US1142465A - Fruit-drier. - Google Patents

Description

J. H. SPRAGUE.

FRUIT DRIER. APPLICATION FlL ED MAY 13- Q914- g a Patentefi June 8,1915.

lniventor I .r 7 a Attorneys ANT . FRUIT-DRIER.

Application filed May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,342.

. To-all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. SPRAGUE, a.

citizen of the United States, residin at- Clarkston, in the county ofAsotin and tate of Washington, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Drier, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in drying cabinets and more particularly to one of that type adapted to dry fruit and allied products.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fruit drying receptacle in which 'the temperature and humidity of the air may be automatically maintained at the requisite points, for the uniform and efficacious drying of articles disposed within the receptacle.

A further object is to provide a cabinet or receptacle including dehydrating, heatingy and drying chambers so that a circulation of air will be set up and maintained thus eliminating to a large degree the necessity of introducing new or fresh air into the cabinet/which will lower the efficiency of the entire apparatus;

With the foregoing and other objects in viewwhich will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and: forming a part thereof, the preferred: embodimentof my invention is illustrated, in which Figure 1 is-a front view in elevation of my improved drying cabinet with portionsthereof removed so as to more clearly disclose its interior construction. Fi 2 is a sectional. view taken on the line 2- of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmental view in section of the drying cabinet with the trays rearthe cabinet.

wardly and upwardly inclined, which tends to improve the circulation of 'air through Fig. 4 is a fragmental view illustrating in section the passage between the dehydrating and drying chambers.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the cabinet includes the side walls S Specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

to the lower extremities of which. isflsecured the bottom 3. A top 4 of relatively less width than the bottom is connected to the upper extremities of the side walls, and all of which unite in supporting the front wall 5. The front wall is provided with thedoor 6 rendering the interior of the cabinet accessible. A rear wall 7 oiirelatively small size extends between the side walls and is connected to the bottom 3. The cabinet, as so constructed will possess the required rigidity and inasmuch as the various parts mentioned are all formed ofwood, the cabinot will be insulated from external temperatures.

Secured to the wooden back 7, which it is to be noted is of relatively small height, is the rear plate 8 of a cooling and condensing hood, which latter includes the front'plate' l0 and the upper cylindrical or arcuate top'9. The hood is formed of relatively thin metal so that the same will be affected by external temperatures and thus maintained at a lower temperature than the remaining portions of the cabinet. A partition 11 extends parallel to and is spaced from the metal back plate 8 and which partition acting in conjunction with the inclined lower partition 12, defines the drying chamber 13, the cooling and condensing chamber 14, hereinafter referred to as the dehydrating chamber and the heating chamber 15. The partitions are formed of Wood or some allied substance having a low coeflicient of thermal conductivity so that the various chambers may be maintained at different temperatures for the successful working of the apparatus.

The drying chamber 13 which is rendered accessible by the door 6, is divided into a plurality of compartments by the transversely extending partitions 16 each of I which partitions and side walls S support angle brackets 20 which hold the trays 19. A plurality of pipes 18 are arranged to form heating coils through which steam or allied heating medium circulatesfthus heating the trays 19 which are supported thereabove If a-cold circulationv of air is desired, the trays 'may be placed horizontally as illustrated in Fig. 2, but a more eflicient action is obtained by sloping the trays ELS IIlHS- trated in Fig. 3. ,v

Thetrays are adapted to contain such fruit or allied material as it is found advisable to subject to a dry heat. The heatingchamber 15a provided with a heating coil 15 which lies directly beneath the partition 12 and heats the air' circulating through the drying chamber which flows in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Heating coils 21 are arranged at the upper extremity of the drying chamber and extend up within the dehydrating chamber and provide for the maintaining of the drying gases at the proper temperature prior to their contact with the cool side walls of the dehydrating chamber.

A fresh air inlet pipe 22 is provided and extends below the partition 12 and is adapted to supply fresh air to the heating chamber 15. The admission of fresh air produces two mutually dependent effects, 6. e. the raising of the humidity of the gases, and the lowering of the temperature. In order to automatically control the humidity and temperature of the cabinet, the thermostatic valve T is provided at the entrance of the air inlet pipe and is positioned within the cabinet so as to be subject to the internal temperatures. A gutter or moisture collecting receptacle 24- extends along the lower portion of the metallic back or plate 8 of the dehydrating chamber and is inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal so that such moisture as is deflected therein will drain to one end. A suitable escape is provided for the water, (not shown) which although allowing for the escapement of water, prevents the ingression of air. However, it is to be understood in this connection that the doors 6 are not air-sealed so that there will be no danger or likelihood of abnormal pressures being produced within the apparatus.

Mention is made of the fact that as illustrated in the drawings, the air flows through the perforations in the pipe 22 during its circulation throughout the apparatus. However, if desired, a smaller size of pipe 22 may be employed, such as illustrated in Fig. t, allowing air to pass into the drying chamber 15 beneath said pipe.

The practical working of the apparatus depends upon the gravity circulation of dissimilarly heated air, which sets up a forced circulation throughout the various chambers and provides for the efficacious drying of such material as may be disposed within the trays 19. The hood which forms the dehydrating chamber extends a distance above the wooden top 4 of the cabinet and is thus exposed to external temperatures which are normally and continuously below the temperatures within the cabinet. This provides that the heated and moisture laden air rising or passing through the drying chamber will suddenly contact with the cooled surface of the hood, with the consequential cooling of the air and precipitation of the moisture. The moisture will collect in the gutter 2i and be led away as described. The rising of the air within the drying chamber and its falling within the dehydrating chamber causes a constant circulation of air to be maintained passing through the heating chamber 15, where it is heated prior to its entrance within the drying chamber, thus entering the same at the proper temperature. As the air passes therethrough, it takes up such moisture as may be present within the articles disposed in the trays, and the various steam coils with which the drying chamber is provided maintain the requisite temperature of the air despite the evaporation of the moisture.

What is claimed is v 1. A drying cabinet comprising a receptacle, a metallic hood connected to the top and rear walls thereof and extending thereabove, a partition extending centrally of the hood, a second partition abutting the first mentioned partition and dividing the said receptacle into communicating drying,

dehydrating, and heating chambers, heating coils disposed within the said drying and heating chambers, and automatic thermal controlled means for admitting fresh air to the receptacle.

2. A. drying cabinet comprising a receptacle including communicating drying, dehydrating, and heating chambers, said dehydrating chamber being defined by a metallic hood, means for conducting away the moisture precipitated upon said hood, heating coils disposed within the said drying and heating chambers, means 'for supporting trays above the said heating coils within the drying chamber, and automatic means for introducing and controlling the introduction of fresh air within the said receptacle.

3. A drying cabinet comprising a receptacle including communicating drying, dehydrating, and heating chambers, said dehydrating chamber being defined by a metallic'hood, means for conducting away the moisture precipitated upon said hood, heating coils disposed within the said dry" ing and heating chambers, means for supporting trays above the said heating coils within the drying chamber, and automatic means for introducing and controlling the introduction of fresh air within the drying chamber.

4. A fruit drier comprising a cabinet,

said cabinet including bottom and side 1 walls, a top of relatively less width than the bottom, a metallic hood U-shaped in cross section connected to'the top and bottom walls, a heat insulating partitien extending vertically through the said hood,

a second partition inciined at an to the horizontal, abutting the first mentioned partition and defining therewith communiill eating heating, drying and dehydrating v chambers, a fresh air inlet pipe located in the niche at the lower extremity of the drying chamber, a thermostatic valve controlling the admission of air through said air inlet pipe, heating coils disposed within the heating and drying chambers, a moisture collecting receptacleadjacent the lower ex-' ing parallel to said metallic wall and divid-- ing said receptacle into communicating drying and dehydrating chambers, heating coils dis osed within said drying chamber, means isposed within the dehydrating chamber adapted to conduct away the moisture precipitated upon the said metallic plate, and automatic thermally controlled means for admitting fresh air to said receptacle.

6. A drying cabinet comprising a receptacle including communicating drying, dehydrating, and heating chambers, one external wall of said dehydrating chamber.

formed of a metallic plate, heating coils disposed within said drying and heating chambers, and thermally controlled automatic means admitting fresh air to the said rece tacle.

. A drying cabinet comprising a receptacle, a metallic hood connected to the top and rear walls thereof and extending thereabove, a partition extending centrally of the hood and formed of material of relatively low conductivity, saidpartition dividing said receptacle into communicating drying and dehydrating compartments, and thermally controlled means for automatically admitting fresh air to the said recep-.

tacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my slgnature in the presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES H. SPRAGUE.

Witnessesz' v I GEORGE G. THIEssEN, JAMES V. LE CLAIR.

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