US1344612A - Apparatus for drying hosiery and the like - Google Patents

Description

F. L. BICKEL.

APPARATUS Foa nnvme HosuERv AND THE me.

APPLICATION FILED MAYS. |9191 Patented June 29, 1920.

W/TNESSES FREDERICK L. BICKEL, OF IVYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING HOSIEBY AND THE LIKE.

Specieetion of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

Application led Hay 81, 1919. Serial No. 300,845.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. BICKEL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Ivyland, in the county of Bucks and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Hosiery and the like, whereof the followin is a specification reference being had to tie accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an apparatus for drying hosiery and the like of the type consisting of a number of fiat hollow forms having the configuration of the articles to be dried, and to the interior of which steam is su plied to furnish the necessary heat.

he invention relates more particularly to a drying apparatus havin the general characteristics above outline and, in which the forms are connected in serial relation, so that the steam is caused to How successively through the forms in its passage through the series. Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced in the operation of such apparatus owing to choking or cloggin caused by the trapping of air and water o? condensation in the constricted circulatory channels of the com aratively thin forms, thereby preventing t e passage of the steam.

It is the purpose of m invention to overcome these difficulties. o this end, I have devised means whereby the steam is restricted to passage in a definite direction through each form so as to establish a sin le avenue of circulation through the series. The invention also comprehends individual means whereb in the event of the clo ging of any of the orms by air and water o condensation, such forms will be temporarily automatically short circuited to permit the passage of the steam to the others of the series, said means being at the same time instrumental in establishin a balanced pressure throughout each of t e clogged forms whereby the condensation is given an opportunity to dissipate, as a result of which, such forms are again automatically rendered operative in the normal manner with relation to the series.

The structure whereby I attain the ends set forth above will be best understood from the descri tion which follows.

In the rawings, Figure I, is an illustration partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of a drying apparatus conveniently embodying my invention.

gig. II, is an end view of one of the forms, an

Fig. III, is a plan sectional view alon the plane of the arrows III-III in Fig.

The forms l, are of the hollow type and for convenience of illustration are herein shown as having the confi ration of half hose. Said forms are subdivided internally by a median partition 2, to afford definite channels for steam circulation. The base lianges 3, of the forms are bolted to the corresponding anges 4, of fittings 5, interposed in serial relation in a horizontal line conduit 6, which is communicative, preferably at the left hand end, with a source of steam supply. These fittings are formed with trap pockets 7, in turn subdivided by vertical transverse baiiles 8, which virtually constitute extensions of the partitions 2, of the forms proper. Said baffles have their lower ends spaced from the bottoms of the traps to afford b passes which are normally water scale as shown. The interiors of the fittings are communicative with the forms throu h the o enings 9 9, and a resilient gas et 10, disposed between the flanges 3, and 4, insures a steam ti ht joint.

The operation of the invention 1s as follows:

The steam enters the conduit 6, at the left and by reason of the normal sealing of the trap 7, is obli ed to turn upwardly into the rst form an follow the course of the arrows at the left of the median portion 2. After rounding about the upper end of said partition, the steam passes downwardly to the right of the same and into the succeeding section of the conduit 6, and thence to the next form iny the series. Any condensation accumulating in the form, drips downwardly by gravity into the trap. Vthen the several traps become filled with water, the overiow is carried olf through the conduit 6, and is discharged with the spent steam at the end of the apparatus. By the construction set forth, it is to be noted that the condensation is separately collected from each form and not carried from 'one form through the succeeding forms before being discharged. In this way clogging of the apparatus is positively prevented in the normal operation of the apparatus.

As steam is initially admitted to the apparatus when cold, the condensation in the forms takes lace so rapidly that they become clogged therebv constituting a temporary barrier to the passage of the steam. When this resistance becomes great enou h to overcome that offered by the water seal 1n the trap, the latter breaks down, thereby permitting the steam to by pass to the opposite side of the baille 8, and into the next section of the conduit 6. As a result of this action, the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm 2, of the clogged form is equalized so that the obstructing condensation is afforded an opportunity to dissipate and find its Way into the trap. As soon as the form is relieved, the trap will re-seal itself and the unit thereafter functioning in the pro er manner. B following this same metho ot' reasoning t roughout the series, it will be seen that the apparatus will, in a compara tively short time, automatically adjust itself to normal conditions of operation.

From the foregoing, it is to he noted that the direction of circulation of the Steam through the individual forms is denitely determined and that the passage of the steam through the apparatus, as a whole, is restricted to a single avenue.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An apparatus for drying hosiery and the 'like consisting of a number of hollow forms arranged in serial relation; means for normally causing a heating medium to circulate over a definite course through each form and in succession through the series, said means, in the event of the clogging ot' any of the forms, having capacity to effect the short circuiting of the clogged forms without interrupting the circulation through the remainder of the series.

2. An apparatus for drying hosiery and the like consisting of a number of hollow forms interposed in serial relation in a steam supply conduit, said forms having ndividual traps for collecting the water of condensation.

3. An apparatus for drying hosiery and the like consisting of a number of hollow forms interposed in serial relation in a steam supply conduit, said forms having iudividual water sealed pockets which normally serve as traps for the water of condensation; but which, in the event of the clogging of any of the associated forms, will permit the steam to by pass and supply the remainder of the system.

4. An apparatus for drying hosiery and the like consisting of a number of hollow forms interposed in serial relation in a steam supply conduit, each of said forms having a median partition whereby the steam is obliged to normally follow a definite circulatory path through the form; a trap for collecting the water of condensation, said trap having a transverse baille forming a continuation of the said median partition of the form, and terminating short of the trap bottom to ail'ord a by )ass which is normally sealed by the water o condensation, but which, in the event of the clogging of the form, permits the passage of the team to supply the remainder of the sysern.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- Vania, this twenty-ei lrhth dav of Mav 191).

FREDE IGK L. BicKEL. lVitnesses JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLER'roN.

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