US35469A - Improvement in drying grain and similar substances - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

D. O. RAND AND M. VVADHAMS, OF PERINTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT- IN DRYING GRAIN AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,469, dated June 3, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, D. G. RAND and M.

' WADHAMS, both of Perintou, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Drying Grain, Gunpowder, and other Similar Substances; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this specification, in which- Figure 1 is'a side elevation of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts in both of the figures.

Our apparatus consists of a hollow cylinder provided with self opening and closing valves for the admission of air, hung upon a horizontal shaft and rotated thereon by the application of any convenient power for the purpose.

A cask or barrel, A, as represented in the drawings, may be hung on a central shaft, B, having journals which run in the bearings or standards 0 G, and provided with apulley, D, for connecting with the driving-power by a band, and is a very convenient form for the construction of our apparatus. Any number of casks may be placed upon the same shaft, with bearings between each, or their length and size may be increased to obtain the required capacity, as may be found to best accommodate the conveniences of space or the purposes requi red. I

We provide one or more openings, 6 e, in the sides of the cylinder, having valves ff, similar to those known as flap-valves, attached on their inside, and so that their hinged side is foremost in relation to the direction in which the cylinder rotates. These valves work'easily, and by their own weight fall when brought to the upper side by the revolution, leaving the aperture 0 partially open to admit air. They close again, however, before the rotation places them below, so as to effectually close the aperture and prevent the grain or other material from escaping.

The material being placed within the cylinder through the valve which is uppermost at the time in quantity sufficient to cover the whole lower part of the vessel, yet not sufficient to prevent its free motion while revolving, the machinery is put in motion and kept up at a rate of speed best adapted to render the process complete and expeditious, which varies somewhat with the weight and kind of material subjected to the operation, and is easily determined by experiments. The effect is to rapidly deprive it of its moisture, acting both by the heat generated by the friction arising from a continual motion and by the free admission of fresh air and its constantadmixture with the material, which is agitated and dispersed by the rotation of the cylinder. The material acted upon has a tendency to follow up the interior of the cylinder in the direction of its rotation, and in falling back from gravitation assists in closing the valve which is lowest at the time, and keeps it shut, thus preventing any waste or loss through the openings. 1

Great economy results from the use of this apparatus, from its small cost originally and the little expense of running it, as well as the limited space it occupies, as compared with the use of artificial heat as employed in kilns, furnaces, and by the application of steam, while it possesses the important advantage of entirely overcoming the risk of fire and explosions. In this sense its adaptation to the drying of gunpowder and its use in grain-mills is important.

In manufacturing gunpowder it effects the glazing and drying at the same time, thus saving the employment of two processes, while dispensing with fire as a drying agent. The ventilating effect may be increased by employing a greater number of openings in the periphery, and by making the shaft B hollow to admit air through it which is discharged through suitable openings into the cylinder.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The employment of a rotating cylinder for containing and keeping in motion the material acted upon, provided with a valve or valves, or their equivalent, acting automatically for the admission of air for ventilating the contents, substantially in the manner and for the D. G. RAND. M. WADHAMS.

Witnesses:

J. FRASER,

M. CANFIELD.

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