8 
BULLETIN 1158, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
every 90°. The admission of the steam was controlled by means of 
valves in each line. Each pipe had a single row of small holes, 1-inch 
spacing between perforations, so that the steam would be equally 
distributed in the tank. The perforations were turned toward the 
bottom of the tank to prevent plugging. 
The tank was equipped with a wooden agitator to break the pota- 
toes into .a mash after the steam blanching and also to thoroughly 
disseminate the malt through the mash during the conversion. The 
agitator shaft, made of oak, was 6 inches square. To this shaft were 
fastened four sets of oak paddles, 33 inches long, with a cross section 
3 J by 6 inches (Fig. 5). The 3^-inch face of the bottom set of pad- 
dles was cut down as a propeller to form a good cutting edge and to 
beat the mash up from the bottom of the tank as the agitator rotated. 
The 3J-inch face of each of the other three sets of paddles was cut 
down into a wedge or V shape, to give the paddles a good cutting edge, 
thereby facilitating the breaking up of the potatoes into the mash. 
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I 
1 
Fig. 4. — Mash tank (exterior). 
