GB130714A - Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Drying Vegetables and other Substances or Materials. - Google Patents

Abstract

130,714. Morton, J. H. June 7, 1918. Chambers and buildings; air, controlling circulation and temperature of; heating-fittings.-Vegetable or other material to be dried is placed in trays mounted on trucks which can be run on rails through a long drying-chamber. Air drawn by fans through the apparatus is heated in a compartment at une side of the drying-chamber and passes through flues to an outlet, or may be partly or entirely returned to the heating-compartment. The trucks 1 carrying the trays, which may be separated into sets by partitions 16, are introduced into the chamber through double doors which act as an air lock. The heating-apparatus consists of tubes 10 made in sections and preferably mounted on wheel trucks to facilitate removal. The heating-chamber is separated from the drying-chamber by a well 10<a>, which may be provided with openings 10<b> fitted with flaps. Between the heating and drying chambers is a passage to which access may be obtained through doors 20. In this passage, an air-deflecting screen 12 is suspended. This screen consists of a series of slots 21 threaded on cords so that the distance between them and their inclination may be varied. The apparatus is divided into sections by transverse partitions, and each section is provided with a fan 4. Air enters the conduit 7 placed at the top of the chamber, passes down the passage 8, and enters the heating-chamber by an opening 9. From the heating- chamber, the air passes over the wall 10<a> and, if the flap is open, through the opening 10<b>, through the screen 12 to the drying-trays, and thence to the fan 5, which forces it along the channel 17, 19 communicating with the outlet 19<a>. A counterbalanced flap valve 18 disposed in the channel 17 can be lowered to direct all or part of the air into the heating-chamber. The outlet 19<a> being adjacent to the inlet conduit 7 causes the incoming air to be heated. A screen 15 similar to the screen 12 may be arranged as shown. In a modified construction, the whole of the seetions are supplied with air by a single fan, the various air passages being fitted with valves so that any section can be cut out of action.