Improvements in or relating to Malt Kilns.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897--Accepted, 1st May, 1397
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Malt Kilns.
I, ARTHUR KINDER, of 5, Laurence Pountney Hill, London, E.C., Engineer,
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 :-
Green malt, as is well known, decreases in bulk by about one third during the
drying operation, the result being that during the final stages of this process the
layer of malt is considerably reduced in thickness and permits the heated air to
pass through it too rapidly.
The object of the present invention is to provide simple and efficient means
whereby the effective drying area of a kiln floor may be temporarily reduced, thus
during the final stages of the drying process reduction in bulk may be compensated
for and the layer of malt restored to the proper thickness by reducing the effective
floor space available for occupation by the malt. My invention permits the drying
operation to be successfully and easily accomplished on a single floor, and obviates
the necessity for removing the partially dried malt to another floor of smaller area
as is sometimes done.
According to my invention, I hinge flaps around the kiln walls, either above or
below the drying floor, in such manner that when required they may be moved on
their hinges so as to cut off from the passage of heated air the borders of the floor
whilst when not in use they may lie flat against the walls out of the way.. In
conjunction with the aforesaid flaps I employ kerbs or coamings for confining the
malt within the effective drying area of the floor limited by the flaps. The said
kerbs or coamings may in some cases consist of boards hinged to the flaps and
folding up therewith (and this arrangement I prefer to employ when the flaps
are disposed above the kiln floor) or I may simply place kerb pieces on the floor
when required.
In the case of circular kilns I may reduce the effective drying area of the floor
by means of a disc. or plate bordered by a kerb or flange provided with means
whereby it may be lowered onto the drying floor when required and suspended
above the same out of the way when not in use.
I will now fully describe my invention and the manner of performing the same
having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein similar letters refer to like
parts in all the figures and in which,
Figs. 1 and 2 represent in sectional elevation and plan respectively a malt kiln
having my invention applied thereto...
Figs. 3 and 4 are details on an enlarged scale.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent respectively modifications of the invention, the flaps
being shewn arranged beneath in lieu of above the drying floor.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent in sectional elevation and plan a modification of my
invention suitable for application to circular kilos.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 and 3, A A are four jointed flaps each flap being
hinged to a kiln wall close above the floor B by hinges a (Fig. 3). Each flap is
jointed lengthwise, the two portions 661 being connected together by hinges c.
When it is desired to reduce the effective drying area of the floor the malt is
shovelled into the centre of the latter, the inner portions 6 of the flaps are turned
down so as to lie flat on the floor and cut off the borders from the passage of heated

page_text: air, and the outer portions 61 of the flaps are adjusted vertically so as to form
kerbs or coamings for the malt, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 3. When the flaps A are
not required for use they are folded up against the kiln walls as shewn in dotted
lines Figs. 1 and 3.
In Fig. 4 a slightly modified arrangement of the jointed flaps A is represented.
In this case in lieu of turning the portions 6 of the flaps down upon the floor B and
then turning up the kerb portions 61, the portions b, which are hinged to the kiln
walls some little distance above the floor level, are moved outwards and the kerb
portions 61 are then turned down into a vertical position their edges resting on the
floor and cutting off from the passage of heated air the borders thereof. The
position occupied by the jointed flaps when not in use is clearly shewn by
the dotted lines. This last described arrangement is perhaps preferable to the
arrangement first described, since there is no risk of the malt getting over and
collecting behind the kerbs 6 1.
In Fig. 34, A1 A1 are flaps hinged at a around the kiln walls beneath the
drying floor B. d is a flange or curtain dependent from the floor against which
the edges of the flaps A 1 rest when in use. e e are chains connected to the flaps
by means of which the latter may be moved upon their hinges from the stoke hole
or other convenient part of the kiln. 64 are kerbs of any suitable construction
which are laid upon the floor B when the flaps A 1 are in use.
In Fig. 4 the hinges a of the flaps A 1 are placed close beneath the floor B
the flaps being retained in their elevated position when in use by buttons for
otherwise.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 which illustrate a modification of the invention
suitable for application to a circular kiln, the effective drying area of the
floor B is reduced by lowering upon the central portion of the latter a disc or
plate 62 surrounded by a flange or kerb 63. When not required for use, the
said disc or plate is hoisted up out of the way by a chain and pulley as indicated
in Fig. 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner, the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The application and use to and in a malt kiln of means for temporarily
reducing the effective drying area of the floor, substantially as described with
reference to and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 34 and 44 of the drawings..
2. The application and use to and in a malt kiln of means for temporarily
reducing the effective drying area of the floor, substantially as described with
reference to and illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.