US46950A - Improvement in cooling, drying, and ventilating granaries and other buildings - Google Patents

Description

' to another part.

UNiTnD STATES since DANIEL E. SOMES, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COOLING, DRYING, AND VENTILATING GRANARIES AND OTHER BUILDINGS.

Specification lbrining part of Letters Patent No. 416,950, dated March 21,1865.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, DANIEL E. SoMns, of the city of lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have made a new and useful improvement in cooling, drying, and ventilating granaries, store-houses, and other buildings in which wheat, Indian corn, oats, rice, barley, and other breadstuffs are to be kept and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification.

The nature of this invention consists in constructing buildin gs for storing grain and other like substances in such a manner that they may be cooled, dried, and ventilated throughout, and so that the substances stored in them shall be preserved in sound condition without the necessity of removing or handling them.

It is well known that grain cannot be stored in bulk without great danger of being spoiled or injured by heating, mold, fermentation, the `development of insects, and other inj urious effects which arise from keeping a mass of grain in a closed apartment. To avoid the danger of-spoiling as much as possible, it is usual to dry the grain in stoves, ovens, graindriers, and `the like 5 also to handle the grain by moving it from one partI of the building These operations are expensive, and are not always successful, especially il' it is necessary to keep the grain in store for a long time. Besides, it is difficult to dry grain by means of kilns, furnaces, and the like without injuring it to some exten t.

The object of my invention is to construct granaries or buildings'in which grain is to be stored so that the grain may at all times and at any time be cooled, dried, and ventilated, so that the grain may be left for any desirable length of time in store without danger of spoiling, and without the necessity of handling or removing it.

The following description will enable others to construct and use my invention.

The walls, roof, and iloor of the building, and also of the separate apartments or bins, may be constructed. in the manner usual in this class of buildings; or they may be made multiple,with spaces between for air or other non-conducting material, as fully set forth in the specilication of my patent for improvements in se-` curing a uniform temperature in packing,- houses, &c., dated September 13, 18S/l. The arrangement of the bins and apartments in their general features may also conform to the plans usual in the best constructed granaries, and should contain the devices and machinery suitable for introducing and removing the grain in the best manner. These, however, it is not necessary to specify, as my invention relates only to the processes and devices necessary for cooling, drying, and Ventilating the several apartments, so as to preserve their contents.

In this improvement I employ the saine agencies for obtaining cool and dry air as described in the several patents granted to me February 2S, 1865, to which I refer for additional explanation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows one mode of applying myinvcntion to a granary. A A" A2 are the bins for containing` grain. B represents an apartment for cooling air by means of the low and uniform temperature u which always exists at certain depths below the earths surface, as fully explained in my patent No. The pipe p brings a current of cooled water from subterranean coolers. As it passes through the pipe or coil m, it cools the air in chamber B. The fan F or other equivalent device for driving air forces the cold air through the pipes S in the several apartments or bins A A', Ste. 'lhese pipes pass lin through the mass of grain in the bins, and by means of perforations, as shown, distribute the cold air through the gra/in. As the air is cooled in the separate apartment B, the moisture precipitated by the cooling will collect on the pipes or channels m and on the walls of the apartment- B, so that the air which enters the grain will be both dry and cool. rlhe body ofthe grain could be cooled by having the pipes mpass through the bins or in their walls; but to prevent the deposition of moisture the pipes should be surrounded by a perforated casing or jacket, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the moisture will be deposited between the casing and the pipes. Instead of having the air enter the grain in the bins by pipes S, the bins may be constructed as shown at A2. The bin is made with a perforated lining, leaving a space, S,

which is,l connected with the air-blowing apparatus. l If it is desirable to cool the air still further, i`t may be compressed in the chamber 3. Theiirst eil'ect of compression is to raise I the temperature; but it will soon be cooled by a betterl, mode of constructing a granary with my improvements. B is a chamber containf ing pipes in, connected with the subterranean cooler M. The air, partially cooled in B, is forced through the pipe l and subterranean coil-v N,where it is still further cooled, and then passed through the pipes S or other equivalent device into and through the bins. It' desired, the chamber B may be omitted, and the air forced directly into the reservoirs, channels, or pipes N, and then passed into the bins. By compressing the air in it and then permitting` it to expand as it enters the bins it will be both cooled and dried.

Fig. 4 shows some modifications of the arrangement shown in Figsl and 2. rlhe cham ber B contains the cold-water pipes M, and is opened at the top, so as to permit the free entry of the air. It may be surmounted by a hood or cowl. As the air is cooled, it sinks through the pipe l or it may be forced through these pipes by any suitable air-blowing apparatus, and may, when it is desired to obtain a very low temperature, be compressed in the coil N. As it is cooled, moisture will be deposited, and a suitable tank, T, should be provided to receive the water which collects in the pipes N. To remove ,this water, a pump, R, or other equivalent device may be used. Similar arrangements should be provided with all the cooling apparatus, so as to remove the moisture deposited.

The principle of compressing air and cooling it while compressed, and then permitting it to expand, is onethat may be applied in many different ways and with great advantage in cooling and preserving grain, for by this process the air is thoroughly dried and cooled. A convenient mode of applying it is to have a strong reservoir in the ground,or in such position that it may be readily cooled. By any suitable air-forcing apparatus air is to be forced into this reservoir and permitted to remain there till it acquires the temperature of the reservoir, and then let it expand and be conducted into the bins or apartments to be cooled.

For driving and compressing air any suitable source of power may be used. In large establishments a steam-en gine or horse-power will generally be the most convenient; but in some situations the Wind may be conveniently employed as the motive power, either by the aid of a windmill or by the force of the wind against a hood or cowl upon the top of the building, so as to force a current ot' air through the air passages and spaces.

The air-pipes l in Fig. 2, instead of' passing through the earth, as shown at N, may be conducted through the ordinary water-pipes as usually laid in cities.

By whatever-means the cooling is eiected, moisture or water will usually be deposited. rIherefore it is always important to make suitable gutters or pipes to carry off the deposited water, so as to prevent its wetting the grain. Other modes of cooling the air may be employed, such as ice, freezing-mixtures, Src.

The process above described for cooling and drying the air, and for Ventilating granaries will, in nearly all cases, be sufficient to keep grain from being injured. The temperature may easily be kept so low as to prevent both insect and fungus growth of every kind. If, however, it is desired to still further dry grain for any purpose, a system of hot-air pipes of the usual construction may be connected so as to alternate with or take the place of the cold-air system above explained. The air may also be dried by passing it over or through hygrometric or absorbent substances.

Having thus explained my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit 1ny self to the particular arrangement of devices shown in the drawings, since these may be greatly varied Without departing from the principle of my invention.

rlhe essential features of my invention are, rst, constructing the bins or apartments for containing grain with flues, air-passages, or equivalent devices for distributing air in, around, and through the grain, so as to have a thorough and easily-controlled ventilation of the grain at all times; second, connecting with the Ventilating devices suitable means for cooling and drying the air to be used in the ventilation of granaries.

' Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Constructing granaries and similar buildings with bins or apartments containing airpassages, flues, or channels so as to furnish means for cooling and Ventilating them, substantially as set forth.

2. Cooling and Ventilating granaries or buildings for storing grain by means of air compressed and dried, substantially as herein set forth and described.

3. Cooling the air for Ventilating granaries by means of subterranean coolers, as set forth and described.

4. In combination with devices for cooling and introducing air into granaries, suitable channels for carrying olf any moisture that i may be deposited, so as to prevent its coming 7. Constructing bins or apartments for grain, in contact With the grain. or other materials liable to be injured by being 5. Drying air to be used in Ventilating kept in a close chamber, with a system of coolgranaries by means of hygrometric or absorbing and Ventilating devices, substantially as ent materials, as set forth. herein set forth and described.

6. In combination with multiple Walls, any D. E. SOMES. or all of the devices herein described for eool- Witnesses: ing and Ventilating granaries and other silni- J. K. SOMES,

lar buildings. F. C. SOMES.

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