-part hopper L, L, and that heat may be excluded wholly from either
part of the hopper. The partition G extends entirely across the hopper, as shewn
in Figure 1; and in order that cold air may be conducted into either part of the
two part hopper cold air pipes J, J¹, are made to communicate with the main flue
and the interior of the kiln., And in order that cold air may be admitted to or
shut off from either part of the hopper, and consequently admitted to or shut off
from either drying room above, a valve D, Figures 1, 3, and 4 of a size to close
either of the branch flues F, F, is hung to the partition G; and a chain H is attached
to the same for convenience of operating it at the front or rear of the furnaces.
The partition G unites with the partition G', which separates the two drying
chambers; and over the hopper L, L¹, are placed girders Q for the main support of
the drying floor, and transversely across these girders are placed ribs p, on which
the trays m are placed. The said trays are constructed as follows, that is to say :-
Each tray consists of a substantial longitudinal frame. Transversely across and
between the sides n of the trays are placed bearers f at such distance apart as to
assist in supporting wire cloth m above; and longitudinally between the ends n¹
are placed bearers c, c, which are" gained" into other bearers f, f, to form a floor of
suitable strength to support the grain or malt to be dried, and also persons who are
to work thereon. This wire cloth should be of such a mesh as to allow a free
passage of air, while preventing the passage of the grain through the same. The
wire is brought over the sides and ends of the frames n, n¹, and when the said
frames are of wood secured by screws, staples, or nails. If plates r of metal be
secured to the sides and ends of the frame, where the wire cloth is brought over
them, the plates will prevent the detaching of the wire by use.
The upper edges
of all parts of the tray coming in contact with the wire should be made thin to
avoid obstructing the passage of air and gas.
Longitudinally to the underside of the trays and at about one quarter of the
distance inward from the sides are secured bearers v, v, which are fixtures to the
trays, and serve more especially as bearings on which each tray may be more

page_text: readily dumped, inasmuch as the bearers support the tray more centrally than if
the same had a bearing throughout its entire width on the ribs p. The trays so
made are to be long enough to extend across the drying room, the length of the
room determining the number of trays to be used. For convenience the width of
the said trays should not exceed about twenty inches or two feet, and they should
fit so closely together as to prevent the falling of the grain between them. It is
sometimes desirable to dump the contents of an upper floor into a lower floor, and
thus utilize the heat on two or more sets of floors. In this case the height of the
building would have to be increased to afford space for the duplicate floors. The
meshes of the wire should decrease in size on each sub floor as the grain or malt
shrinks in drying. The furnaces are provided with doors, as shewn in Figures 3
and 4, by means of which coal can be supplied to the said furnaces.
The substance to be dried is spread on the trays m, which trays are to cover the
area over the hopper L, L, and the valve D is to have a vertical position so as to
admit gases and air through the branches F, F', of the flue E to dry the grain on
the trays m..
When grain or malt on one side of the partition G¹, as for instance, in the
room T¹, is dried, the valve D is brought to one side of the flue E, as shewn at
Figure 3, to shut the gases off from that room. The cold air inlet J¹ is then
opened and the room T¹ cooled for workmen to enter and dump the trays m one by
one till their contents are discharged into the hopper at L¹.
The drying process continuing in the opposite compartment T the contents of
the other floor are discharged in the same manner after bringing the valve D to the
position shewn in dotted lines D₁, Figure 3. The malt or grain is to be taken from
the hoppers by means of spouts M, M'.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,―
First. The combination of the furnace or furnaces with the air-chambers, the
main flue, and its branches, the hopper, and the deflector, as and for the purpose
specified.
Second. The two part drying room, the two part hopper, the two part flue, the
cold air pipes, the cut off, and the furnaces, whereby the drying process is continued
in one drying-room while the other is being emptied, as above specified.
Third. The trays consisting of the frames, the transverse bearers, the longi-
tudinal bearers, and the wire cloth attached to the said frames, as above set
forth.
Fourth. In a kiln for drying malt or similar materials the parts or devices con-
stituting the above specified improvements, arranged and combined as shewn in the
accompanying Drawing, and operating as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W*. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)