USRE1379E - Improvement in grain-driers - Google Patents

Description

COGSWELL & WILLIAMS.

Grain Drier.

Reissued 'Jan, 6. 1863.

' Ezra 02F; 7 W

N PETERS, HmbLiihugnm Wauhington, D. cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADDISON e. WILLIAMS AND MORTIMER o. ooeswnnn, or BUFFALO, 1m.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-DRIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,405, dated February 18, 186.2; lcissue No. 1,379, dated January 6, 1863.

DIv sIoN No. 4..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ADDISON G. VILLIAMS and MORTIMER G. COGSWELL, of the city of Buflalo and State of New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Grain-Driers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a longitudinal section of the drier and a vertical section of a furnace connected therewith. Fig. II is a transverse section of the drier. Fig. III is a vertical section of a furnace and blower in connection with an end elevation of the drier. Fig. IV is a longitudinal elevation of the external case or shell into which the grain is admitted and subjected to a blast of air for drying.

The nature of our invention relates to ar ranging and using distributing air-pipes (one or more) within a stationary case or shell (into which case grain is admitted for drying) in such a manner that the said pipes will revolve within the said case and in the midst of the moving and showering grain.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

A represents a stationary cylindrical case or shell into which the grain is admitted for drying. It is supported upon a suitable frame or foundation, as shown at B. This case is made of metal. Heavy sheet-iron, with suitable supporting-ribs, will answer the purpose, or boiler-iron may be used. It is made With a slit or opening at the top, as shown at a, which runs the whole length of the case, and is for the purpose of allowing the moist ure, evaporation, dust, &c., which rises during the drying process to freely escape. The

. grain to be dried is spouted in through this slit at the head or highest end of the cylinder or case. At the bottom of the case are several valves or doors, as shown at M, for the discharge of the grain when sufficientlydried. When short, portable cases are used, these valves will all be kept closed, so as to retain the grain in the case until su fficiently dry, and then the valves are opened and the grain discharged. VVhen the cases are made fifteen or more feet in length, then the valves will all remain closed, except the one at the lower end, which will remain open, so that the grain may pass out in a continual stream. The grain becomes sufficiently dry in its passage through the case. The case is set upon a slight incline-say, an eighth or quarter of an as will cause the grain to fall in showers through more or less air-space and in order to admit the air into the case while the grain is subjected to the movements described, we have devised what we call a double head, which is represented at 0. This head is so constructed as to form a hollow journal, as shown at D, and an air chamber, as shown at c, and openings from the air-chamber into the case. For convenience of construction, we have made it in two partsviz., the d ome-like disc 0 including the hollow journal D, and the plain circular plate c --these parts being held together by suitable bolts or rivets, or it may be cast as a whole by the ordinary modes of casting. The hollow journal passes through the external case, and has a journal-bearing therein.

The "circular-plate part c has a number of holes made through it in order to admit the air from the air-chamber 0 directly into the case, or distributing air-tubes may be connected with the head, as shown at F, in order the more thoroughly to distribute the air into all parts of the case. The double-head may be used to advantage with or without these distributing air-pipes. If the airpipes are not used, the double head, being constantly revolving, will distribute the air through the cylinder in constantlygyrating currents, and thereby the air will more thoroughly permeate and mix with the grain than if forced in through a stationary aperture; but in practice we prefer to use the distributing air-pipes. The open ends of thesepipes connect with the double head in such. a manner as to receive the air from the air-chamber; while the opposite or closed ends connect with the plain circular plate or head E. There may be twelve or more or less of these pipes, and they are placed parallel with each other and parallel with the case. The diameter of the heads is nearly equal to the inside diameter of the case A, and the tubes or pipes are aboutfour inches in diameter, and are of sufficient length to place the heads a distance apart nearly equal to the length of the case, so that when put into the case the heads, tubes, and buckets will nearly fill the case except the spaces between and revolve freely therein. The pipes are so connected to the heads in respect to their perforations that the blast of air therefrom will be toward the center of the case. 7

if the case should be made fifteen or more feet in length, the double head, with air chamber, should be used at both ends in order to insure the introduction of a sufficient quantity of air to meet the increased demand in consequence of the increased length of the case. When the length is carried to fifteen or more feet, it would be proper to introduce bridges or truss-work to support the air-tubes and buckets between the heads. The head E is a plain circular plate, and is keyed onto the shaft H. The shaft H runs through and connects with the double head, as shown at h, and itprojects through the end of the outside case, as shown at h, for the purpose of attachin g gearing thereto.

At I, Fig. II, is represented a series of buckets of equal length with the tubes, and lying parallel with the tubes, and connected at one end to the double head and at the other end to the plain head E. They may receive additional support from truss work or from braces running up from the central shaft H. These buckets are for the purpose of scooping or dipping up the grain from the bottom of the case.

They revolvein close proximity to theinner circumference of the case, so as to dip up the grain and carry it up until the revolution causes it to slide off and fall down in showers, striking upon the tubes, bounding and falling again to the bottom, to be again picked up by the buckets and showered as before. By

.this means the grain is kept constantly in motion, is stirred up and scattered, and showered in a manner to admit the air at a great degree of heat without scorching. The grain also in the operation becomes scoured and cleaned. The chaff and dust passing up with the evaporation is driven out at the opening a at the top with the escaping air.

At 9 is shown a dome-like projection from the circular plate 0 within the air-chamber, against which the current of air from the hol:

low journal strikes, and is deflected by it to the open ends of the distributing air-tubes;

J represents a furnace for heating the air. This may be of any convenient andwell-known construction. K represents a blower for forcing hot air from the furnace into the double head, and from thence through the distributing air-pipes into the midst of the grain in the external case. We make no claim to either the blower or furnace. L is a pipe which conducts the air from the furnace to the hollowjournal of the double heald. mis a movable sleeve which is used to form and complete the connection between the air-pipeL and hollow journal D. N is a smoke-pipe from the furnace. P represents hinges which connect the two parts of the external case.

Operation The several parts of our improved grain-drier being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, the

grain to be dried is spouted through the external case or shell through the opening at the top, at the upper end of the case, as herein described, and falls upon the pipes and buckets. The revolution of these will keep the grain in constant motion, rising, falling, and showering, as before described, so that heated air at a very high degree may be used. The tubular or hollowjonrnal D will allow the air to pass in while the double head, air-pipes and buckets are in rapid motion, and the airchamber 0, being in connection with the perforated pipes F,will distribute the air in small jets or currents through the perforations, so as to thoroughly mix with and permeate the showering, and dry and cure the same in a very short time, and in the most satisfactory manner. Two, three, or more of these driers may be'connected together in a manner to run the grain from one to the other. When this is done, a blast of cold air may be used in the latter one for cooling the grain immediately after-it is dried. In case. grain becomes heated in the bins, it may be run through the drier, and thereby restored to its original condition.

Oorn, wheat, and other grains should in all cases be run through the driers before being shipped to a foreign market, for it not-only prevents the grain from heating, but it also preserves it and improves its quality.

We claim- In a machine for drying grain, distributing air-pipes, (one or more,) so arranged and used I as to revolve within an external case and in the midst of the moving and showering grain, for the purposes set forth.

ADDISON G. WILLIAMS. MORTIMER O. COGSWELL.

Witnesses:

E. B. FORBUSH, E. OSBORNE.

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