IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MALT AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALBERT SCHNELL of Lochbach Burgdorf in the Canton of Berne Switzerland
Doctor of Philosphy do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MALT AND OTHER GRAIN to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in the processes of steeping
germinating and drying malt and other grain, whereby a saving of time and
greater efficiency of treatment are obtained.
And my invention consists in the use of a wheel or cylinder round the periphery
of which are arranged cells of definite and uniform capacity, such wheel being
caused to revolve very slowly in water immersing the lower part of the wheel.
Over the wheel is fitted a hopper divided into sections corresponding with the
number of sets of cells arranged along the wheel or cylinder, and having within it
a measure for regulating the supply to each cell of the required quantity of grain.
Each cell has a hinged lid at the top capable of being raised for admitting grain,
and a slide or valve at the bottom for its discharge, and an aperture closed by a
flap for observing the progress of germination therein. Under the interior of the
wheel or cylinder in its central part is fitted a hopper with partitions for receiving
the grain after germination from each cell, after it has reached its highest position
by the revolution of the said wheel or cylinder, and from the said hopper the grain
is delivered on a carriage to be removed as required.
The wheel or cylinder has imparted to it a very slow motion by means of rollers
on which it rests, such rollers being driven by suitable gearing, or motion may be
imparted to the wheel or cylinder by other suitable means, and it revolves in a
cistern provided with means of supplying water and allowing it to escape, also of
rinsing and cleaning.
During the rotation of the wheel or cylinder, the cells for germination are caused
to pass through water at a temperature of about ten degrees Centigrade as long as
required, after which. the water cistern is emptied by opening an escape valve.
And this process may be repeated if found advisable.
During this germinating operation, the grains swell and increase their bulk, for
which purpose and in order to ensure a thorough shaking up of the grains, the
capacity of the cells is arranged so that the raw material for malting occupies only
one half, and after complete germination only two thirds, of the internal space of
D
C

page_text: the cells. The cleaning of the cells is readily effected by merely allowing the wheel
or cylinder to run empty through the water, when also the cells may be swept with
a broom.
By the constant turning over of the germinating grain within the cells, the
several grains are kept in constant motion and are thereby thoroughly aired and
prevented from clogging together.
By alternately steeping the cells in, and withdrawing them from, the cisterns, a
quicker and more uniform result is obtained than by the use of the ordinary steeping
tubs also the quality and regularity of the growth are improved.
The room in which the operation is conducted may be ventilated and cooled as
required. Also for drying the grain a heating chamber is combined with the wheel
or cylinder, which is enclosed in a chamber into which hot air or steam is conveyed.
At the top and near the bottom of this chamber exhaust pipes are arranged
connected with a ventilator, the upper pipe serving to exhaust the dry air and the
lower pipe to exhaust the moist air as required.
W. SPENCE & SON,
Agents for the Applicant,
8, Quality Court.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALBERT SCENELL of Lochbach Burgdorf in the Canton of Berne Switzerland
Doctor of Philosophy do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MALT AND OTHER GRAIN" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
My Invention has for its object improvements in the processes of steeping
germinating and drying malt and other grain whereby a saving of time and greater
efficiency of treatment are obtained.
And my Invention consists in the use of a wheel or cylinder round the periphery
of which are arranged cells of definite and uniform capacity such wheel being
caused to revolve very slowly in water immersing the lower part of the wheel.
Over the wheel is fitted a hopper divided into sections corresponding with the
number of sets of cells arranged along the wheel or cylinder and having within it a
measure for regulating the supply to each cell of the required quantity of grain.
Each cell has a hinged lid at the top capable of being raised for admitting grain and
a slide or valve at the bottom for its discharge and an aperture closed by a flap for
observing the progress of germination therein. Under the interior of the wheel or
cylinder in its central part is fitted a hopper with partitions for receiving the grain
after germination from each cell after it has reached its highest position by the
revolution of the said wheel or cylinder, and from the said hopper the grain is
delivered on to a carriage to be removed as required.
The wheel or cylinder has imparted to it a very slow motion by means of rollers
on which it rests, such rollers being driven by suitable gearing, or motion may be
imparted to the wheel or cylinder by other suitable means, and it revolves in a
cistern provided with means of supplying water and allowing it to escape, also of
rinsing and cleaning.
During the rotation of the wheel or cylinder the cells for germination are caused
to pass through water at a temperature of about ten degrees centigrade as long
as required, after which the water cistern is emptied by opening an escape valve.
And this process may be repeated if found advisable.
During this germinating operation, the grains swell and increase their bulk, for
which purpose and in order to insure a thorough shaking up of the grains, the
capacity of the cells is arranged so that the raw material for malting. occupies only
one half, and after complete germination only two thirds, of the internal space of
the cells. The cleaning of the cells is readily effected by merely allowing the
wheel or cylinder to run empty through the water, when also the cells may be
swept with a broom.
By the constant turning over of the germinating grain within the cells the
several grains are kept in constant motion and are thereby thoroughly aired and
prevented from clogging together.
By alternately steeping the cells in and withdrawing them from the cisterns,
a quicker and more uniform result is obtained than by the use of the ordinary
steeping tubs also the quality and regularity of the growth are improved.
The room in which the operation is conducted may be ventilated and cooled as
required. Also for drying the grain a heating chamber is combined with the
..J

page_text: wheel or cylinder which is enclosed in a chamber into which hot air or steam is
conveyed. At the top and near the bottom of this chamber exhaust pipes are
arranged connected with a ventilator, the upper pipe serving to exhaust the dry air
and the lower pipe to exhaust the moist air as required.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe
it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying Drawings in which are
represented the parts of apparatus above referred to.
:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus Fig: 2 is end elevation of a part of
the same, and Fig: 3 is an enlarged view of one of the cells detached. In these
several figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the wheel or cylinder, the side walls of which are made of sheet iron or
other suitable material and which by means of a suitable number of partitions h.
are divided into several compartments or cells g. g.
The inside as well as the outside periphery of the cylinder is formed of perforated
iron plates and the cells are closed by slides or flaps made to open either in wards
or outwards as represented and to be worked either by hand or otherwise.
This arrangement admits also of the charging of the cells with the material for
malting and the discharge of the same when finished.
The wheel or cylinder (of which there is any suitable number) is or are
supported on rollers d. d. from which they may receive motion or the wheels A
may be arranged with journals or shafts.
The bearing rollers d. d are mounted on axes which receive motion by means of
suitable gearing.
The separate cells g. g are charged from above through the flaps m. m which
pivot on pins and are each arranged to hold just the quantity required to fill one
cell, or the charge may be otherwise introduced or direct from the silos fixed above
them. Below the discharge flaps m. m. is arranged a funnel o with four
partitions k. k and valves in order to receive the green malt and to direct it into
the carriage p. The floor of the discharge room extends through the whole length
of the building and the carriages p. p are moved along it. The discharge is
effected from the inner periphery by means of the flaps or slides n. n of perforated
metal into malt boxes from which the green malt by any convenient means is
removed by slides, cars or funnels or otherwise.-The spy doors q. q. are arranged
BO as to allow of the progress of germination being observed and controlled.
Suitable galleries and stairs are connected with the malt house for the convenience
of attendants.
•
The apparatus is fitted up in premises the temperature of which ranges from 8 to
10° centigrade, and the wheels or cylinders A dip into water cisterns which are
provided with means for the supply and escape of water as well as for rinsing and
cleaning.
During the rotation of the wheel or cylinder A the germination cells pass through
the cistern containing water of 10° Centigrade as long as may be found convenient,
after which the cistern is emptied by opening the escape valve. The material for
malting may if required be further treated in the same way for a short time.
During the operation the grains swell and increase their bulk by growth, to
meet which and in order to produce a thorough shaking up of the grains the
capacity of the cells is such that the raw material for malting occupies only one
half and after complete germination only two thirds of the space.
The cleaning of the cells is easily performed by simply allowing the apparatus
to run empty through the water, and during such rotation the cells may be swept
with a broom.
By the continual turning over of the growing barley within the cells, the grains
are kept in constant motion and are thereby thoroughly aired and prevented from
clodding.

page_text: The room within which the operation is carried on may by the aid of any known
contrivance of ventilation receive a further supply of fresh air and it may be cooled
by some refrigerating machine or other arrangement.
By the operation of alternately steeping the cells in the cisterns, and withdrawing
them from the same, a quicker and more uniform result is obtained than by the use
of the usual steeping tubs.
By the use of the said invention, the same quantities of barley, which with the
ordinary steeping tubs require 80 hours may be soaked within 50 hours, the cells
alternately remaining about one hour in the water and 2 hours out of it.
Besides this considerable gain of time the development of the plumula during the
growth is going on with remarkable regularity.-If the wheel or cylinder A makes
one revolution within 3 hours, the grain remains half an hour in the water, and
2 hours out of the same, by which means the grain does not become over soaked,
the exosmose process being considerably abated.
The grain during the operation cannot be injured or oversteeped, because during
the whole steeping and germinating process it remains untouched within a cell of
the wheel.
The growth is more uniform, than with any other system; The formation of
long roots is avoided by the constant turning, and the resulting uniform
temperature.
The continuous supply of air by the automatic ventilators secures a constant
and uniform activity in the heart of the grain, and causes the green malt when
finished to retain but little moisture, a matter of great advantage in the subsequent
process of drying.
Independently of the use of the appliances described herein, a previous steeping
operation may be conducted in particular steeping tubs, in which case the water
cisterns may simply be used for moistening the malting material, if required.
The number and size of the wheels or cylinders A may be selected as required,
for keeping up continuous working.
The apparatus is not intended to serve alone for steeping or soaking the malt,
but also for drying the same. For this purpose a heating chamber has been
arranged in connection with the wheel or cylinder, the latter being likewise
enclosed in a chamber. Heat is generated within the heating chamber and hot air
or steam conducted into the large chamber containing the wheel or cylinder. At
the top and near the bottom of the latter chamber exhaust pipes are arranged,
connected with a ventilator: the upper pipe serving to exhaust the dry air and the
lower pipe to exhaust the moist air. If a slower escape of the air from the large
chamber is desired, the slides 8. with handles t. may be opened and the air will
escape through the openings at the top: in this case the drying-kiln will be
working as well.
The wheel or cylinder A is constructed in the following manner,-
Two concentric rings a. and b. of perforated metal are united by angle-irons to
form a cylinder, four of such cylinders arranged side by side form a wheel or
cylinder A as shown in Fig: 2.
The legs c. of the angle-irons rest upon rollers d. arranged on both sides of the
wheel A and mounted upon shafts e, Figures 1 and 2, to which motion is imparted
by a strap for other suitable gearing. The rollers d impart a rotating motion to
the wheel A by friction.
Between the two rings a and b. a number of cells g. are formed but each of the
four cylinders is separated from the adjacent one by a diaphragm h. A funnel or
hopper . with four partitions k. corresponding with the four cells g. of one row is
arranged above the wheel A, and serves to feed to every cell a distinct quantity of
grain determined by a measure l. arranged within the funnel or hopper. Every one
of the cells g. is provided with a lid or flap m. which opens to receive the charge
and then closes the cell. The bottom of every cell is provided with a flap or valve n
serving to discharge the contents downwards into a funnel o. placed below the cells;
from the funnel o. the grains fall into a carriage p. which serves to carry them off.

page_text: A spy-door q. is arranged in the front-face of every cell, to be shut by a sash pulley
or other lock-The lower end of the wheel A dips into a trough or gutter r. filled
with water.
The apparatus is made to work in the following manner,―
From the granary the malt is fed through the funnel or hopper (which
divides the charge into four equal portions) to the cells g. of the wheel A until all
the cells around the wheel are charged: The wheel A revolves slowly making one
revolution in about three hours. The water will enter the cells through the
perforations of the metal of which they are formed as long as they are immersed in
the gutter r, and during the rotation of the wheel the charge of every cell will be
constantly stirred and mixed, but the grains cannot be injured by such stirring.
This operation having been continued through about 50 to 60 hours the water is
drawn off and the grain allowed to grow. The growth may be assisted by a
ventilator which exhausts the cold or heated air from the chamber in which the
wheel is working.
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. The peripherical arrangement of cells upon a wheel or cylinder the lower part
of which dips into water which enters the perforated walls of the cells and soaks
the grains so as to forward their growth and particularly
a. the application of cells for the purpose of treating the grains in small portions
separated from each other to prevent the grains from being injured and to obtain a
perfectly uniform quality of malt.
b. the application of cells for the purpose of keeping the grains by conveniently
slow rotation of the wheel or cylinder for a longer or shorter period steeped in
water and exposed to the action of air and also for the purpose of constantly
stirring the grains during the rotation of the wheel substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
.
2. The arrangement of the wheel or cylinder in a chamber into which heated air
or steam may be conducted and from which the steam or air may be exhausted as
required in order to dry the malt and afterwards torrefy the same substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. The application of the described apparatus for soaking husking washing and
drying or torrefying other grain besides malt.