US535982A - emerson - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. V. L. EMERSON.

LUMBER DRIER. I I No. 535,982. Patented Mar. 19; 1895.

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Patented Mar; 19, 1895.

W i-Zness e-S THE uonms PETERS co. marom' UNITE STATES 'ATENT FFIcE.

VICTOR L. EMERSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ANNETTE E. EMERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

LUMBER-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,982, dated March 19, 1895.

' Application filed June 20, m4. Serial No. 515,112. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Kilns; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descripj tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referf ence marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a new and improved dry kiln, whereby the heated air is not cooled or discharged from the kiln room until it .becomes fully saturated with moisture.

This invention relates to animproved form of drying kiln designed particularly for drying lumber but useful in drying any other material by heated air, and the object of the invention is to construct a simple, durable and inexpensive kiln which will be efiective in operation, economical of heat, and wherein sufficient moisture (derived from the substance or material being dried), will be automatically retained during the initial stages to keep the exposed surfaces of such sub stance or material from becoming too dry, and to maintain such surfaces in the best condition until the internal moisture therein has been extracted. t

In my improved kiln the operation is such that the heated air is first retained and caused to circulate in a natural way through the material being dried until the latter reaches a desired high temperature, density and humidity, its higher temperature increasing its capacity to absorb moisture, its greater density insuring its more equal and thorough dissemination throughout the lumber or other material that is being dried, and its humidity preventing the hardening of the exterior surfaces of the lumber before the interior parts thereof become dry.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,iwhich, with the letters of reference marked thereon form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1, isa vertical transverse section of my improved form of kiln. Fig. 2, is a like viewof a similar but less expensive kiln.-

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings, A, A represent inlets for cold air; B. B.,air passage; 0.,opening to radiators Be it known that I, VICTOR L. EMnRsoN, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inand dryingchamber; D, radiators; E. E. E. E, iron tracks for supporting cars; F. F, trucks forsupporting material; G. G, material being dried; H/H. H; parts of the structure acting as deflectors for directing the current of heated air'horizontally through the material.

I is a perforated floor or walk way.

J. J, arecovers and walk ways for directing air through radiators.

K. K, are spaces between walls of building and the material being dried.

L. L, are receivers or separators out of line of upward current in which the heavier portions of saturated air settle.

M. M, is space for the heated portions of air to become separated and draft upward.

N, is the point where the heated air cushions and forms a return current.

O. O, isthe heavier portions of saturated air forming into aneddy and separating.

P. P, are ducts or siphons leading downward, carrying the moisture that has been separated by gravitation, and discharging it into the atmosphere.

Q Q, are adjustable covers at outlets of siphons;

R. R, are walls of building packed with non conducting material. 1

S. S, are inner wallsof building. 7

T. T, are ducts or siphons leading downward from drying room, into cold air chamber at U.

V. V, is a floor above air passage.

W. W, are walls to ducts or siphons.

X. X, is distributing chamber beneath radiators.

Y.-Y, are landings at each side of kiln building, and connected toframe of kiln structure and firmly braces it.

2. z, is earth.

a. a, is dry heated air denoted 'by arrows.

b. b, is partially saturated air; 0. c, heated air that has not become fully saturated, and being retained in kiln. e p

In the operation of the kiln I prefer the drying chamber arranged to receive two lines of cars, with material piled on them lengthwise the dryingchainber, having a space (1, between the two lines of material G. G, and spaces K.

K, between the material and the walls of the building S. S, so that the strips used to separate the material, will not interfere with the side circulation of heated air from space (1, to outlet or space E. B, and that the heated air a. a, will come in contact with material to be dried, before it is cooled or comes in contact with the building walls,

When the drying chamber is charged with material as shown, both ends of the chamber are closed with suitable doors. Cold air enters at A. A., and travels through channels B. B, and enters opening in floor V. V, at G, into chamber X. X, where it is distributed to radiators D. D, and heated, passing upward into space (1, between cars of material, and through openings between the edges of material'G. G. There being greater space at d, and less resistance, the heated air a. a, coming in contact with deflectors H. H. H, is deflected horizontally and vertically through the material G. G, bringing the heated air in contact with every part of the material, where it absorbs moisture from the material; is increased in weight, becomes cool and is discharged into space K. K, where it flows rapidly downward into ducts or siphons T. where it is met by a current of incoming cold air at U. U, where the particles of moisture being held in suspension by the air is condensed on the ground as it passes along channel B. B. This partially heats the cold air where the two mingle together and they enter through floor at C, are distributed to the radiators and pass through the material. This action is continuous until the material G. G, becomes so heated that the heated air in passing through, remains sufficiently rarefied to ascend, and carry with it in suspension the moisture which it has ab sorbed. Then all action of the lower siphons T. T, ceases, and the heated and partially saturated air I). b. will then flow upward through channels K. K, where it is met above the material G. G, by a heated current 0. c, which causes the upward current of partially saturated air to pass into receiver or separator L. L, and out of the line of the current, where it forms into a revolving eddy, and the heavier portions of saturated air 0. O, are siphoned down ducts or siphons P. P, and pass from their lower ends into the atmosphere, in the form of mist or dew, while the heated poi" tions which are not fully saturated, owing to their difference in gravity, become separated, and move upward, circulating along under the roof, until they reach N, where they are protected from the upward current, and being somewhat cooled in their circuit, flow downward, and again intersect the partially saturated current from the material.

It will be seen, that owing to the size of the receiver or separating chamber L. L, which is located out of the line of upward current, the velocity of the current is greatly reduced at that point, which allows the heavier portions of the interior atmosphere to settle downward and become separated, and siphoned out without wasting heat that is not saturated,

while it these were diminished in size, so that the current would have the same velocity, as in the upward channels, the heated air would not become so thoroughly separated and a large amount of unsaturated heat would be forced out by the current.

The amount of air that enters the kiln from the outer atmosphere is regulated automatically, and requires no attention, and becomes evenly distributed to the radiators D, and they will not receive air in excess of what is carried off in saturation.

It will be seen that after the air passes through the radiators and is heated, it passes upward, through the material and into the space or receiver d, where it is pocketed by cover or deflector H, over said space or receiver and the upward current of hot air from the radiators forces it through the material, in a transverse direction, partially saturating it with moisture and after passing through material and up through the spaces K. K, it is caught in the eddy or opposing currents above the material, and carried into the receivers or separators L. L, above the material, until it becomes so thoroughly saturated with moisture, that it will fall by gravitation through the siphons or ducts and pass into the atmosphere, and the lighter unsaturated portions of the heated air will not follow it downward, and are not wasted. The fully saturated air forms a siphon for the heavy satu rated air in space or separator L. L, and also that in the kiln, and causes a rapid circulation, in the drying room.

It will be seen that no moisture or heated air will escape from kiln through separator or space L. L, or siphons, P. P, until the material becomes snfficiently heated as to allow the heated air from below to remain sutli-- ciently rarefied as to force-the moisture and heavily saturated air up to the level of the top of the material, or thereabout, holding it in suspension until it passes into the receiver or separator L. L, and for the purpose of handling the moisture, and controlling the circulation in the kiln until the temperature of the material is raised to the proper degree as named above, I construct channels or siphons T. T.

I have found by practice that when the kiln is freshly charged with cold or wet material, the heated air in passing through the material, becomes quickly saturated with moisture and cool, and its weight or gravity so increased as to cause it to flow rapidly downward until the lumber or material in the drying room becomes heated, and that the mate rial must stay in the drying room several hours before it will be sufficiently heated to allow the upward current to carry the moist- IIO ure up to the level of the receiver or separator L. L, and the ducts or siphons T. T, take care of it at once and no time is lost after the material is placed in the kiln, and the drying commences at once, under a very low temperature.

-The heated air as before stated, by passing through the cold or wet material, horizontally or otherwise, becomes saturated and cool very quickly and descends from spaces K. K, by its gravity into the ducts or siphons T. T, below, thus siphoning the heavy saturated air from the kiln, same as the upper ducts, and the heated air which is not-saturated,-will not follow it downward, and is not wasted, and a good circulation is created in the kiln from the first by the siphons. The exits of the siphons are preferably in the cold air inlet'passage, and the heavily saturated ai r .there, from the drying room above, comes in contact with the inward current of'cold air, and the moisture is condensed .on the earth, which forms the bottom of the cold air inlet passage, partially heating the cold air as it flows toward the radiators through the opening 0, as shown. After thematerial in the kiln becomes'heated to the proper temperature, the passage of moisture laden air through the lower siphons T. T, will cease; the heat being greater, and the moisture less, and the saturated air will be carried upward by the current, and will become separated by its gravity in the eddy of the upper receiver or separator and. be siphoned out into the atmosphere by the siphons or ducts leading therefrom, while the heated air not saturated will ascend and remain in the kiln. Thuswhen the top or upper siphons are working, the lower ones will be idle, or vice versa, each set of channels or siphons working alternately according to the degrees of temperature, and moisture in the drying chamber.

It will be noticed that all the outlets from the interior of the drying room, are passages opening downward and discharging below the point where they open or connect with the kiln room or drying chamber, which serves several purposes. It puts the"draft or circulation under perfectcontrol, and prevents unsaturated heated air from escaping from the room, because it is lighter than the atmosphere outside and tends to ascend, and will not go down through the siphons or passages, until it is saturated, and there will be no discharge from the kiln to waste heat, until the heated air becomes saturated and heavy by coming in contact with green, cold, or Wet material, so that it will fall, and then it will only pass out in proportion to the amount of material in the room, so that if only a small amount of material is to be dried in a large size kiln, it will only use heat in proportion to the amount of material being in the kiln to dry. This is not the case with any other dry kiln in use; In other kilns, the outward flow of heated air is about the same, whether there is material in the kiln or not. In fact it is greater when there is nothing in the kiln, and the draft uncontrolled and unimpeded by the material, the current being continuous, and causes a great Waste of heat. When material is put in other kilns such as are in common use, the heated air takes a course through the room that olfers the least resistance, and consequently it takes a course around the piles of material, where the openings are largest, and dries the outer surfaces of the piles long before the center or interior is dry, causing a part of the material to be overdried, before other parts are dry, and very ununiform Work. g

In my improved kiln,the"down ward disposed passages interrupt the heated air and hold it until it becomes saturated, and heavy, and causes great density in the kiln or drying room, causing perfect contact with all the material alike, and causes or produces uniform drying, and when the air becomes sufficiently saturated and heavy, the siphons or ducts commence to separate the heavy saturated portions and siphon them from the room, causing a strong circulation, and removing or discharging only such air as will not absorb any more moisture, and only retaining what moisture that is needed in contact with the material to prevent the pores closing, and injury to the material from heat and'lessening the fire risk, the amount of humidity being regulated by raising or lowering the exits of the siphons. It will thus be seen that in a kiln provided with ducts or siphons as de scribed, it is absolutely necessary for the heated air to come in direct contact with the material to be dried, and laden with moisture from the material, before it can escape from the drying room, and that none is wasted, and that sufficient moisture is retained in the drying room to prevent injury to the material by heat, and that it is self controlling or automatic in its action.

I am aware that dry kilns have been constructed to receive the material piled length wise the drying room, with radiators beneath the drying chamber, and with heated air entering between the walls of the chamber, and the material to be dried, and having on the opposite sides of the material openings or outlets, leading to chimneys to cause a draft whereby the heated air, both saturated and unsaturated passes around and through the material without any detention of the heated air to allow it to become fully saturated, and passes out before it has become fully saturated, causing a great waste of heat; only a portion of the heated air passing through the material and not retaining sufficient moisture in the kiln to prevent Warping, splitting or case hardening, and do not claim the above as new, or as producing the same effect as my invention, but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A drying kiln having a drying chamber; supports for sustaining the material to be dried, descending air passages in the side walls having their upper parts open to receive the moist air from the said drying chamber and provided with exits to the open air located above said supports and below the tops of the air passages.

2. A drying kilnhaving a drying chamber resting oii a suitable base, and descending air passages having their upper parts open to receive the moist air from the said drying chamber and provided with exits to the external atmosphere, said exits being located between the upper openings and the said base.

3. A drying kiln having in combination, a drying chamber, means for supplying heat thereto, afalse floor below the heater, a fresh air supply passageB below the false floor communicatiug with the heating chamber, anda descending outlet passage for the delivery of moist air from the drying chamber to the passage 13, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber, means for supplying heat, descending air outlet passages in the side walls and open at their top, and an exterior projection in the upper portion of the side walls to facilitate the settling of the moist air into the top openings of the said descending passages.

5. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber, descending air outlet passages having their upper ends open to receive moist air from the said chamber and provided with exits to the external atmosphere, and a lower down passage or chamber communicating with the said drying chamber and with the base below said chamber, substantially as described.

6. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber containing double tracks so arranged as to provide vertical air circulating passages between the loaded cars upon the tracks in the drying chamber, means in the drying chamber for supplying heat, communications from the drying chamber extending down and below the means of supplying heat and thence opening again into the drying chamber, and descending air outlet passages having their upper parts open to receive moist air from the drying chamber and provided with exits to the external atmosphere, substantially as shown and described.

7. A drying kiln having in combination, a drying chamber, means for supplying heat, two tracks within the drying chamber, and an elevated deflector between the same, thus providing vertical air passages between the loaded cars upon the tracks and also between the cars and the Walls of the drying chamber, and means for deflecting the heat from said vertical passages horizontally through the lumber upon the cars, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

8. A drying chamber having horizontal deflectors J in close proximity to the material being dried, and vertical Walls extending below said deflectors to provide at one side of the heating chamber a downward passage for the partially saturated air from the drying chamber, and to deflect the heated air toward the center of the drying chamber, substantially as described.

9. A floor, V, V, with opening 0 to the air chamber X, X, with the earth a, a beneath the said floor forming an air passage for cold air, having inlets A, the duct '1 for conducting the partially saturated air from the drying chamber to the said passages, at U, U, substantially as described.

10. An improved dry-kiln having descending air outlet passages opening at their upper ends into a receiver L formed by an exterior projection in the upper portion of the side wails of the drying chamber, connected with the drying chamber and located near the level of the top of the material being dried, thence passing downward and their lower ends opening into the atmosphere below the level of the top of the material being dried, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. An improved dry kiln having receivers or air spaces connected with the drying room at or near the level of the top of the material being dried and out of line of the upward air current, said receivers being formed by providing an exterior projection in the side walls of the drying chamber, and downward extending air passages leading from said receiver and opening into the outer atmosphere, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. An improved dry-kiln having receivers or open spaces near the level of the top of the material being dried and out of the line of upward current of airand connected with the interior of thd drying roomfsaid receivers being formed by providing exterior projections in the side walls of the drying chamber; downward extending air passages leading from said receivers and opening into the outer atmosphere below the level of the upper surface of the material being dried and means substantially as described for opening and closing said downward passages,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR L. EMERSON. lVitnesses:

J AMES R. MANSFIELD, J. W. BUCK.

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