US1172576A

US1172576A - Drying apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US1172576A
Application number: US1466515A
Authority: US
Inventors: George Hillard Benjamin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1915-03-16
Filing date: 1915-03-16
Publication date: 1916-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1933-02-22

Description

G. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

6-. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-16, l9l5- I 1,172,576. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

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G. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1915.

Patented Feb 22,1916

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DRYING APPARATUS.

\ APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

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DRYING ArrAnA'rus.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, Gnoncn HrnLAnD BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York' city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus adapted for drying articles of vegetable, animal and mineral origin.

The object of. my invention is the construction of-a and from which they may be readily removed without involving expensive handling, and when in said device, subjected to the uniform action of large volumes of heated air for the purpose ofremoving moisture, or otherwise acting upon said bodies to produceresults as desired. a

In a former application for patent, to wit, SerialNo. 854,598 filed August 1st, 1914, I have described a drying apparatus consistingof a "series of cells containing trays upon which the materials to be dried are placed, a hot air inlet flue, an outlet flue, and a flue arranged in proximity to the cells provided with a series of dampers which may be moved mechanically to vary the vertical depth of the air currents through the cells.

My present application involves the same general idea, modified in that the cells, instead of being separated,- are combined and arranged to be given a circulatory movement as regards the incoming heatedaxr currents. which air currents, as in my former application, are arranged to' be introduced at different 1 levels at successive periods, through the combined cells.

The particular advantage of the present arrangement over that described in my former application. is that by combining .the cells, the capacity of-the apparatus for a definite floorspace, is increased, is made more efiective, and more rapid drying is brought about owm to the relative movement of the materia and the incomin air currents, and further, in that the mo ified d v c p m t of. the a tomatic feeding-of Speclieation of Letters Patent. Application filed March 18,1915. Serial Ho. 14,665.

only such as standing of struction and their relation") will serve to illustrate my invention,in which: device into which the articles to be dried can be conveniently introduced,

taken on the line II'-.H of Fig.1.

'tion illustratin .in Figs. :1 and'.2.

.VIIIVIII of Fig.7. a

worm gear 7, which ,8, adapted to bedrivenv Patented Feb.-22 1916.

the material to be dried, when such material is in the form of cossettes, grains or granules, as also the automatic discharge of'the' materials from the apparatus, thereby avoiding all'costly handling.

The accompanying drawings, which .are m a sense diagrammatic (as they are not' intended to illustrate all the details of construction of my improved apparatus. but

are necessary'to a clear underthe different features of consection taken on the line -I-I ofFig; 2.-

Fig. 2 is an elevation and vertical section is a vertical section taken :on the line 111- II of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the curvedxline IV-'-IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an 'elevation'and vertical section taken on the line at the left of the figure showing the."discharge scrapers in.--thei r lowest position. Fig. 6 is a side elevation and partialsecthe-mechanism for collectively actuatmg' the scrapers and illustrating the scrapers in the position. which they wouldoccupy to remove a, portion of the material situated upon the disks. Fig.

7 is an'elevatlon and vertical section taken on the line VII--VII'of.Fig. 8 and show:

ing a modificationof the construction shown Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. liand taken on the line Referring first toFigs. 1 to 5' inclusive, 5 indicates a shaft supported in a suitable bearing 6. At the bottom of-the shaft is a coiiperates with, a worm by. any suitable motor 9. Locateduponand shaft so as to'i'otate with it, ,are a series of disks 10. These d sks are formed by means of spokes 11, which at their outer ends support a perforated plate 12. 13-14: represent respectively, the horizontal and vertical members of-an innercasing 15, which is mounted on and is moved with the disks 10. The horizontal portions of this casing are provided with a circular bearin rail-16,

'V-V of 1, the view attached to the which coacts withjthe roller bear ngs .17. t0

support the casing. 1819 represent respectively, horizontal and vertical portions of an exterior casing 20, which surrounds the apparatus.

Located on the outer periphery of the vertical portion 14 of the inner casing 15, are a series of projections 21 which serve to support a series of rings 22. The rings 22, as will hereafter be described, are stationary, and the. projections 21 serve as sup porting bearings for these rin s, the projections 21 moving with the dlsks 10 and inner casing 15.

23 (Fig. 1) indicates aseries of air-deflectors, secured at one end to the vertical wall 19 of the exterior casing 20, and at the other end to the rings 22. The air deflectors 23 are shown as placed at an angle, and have for their purpose to cause the incoming air currents to move forward in a direction opposite to the movement of the disk, the movement of the air current being indicated by a single arrow, and the movementof the disk being indicated by double arrows, as shown in Fig. 1. The air deflectors 23 have fixed positions and are of a vertical height to close the space over the material (indicated at 24, Fig. 2) on the disk 10, but having their bottoms stationed over the disk to permit the material 24 to move under the air deflectors 23.

Situated at one side of the apparatus, is an air inlet duct 25, provided with controlling dampers 26, which may be operated by a rod or other suitable device 27.

28 indicates dampers which are pivoted in vertical walls 29 of the air inlet duct. Connected to these dampers are arms 30, links 31, and a bell crank 32, under control of a link- 33, connected to a crank 34 secured to a shaft 35, on which is a worm gear 36 adapted to be moved by worm 37 on shaft 38 connected to the source of power through pullev 39. By rotating the'shaft 38, dampers 28 will be alternately moved to take certain defined positions, for instance: With-the dampers in the position shown in Fig. 2, air entering theinlet duct passes over all of the disks; with the dampers in the position shown in Fig. 7, at the right, incoming air passes over the upper disk; with the dampers in the position shown at the left of Fig. 7, incoming air passes over four of the disks. The purpose of arranging the dampers as shown, is to change at successive periods, the horizontal movement of the incoming air currents and thus provide for an even distribution of air through the apparatus.

I have not entered into a detailed description of the mechanism for controlling the dampers, as the same has been fully set forth in a prior application filed by me, to

which I have previously referred;

40 indicates an .ir outlet duct. It will be observed that the air inlet duct 25 is situated at one side of the air deflectors 23, and the air outlet duct 40 at the other side. Consequently, the air entering the apparatus will traverse a circuitous path from the air inlet duct, around the apparatus and out of the air outlet duct, as indicated by the single arrows. Situated in the air outlet duct 40 are dampers 41, which may be simultaneously operated by means of suitable levers indicated at 42 (Fig. 1). By reason of the dampers 41, the pressure of air within the apparatus may be varied.

43 indicates adischarge duct shown in Fig. 1 as situated near the air inlet duct, and at the same side as the air'deflectors 23. Mounted on shafts 44 are discharge scrapers 45, which may be actuted by means of arms 46 connected by links 47, and held in any desired position by engagement of a pin 48 with one of a series of holes formed in the link, and a hole formed in the. wall 19. The shafts 44 have their bearings at one end in the vertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20, and at the other end in the rings 22. The scrapers are shown as inclined.

In Fig. 4 the scrapers are shown in their upper or inoperative position; in Fig. 5, at the left of the. drawing, in their operative or discharging position, and in Fig. 6, in a half-way position to scrape off and discharge a layer of definite thickness from the top of the material on the disk 10, it being within the contemplation of my invention to either discharge the material from the disk as'a whole with the discharging scrapersv in the lowest position, or as layers, in which latter case the scrapers are gradually moved down as the successive layers are removed, It will be understood that as the disks rotate in the direction of the double arrows, the material on the disk is brought into contact with the scrapers, passes over the scrapers, and out of the discharge duct 43.

InFig. 3 is shown an apparatus for feeding the material to be dried, on to the disks.

, The device consists of vertical passages 49,

vertical wall 19 and supported at the inner end in a ring 22. When desired, the in clined passages 50 may be .closed by means of a valve 52. Mounted on the exterior of each tube 51 is a movable tube 53'. At the outer end of the tubes 53 is' a gear 54, in

mesh with a gear 55 on a shaft 56, on the opposite end of which is a gear 57 driven by any-suitable source of power. Formed through the body of each of the tubes 53, are helical slots 58. Each stationary tube 51 is provided with a longitudinalslot 59.

the vertical passage 49, the valve 52 being open, will pass through the inclined passages 50 into the tubes 51, being progressively fed into the tubes by the worm 61, to be discharged through the slots 59, progressively across the disk as the helical slot 58' moves over and opens the slot 59. In order to insure an even distribution, provision is made in Fig. 1 for a duplicate feeding apparatus, and for the reason that as the area of the inner periphery of the disk is less than that of the outer periphery of the disk, if a single feeding device were used, more material would be discharged from the inner periphery. of the disk than from the outer periphery, but with the arrangement shown, the delivery is equalized.

64 indicates shafts carrying plates 65, and having bearings respectively in the vertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20 and in the rings 22-. The shafts are provided with arms 66 and a link 67 for moving them. The objectof this device is toprovide, when the device is in the operative position shown at the right of Fig. 4, for leveling the material on the disk 10, as it is delivered thereon.

In treating certain materials, especially those which evolve a large amount of moisture or gases in the drying operation, it is usual to provide means for either drawing off the evolved gases, or injecting highly heated air.

68 indicates pipes arranged horizontally along the outer periphery of the apparatus.

From these pipes 68, lead perforated pipes 69. It will be observed, on reference to Fig. 2, that these pipes are located above the disks 10; consequently, the perforated portion 1 12 of each disk is between two pipes 69, thus each pair of pipes will serve to extract moisture from the top and bottom of the material on the perforated disks, orapply air currents thereto. The pipes 69 are mounted in bearings 70 in the vertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20, and in 'the' rings 22,

the-purpose of which arrangement is to allow ready removal of the pipes 68 and 69.

In-F1g. 1 the pipes are all shown as 10- cated over that fportion of the disk whichis farthest away om the air inlet duct and air outlet duct, and for the reason that the evolutlon of gas or other bodies is greater ,at this point, or conversely, the temperature of the incoming air least effective.

Connected through the pipes 68 through a vertical pipe 71 and valves 72, is awacuair channe um pump 7 3, and an air pressure pump Manifestly a single pump may be used, to be rotated in one direction when used as a vacuum pump, and in the other direction when .used as an air pump.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8 the construction described is the same, with the following exception: The disk is divided into four sections or air chambers, marked for the purpose of reference, A, B, C, D, and each division has an air inlet duct 25 and an air outlet duct 40, the air outlet duct in Figs. 7 and 8 being located at the center of the d sk instead of at the periphery of the disk as in Fig. 1. In each of the air outlet ducts is a damper 411. It will be understood that the air entering through the air inlet duct 25 will pass through the spaces A, B, C, D, respectively, and then out through the air outlet ducts 40, as controlled bythe dampers. In the construction shown in these figures the pipes 69 are placed in each division A, B, C, D. r

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise to the number of pipes 69 as shown in Figs. 1 or 8, or to their exact position, as they may be changed to suit different requirements.

In Fig. 7 the perforated plates 12 are supported at one edge on projections 75 secured to a cylinder 76 8) projecting up from the annular base plate 77, and at the other edge by rings 78 secured to the inner periphery of the exterior casing 20, the plates 12 being provided with rollers 79 which move over the rings 78. The vertical wall of the cylinder 76 is provided with ports,80, through which the air passing over the plates 12 finds entrance into the outlet duct 40.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the

annular base plate 77 ismounted on rollers it will be seen that the leveling plate 65 extends angularly across the active surface of the revolving plates 12, and therefore serves while leveling the material, to move the excess thereof from the center toward the periphery of the plates 12. Whereasin Fig.

I l the leveling plate extends directly across the active surface of the disk 10, or in other.

words, one is disposed tangentially,l while the other is disposed radially. I ,l I

85-86 indicate air deflectors projecting into the air spaces, which have'for their object to divert the current of air inwardly.

I wish it understood that Iv may use any type of" air deflectors, placed respectively alongthe inner and; outer periphery o'ft he &

I wish it also understood that I may place the air deflectors in any position which may be found convenient.

The operation of my device is as follows: The material to be treated is fed onto the disk, the disk being in motion in the direction of the double arrow. As it is fed on, it is leveled and moves toward the incoming air current from the air inlet duct. Manifestly, the air with which the material first comes in contact, is that containing the greatest percentage of moisture, as the material is then approximately opposite the air outlet duct. As the disk moves, the material is gradually brought into contact withwarmer and drier air, until it reaches the air inlet. The material then passes under the air deflector 23, and is again moved through the air current. eration is continued until the required percentage. of moisture has been removed. When this point is reached, the scraper opposite the inlet duct is turned down, and as the disk rotates, a certain portion of the .dried material comes in contact with the scraper and is diverted into the delivery duct; or the scraper being wholly turned down, all of the material is scraped off and v wvhere it is desired to introduce hot air, it

may be delivered through the air delivery pump and pipes 6869.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the specific features of construction herein set forth, as I believe myself to be the first to describe an apparatus consisting of a series of rotating disks on which the material to be dried is placed, "and in which the drying operations are carried on during the time that the material to be dried and the air currents to effect the drying, are moved in opposite directions as regards each other, and where the movements may be continued for the required length of time without changing the material to be dried from the position in which it is originally placed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drier, the combination of a series of horizontally arranged superposed rotatable disks, a casing for said disks, means Wherebyair currents will move over said disks in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said disks, means for feeding material to be treated on to said disks, means for discharging the treated material from said disks, and means for giving mo tion to said disks.

2. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, a series of air deflectors,

This opmeans for feeding material to be treated on to said disks, an air inlet duct, an air outlet duct, means in said air inlet duct for varying the vertical depth of the incoming air currents, means in said air exit duct for v varying the area of the duct,'a discharge duct, adjustable means whereby the material on the disks will be directed to the discharge duct, and means for giving motion to the disks.

3. In a drier,the combination of a series of horizontally arranged superposed rotatable disks, a series of air deflectors arranged to deflect the air forward in a direction opposite to the rotation of the disks, a casing inclosing said disks and defiectors,- an air supply duct, an air exit duct, means for feeding material to be treated onto the disks, means for discharging the treated material from the disks, and means for giving rotary motion to the disks.

4. In a drier, the combination of a series of horizontally arranged superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct, an air exit'duct, means for supplying additional air currents to the space intervening between any two superposed disks, means for feeding material to be treated on to the disks, means for discharging the treated material from the disks, and means for giving rotary motion to the disks.

5 In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed perforated rotatable disks, means whereby air currents will be caused to move over and above said disks in a circular direction, and means whereby air currents will be caused to move through said disks in a perpendicular direction.

6. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing 1nclosing said disks, means for causing air currents to flow over said disks and means for causing said air currents to flow in a horizontal direction and opposite to that of the rotation of the disks, together with means for rotating the disks.

7. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, a plurality of air supply ducts, a plurality of air exit ducts, means for successively varying the vertical depth of the incoming air currents, and means for varying the area of the air exit ducts.

8. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, a casing inclosing said 9. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct communicating with the interior of said casing, means in saidair supply duct for varying the vertical depth of the air current transmitted to the interior of the casing, an air exit duct communicating with the interior of said casing, a damper in said air exit duct, together with means for imparting motion to the disks.

10. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct and an air exit duct communicating with the interior of said casing, a series of air deflectors, one arranged over each of said disks and disposed at an angle whereby the incoming air currents will pass over the surface of the disksbefore leaving the apparatus through the air exit duct, and means for imparting rotary motion to the disks.

11. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct communicating with the interior of said casing, means in said air supply duct for varying the vertical depth of the air current transmitted to the interior of the casing, an air exit duct communicating with the interior of said casing, a damper in said air exit duct, a series of means over each disk for feeding material to the disks and distributing it thereon, a series of means, one over each disk, adapted to direct the treated material from the disk to a discharge duct, a discharge duct communicating with the interior of the casing, together with means for imparting rotary motion to the disks.

12. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, a casing inclosing said rotatable disks, an air supply duct and an air exit duct communicatin with the interior of said casing, means for feeding the material to be treated to the disks, adischarge duct through which the treated material is carried from the disks, a series of air deflectors and a series of scrapers, said scrapers disposed to direct the treated ma- 13. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, a casing inclosing said rotatable disks, an air supply duct and an air exit duct communicating with the interior of said casing, means for supplying an additional air current over a portion of each disk, a series of air deflectors, means for feeding the material to be treated on to the disks, means for discharging the treated material from the disks, a discharge passage common to all the disks, and means for imparting rotary motion to the disks.

14. In a drier, the combination with a series of horizontally rotating disks of means for feeding material on to'the disks, said means comprising a tube having a longitudinal slot at the bottom, a worm conveyer working in said tube, a second tube provided with a helical slot arranged over said first named tube, and means for giving motion tobsaid conveyer and to said second named tu e.

15. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct having a vertical depth corresponding to that of the casing and located at one side of the casing, an air exit duct having the same vertical depth as the casing and placed in juxtaposition to the air inlet duct and at the same side of the casing, means for varying the vertical depth of the incoming air currents, means whereby the incoming air currents will move circularly over the disks from the inlet duct to the exit duct, and means for imparting motion to the disks in a direction opposite to that of theincoming air currents.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HILLARD BENJAMIN.

Witnesses:

HELEN E. KoELscH, HARRY TERHUNE.