GB190317975A - Improvements in or relating to the Treatment of Grain for the Production of Malt. - Google Patents

Abstract

17,975. Sleeman, J. Aug. 19. Malting.-An installation for treating grain for the production of malt comprises apparatus for washing, steeping, germinating, withering, and, if desired, drying and curing. References are made to Specifications Nos. 11,804 and 18,412, A.D. 1898, No. 2109, A.D. 1899, and No. 19,846, A.D. 1900. The washing and steeping drums are placed on the top floor, the germinating-drums on the middle, and the withering and drying cases on the lowest floor. Fig. 3 shows a washing and steeping drum. The grain is placed in the perforated cylinder a which rotates in the water tank d, and is fitted with internal lifts or scoops e, and with a perforated pipe f for the introduction of air. The temperature is regulated by the coil of pipes g. The tank d may be entirely closed. The germinating-drums may be constructed as described in either of the Specifications referred to above. Fig. 4 shows a drum, such as described in Specification No. 2109, A.D. 1899, provided with shutters h on the upper parts of the perforated partition b<1> and wall b<4>, so that the perforations above the level of the grains can be closed, and all the air forced to pass through the material. Air for use in germinating &c. is moistened by passage through a casing i, Fig. 5, constructed with baffles k, waterspraying pipes m, and a heating-coil o. Withering, drying, and curing are preferably effected in narrow perforated cases of the kind described in Specification No. 19,846, A.D. 1900. For curing, the cases should be enclosed in impervious casings to enable heated air to permeate the grain instead of forcing large volumes of air through it. When withering, the malt is allowed to rest until it is sufficiently settled, and its temperature sufficiently high. Air is then forced through it to reduce the temperature, and the malt is passed to another withering-case and again allowed to settle, the operations being repeated as often as necessary. Drying is effected by means of dry moderatelyheated air, the temperature being raised as the operation proceeds, and the malt being transferred from one drying-machine to another, when necessary, to loosen the mass, and interchange the layers. In curing, superheated air is used, and the layers of malt are interchanged by transferring the malt from one machine to another.