Improvements in or relating to Whizzers or Devices for Drying Grain.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th July, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Whizzers or Devices for Drying
Grain.
I, WILLIAM ROWLANDSON, of 132, Boundary Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In the ordinary whizzer, the grain is fed forward into one end of a hollow cone
having a reticulated periphery of wire gauze, which being rotated at a given
speed drives off, by centrifugal force, the water with which the grain is saturated.
the water being collected by a surrounding chamber or cylinder down which it
trickles to a discharge pipe.
Now by my invention, I apply to a whizzer a screw or spiral for feeding the
grain forward from the inlet to the exit. I provide an inner cylinder and an
outer concentric one, both revolving in concert but at different speeds. Between
the inner and outer cylinders, I leave a space for the passage of the grain and in
this space are one or more screws, worms or spirals secured to the outer periphery
of the inner cylinder. The outer cylinder is provided with an inner periphery of
wire gauze and an annular chamber surrounding the gauze aforesaid. The inner
cylinder is mounted on a shaft and the outer concentric cylinder on a separate
shaft, each revolving at different speeds, the inner cylinder revolving at a slow
speed and the outer cylinder revolving at a greater speed. The annular chamber
which surrounds the wire gauze is provided with an outlet for water. The inner
cylinder is furnished with means for feeding the wet grain from the supply to
one end of the worm or spiral, while the outer cylinder has means for delivering
the dried grain to the grain outlet.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The wet grain is fed into the space between the inner and outer cylinders, the
latter being rotated at a high speed drives off, by centrifugal force, through
the wire gauze, the water with which the grain is saturated and is collected by the
surrounding chamber, down which it trickles to the discharge pipe. The spiral
or worm on the inner cylinder which revolves at a much slower speed meantime
feeds the grain gradually forward to the exit at the opposite end where it is de-
livered to the drawing off spout. Suitable diaphragms, baffle plates or other
devices are provided to keep the grain from getting inside the inner cylinder. The
spiral or worm can have any suitable angle or pitch and the whizzer made of any
suitable length or diameter.
I have described the preferred way of carrying my invention into effect, but I
wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details described, as
these can be varied without departing from the nature of the invention. Thus,
for example, the apparatus instead of being formed with concentric cylinders
CD077

page_text: may be constructed with concentric cones, this arrangement permitting me to
adjust the cones in relation to each other, so that wear and tear can be taken up.
Furthermore the arrangement of the worm or spiral may be modified.
Dated this 20th day of October 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Whizzers or Devices for Drying
Grain.
I, WILLIAM ROWLANDSON, of 132, Boundary Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting 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:-
In the ordinary whizzer, the grain is fed forward into one end of a horizontal or
inclined cone having a reticulated periphery of wire gauze, which being rotated
at a high speed drives off by centrifugal force the water mingled with the grain,
the former being collected by the surrounding chamber or cylinder down which it
trickles to a discharge pipe.
My invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a part vertical elevation and part section of my apparatus, and
Figure 2 a sectional plan.
In these, A is a vertical shaft, B face plate keyed thereon, C centrifugal cage
attached to said face plate and covered on its inner circumference with perforated
zinc c or wire. D outer casing, E drain spout, F drum inside the cage C, f one or
more smooth spiral rib or ribs cast on drum F' and of such exterior diameter as
to almost but not quite touch the zinc lining c of cage C. G delivery spout for
discharged dried grain, H driving pulley of centre shaft and cage, I driving band
in V groove of inner drum F, K sloping bottom of central space L revolving with
cage C.
The mode of action is as follows:-
A belt on pulley H is driven at a high speed. The band I is driven at a much
slower speed, but in the same direction. By varying the ratio of these speeds
however the time required for a given feed of grain to pass through the machine
can be varied indefinitely. The grain is fed into the central chamber L and falling
on the plate K comes in contact by centrifugal force with the cage C and the rib f,
part of the inner drum Facts as a scraper at the bottom. The cage running at a
high speed the material travels approximately at this speed by centrifugal force
and the water flies out through the perforations. The rib for worms however
travelling at a much slower speed but in the same direction gradually carries the
material up to the top of the cage where the grain now freed of its excess of
moisture by centrifugal force passes over into the spout G. The water escaping
through the orifices of the perforated cage C flies out against the casing D and
descending escapes through the drain E. The skeleton cage C acts the part of a
fan to a certain extent causing the very strong current of air to pass with the
water through the perforations and in order to increase this current I may per-
forate the drum F at intervals. These perforations are not shown in the drawings
which are taken from an actual machine in which these perforations are not used,
and for most purposes they are not required, as sufficient air passes up through the
bottom holes in the drum F.

page_text: 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 combination with whizzers or centrifugal drying machines of spiral con-
veyor supported on a skeleton or drum F and driven at a lower speed than the
centrifugal cage substantially as described.
2. The general arrangement of centrifugal machine and its appurtenances sub-
stantially as herein and for the purposes described.
uns on day of July 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.