IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander William Gillman and Samuel Spencer, both
of the Castle Brewery, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander William Gillman
and Samuel Spencer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
1st September 1881.
SPENCER, both of the Castle
County of Surrey. IMPROVE-
<
ALEXANDER WILLIAM GILLMAN and SAMUEL
Brewery, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN DRYING RICE AND OTHER GRAIN
AND MALT."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus employed
in drying rice and other grain and malt.
For this purpose we employ a series of endless aprons of wire work mounted
one above another on rollers, and arranged one in advance of the next at alternate
ends, and alternate aprons are caused to travel in opposite directions, so that the
uppermost apron shall deliver the rice or other grain or malt on to the apron next
below, and so on until it is delivered to a suitable outlet or receiver.
The endless, aprons are enclosed in a chamber which has connected with it at
the lower part thereof a furnace, the heat and products of combustion from which
are caused to pass partly through the endless aprons, and the rice or other grain or
malt thereon, and partly in a current to and fro between the aprons, and finally
out at a flue fixed at one end of the dryer
Guides are fixed along each side of the drying chamber in nearly close contact
with the upper surface of each apron, and somewhat overlapping the same, in order
to prevent the passage of the rice or other grain or malt over the sides or edges of the
aprons on to those below or to the bottom of the dryer, and at the same time to
prevent the direct upward passage of the heat and products of combustion at the

page_text: sides of the aprons. Other similar guides are fixed at the ends of the drying chamber
in connection with alternate ends of the aprons, to prevent the rice or other grain
or malt falling down at such parts, and to cause. some of the heat and products of
combustion to pass to and fro between the aprons before they finally pass out of
the dryer by the flue, thereby causing the moisture given off from the rice or other
grain or malt to pass away as quickly as it is liberated.
The rice or other grain or malt travels from end to end of the machine in an
opposite direction to the current of hot air. We strengthen the aprons with wire
rope, plaited bands, steel bands, or a hinged chain fixed thereto at the edges and
intermediate thereof, and we mount one or more rollers intermediate of the end
rollers of each apron, or fix longitudinal supports under each apron, to prevent
the latter sagging down with the weight of rice or other grain or malt carried
thereby. We mount one end roller of each apron in bearings capable of adjust-
ment by screws. so as to enable the aprons to be kept properly distended.
In order to facilitate construction, adjustment, and repairs of the drying chamber
we form one or both ends or parts thereof removable, and when the drying
chamber is formed of iron we apply thereto a coating of non-conducting material
to prevent the escape of heat therefrom.
The rice or other grain or malt is fed on to the upper apron by a fluted roller
working in a hopper, or by other feed apparatus sei in motion by suitable driving
means, so as to deliver the rice or other grain or malt to the said apron in regulated
quantities.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander William Gillman & Samuel Spencer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st March 1882.
6
ALEXANDER WILLIAM GILLMAN and SAMUEL SPENCER, both of the Castle
Brewery, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the County of Surrey. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN DRYING RICE AND OTHER GRAIN
AND MALT."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus employed
in drying rice and other grain and malt.
For this purpose we employ a series of endless aprons of wire work mounted
one above another on rollers, and arranged one in advance of the next at alternate
ends, and alternate aprons are caused to travel in opposite directions, so that the
uppermost apron shall deliver the rice or other grain or malt on to the apron next
below, and so on until it is delivered to a suitable outlet or receiver.
The endless aprons are enclosed in a chamber which has connected with it at
the lower part thereof a furnace, the heat and product of combustion from which
are caused to pass partly through the endless aprons, and the rice or other grain or
malt thereon, and partly in a current to and fro between the aprons, and finally
out at a flue fixed at one end of the dryer.
Guides are fixed along each side of the drying chamber in nearly close contact
with the upper surface of each apron, and somewhat overlapping the same, in
order to prevent the passage of the rice or other grain or malt over the sides or
edges of the aprons on to those below or to the bottom of the dryer, and at the
same time to prevent the direct upward passage of the heat and products of
combustion at the sides of the aprons.
Other similar guides are fixed at the ends of the drying chamber in connection
with alternate ends of the aprons to prevent the rice or other grain or malt falling
down at such parts, and to cause some of the heat and products of combustion to
pass to and fro between the aprons before they finally pass out of the dryer by the
flue, thereby causing the moisture given off from the rice or other grain or malt to
pass away as quickly as it is liberated. The rice or other grain or malt travels
from end to end of the machine in an opposite direction to the current of hot air.
We strengthen the aprons with wire rope, plaited bands, steel bands, or a hinged
chain fixed thereto at the edges and intermediate thereof, and we mount one or
more rollers intermediate of the end rollers of each apron, or fix longitudinal
supports under each apron to prevent the latter sagging down with the weight of
rice or other grain or malt carried thereby. We mount one end roller of each
apron in bearings capable of adjustment by screws, so as to enable the aprons to
be kept properly distended.
In order to facilitate construction, adjustment, and repairs of the drying chamber,
we form one or both ends or parts thereof removable, and when the drying chamber
is formed of iron we apply thereto a coating of non-conducting material to prevent
the escape of heat therefrom.
The rice or other grain or malt is fed on to the upper apron by a fluted roller
working in a hopper, or by other feed apparatus set in motion by suitable driving
means, so as to deliver the rice or other grain or malt to the said apron in
regulated quantities.
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same.

page_text: DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, Figure 2 is a vertical cross section,
Figure 3 is a partial side elevation, Figure 4 is a plan with part of the top
removed; Figure 5 is a partial end view, and Figures 6 and 7 are respectively an
enlarged vertical section and an end view of parts of our improved means or
apparatus employed in drying rice and other grain and malt.
a, a, are a series of endless aprons of wire work or other suitable material
mounted one above another on rollers b, b, and arranged one in advance of the
next at alternate ends, as shown, and alternate aprons are caused to travel in
opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows shown in full lines, so that the
uppermost apron a shall deliver the rice or other grain or malt to be dried on to
the apron next below, and so on, until it is delivered to a suitable outlet or
outlets c¹ or to a suitable receiver.
The endless aprons a, a, and their supporting and operating rollers b, b, are
enclosed in a chamber c, which has connected with it at the lower part thereof a
furnace d, the heat and products of combustion from which are caused to pass
partly through the endless aprons and the rice or other grain or malt thereon, and
partly in a current to and fro between the aprons, as indicated by the dotted
arrows, and finally out at a flue e fixed at one end of the dryer.
Guides are fixed along each side of the drying chamber c in nearly close
contact with the upper surface of cach apron a, and somewhat overlapping the
same, in order to prevent the passage of the rice or other grain or malt over the
sides or edges of the aprons on to those below or to the bottom of the dryer, and
at the same time to prevent the direct upward passage of the heat and products of
combustion at the sides of the aprons.
Other similar guides are fixed at the ends of the drying chamber in connection
with alternate ends of the aprons a, a, to prevent the rice or other grain or malt
falling down at such parts, and to cause some of the heat and products of com-
bustion to pass to and fro between the aprons a, a, before they finally pass out of
the dryer by the flue e, thereby causing the moisture given off from the rice or
other grain or malt to pass away as quickly as it is liberated.
The rice or other grain or malt is caused by the aprons a, a, to travel from end
10 end of the machine in an opposite direction to the current of hot air as
indicated.
We strengthen the aprons a, a, with wire rope plaited or woven bands, steel
bands, or a hinged or other chain fixed thereto at the edges and intermediate
thereof, as will be readily understood, and we mount a number of rollers / inter-
mediate of the end rollers of each apron, or fix longitudinal supports under each
apron to prevent the latter sagging down with the weight of rice or other grain
or malt carried thereby. If desired, the endless aprons a may be formed of hinged
perforated metal plates.
We mount one end roller b of each apron a in bearings i, capable of adjustment
by screws, so as to enable the aprons a to be kept properly distended.
The rollers a. a, have each fixed thereon a toothed wheel, which toothed
wheels gear together so as to cause all the aprons a, a, to travel at the same
speed and alternate aprons in opposite directions to those intermediate thereof,
and motion is given to the rollers b by means of worm wheels fixed on one pair
of such rollers band receiving motion from worms m' fixed on a shaft m, which
receives rotary motion in the manner shown or by any convenient means.
The rice or other grain or malt is fed on to the upper apron a by a fluted or
chambered rollern working at the bottom of a hopper o, and receiving rotary
motion by toothed wheels n¹ and p or by other suitable means; or other suitable
feed apparatus may be employed so as to deliver the rice or other grain or malt to
the said apron a in regulated quantities.
In order to facilitate construction, adjustment, and repairs of the drying

page_text: chamber and apparatus enclosed therein, we form one or both ends or parts thereof
removable, as shown at Figure 5, where the end is formed of iron plates q fixed in
position by bolts and nuts : or, if desired, such plates may be mounted on hinges
and he fixed in position by any suitable fastening means capable of being quickly
operated; we also prefer to form the top of the drying chamber removeable in a
similar manner, and when the drying chamber is either partially or entirely formed
of iron we apply to such iron a coating of non-conducting material to prevent the
escape of heat therefrom.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do not claim
generally the employment of endless aprons in drying apparatus, but what we do
claim is, First. The peculiar arrangement and combination of parts, substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Second. The employment in combination with a series of endless aprons, enclosed
in a drying chamber, of a furnace, the heat and products of combustion from which
are caused to travel through the said chamber, and between and amongst the said
endless aprons in directions contrary to that of the rice or other grain or malt to be
dried, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Spencer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
SAM SPENCER. (L.S.)