US1966405A

US1966405A - Drying machine

Info

Publication number: US1966405A
Application number: US532830A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry L Galson; Harold H Belcher
Original assignee: PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY
Current assignee: PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY; PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY Co
Priority date: 1931-04-25
Filing date: 1931-04-25
Publication date: 1934-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1951-07-10

Description

July 10, 1934. L.GALSON ErAL I 1,966,405

V Danie MACHINE Filed April" 25, 1931 s Sheets-Shet 1 Arr-A A-w- Q I j j .25

Add

WITNESSES 97%? z w- & a n

= July 10, 1934.

Filed Aprii 25, .1931

H. L. GALSON ET AL DRYING MACHINE O O O O O O O O O O O 0 0 O OO O O O O OQO O O 0 0 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 p e I.

- IINVENTOR. WITNESSES 172712 1262180118 122x70 1127 561 7" ATTORNEY.

Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE name MACHINE Application April 25, 1931, Serial No. 582,830

7 Claims.

This invention relates to drying machines of the type adapted to effect elimination of moisture from various materials and embodying a chamher, or a succession of chambers, in which the material treated is subject to a drying medium heated to different temperatures.

object of our invention is to provide an improved machine of the type referred to in which the means operative to effect circulation and re-circulation of the drying medium are so arranged that the bearings thereof are located so as to be practically unafiected by the high temperature of said medium necessary to accomplish efiicient drying.

Another object is to provide a drying machine free of any parts projecting beyond the limits of its body thereby adapting said machine for economical usage in confined spaces or where saving of floor space is desirable.

A further object is the provision of a novel form of drying machine embodying features of 'construction whereby the drying medium can only return to the source of circulation after direct passage through the material treated.

With the stated and other objects in view, the various features whereby our invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a clear understanding of said objects and associated advantages reference is to be had to the following detailed explanation taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a broken longitudinal section of one form of our improved drying machine taken on the plane designated II in Fig. I.

Fig. II is a cross-section looking in the direction of the arrows II-II on Fig. I. Fig. III is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified form of the invention taken on the plane IIIIII of Fig. IV; and,

Fig. IV is a side elevation looking towards the right-hand of Fig. III.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, we have illustrated, by way of typical examples, types of machines conveniently adapted to the drying of cotton stock; the same embodying a succes sion of units, each comprehensively designated 1; and, inasmuch as-they are substantially alike, the following description is mainly confinedv to the singular, in order to avoid repetitive matter, while corresponding reference characters are applied-to all similar parts.

- Each unit enclosure 1 is conveniently, although not essentially, of rectangular cross-section with

opposing walls

2, 3 and a top or roof 4; said enclosure being subdivided by a vertical partition 5 with, in the form of Figs. I and II, a lean-to or inclined upper section 6, which jointly with the wall 3 and top 4 define a drying chamber 7, and with the wall 2 set apart a re-circulatory passage 8 to one side of the machine. The unit enclosure 1, as shown in Figs. I and II, is provided with a hollow frusto-pyramidal thermo-insulated peak 9 over the inclined section 6 I and passage 8, within which is appropriately mounted a scroll-like housing 10 for a vertically-rotating double or single inlet centrifugal fan 11. In the form of Figs. III and IV the peak is dispensed with and the housing 10 located below the roof 4, to one side of the machine, in an obvious manner.

The housing 10 is defined by scroll side plates 12 and has communication into the drying chamber 7 by way .of a discharge opening 13; and with the re-circulating passage 8 by one or more inlet openings 14 concentric with .the axis of rotation of the fan 11.

Means, such as a conveyor 15, carry the material 16 being treated,.cotton stock for example, 89 through the drying chamber 7, or drying chambers when a succession of such units are aligned as shown. The fan 11 of each unit 1 is mounted on a shaft 17 supported by bearings 18, located outside of the insulated peak 9-Fig. I; or in 35 pockets 18'Figs. III and IV--inset from the wall 2, where they are not exposed to the high temperature of the circulated drying medium. Furthermore, the fan 11 of each unit 1 is arranged so that their centers line up, which permits use of either a continuous fan-shaft 17; Fig. I; or axially-aligned coupled shafting, Figs. III and IV, when .serving a succession of units. This arrangement of the fans 11 eliminates external belt or other drives, so commonly used to co-ordinate a succession of fans, ,while it facilitates driving of the seriesfrom a prime mover, not shown, that may be mounted on the top or root" 4 of the unit 1, without projection beyond theconfines of the floor space taken up by said unit.

Longitudinal, or otherwise directed, heater coils or banks 19 are either located above the material 16, as shown; or they may be installed below the upper flight of the conveyor 15; or in the're-cir- 1 culating passage 8, in an obvious manner, without affecting the general arrangement of the dryer.

The vertical partition 5 is provided with an opening 20 through which the'air, for example, passes from the drying chamber 7, into the iecirculating passage 8; while the peak 9 is provided to confine the air circulation within the unit 1, and it is preferably made of insulated panels to prevent excessive escape of heat. To provide access into the drying chamber 7, as well as to the floor thereof for purposes of cleaning out the machine, a number of the side panels 21-Fig. II-may .be made removable or hinged, in an obvious manner.

Admission of fresh air into the machine is effected by way of an aperture '22, Figs. 11 and III,

connecting into the re-circulating passage 8, un-

ber 7 is effected through an outlet 24 under suitable control.

Attention is here directed to the fact that the partition 5 is arranged in such a way' that air delivered from the pressure side of the fan 11 can only return to the suction side thereof after pas sage through the material 16 being dried, subsequent to circulation aboutthe heater coils 19. Stationary guards 25 are, conveniently, provided at both sides of the upper run of the conveyor 15 to not only safeguard the material 16 against falling from, or being blown-oil, said conveyor, but also to aid in causing substantially all of the heated air to be circulated through said material 16 with attendant increased efliciency in the moisture evaporation. Or, the guards 25 may be fitted to and travel with the conveyor 15, as will be apparent to those acquainted with the art.

In addition to the foregoing, our improved drying machine may be provided with an inclined partition 26 located below the upper run of the conveyor 15 to collect any lint or fly, that drops 011 said conveyor, for gravitation either downwardly towards an opening 27, set apart in the full length of the passage 8 by anangled-partition 28--Fig. II, through which such accumulations fall into a collection chamber 29; or such gravitating matter may be directly deposited in the chamber 29, as obvious from Fig. III, for periodic removal by way of a clean-out door or doors 30.

The dryer unit 1 may also be constructed with the fan 11 arranged below the upper flight of the conveyor 15 so as to force the drying medium upwardly through the material 16, and heater coils 19; or said coils may be otherwise located as hereinbefore specified without departure from our invention.

Side baflies 31- are prdvided in proximate relation above the heater coils 19 to direct all of the re-circulating moisture-laden air past said coils for reheating of the air previously cooled by its passage through the material 16, whereby the air driven through the material 16 is maintained.

8 for re-circulation and reheating in the manner hereinbefore set forth; such circulation and re-circulation being conventionally indicated by arrows on the accompanying drawings.

Particular attention is r drawn to the scroll housing 10 for the fan 11 whereby all of the air used for drying purposes is delivered from-its pressure side for efllcient distribution over the heater coils 19, and eflective reheating before forced passage through the material 16; whereby emcient removal of moisture from the latter is considerably enhanced and the drying more expeditiously effected.

It is to be expressly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein shown and described, except as called for by the following claims; while we include within the scope of our invention all reasonable equivalents. For example, we do not limit ourselves to the use of a conveyor 15 for transporting the material 16, as it is self-evident suitable trucks may be employed within the drying chamber 7 without departing essentially from the invention as-set forth.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: g

1. In a drying machine the combination of an enclosure subdivided by a partition to define a treating chamber with a return-flow passage at one side thereof, a scroll-like housing within the. enclosure having inlet communication with said passage and outlet connection into the treating chamber, sustaining means to progress material through the treating chamber, heater me lengthwise of the progressing means in the treating chamber, and a vertically-rotative centrifugal fan in the scroll-housing to circulate air over the heater means and through the material withrean inclined portion to deflne a treating chamber with a return-flow passage to one side thereof, a peak over said passage and inclined partition portion, a scroll-like housing within the peak having inlet communication with said return flow passage and outlet connection into the treating chamber, conveyor means to progress material through the treating chamber with spacedly arranged heater coils lengthwise of one flight of said conveyor means, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing effective to difluse air over the heater coils for pressure-circulation through the material being treated with suction returnflow by way of the passage and peak to the scrollhousing for reheating and re-circulation.

3. The combination in a drying machine ofan enclosure subdivided by a partition embodying an inclined upper portion to define a treating chambet with a return-flow passage to o e side thereof, 1

tion portion, conveyor" means ,toprogress ma- .te'rial through the treating chamber with spacedly arranged heater coils lengthwise of one flight of said conveyor means, guards flanking the conveyor sides to prevent material falling there off as well as aiding tordirect all of the heated air through said "material, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing effective to diffuse air over the heater coils for pressure-circulation through the material being treated with suction 1 return flow by way or" the return-flow passage and peak to the scroll-housing for re-heating and re-circulation.

4, The combination in a drying machine of an enclosure subdivided by a partition embodying an upper inwardly-inclined portion to define a treating chamber with a return-flow passage'to one side thereof, a frusto-pyramidal peak over said passage and inclined partition portion, a

scroll-housing within the'pea-k having inlet communication with said return-flow passage and outlet connection into the treating chamber through the inclined partition portion, conveyor means to progress material through the treating chamber with. super-spaced co-extensive heater coils, guards flanking the conveyor sides to prevent material falling there off while aiding direction of all heated air through said material, baflies associated with the heater coils to entrain all air for flow thereabout, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing effective to diffuse air over the heater coilsfor pressure-circulation through the material-with suction-return by way of the return-flow passage and peak to'the scrollhousing for re-heating and re-circulation.

5. The combination in a drying machine of an enclosure subdivided to define a treating chamber with a return-flow passage to one side thereof and a frusto-pyramidal peak including a scrollhousing having-inlet and outlet communication with said return flow passage and treating chamber respectively, conveyor means to progress material through the treating chamber, heater coils spaced relative to the conveyor means, guards flanking the conveyor sides to prevent'material falling there ofi while aiding directiorfof. all heated air through said material, baflles associated with the heater coils to entrain all air for flow thereabout, a partition intermediate the conveyor flights adapted to gravitate matter falling from the material for discharge out of the treating chamber, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing eflective to difluse air over the heater coils for pressure-circulation through the material with suction-return by way of the return-flow passage and peak to the scrollhousing for reheating and re-circulation.

6. The combination ina drying machine of an enclosure subdivided to define a treating chamber with a return-flow passage to one side thereof and a frusto-pyramidal peak including a scrollhousing having inlet and outlet communication with said return-flow passage and treating chamber respectively, conveyor means-to progress material through the treating chamber, heater coils spaced relative to and co-extensive with the conveyor means, guards flanking the conveyor sides to prevent material falling there of! while aiding direction of all heated air through said material, baflles associated with the heater coils to entrain all air for flow thereabout, a partition intermediate the conveyor flights to direct matter falling from the material during the drying operation for gravitational discharge out of the treating chamber into a collector section set apart in the returnflow passage, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing efiective to diffuse air over the heater coils for pressure-circulation through the material with'suction-return by way of the return-flow passage and peak to the scroll-housing for reheating and re-circulation.

7. The combination in a drying machine of an enclosure subdivided to define a treating charm ber with a return-flow passage to one side thereof and a frusto-pyramidal section over said passage enclosing a scroll-housing haying inlet and outlet communication with said section and treating chamber respectively, conveyor means to progress material through the treating chamber, heater coils super-spaced relative to and co-extensive with the conveyor means, guards flanking the conveyor sides to prevent material falling there off while aiding direction of all heated air through said material, baflles associated with the heater coils to entrain all air for flow thereabout,

an inclined partition intermediate the conveyor flights todirect matter falling from the material during the drying operation for gravitational discharge out of the treating chamber into a collector section, said section being set apart in the lower-portion of the return-flow passage by an angled partition at the same elevation and in spacial parallelism with the lower edge of the inclinedpartition, and a vertically rotative fan in the scroll-housing efliective to diffuse air over the heater coils for pressure-circulation through the material with suction return byway of the passage, Irusto-pyramidal section and scrollhousing to the fan for reheating and re-circulation.

HENRY L. GALSON. HAROLD H. BELQHER.