GB2330650A

GB2330650A - Modular drying floor

Info

Publication number: GB2330650A
Application number: GB9823346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Seamus Mckeague
Original assignee: CREAGH CONCRETE PRODUCTS LIMIT
Current assignee: CREAGH CONCRETE PRODUCTS LIMIT
Priority date: 1997-10-24
Filing date: 1998-10-26
Publication date: 1999-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-26
Also published as: GB2330650B; GB9823346D0

Abstract

A drying floor is formed by a plurality of co-planar modular pre-cast slabs (2) laid together. Each slab (2) has an upper face (4) and a lower face (6). A series of parallel lower slots (8) extend upwardly from the lower face (6), and a series of shallower, parallel upper slots (10) extend downwardly from the upper face (4). The upper slots (10) connecting with the lower slots (8) to allow the passage of air therebetween. The slabs 2 are layable directly onto a solid floor with drying air supplied to the lower slots 8 through the side faces of the outermost slabs.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO MODULAR DRYING FLOORS This invention relates to improvements relating to modular drying floors for the drying or ventilating of vegetables, crops. etc.

When storing vegetables and crops such as corn, their moisture content should be kept as low as possible to prevent any fermentation. In addition some vegetables and crops need drying after harvest. Drying floors for doing this are well known. They generally comprise a series of underfloor ducts having venting apertures in the floor, through which air is pumped. Such floors are currently laid in situ. However forming the ducts in situ is not easy, leading to a costly and time consuming process.

Modular drying floors, i.e. a floor made from a series of slabs, are known from e.g. GB 2132744A or EP 682469B1. The former document discloses slabs having one or more rounded ducts, formed by inflatable and collapsible void-formers.

However, the use of such void formers still requires time and effort and the slabs are formed with one duct only. The latter document discloses a floor element having a number of ducts, but the floor elements are designed to be supported on basement walls or basement beams to create a basement space for the source of air. The use of basement walls and beams inherently requires further time and effort to install and to be set up so as to be sufficiently supportive of the floor elements thereabove. A drying floor must be able to support not only the weight of the vegetables or crops, usually at least several tonnes, but also the weight of loading or discharging vehicles.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drying floor formed by a plurality of co-planar modular pre-cast slabs laid together, each slab having an upper face and a lower face, and a series of parallel lower slots extending upwardly from the lower face, and a series of shallower, parallel upper slots extending downwardly from the upper face, the upper slots connecting with the lower slots to allow the passage of air therebetween, and the slabs being layable directly onto a solid floor.

By having slots extending from the outside faces, the slabs of the present invention may be formed directly by casting. Casting is a quick, fast and very simple method of forming slabs. The slabs are layable directly onto a solid floor, avoiding the need for extra supporting walls or beams, as the air for drying or ventilating can be supplied directly into the lower slots from a side passage.

The slabs are preferably made by dry casting in moulds. The lower slots preferably extend substantially through the slab. The slabs may have any suitable number of upper and lower slots, as long as the slab still has sufficient strength to support the intended load, and a tractor, lorry or other suitable loading or discharging vehicle.

The passages between the upper and lower slots form a series of apertures in a tabular form across the slab. The apertures are preferably constrictive compared to the size of the slots, partly to prevent the passage of supported material therethrough, and partly to equalise the air pressure in the lower slots across all connected apertures. The upper and lower slots may be of any suitable size, shape and design, and be similar or different to each other. The size of the apertures may also vary possibly depending upon the intended load to be dried, etc.

Because the slabs of the present invention are designed to be laid directly onto a solid floor, the air is supplied to the lower slots through a passageway extending alongside one end of the lower slots. The lower slots are preferably selectable closeable, such that air is only supplied to those slots above which a load lies, to prevent the otherwise easy or low pressure venting of the air through uncovered slots.

The upper slots preferably include or hold a mesh or other finely apertured material therein or thereon to prevent or retard fine grained particles, eg. corn from falling through the slots.

The slabs are preferably made of a size which is easily manufacturable, transportable and easy to lay, e.g. 12' x 4', or approximately 3950 mm x 1200 mm.

The slabs are designed to be laid in situ according to what ever size of floor is desired. No further fittings or fixtures are required, and the floor is immediately ready for use. By using slabs having a number of lower slots, fewer slabs are needed to make a floor than by using the individual beams in GB 2132744A, decreasing significantly the time and effort needed to lay the floor.

The upper and lower slots may run in parallel or transversely. The drying floor could be used to dry, aerate, refrigerate and/or heat any suitable vegetable, crop or other items such as mushroom compost, generally defined herein as the "load" The present invention extends to a slab as hereinbefore defined for forming a drying floor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a drying floor wherein a plurality of slabs as hereindefined above are laid together.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be describe by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first slab for making a floor according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the slab of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a part cross-sectional side view of the flow of air through a slab in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional front view of a second slab for use with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 show a slab 2 for use with others of its kind for forming a drying floor. Each slab 2 is pre-cast using a dry cast or'pan and mould' system, that is filling a mould, inverting the mould and slab onto a pan, and then removing the mould. This system is very efficient and quick, allowing the slabs 2 to be made quickly and cheaply. A mould for making such a slab can easily be created because the bars needed to form the slots extend inwardly from the outside of the mould, avoiding the need for most costly and more time consuming methods of duct manufacture, e.g. as shown in GB 2 132 744A, which requires inflatable and collapsible void formers.

The slabs 2 of the present invention are preferably made of concrete.

Concrete is cheap to make, easy to mould and form, and when articles made therefrom are cured is strong, non-toxic, easy to clean, and is not brittle.

Each slab 2 has a series of parallel lower slots 8 extending upwardly from the lower face 6, and at right angles thereto a series of parallel shallower upper slots 10 extending downwardly from the upper face 4 of the slab 2. Apertures 12 (Fig. 3) are formed where the upper and lower slots 10,8 intersect. The apertures 12 allow the passage of air between the upper and lower slots 10,8.

The lower slots 8 are of trapezoidal shape in cross-section. Such a shape increases the ease of casting the slab 2. The upper slots 10 are generally also trapezoidal in cross-section. Within the open tops of the upper slots 10, metal meshed strips 1 3 are laid to prevent or retard fine grained crops passing into the apertures 12. The meshed strips 13 are in-laid into the upper slots 10 on shoulders 14 to allow the upper face 4 of the slab 2, and thus the overall drying floor itself, to be wholly or substantially fiat, greatly assisting direct removal of a fine-grained crop by e.g. the bucket of a tractor. The meshed strips 13 also help diffuse egressing air to transverse along the upper slots 4 prior to its passage through the load above.

The slabs 2 can be laid directly onto a solid, flat floor to create the drying floor with the like slots in the slabs forming channels for the passage of air. Many sheds and barns in farms, depots, etc. have solid, flat floors, all or part of which could be used directly. A corner of such a shed could be easily partitioned off by the building of a new parallel side wall, to create a three sided area for a drying floor. The slabs 2 are then laid in the relevant area, and holes are formed along one side wall in alignment with the lower slots 8.

Fig. 3 shows a side air passageway 15, possibly formed as a tunnel with a fan at one end, able to supply air into the lower slots 8. Those slots 8 not having a load 16 thereabove could be manually or automatically closed to prevent unwanted venting of the air directly into the atmosphere from upper slots 10 not covered by a load. Also, if only part of the upper slots are covered by a load, then those parts of the upper slots can be covered. From the lower slots 8, the air passes through the apertures 12 and into the upper slots 10.

Fig. 4 shows a second slab 21 for use in forming a drying floor of the present invention. The lower slots 22 of the slab 21 are arched in cross-section. The upper slots 24 are parallel to the lower slots 22, and have a reversed double cone shape.

The second slab 21 is more suitable for forming a drying floor for mushrooms or the like.

The present invention provides a drying floor which can be formed quickly and easily onto a solid floor, and which can be of any size, shape or design. The slabs could easily be broken to fit part or irregular spaces. The slabs can easily and rapidly be formed by a dry cast process using easily-formable moulds.

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described above and as claimed hereinafter.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A drying floor formed by a plurality of co-planar modular pre-cast slabs laid together, each slab having an upper face and a lower face, and a series of parallel lower slots extending upwardly from the lower face, and a series of shallower, parallel upper slots extending downwardly from the upper face, the upper slots connecting with the lower slots to allow the passage of air therebetween, and the slabs being layable directly onto a solid floor.
2. A drying floor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the slots extend from the outside faces, and the slabs are formed directly by casting from a mouldable material.
3. A drying floor as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower slots extend through the slab and with others of their kind form channels extending along a row of slabs.
4. A drying floor as claimed in Claim 1 ,2 or 3, wherein with the slabs laid directly onto a solid floor, air for drying or ventilating is supplied directly into the lower slots from a side passage.
5. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein each slab is provided with a number of upper and lower slots, the number of slots being determined to as to maintain sufficient strength to support an intended load, and a tractor, lorry or other suitable loading or discharging vehicle.
6. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the communication passages between the upper and lower slots form a series of apertures in a tabular form across the slab.
7. A drying floor as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the apertures are constrictive compared to the size of the slots, partly to prevent the passage of supported material therethrough, and partly to equalise the air pressure in the lower slots across all connected apertures.
8. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the upper and lower slots are of any suitable size, shape and design, and be similar or different to each other.
9. A drying floor as claimed in any one of Claims 6,7 or 8, wherein the size of the apertures varies depending upon the intended load to be dried.
10. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the lower slots are selectable closable, such that air is only supplied to those slots above which a load lies, to prevent the otherwise easy or low pressure venting of the air through uncovered slots.
11. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the upper slots hold a grid of mesh or other finely apertured material therein or thereon to prevent or retard fine grained particles from falling through the slots.
12. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the slabs are made of a size which is easily manufacturable, transportable and easy to lay.
13. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the slabs are designed to be laid in situ according to what ever size of floor is desired.
14. A drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the upper and lower slots run in parallel or transversely to each other.
15. A slab for use with others of its kind in forming a drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.
16. A method of forming a drying floor as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein a plurality of slabs are laid together.
17. A drying floor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.