US3070415A - Drainage systems for processing chambers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1962 R. D. LA PAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING CHAMBERS Filed Oct. 12, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

RAYMOND D. LA PAN ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1962 R. D. LA PAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING CHAMBERS Filed Oct. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INTOR. RAYMOND fiitA PAN BY I ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1962 R. D. LA PAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING CHAMBERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 12, 1959 INVENTOR.

RAYMOND D. LA PAN ATTORNEY Unite States Patent Oflfice 3,070,415 Patented Dec. 25, 1962 3,070,415 DRAINAGE SYSTEMS FUR PRGCESSENG CHAMBERS Raymond B. La Pan, Granitevilie, Mass, assignor to Q. G. dargents Sons Corporation, Graniteville, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Get. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 845,7fl 1d Qlaims. (tCl. 312-229) The present invention relates to drains for use in disposing of free Water in the interiors of and on the exteriors of chambers used in processing various materials.

While the invention is adapted for use wherever free water must be drained from the interior and exterior of a chamber and particularly wherever material is so treated, while it is being conveyed through a chamber, that the disposal of ree moisture either Within the chamber or present as condensate on the exterior thereof is a troublesome problem, it is herein illustrated and discussed primarily with reference to the ordering of tobacco, i.e. the treatment of tobacco to ensure that it has a desired moisture content.

In ordering tobacco, the tobacco is conveyed through a chamber where the air is maintained in a moistureladen state and circulated through the conveyed tobacco. As a result, considerable free water is unavoidably present within and on the outer surface of the chamber. To catch such water, it is the practice to erect the chamber within the confines of a stainless steel pan on the floor and to connect the pan to the drain. Such an arrangement has the serious drawback that, when leakages develop, due to corrosion or otherwise, repairs are diflicult and expensive and usually require that the apparatus be shut down for an objectionably long interval.

The principal objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus in which the drainage of free water is controlled by means that are easily installed and repaired so that the apparatus will not only have a long life, due to more eflicient water drainage, but also can be repaired without any objectionable interference with production.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is at tained by providing apparatus having a chamber in which there is a conveyor for carrying tobacco therethrough, base structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse chamber supporting beams, and a drain which includes a plurality of pans each extending between two beams transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof. The pans include sides marginally joined together over the intermediate beams and supported thereby and have their bottoms disposed to drain towards the center or towards either or both ends thereof. Gutters may be employed to advantage and, where used, there is one extending lengthwise of and under each side wall and supported by the beams and discharging into at least one and usually all of the pans, preferably through traps. It is also preferred that the pans, chamber, and gutters, when used, be attached to the beams in a manner ensuring against the development of leakage.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the pans, gutters, and supporting base structure in accordance with one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the apparatus,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, exploded view, on an increased scale, illustrating the relationship of various parts of the apparatus,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the outfeed end of the apparatus,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the intermediate pans, I

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the end pans,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 8 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 8-8 of FIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating still another embodiment of the invention.

The apparatus illustrated by FIGS. 1-6 has a chamber generally indicated at 15. The chamber 15 includes section defining pairs of supports 16, each of right angular section and in the form of an inverted U. The supports 16 are interconnected to establish sides 17 and 18 and a roof 19. Vertical supports 29 are connected at their upper ends to appropriate ones of the supports 16 relatively near to one edge of the roof 19 and have their lower ends interconnected by a bottom rail 21. Between their ends, the supports 20 are connected to appropriate ones of the supports 16 at the side 17 by braces 22 and at the side 18 by transverse, braced members 23.

The upper course of a conveyor 24 passes through the chamber 15 and is supported by sprockets 25 at each end thereof although only those at the outfeed end of the chamber 15 are shown. As may be seen in FIG, 2, the sprockets 25 have their shaft 26 journalled in bearing brackets 27. The conveyor 24 may be of any type and is shown as having tobacco retaining side Walls 28. Secured to the proximate faces of the supports 20 and the supports 16 in the side 18 are transversely alined flanged members 29 which serve as tracks for the conveyor rollers 39.

Certain of the sections have motor driven blowers 31 mounted between the supports 26 and the supports 16 in the side 17. Each blower 31 has its intake opening into the space below the upper course of the conveyor 24 and its outlet disposed to discharge air against the roof 19 where there are steam heating pipes 32. The heated air passes downwardly through the conveyed tobacco and in certain of the sections there are ordering heads 33 attached to the side 18 and disposed to deliver suitably conditioned moisture transversely of the chamber so that the air circulated by the blowers will have a desired moisture content.

The supports 20 carry a partition 34 between the proximate track member 29 and the braces 22 and they and the supports 16 in the side 18 carry shields 35 extending downwardly towards each other and over the upper edges of the conveyor side walls 28. The shields 35 terminate in flanges 36 overlapping the inner faces of the sidewalls 28 and each shield is provided with a side wall engaging seal 37, preferably brake lining, as has been the accepted practice for many years.

The base for the chamber 15 is generally indicated at 38 and is shown as comprising a plurality of transverse, parallel, chamber supporting beams 39, each having at its ends supporting legs 40 and dimensioned to protrude, to an appreciable extent, beyond each side of the chamber 15. Each beam 39 has a pair of depending mounts 41 located under the supports 20 and the side 18 and secured to the proximate faces thereof are flanged members 42 establishing tracks for the rollers 30 of the lower course of the conveyor 24.

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of inter: mediate drain pans 43 and a pair of end dnain pans 44 are provided. Each such pan is dimensioned to fit between a pair of beams 39 and under both sides of the chamber 15. Both sides 45 of each pan terminate in co-planar flanges 46 which overlie the proximate beams and are dimensioned so that proximate flanges of proximate pans abut and are sealed together as by welding 3 or otherwise. The ends 47 of each pan are shown as appreciably higher than the sides 45 and extend from the extremity of one flange 46 to the corresponding extremity of the other flange 46' thereof. The proximate edges of proximate ends 47 are sealed together as by Welding. The end pans 44 are identical except that the remote side flange of each has an upstanding wall 48.

Gutters 49 extend lengthwise of the chamber 15, one under each side thereof and each receives within it the lower ends of the supports 16 which are anchored to the back gutter wall while the front gutter wall and the ends 47 of the pan are attached to clips 50, one for each beam and secured thereto. By this arrangement, any bolt holes are located well above the bottoms of the gutters.

Each pan is shown as having a drain 51 and each gutter is shown as being provided with drain ports 52 be tween each pair of beams and connected thereto are traps 53 thus to seal both sides of the chamber 15 against the escape of Warm moist air therefrom or the entry of out side air.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 only the vertically disposed supports 16 of the chamber 15 are shown. These have their lower ends secured to the bottom rail 54 anchored to the beams 39 through the drain pans 43, 44-. In this embodiment of the invention, the drain ports 52 are readily accessible when the cover 55 is removed. The cover 55 is shown as having stiffening bends along its outer edge defining a channel 56 to receive the pan ends 47 and a supporting flange 57 closely adjacent the supports 16. The cover 55 is provided with lifters 58.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIG. 9, the vertical supports 16 of the chamber are shown as attached by clips 59 to a bottom rail 60 of L-shaped section and disposed with its vertical wall outermost. Pans, such as the pan 61, are provided and these are similar to the pans previously described and are similarly supported and interconnected over the beams 39 and under the chamber. The pans 61 differ therefrom in that their ends 62 include an outwardly disposed flange 63 terminating in an upwardly disposed lip 64 against the inner surface of which the vertical wall of the rail 60 bears, which wall and the lip 64 being anchored to the beams 39 as by the clips It will thus be appreciated that drains in accordance with the invention are well adapted to meet a wide range of requirements in draining free water from processing chambers.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for use in material processing, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby, and a gutter extending lengthwise of and under each side wall and supported by said beams, each gutter having at least one drain port discharging into at least one of said pans.

2. In apparatus for use in material processing, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported therebyuand ends extending above the pan sides and joined together outside the chamber, and a gutter extending lengthwise of and under each chamber side wall, and supported by said beams and discharging into at least one of said pans.

3. In apparatus for use in material processing, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby, and ends extending above the pan sides and joined together outside the chamber, a gutter extending lengthwise of and under each side wall and attached thereto, each gutter being supported by said beams and discharging into at least one of said pans, and means at each beam locking said gutter and the proximate pan ends thereto, said means including a bracket attached to the beam and connected to the pan ends and proximate gutter above the bottom thereof.

4. In apparatus for use in material processing, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, and a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and extending outwardly under the side walls thereof, the bottoms of said pans being below the upper surface of said beams, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby and ends extending above said sides and joined together outside the chamber.

5. In apparatus for use in material processing, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, and a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and extending outwardly under thg side walls thereof the bottoms of said pans being below the upper surfaces of said beams, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby, and ends extending above said sides and joined together outside the chamber, and means anchoring said joined ends to said beams, each of said means including a bracket attached to the proximate beam and to the outer face of said walls above the plane of the joined sides of said pans.

6. In apparatus for use in processing materials, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and extending outwardly under the side walls thereof the bottoms of said pans being below the upper surfaces of said beams, said pans including sides whose upper edges are disposed as planar flanges marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby.

7. In apparatus for use in processing materials, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and extending outwardly under the side walls thereof, the bottoms of said pans being below the upper surfaces of said beams, said pans including sides whose upper edges are disposed as planar flanges marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby, and ends extending above said sides and from one extremity of one flange to the corresponding extremity of the other flange of each pan.

8. In apparatus for use in processing materials, a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, traverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and extending outwardly under the side walls thereof the bottoms of said pans being below the upper surfaces of said beams, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby, and ends extending above said sides and joined together outside the chamber, and a gutter extending lengthwise of and under each chamber side wall and connected thereto, each gutter being supported by one of said beams, and connected to corresponding ones of said pan ends, said gutter having a discharge port between each beam in communication with a pan.

9. In apparatus for use in material processing a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, and a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby and ends extending above said sides and joined together outside the chamber, said chamber including supports, supporting members extending lengthwise of said pans and in engagement therewith where joined together over said beams, said supports being connected to said supporting members, said pans having drains located near their ends to be accessible between said ends and the sides of said chamber.

10. In apparatus for use in material processing a chamber including side walls, supporting structure including a plurality of spaced, transverse, chamber supporting beams and supporting legs therefor, and a plurality of drain pans extending transversely under the chamber and under the side walls thereof, said pans including sides marginally joined and sealed over intermediate beams and supported thereby and ends extending above said sides and exposed and joined together outside the chamber, said chamber including supports, supporting members extendinglengthwise of said pans and in engagement therewith where joined together over said beams, said supports being connected to said supporting members, said pans having drains located near their ends to be accessible between said ends and the sides of said cham ber, and a cover for the exposed part of each pan supported at its outer edge by the exposed pan end and at its rear edge by said beams, said rear edge being close to but spaced from the proximate side of said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,928 Philips June 15, 1880 1,073,542 Stewart Sept. 16, 1913 1,542,523 Riek June 16, 1925 1,614,296 Hall Jan. 11, 1927 1,929,478 Bunker Oct. 10, 1933 2,163,222 Starr Nov. 8, 1938 2,302,236 Mayne Nov. 17, 1942 2,450,305 Shoemaker Sept. 28, 1948

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