Improvements in Driers for Treating Distillery Slops, Brewers' Grains, Slaughterhouse Refuse, and other Masses containing a Large Percentage of Moisture, together with Solids which are of Value for Fertilizing or other purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driers for Treating Distillery Slops, Brewers'
Grains, Slaughterhouse Refuse, and other Masses containing a
Large Percentage of Moisture, together with Solids which are of
Value for Fertilizing or other purposes.
A communication by VALERIUS D). ANDERSON, of Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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:-
This invention pertains to driers for treating distillery slops, brewers' grains,
slaughterhouse refuse, and other masses containing a large percentage of mois-
ture, together with solids which are of value for fertilizing or other purposes.
The object of the invention is to produce a drier of simple, cheap and durable
construction, which may be continuously operated when of reasonably large size,
and which, though drying with great rapidity, shall nevertheless avoid all burn-
ing or overheating of the matters treated.
The construction which is found best suited to the end in view is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drier;
Fig. 2 a side elevation with the heater casing partly broken away;
Fig. 3 an elevation, looking from the opposite side, the casing being partly in
section;
Fig. 4 a vertical transverse section.
The structure comprises a body or shell 1, having parallel vertical walls con-
nected by semicircular top and bottom walls, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4. The walls
are formed of boiler plate or of iron or steel of like character, using as large
sheets as can be conveniently obtained, and bending them to form the curved
top and bottom portions.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the bottom curve is of greater radius than the top
curve, and its centre is set out of vertical plane with that of the top, so that while
one extremity or edge of the curved wall unites with or forms a continuation of
one side wall, the other edge extends outward some little distance beyond the other
side wall. The lower edge of the latter side wall and the upper edge of the
curved bottom wall are extended past each other as shown in Fig. 4, forming a
passage or flue 2 between them for the admission of air.
Within the shell or casing 1, and concentric with its curved bottom is a shaft 3,
preferably of the form and construction set forth in my correspondent's previous
Letters Patent No. 1136686 though other forms may be adopted if desired. Shaft 3
carries a series of blades or wings 4, which are arranged in a spiral series about
TD Q77

page_text: the shaft, and set obliquely, so that they may serve both as beaters for breaking
up or separating the mass and throwing the particles into the top of the shell or
chamber, and as conveyors for moving the material lengthwise of the shell or
chamber. The form of the blades or wings may vary, any common or well known
form capable of performing the functions stated being available.
Extending lengthwise of the shell or chamber 1 from end to end, and communi-
cating therewith throughout its length by the flue or passage 2, is an air-heating
chamber 5, at the outer and lower part of which is an air inlet 6, likewise extend-
ing the full length of the chamber, preferably.
Within the heating chamber 5 is a heating coil or series of coils 7, which may
be of any
common form, though, the simple "manifold" or return coil
is cheap and efficient. In practice it is found expedient to employ several distinct
coils, connected to form a series, each coil being separated from others by a
vertical partition 8 in the chamber 5. By arranging the partitions to extend
alternately from the top of the chamber to within a short distance of its bottom,
and from its bottom to within a few inches of its top, there is formed a serpentine
or zig-zag passage for the air entering through inlet 6 and escaping througli flue 2,
and the air is caused to pass about each coil or pipe section in turn, and on all
sides thereof, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 4.
The chamber 5 may be divided into sections by transverse partitions 11, as
indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, each having its own heating coils and controlling
valve 12.
It will be noticed also upon referring to Fig. 4, that the lower edge 9 of that
side wall of chamber 1 which constitutes one side of the flue 2, is carried nearly
to the circumferential edge of the blades or beaters 4, or to the circle described
by their outer edges. The shaft 3 is provided at one end with a belt wheel or
pulley 10, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, through which it receives a rapid rotary motion from
any convenient prime mover, the direction of rotation being indicated by the
arrow. The speed of rotation is such that the material in the bottom of the shell
is thrown upward by the blades or beaters, into the upper part of the shell, and
separated into comparatively small particles or bodies, in which state it may be
effectively acted upon by the air entering the chamber through flue 2.
As the blades or beaters move rapidly past the lower side of flue 2, they induce
an inward flow of air through said flue and consequently through chamber 5,
which is greatly strengthened by an exhaust fan 13, at the rear end of the shell
or chamber 1, and at the top thereof.
As the air enters chamber 1 through flue 2, it is drawn downward by the beaters
or blades and carried beneath the shaft 2, into and through the matters in the
bottom of the chamber, thus being brought into the most intimate contact possible
with the matters under treatment. In this way the air is caused to become laden
and saturated with moisture, and being previously dried and heated, it is in the
best condition for taking up moisture.
The apparatus may of course be made in varying sizes, both as to length and
as to cross section, but it is more especially designed for handling large masses
of material and consequently will ordinarily be of large size, or at least of con-
siderable length, so that the process of drying may be carried en continuously.
In using the apparatus, the matters to be treated are fed into the machine at
the forward end as the machine is viewed in Fig. 1, through a door 14, or by
any common form of feed device, such as a screw conveyor, and is gradually
carried toward the rear end, being fully dried in its passage from end to end of
the apparatus. This of course requires a reasonably long travel; but where this
is impracticable the feed and the delivery may be intermittent, the outlet being
kept closed until the treatment is finished.
The material as it enters the chamber of course contains its greatest percentage
of moisture, and is therefore least liable to injury by heat, hence it is found
expedient to employ a higher temperature in the receiving end of the chamber
and to reduce the temperature as the delivery end is approached. It is for this

page_text: reason that the heating chamber 5 is divided by partitions 11, and that separate
coils and controlling valves 12 are furnished.
It will of course be understood that any convenient form of heating apparatus may
be used, the coils being represented merely as illustrative of a type. In many
situations the exhaust steam from engines will be available for heating the air
preparatory to its use in the chamber 1. In other cases, as where the stock is
not liable to injury thereby, the products of combustion, that is the flames, or the
smoke, gases, &c., from a furnace may be carried directly into the chamber through
the flue 2; or the air may be carried through a flue or chamber surrounded by
the flames and gases.
If desired, the inlet 6 may be controlled by doors or dampers, though this is
found unnecessary, generally speaking.
Owing to the presence of large and heavy bodies, such as bones, sticks, stones
and the like, which are frequently found in garbage, the blades or beaters are
occasionally broken, and under former constructions it has been necessary to
stop the machine, empty it, cut off the heat and enter the casing or shell to repair
or replace the broken blade. The shell is now provided with a series of manholes
or openings 15, having removable doors or covers 16, secured in place by lever
nuts 17, screwing upon threaded stems or bolts 18, or by any equivalent fastening
capable of ready release.
These doors being arranged along the whole length of the shell, above the axis
pf the beater shaft, and close enough together to permit the attendant to reach
all parts of the shaft, it is no longer necessary to empty the shell; but it is
sufficient that the shaft be stopped, and the proper door removed, whereupon the
injured blade may be renewed or repaired without bodily entering the chamber.
The saving in time and labor thus effected is very considerable, and the exceed-
ingly unpleasant task of entering and working within the chamber is avoided.
The form or type of exhausting device here represented by the fan wheel 13,
may be varied at will, that is to say, any common and well known form of exhaust-
ing device may be used.
The machine or apparatus herein described is found to give exceptionally high
efficiency in drying, and is simple, cheap and durable in construction.
The extension of the edge 9 of the side wall downward past the upper edge of
the curved bottom and in close proximity to the beaters, prevents the material
thrown off by the beaters from entering the flue 2, and it also serves to give a
downward initial direction to the inflowing air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a drier, the combination of a chamber, a rotary shaft in the lower part of
said chamber, provided with beaters; an air inlet on the descending side of said
shaft; and a guard covering said inlet and serving to direct the air downward
toward the bottom of the chamber, and to exclude material from the inlet.
2. A drier, consisting of a shell or casing; a rotary beater located in the lower
part of said casing and extending lengthwise thereof; a heating chamber extend-
ing lengthwise of the shell; a flue or passage connecting the heating chamber
and the interior of the shell or casing: and means substantially as described
and shown for controllably heating the air in said chamber.
3. The herein described heater, consisting of a shell or casing 1: a rotary
beater 33, 4, located in the lower part of said casing; means for rapidly rotating
said beater; a heating chamber 5 extending lengthwise of the shell or casing;
a flue 2 connecting the casing and the heating chamber at a point above the axis
of the beater; heat-controlling devices for regulating the temperature in different
portions of the heating chamber; and an exhausting device for withdrawing air
from the shell or casing.
4. In a drier, the combination of a shell or casing; a rotary beater located

page_text: within said casing; an air inlet at one side of the casing; and a shield or guard
extending downward from the upper side of the air inlet to a point near the
periphery of the beater; whereby air drawn in by the beater is directed downward
into the mass of material in the lower part of the casing.
5. In a drier, a shell or casing having upright side walls connected at the top,
and a curved bottom forming a continuation of one side wall but extending out-
ward and upward beyond the lower edge of the other side wall substantially as
shown, whereby an inlet flue is formed, and the lower edge of the side wall is
made to serve as a wall and guard for said flue.
Dated this 12th day of September 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.