Today in 1898, US Patent 606586 A was issued, an invention of Jules Alphonse Saladin, for his “Malt Stirrer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

It is my purpose to provide improved mechanism for propelling the turning-over carriage in both directions, for raising and lowering the spiral shovels at the end of each movement of the carriage and before beginning the next movement, and for initiating and terminating those operations of the mechanism which are automatic.

It is my purpose also to improve the construction, arrangement, and operation of the gearing and of those parts which mesh and unmesh the same at different points in the operation of the turning-over mechanism.