GB366571A - Improved method of and means for curing or drying varnished surfaces on articles of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

Varnished surfaces of articles, or of fabrics or leather, are dried by exposure, at a distance not greater than fourteen inches, to radiation of wave-lengths in the ultra-violet region from quartz mercury vapour lamps. Preferably the distance is approximately five inches. The duration of the treatment is from five to twenty-five minutes, and the varnished articles, fabrics or leather are moved past the bank of lamps on a conveyer. The process is carried out in a chamber, and provision is made for regulating the temperature and humidity of the air therein, for instance by introducing air conditioned as to temperature and moisture content. An arrangement of apparatus shown in Fig. 1, comprises a treating chamber 1 in which is disposed a bank of mercury vapour lamps arranged in staggered formation and extending the whole length of the chamber, an air conditioning chamber 19 provided with an electrical heating device 21 and with humidifying apparatus, a blower 20 to circulate the air, and at the other end of the chamber 1 an apparatus 28 for the recovery of fixed nitrogen evolved by the action taking place. To admit air from outside the system when <PICT:0366571/III/1> <PICT:0366571/III/2> <PICT:0366571/III/3> required, a valve 24 is provided. A blower 30 extracts the air from the chamber 1, and an alternative connection is provided by the valve 32. The varnished hides 4, Fig. 5, are stretched on frames 3 which are carried along by chain conveyers 5 in close proximity to the bank of lamps, one conveyer being located on each side of the bank. The lamps 2, Fig. 2, are supported on movable shelves 13 which are arranged between uprights 12, the shelves and uprights serving to shield the lamps from air currents.