Improvements in Apparatus for Drying, Cooling and otherwise Treating Grain and other Substances.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1899-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1899
QUALLUMINIUIFICATION..
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying, Cooling and otherwise
Treating Grain and other Substances.
I, GEORGE HENRY HESS, Junior, Manufacturer, of La Grange Park, in the
County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, 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; -
The present invention relates more particularly to that class of apparatus in
which grain is first dried and then cooled by subjecting it to the action of a
current of air which, being taken from the atmosphere, is first passed through
the dried grain, whereby the grain is cooled and the air is initially heated, then
passed through a suitable heating apparatus whereby it is heated to the temperature
necessary for drying purposes and then passed through the body of grain which
is to be dried. I am aware that broadly stated it is not new to dry and cool
grain in this manner and I would therefore have it understood that my present
invention resides in the construction of the apparatus by which this work is done.
The objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus which shall effect to the
greatest possible extent a conservation of the energy expended in the drying
and cooling process to the end that the apparatus shall be of maximum efficiency;
to provide an apparatus which may be made of sufficient capacity to satisfactorily
handle, on a commercially successful basis, large quantities of grain, while at
the same time requiring but comparatively little floor space, the latter being a
matter of great importance, especially where ground rents are high; and to provide
an apparatus of such construction that when it is found desirable to do so the
same body of air may be passed successively back and forth, in opposite directions,
through different portions of a body of grain.
To these ends the invention consists in the features of novelty that are herein-
after fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are
made a part of this specification and in which,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus for drying, cooling and otherwise
treating grain or other substances, constructed in accordance with the invention,
the plane of the section being indicated by the line 1-1 Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line 2-2, Figs. 1, 3 and 4.
Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections thereof on the lines 3-3 and 4-4
respectively, Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portion of an apparatus embodying one feature
of the invention in its preferred form, the plane of the section being indicated by
the line 5-5, Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Figs. 6 and 7 are horizontal sections thereof on the lines 6--6 and 7—7,
respectively, Figs. 5, 8 and 9.
Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical sections thereof on the lines 8-8 and 9-9 respectively,
Figs. 5, 6 and 7.
Fig. 10 is a vertical section of a portion of one of the grain racks on a larger
scale.
Fig. 11 is a vertical section of one of the valves and the hopper it controls.

page_text: A represents the side walls of the apparatus. They may be of any desired
material or construction and their dimensions will be determined by the capacity
of the apparatus. As before suggested, it is important to minimize the floor
space occupied by the apparatus and for this reason it is desirable that an apparatus
of large capacity shall differ from one of small capacity in its vertical rather than
in its horizontal dimensions.
At the top of the shell or casing A is a garner B into which the grain to be
treated is delivered and by which the grain is in turn delivered to grain-
racks C, C, C2, C3, any desired number of which may be used. These racks are
disposed in upright position. Preferably they are vertical, but it is not necessary
that they be absolutely so and any arrangement of them which will permit the
grain or other substance being treated to pass freely through them from top to
bottom, by gravity will answer the requirements of the invention, and the words
"vertical" and "upright" are to be understood in that sense. They may be of
any desired construction so long as they have in their sides openings which will
permit the passage of air. Preferably each of them is constructed of a number
of slats or shelves, 1, and uprights, 2, to which the ends of the slats are secured.
The slats of each rack are disposed in two vertical rows or tiers, the slats of each
tier being sloped downward towards the slats of the other tier and arranged to
alternate therewith so that the grain will pass successively from a slat of one tier
to the next slat of the other tier and so on, zigzagging back and forth as it passes
downward through the rack. Each of these slats is of angular cross-section, as
shown, and they are so disposed that the portion of the slat which is above the
angle occupies a position more nearly vertical than the portion which is below
the angle. The advantage of this is that with material of a given thickness,
sheet iron for example, the slat is very much more rigid than it would be were it
formed in a single plane as is customary in racks of this same general character
and furthermore the steep upper half of the slat facilitates the down-
ward movement of the grain when the rack is being emptied. In
order to attach the slats to the uprights, the latter, which are preferably of cast
iron, are provided with flanges, 3, which conform to the cross-section of the slats
as shown more clearly in Fig. 10 each slat being secured at each end to one of
the flanges by a single bolt or rivet, 4.
At the bottom of the racks are gates or valves D, D¹, D² D³, by which the
exits from the racks may be closed and the grain held therein, as shown more
clearly in Fig. 10.
Arranged immediately below the racks, C, C, etc., are similar racks c, c¹, ², c³,
whose exits are provided with valves d, d', d², d', whereby the grain may be held
up in them in the manner described, and below these latter racks is a hopper E into
which the grain is delivered when the valves d, d', etc., are open. It is in the
racks C, C, etc., (hereinafter called the drying racks) that the grain is dried and
it is in the racks c, c', etc., (hereinafter called the cooling. racks) that the grain is
cooled. As shown in the drawings, each of the cooling racks forms a continuation
of one of the drying racks, but by reason of the valves placed at the bottom of
the drying racks the drying and cooling racks are to all intents and purposes
separate structures, and they will be so considered in this specification.
The racks C, Cc, etc., divide the interior of the shell or casing into a
number of upright chambers or trunks F-f, F-f, F-P, F³-f³, Ff*, and
these trunks are divided by horizontal bulk-heads G, G1, G2, G3, G4 into separate
compartments, the upper compartments being lettered F, F¹, etc., and the lower
compartments f, f', etc., H is a chamber disposed at the front ends of the cooling
racks and communicating directly with the alternate chambers f¹, f³, (hereinafter
called supply chambers), at the front ends thereof, and I is a chamber at the
rear ends of the racks, c, cl, etc., communicating directly with the rear ends of
the alternate chambers f, f, and f*, (hereinafter called exhaust chambers) the
rear ends of the chambers f¹ and f being closed by vertical walls ¹ and 3 and
the front ends of the chambers f, f2 and f* being closed by vertical walls h, h² and h⭑.

page_text: by which a current of air is caused to pass through the apparat
in the manner hereinafter described. So far as the broad idea of the inventio
is concerned, is not material what the construction of this device is, nor is
material where it is located, so long as its construction and location are such tha
5 the air will be caused to circulate in the manner described. Preferably, howeve
it has a blast fan, which takes its air from the atmosphere and blows it into th
chamber H, from which it enters the chambers f₁ and f³. These chambers bein
closed at top by the bulk-heads G₁ and G³, respectively, the air entering them i
compelled to pass through the racks c and c into the chambers f and f² and
10 through the racks 2 and 3 into the chambers f2 and f
chambers f, f2 and f4, the tops of which are closed by the bulk-heads G, G2 and G
From the
the air passes into the chamber I in which it is heated by some suitable means
The invention is not limited to the means for heating the air, but preferably I use
a heating coil K which is supplied with steam from any suitable source. The part
15 of the chamber I immediately above and in front of the heating coil K is closed
by a bulk-head L in rear of which is an opening through which the air after
being heated may pass into a chamber M disposed at the rear ends of the
racks C, C, etc. From this chamber the air passes directly into the rear ends of
the alternate chambers F1 and F³, (hereinafter called supply chambers) the front
0 ends of which are closed by vertical walls m¹ and m³. From the chamber FI the
air passes through the rack C into the exhaust chamber F and through the rack C¹
into the exhaust chamber F2, and from the chamber F3 it passes through the
rack C into the exhaust chamber F2 and through the rack C into the exhaust
chamber F. Communication between the rear ends of the chambers F, F2 and F
and the chamber M is cut off by vertical walls m, m² and m³, respectively, and the
front ends of these chambers are in direct communication with the atmosphere.
to the
In the operation of this device the drying chambers are first filled with grain,
the valves at their exits being closed. The blower being set in operation the air
will be caused to circulate through the apparatus in the manner described, and
indicated by the arrows. Being heated in the chamber I and passed through the
grain in the drying racks said grain will be dried. The valves at the exits of
the drying racks are opened and all of the grain is allowed to fall from them
into the cooling racks, the valves at the exits of said cooling racks being closed.
The valves at the exits of the drying racks are then again closed and the drying
racks again filled with grain to be dried. Thereafter the cold air, which is blown
into the apparatus by the fan, will cool the grain in the cooling racks, absorbing
and retaining its heat, after which it will be heated in the chamber
temperature necessary for drying and will pass on through the apparatus in
the manner described. When the grain in the cooling racks is sufficiently cool
the valves at their exits are opened and the grain is delivered into the hopper E.
Each of the racks is divided longitudinally by the uprights 2 into a number of
separate sections and at the bottom of each of these sections is placed a hopper O,
each of which hoppers is under the control of one of the valves already referred to.
As shown more clearly in Fig. 10, each of these valves consists of a sliding cut-off
lisposed in horizontal position opposite the bottom of the hopper and one side of
he hopper is shorter than the other in order to avoid the possibility of the valve's
being obstructed by an accumulataion of grain in front of it as it is being closed.
As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the valves of adjacent racks are connected by
inks, 5, with arms projecting from a rock-shaft, 6, which is journalled in suitable
earings between the racks and is provided at its end, within the chamber H,
ith a lever 7, by which the shaft may be partially rotated.
otated in one direction all of the valves connected with it are withdrawn from
When the shaft is
eir positions opposite the exits of the hoppers O, and when partially rotated in
e opposite direction they are all advanced to closed position, as shown in Fig. 10.
order to avoid the necessity for close fitting and at the same time prevent the
ain from escaping between the sides of the delivery spout of the hopper and
e valve, the latter is provided as shown in Fig. 11, with marginal flanges, 8.

page_text: which project upward a short distance past the bottom of the hopper-spout. The
valve is supported by brackets, 9, having parallel ways, 10, which occupy grooves
formed in the underside of the valve, the brackets being secured to the hopper
by bolts 11. In order to avoid a possible accumulation of grain between the
outside of the hopper and the brackets the latter are provided with openings, as
shown more clearly at the right-hand side of Fig. 11, where the bracket is shown
in section.
In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I have shown an apparatus in which the air for
cooling the grain passes only once through the rack, but preferably the cooling
part of the apparatus is so constructed that the air, will pass at least twice through
the grain in the cooling rack before it reaches the heater. In order to accomplish
this the alternate chambers f¹ and f³ are divided into separate compartments by
horizontal bulk-heads g' and g³, (Fig. 5 &c.), and up to the height of these bulk-
heads all the chambers are closed at back so as to prevent air from passing from
them into the heating chamber I. In addition to this the chamber H terminates
at the level of the bulk-heads and above the level of these bulk-heads the forward
ends of all of the chambers f, f', etc., are closed. With this arrangement the air
will take the course indicated by the arrows, passing twice through one or another
of the racks before reaching the heating chamber.
It will be obvious that the apparatus may be used for other purposes than
drying & cooling grain. For instance it may be used for passing moist air
through the grain for the purpose of softening it, and also for passing steam and
sulphur fumes through the grain for the purpose of bleaching it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
with a suitable shell or housing, of a plurality of "upright" racks disposed
therein and dividing its interior into a plurality of supply and exhaust chambers
or passages disposed upon opposite sides of said racks, respectively, bulk-heads
dividing said chambers or passages horizontally into separate compartments, means
for causing a current of cool air to enter the supply chambers below the bulk-
heads and pass thence through the racks and into the exhaust chambers upon the
opposite sides thereof, means for causing the same current of air to enter the supply
chambers above the bulk-heads and pass thence through the racks and into the
exhaust chambers at the opposite sides thereof, and means for heating the air
after leaving the exhaust chambers below the bulk-heads and before entering the
supply chambers above the bulk-heads, substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination with
a suitable shell or housing, of a plurality of "upright" racks disposed therein and
dividing its interior into a plurality of supply and exhaust chambers or passages
disposed upon opposite sides of the racks, respectively, bulk-heads dividing said
chambers or passages horizontally into separate compartments, valves disposed in
the racks at about the level of the bulk-heads and dividing each rack into a drying
rack and a cooling rack, disposed the one above the other, valves at the bottom
of the cooling racks, means for causing a current of cool air to enter the supply
chamber at the side of each cooling rack, and pass thence through the cooling
racks and into the exhaust chambers at the opposite sides thereof, and means
for causing heated air to enter the supply chamber at one side of each of the drying
racks, and pass thence through the drying racks and into the exhaust chambers
at the opposite sides thereof, substantially as set forth.
3. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
with a suitable shell or housing, of a plurality of "upright" racks disposed therein
and dividing its interior into a plurality of supply and exhaust chambers or
passages, bulk-heads dividing said chambers or passages horizontally into separate

page_text: compartments, valves disposed in the racks at about the level of the bulk-heads and
dividing each rack into a drying rack and a cooling rack, disposed the one above
the other, valves at the bottoms of the cooling racks, means for causing a current
of cool air to enter the supply chamber at the side of each cooling rack and pass
thence through the cooling racks and into the exhaust chambers at the opposite
sides thereof, means for causing the same current of air to pass into the supply
chamber at one side of each of the drying racks and thence through the drying
racks and into the exhaust chambers at the opposite sides thereof, and means for
heating the air after it leaves the exhaust chambers of the cooling racks and before
it enters the supply chambers of the drying racks, substantially as set forth.
4. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
of a plurality of "upright" cooling racks having in their sides openings for the
passage of air, a supply chamber disposed upon one side and an exhaust chamber
disposed upon the opposite side of said racks, a chamber disposed at the ends of
the racks and communicating with the supply chamber, means for discharging a
current of cool air into the chamber last aforesaid, a chamber disposed at the
opposite ends of the racks and communicating with the exhaust chamber, means
for heating the air in the chamber last aforesaid, a drying rack, and means for
causing the air to pass through the material in the drying rack after it is heated
as aforesaid, substantially as set forth.
5. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
with a suitable shell or housing, of a plurality of "upright" racks disposed therein
and dividing its interior into a plurality of supply and exhaust chambers or
passages, bulk-heads dividing said chambers or passages horizontally into separate
compartments, and means for causing a current of air to pass alternately through
one of said compartments and then through the racks, whereby it is compelled to
pass repeatedly through said racks, substantially as set forth.
6. An apparatus for treating grain and other substances, having in combination,
a plurality of "upright" cooling racks disposed side by side, supply and exhaust
chambers disposed upon opposite sides, respectively, of the cooling racks, a chamber
disposed at the ends of the cooling racks and communicating with the exhaust
chambers aforesaid, means for heating the air in the chamber last aforesaid, a
plurality of "upright" drying racks disposed side by side, supply and exhaust
chambers or passages disposed upon opposite sides, respectively, of the drying
racks, and an air chamber disposed at the ends of the drying racks. and com-
municating with the supply chambers last aforesaid and with the air-heating
chamber, substantailly as set forth.
7. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
with a suitable shell or housing, of a plurality of drying and cooling racks having
in their sides openings for the passage of air, the drying racks being disposed above
the cooling racks, said racks being so disposed within the shell or housing as to
divide it into a plurality of vertical passages, horizontal bulk-heads dividing said
passages into a plurality of chambers as F, F1, etc., disposed at the sides of the
drying racks, and a plurality of chambers as f. f, etc., disposed at the sides of
the cooling racks, valves for controlling the exits of the drying racks, valves for
controlling the exits of the cooling racks, a chamber H communicating with the
alternate chambers of the group f, f¹, etc., a chamber I communicating with the
other alternate chambers of the group f, f, etc., and a chamber M communicating
with the chamber I and with the alternate chambers of the group F, F, etc.,
substantially as set forth.
<<
8. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
of an
upright" rack having in its sides openings for the passage of air; and
means for causing a current of air to repeatedly pass through the rack from
side to side thereof first through one portion of the rack in one direction and
then through another portion of the rack in the opposite direction, said means
including a chamber disposed at the side of the rack and spanning the aforesaid
portions thereof, substantially as set forth.

page_text: "
9. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
of an
upright" rack haying in its sides openings for the passage of air, and
means for causing a current of air to repeatedly pass through the rack from
side to side thereof first through one portion of the rack in one direction, and
then through another portion of the rack in the opposite direction, said means
including a chamber disposed at one side of the rack and spanning both of the
aforesaid portions thereof, and two chambers disposed at the other side of the rack
and each spanning one of the aforesaid portions thereof, substantially as set forth.
10. In an apparatus for treating grain and other substances, the combination
of an "upright" rack having in its sides openings for the passage of air, and means
for causing a current of air to repeatedly pass back and forth through the rack, from
side to side thereof in opposite directions, said means including chambers disposed
upon opposite sides of the racks, and bulk-heads arranged in the chambers
alternately so as to divide them up into separate overlapping compartments,
substantially as set forth.
11. In apparatus for treating grain and other substances the combination
of a hopper, a valve for controlling its exit and means for supporting said valve
so that it may slide back and forth across the exit of the hopper, the wall of the
hopper at one side thereof being terminated a short distance above the valve,
substantially as set forth.
12. In apparatus for treating grain and other substances the combination with
a hopper, of a slide-valve having grooves in its underside and brackets secured to
the hopper and having ways occupying the grooves of the valve, substantially
as set forth.
13. The complete apparatus for treating grain and other substances, substantially
as described or illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 or in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and
of the accompanying drawings.
Data thi. Qlat day of January 1800
BOULT & WADE,.
Agents for the Applicant...