US2049199A - Drying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1936. J. F. DORNFELD I DRYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1953 INVENTOR: JOHN E DORNFELD.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 28, 1936 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v I j a I 2,o49,199 DRYING APPARATUS John F. Dornfeld, San Diego, Calif.

Application November 28, 1933, Serial No. 700,100

3 Claims.

'This invention relates to drying apparatus employed in the disposal of spent grains or similar products requiring an aerating treatment for removing moisture. v

,The objects of the invention are:-- a The providing of an equipment suitable in the art concerned for progressively advancing granular products through a continuous drying process whose de-hydrating efiiciency will permit a comparatively small and economical structure to dispose of a relatively large volume of material.

The providing of an apparatus whereby the moisture driven off is not permitted to re-enter the outgoing or finished material but passes through the oncoming product to an exhaust located in advance of the assemblys discharge.

The providing of an apparatus whose output can be manipulated in a way that uniformly graded product is a selectively attained feature through the synchronizing of the drying mediums input, the exhaust of this same medium, andthe regulating of the means controlling the discharge volume.

Other advantages will be noted throughout the particular description; the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims; both divisions of this application referring to the accompanying drawing which latter is a part thereof. The several views of the drawing are indexed as follows:-

A Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional-elevation of the assembled apparatus. 7

,Fig. 2 is a sectional-plan view taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1. v i v Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the discharge openin that forms a principal feature in this invention.

The drawing is somewhat diagrammatic but is of the general design preferred. It is here observed that slight departures due to manufacturing economy may be introduced without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Similar characters of reference apply to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, a shell or container A supported by a base portion B is provided with an airtight cover A. The shell A is cylindrical form the bottom of which is fashioned to oifer a conical and perforated screen element l adapted for supporting the product M in process of curing. The said screens base diameter is intentionally less than the circular diameter of the shell A in order to arrange an annular opening 2 for passage of the material M when same is dried. Directly beneath the opening 2 and spaced to be opp sed thereto is a shelf-like annular ledge 3 which arrests the flow of dried products passing through said opening. The shell A is in communication with a product storage C by means of a connecting tube D whose length will coin-. cide with any preferred arrangement of the elements A and C. This tube taps the shell A axially thereof and terminates to leave its lowermost ,end adjacent to the airtight cover A' provided for the aforesaid shell. Located on the cover A is an exhaust blower E that functions as a suction fan which affects the air-currents passing upwardly through the apparatus as arrows indicate. This exhaustameans E acts to efiect a partial vacuum in the area X within the shell A. Beneath the screen I and concentric with the said shell is pro vided a chamber F wherein is housed the mecha: nism necessary to the apparatus. This chamber is in communication with a suitable source of heated-air by means of a conduct G. Axially central upon the floor F of the chamber is located a standard or base 4 which houses and provides the journalling requisites for a worm-wheel 5, a worm 6, and an upright shaft 1, the latter extending vertically throughout the entire apparatus; the shaft's lower terminus being keyed to the aforesaid worm-wheel. Above the screen I the said shaft will. be fitted with suitable stirring or beater arms 8. Beneath the said screen this shaft carries a brush 9, fixed to rotate with the, shaft, to sweep the under side of the aforesaid screen. Also keyed to the said shaft is adually armed collar l0 whose upper arm ll supports a slidable blade or scraper I2. The said blade is attachedto an upstanding arm l3 which is integral with a bored sleeve l4 adapted to admit a threaded stem I5 projecting from the lower collar-arm I I. The said sleeve is disposed between an outwardlythrusting spring l6 and an adjusting-nut ll, the latter offering hand-wheel facilities for regulating the scraper blade l2 radially with respect to the annular shelf 3, there being an appropriate opening ,1 arranged in the wall of chamber F. The dried products swept from the ledge shelf 3, and the same passing through the screen I fall upon the floor F of the chamber F. The arm H follows closely the contour of the standard 4 and terminates as a support to which is attached a radially disposed raking blade l8 which sweeps the said products around to a. discharge opening I which action ends the drying process here concerned.

The storage feature C may be an upper floor of a building wherein the apparatus is installed or any other appropriate hopper means of like character. The shaft 1 may extend into the storage in order to disturb products stored therein or the products may be agitated in any suitable way that will induce same to flow down the suction of the exhausting fan E. The effect upon the general mass of product passing through the element A is indicated as to moisture con tent by the rendering of the drawing, the darkest portion symbolizing that which is wet, which condition gradually changes to what is entirely, dry at the screen I.

The aerating element or warm air entering through the conduit G, lowers in temperature in passing through the material M, so thatg 'when same reaches the area X all of its drying value has been dissipated. In this manner no heat units are wasted; nor are any of the wet products permitted -to affect that portion already dried. The air currents move-upwardly under the vacuum-influence of the exhausting blower The moisture of the incoming mass cannot descend to again change what has "already been tie-hydrated. The process can be lengthened or shortened by arrangingthe stay of the material within the container A to be of any desirable periodof time. lating'the hand-wheel H to adjust the blade 12 inwardly or outwardly to rake more or lessproduct s-ofi theshelf 3, which action permits greater or lesser amount of material to crowd through the opening 2 directly over the annular shelf. The said shelf is spaced from said opening in order to allow a determined angular aspect to obtain'thereat which permits of adjusting the blade 12 for taking very small, and very appreciable quantitieson the aforesaid shelf.

The apparatus is a compact assembly that does not require inordinate room for its installa tion. The operation is a continuous process which is continuously effective in contradistinction' to those'forms of drying apparatus which tumble the material together while exposing the mass to airpass'ing haphazardly through'these structures and escape without expending all of the heat units such'currents carry The present invention compelsthe heat units to be used'upwithinthe mass before being allowed to exhaust. The cone'screen'lmay be itis here'remarked, a flat floor provided with meansfor discharging the lower strata'of products at intervalsif- Also This is accomplished by maniputhe stirring arms or at least those in the compartment A, could be fitted with end blades arranged to scrape the compartment wall for removing adhering material, should this ever become a desirable item. I 5

,Having described the invention, what is desired to protect by U. S. Letters Patent, is:-

1. A drying apparatus having a vertical axial shaft equipped with stirring arms, a tube conveying an agitated product, said tube inclosing said 10 shaft, a cylindricalprocessing chamber which is supplied through said tube with a product to be processed, a compartment aligned with and similar to said chamber disposed beneath said chamber,"a"perforated and upstanding conical plate separatingjsaid chamber and said compartment, a product-agitating means functioning with said shaft in said processing hopper chamber, said V and said compartment armed'with radial'stirring blades for agitating said mass, an annular'shelf around the interior wall of said chamber adjacent a the plane of the screens conical base, an apertured floor in said compartment, a pivoted scraper blade sweeping the aforesaid shelf, a sweeping blade forclearing the floor in said compartment, both aforesaid, blades actuated by a bifurcated-arm element rotating in unison with 40 I said shaft. v V V 3. A drying apparatus comprising cylindrical means forming a processing chamber, a shaft concentric with said processing chamber, stirring means on said shaft, an'upwardly extending perforated floor below said processing chamber, a second chamberbelowsaid floor, drying medium conductingmeans opening into said second chamber; gearing for said shaft in said second chamber,

feeding means for material to be dried latthe top' of said processing chamber, suction'means adjacent said feeding means and above the material in'the processing chamber, and an annular shelf below said fioor functioning as a bafile to direct-the drying medium into'the area below said floor, said'drying medium passing through V the material in said processing chambertosaid suction means' r JOHNFQDORNFELD."

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