US2334854A - Drier - Google Patents

Description

E. R. ZADEMACH I DRIER Filed March 25, 1940 Nov. 23, 1943.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. int/.7 ff Zaaemach Wm W Nov; 23, 1943.

E. R. ZADEMACH DRIER Filed March 25, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ht/z f2 Zademac/r DRIER Filed March 25, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR, inc/'1 fizafiemach BYWM ' Y ATTORNEYS Nov. 23, 1943. EUR ZADEMACH ,33

' DRIER v Filed March 25, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY 5 Nov; 23, 1943.

E. R. ZADEMACH DRIER Filed March 25, 1940 e Sheet's-Sheei 5 III I! INVENTOR. inc/1 fi. Zad'ema'ch ATTORNEYS Nov. 23, 1943.

E. R. ZADEMACH DRIER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 25, 1940 INVENTOR fr/ch/EZade/mcfl ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 23, 1943 OFFICE DRIER Erich-'13.. Zademach, Elizabeth, N. 1.. assignor, by mesne assignments, to Metalwash. Machinery Company, Newark, N. 3., a copartnership Application March 25,1940, Serial No. 825,845

' nozzle adjusting means with a nozzle support 12 Claims. This invention relates to driers which act to blow air upon wet articles carried through a drying chamber by means of a conveyer.

Driers of the kind are generally used at different times 'for drying articles of diiierent sizes,

although the articles put through at a single run are generally all of the same size. It is desirable which permits a nozzle to yield upwardly upon engagement with an article on the conveyer that the blowing nozzles be located as close to the articles on the conveyer as is practicable because the blastjrom a nozzle is strongest right atthe nozzle tip.v It is an object of the present invention to provide a series of nozzles which may be adjusted so as to locate the nozzle tips at difierent distances above the conveyer. Thus for small articles the nozzle tips will be located at a low level to be near the articles, 'while for relatively large articles the tips will be adjusted to a higher level which is sufficiently high to clear the articles comfortably. I i

It is a further object of the invention to provide a common adjusting" means for adjusting all of the nozzles in unison. i

It is a further object to provide an exit gate or guard at the exit end of the machine which is also adjustablein unison with the nozzles.-

A further object of the invention is to dispose without affecting the functioning of the adjustingmeans. This is advantageously accomplished by supporting the nozzle by gravity on the adjusting structure. An improved nozzle-engaging arrangement has been developed.

An improved nozzle construction is disclosed' arranged to facilitate the theoretically correct curvature of the outlet passage without forming a convex external face or pocket on the feed side of the nozzle which might engage or retain articles 'on the conveyer.

A further feature is the provision of effective means for preventing the influx of cold air through the discharge end of the drier while permitting free emergence of dried articles. This is in general accomplished by providing a curtain or sheet of hot air propelled across the outlet and the path of the articles through said outlet. The effectiveness of this arrangement is enhanced by providing a movable curtain at the discharge side of such air current, which advantageously extends across the entire width of the drier.

- Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.""

In the drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentaryview in side elevation illustrating a drier unit;

of air throughopposed inlets into a large chamber formed withinthe nozzle, so that the fio'w of air from all parts of the nozzle outlet is uniform.

Another feature is the provision of a simple and 4-4 ofFig.3;

' a nozzle. I

Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure-1,- and looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 taken on line 3-3- of Fig. 5, showing a modified construction with.parts broken away and omitting the nozzle adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a horizont'al sectional view on line Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3 looking toward the feed end; i

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 taken on line 6-6 of Fig.3; and

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical sectional view through The.

sided sheet metal'plate I which forms the sides I through the chamber upon the upper or'active stretch of the belt 6.

A blower II mounted alongside the chamber I and below it,'is driven from a motor I2 through a belt I3. The blower delivers air into a heating chamber ll which is located. above the blower adjustment is made to permit of the passage of articles ofdiflerent size and still'to permit of the impingement oFthe hot air flowing out of the nozzles on the articles as near the mouths of the nozzles as possible.

The gate depends considerably below the 4 mouthofthe nozzle and is swung outwardly by is bounded along its sides by steam coils I! which.

have radiating fins I3 formed or mounted upon them at frequent intervals. All the air delivered by the blower must pass out through one bank or the other of the heating pipes forming the steam coils. A portion of the ,air escapes from the heating chamber it through lower openings I3 to lower Jets 20 which are located in the drying chamber between the upper and lower stretches of the conveyer.

The principal feature of the present invention has to do with upper nozzles which the air from the heating chamber ll enters through openings 2I. A flanged bearing tube 22 is secured within the chamber I in line with each opening IL,

shaped plate 26, each plate 26 including end.

arm 21 outside the lateral bounds of the nozzle which arms extend downward. The end arms 21 at one side of the chamber are all pivotaliy connectedto a longitudinally extending bar 23 and the end arms at the other side of the chamher are all pivotaliy connected toa longitudinal bar 23. The bars 23 and 23 extend to a point adjacent the introductory end ofthe apparatus and are there connected to crank arms 33 which the articles as they tumble ofl the belt 3 onto the delivery platform 53. i

In the present arrangementthe gate serves to minimize the amount of cold air that will enter the drying machine, and th arrangement is such that such cold air becomes well intermingled with the hot air so that the articles become uniformly treated.

It will be seen that in the present arrangement the first nozzle directs its hot air in the direction of the entrance to the drying machine and the mouth of the nozzle at the exit end is disposed either at or ahead of the end of the belt 6. The result is that the articles are subjected to the drying action throughout the length -of'travel of the articles through the machine. When the exit nozzle is in its highest position A nozzle 24- are fast upon a shaft 3|. The shaft 3I also has fast upon it a gear 32. In the illustrative embodiment a loading platform 34 is provided at the entrance end of the drying unit which stands a little above-the level of the conveyer 3. In the present form of the invention the nozzle 24 which is disposed near the exit end of the apparatus, is provided on its back and near its mouth with a pair of brackets which support the swinging exit gate 33.

The nozzles 24 are each so shaped that the hot air. is directed in a direction opposed to the travel of the articles being treated.

Adjustment of the nozzles and the exit gate in unison'is eflected by operation of a hand or at some intermediate position, the hot air issuing from the mouth of the nozzle forms a curtain of hot air' through which all the cold air entering the chamber must pass and become intermingled therewith. In this position the gate 33 serves as a deflector and causes the hot air to be deflected downwardly and inwardly.

e preceding description embodies the disclosure of the invention set forth in my prior application No. 198,344, relating to Swinging nozzles,

flledMarch 28, 1938, of which this application is a continuation in part, and includes a substantial part of the disclosure of my Patent No. 2,137,104,

also relating to Swinging nozzles, issued Novem-' means is located beneath the drying chamber. I

instead of in chamber I4. It comprises a suitable open heater 42. which may consist of steam coils or the like through which the air may pass freely, located in an air heating chamber 43 communicating with the inlet to blower Ila. The

heated air discharged from said blower is con- 1 ducted to inlets at opposite ends of each upper nozzle 24a (Fig. 6), the air' entering a large chamber 13 in the nozzle in opposed streams, ar-

. ranged to provide improved uniformity of distriwheel 35 located at the introductory end of the apparatus. The hand wheel 35 is fast upon a shaft 33. The shaft 33 is journalled in bearings 31 and 33 carried, respectively, by brackets 39 and 43. The shaft 33 also has fast upon it a worm I which meshes with gear 32 and drives the gear to eil'ect the desired adjustments.

The two dotted line positions of the nozzles indicate the two extreme positions of such nozzles. the gate and other associated devices. Such bution and pressure of the drying air in the nozzle and correspondingly improved uniformity in the discharge of the air through all parts of the elongated nozzle outlet. In the illustrated embodiment this is accomplished by connecting the discharge duct I0 of .blower Ila to the heating through which heated air is of upper nomles 24.

I The air in the drying chamber is advantageously recirculated by-withdrawing it from the upper part of the chamber and returning it to the heater 42 and blower I la; For this purpose air is withdrawn from the upper part of chamber I through recirculation duct 46 extending downwardly along the side of drying chamber l and passing through manifold l4, duct 46 having an inlet 4'! in the'upper part of a side wall of chamber i and an inlet 48, adjacent the'upp r part of the opposite side wall of chamber l, in' the lower wall'of extension 46 of duct 46 located in the upper part of chamber I. It has been found advantageous to separate the flow from inlets 4! and 48, as by providing a partition 61 extending downwardly for a substantial distance in duct 46 from the bottom of the connecting end of extension 48, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purpose tribution of air discharged through outlet 63 may be improved by the use of suitable partition means such as curved vertical partition 54.

While the lower nozzles or jets 280 are rectangular in cross section in this embodiment, their general arrangement and function is substantially the same as. that set forth in connection with lower nozzles 20 in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3-? an improved nozzle supporting and-adjusting construction is disclosed. The arrangement illustrated in the above-mentioned patent and in Figs. 1 and 2 includes rigid adjusting connections to the nozzles which prevent yielding of a nozzle when coming in contact with articles or the conveyer 6. A construction has been provided which permits the nozzles to yield under pressure from articles on said conveyer without affecting the elevation-adjusting system or changing the normal elevation of such yielding nozzle.

In this arrangement each upper nozzle 24a, is provided with a supporting lug 5t mounted on each end ll of the nozzle and arranged to bear against an adjusting arm 5? fixed at its upper end to a support ring 69 which is rotatably fitted around tubes 22 and 23. In this arrangement each tube 25 projects from the end H of nozzle 24a 8. sufficient distance to 'permit the necessary endwise movement of the bearing ring 25:; in mounting or dismounting the nozzle, ring 26a being normally held in place as by set-screws (not shown).

. Each arm 51 is arranged with its upper portion, which engages lug 56, in substantially vertical position when the associated nozzle is in its lowermost position, the lower portion of arm 61 2,884,854 fed the otherend upper position corresponding tolthatshown in dotted lines in ,1; but if any one of said nozzles should come in contact with an article on conveyer 6 the nozzle will be freeto rise and clear the article, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7 thereafter dropping back into the proper vertically adiusted position. g g

. In order to provide increased drying efllciency it is desirable that the upper nozzles 24d be arrangedqto deflect the air jet so that in theiruppermost position the jet will bev directed downwardly and in lower positions will be impelled toward the feed end of the drier. For this purpose the vdischarge passage in each nozzle should be taadjustment of upper nozzles 24a by longitudinal movement of bars 28 and 29' with a minimum of vertical movement of said bars. In this construction the longitudinal adjustment of bars 28 and 29 by manipulation of hand wheel 35 will vary the elevation of the outlets of upper nozzles 24 between the lower position shown in Fig. 3 and an pered downwardly and curved in vertical section according to established engineering design. Where the nozzle is constructed of sheet metal this passage contour producesa concavity at the feed side of the nozzle which tends to catch and hold articles traveling along conveyer 6.

A simple nozzle construction employing sheet metal and eliminating this feature is shown in Figs. 6 and '7. W It comprises aflat front wall 68 at the feed side, a rear-wall 59 having its lower portion curved toward wall 68, and a curved top wall 6i connecting the upper ends of walls 68 and 59. The threevwalls 58, 59 and 6| may advantageously be formed from a singlesheet-of metal. The end marginsiof the wall are connected by sheet metal end plates H which abut bearing tubes 25. This construction of upper nozzle 24a provides a relatively large internal chamber 18 which facilitates the equalization of air flow and pressure before the air reaches the bottom outlet 14. I

A-flller 12, which is advantageously mad of similar sheet metal, is mounted on the walls of nozzle 24a, within the nozzle and adjacent the lower margins-thereof. Filler i2 is shaped to provide a convex inner surface having its upper and lower edges in contact with the inner face of the front wall 58,-the lower margin of filler 72 being located adjacent the lower margin of rear wall 69 and forming therewith outlet hi from a the nozzle. 7

An improved arrangement for obstructing the influx of air to the drying chamber i through the discharge opening is disclosed. It includes means for directing a curtain or sheet of air across the outlet to the drier, and in the illustrated embodiment comprises upper and lower discharge nozzles 62 each extending across chamher I and fixed at its ends to the side walls of the chamber, with one end communicating through an opening in a chamber wall with manifold I4. Each nozzle 62 is provided with an outlet 63 extending substantially across drying chamber I and directed across the discharge opening in the end of said chamber, the arrangement being such that the currents of air from outlets 63 meet and form a sheet ,or blanket of warm air extending substantially across the entire area of said opening, presenting an effective obstruction coarse wire mesh it will permit an adequate flow of air ifor the purpose indicated.

The operation of the air curtain from nozzles 62 is advantageously assisted and supplemented by employing an auxiliary curtain 64 which is lower margins of nozzles 24a.

movable to permit discharge of articles, and in the preferred form is vertically adjustable. in conformity with the adjustment of nozzles 24a. An arrangement of this type is shown in which transverse shaft 66 journaled at its ends on the sides of drying chamber I carries a metal sheet or curtain section 08 fixed thereto and extending substantially across the width of the chamber i. A yleldable skirt 61, which may consist of hinged metal or fabric sections, is attached to and extends downwardly from the lower edge of curtain section 68 to any desired elevation above conveyer 6 with relation to the corresponding elevation of the lower ends of nozzles 24a. The longitudinal adjusting bars 28 and 29 are pivotally connected to adjusting arms 68 fixed to shaft 8!,the arrangement being such that the adjustment of nozzles 24a by shifting bars 28 and 29 will corre-. spondinglyrotate shaft 65 and swing the curtain section 68 upwardly, raising to a corresponding extent the skirt 8? and providing at all times an accurate register between the vertical position of the lower margin of curtain 64 and that of the A feature of the invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby. the nozzles may be set at various heights, this feature being referred to in certain of the claims as a locking construction;

but attention is directed to-the fact that such locking does not preclude the nozzles from yielding upwardly when engaged by an article on the conveyor, and thereafter dropping back to locked I position.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. I claim:

1. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, each nozzles in unison from the lowest to the highest position while the mouth of each nozzle is directed towards the conveyonzthe nozzle nearest the exit carrying near its mouth a pair of brackets and an exit guard pivotally mounted on said brackets whereby the exit nozzle and the guard serve as a substantial closure for the exit end of the chamber.

4. In a drier, the combination of a drying chamber having entrance and outlet openings, a conveyor passing through the chamber and said openings, and means for directing a current of warm air onto said conveyor including a nozzle adapted to be oscillated in the outlet opening and an exit gate swingably carried by said'nozzl and adapted to be engaged by an article leaving the conveyor.

'5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, in which the exit gate is arranged to deflect the current of air discharged by aid nozzle towards the, end portion of the conveyor upon the adjustment of the nozzle towards its topmost position.

6. In a' drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a nozzle disposed over the conveyor, said nozzle being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming any position between two extreme positions for varying the distance between the mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, the mouth of the nozzle being directed downwardly towards the conveyor and towards the entrance and of the chamber when in the lowest position, and being directed downwardly towards the conveyor and towards of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capathe exit carrying near its mouth a pair of brackets and an exit guard pivotally mounted on said brackets whereby the exit nozzle and the guard serve as a closure-for the exit end of the chamber.

2. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming any position between two extreme positions for varying the distance between the mouth of th nozzle and the conveyor, the nozzle nearest the exit carrying near its mouth a pair of brackets and an exit guard pivotally mounted on said brackets whereby the exit nozzle and the uard serve as a closurefor the exit end of the chamber.

3. In a drier, the combination with a dryin chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming any position between two xtreme by articles supported on the conveyor means for looking I the nozzle in predetermined position against downward pivotal movement while permitting said oscillating movement, and means for vertically adjusting said position.

8. In a drier, the combination 'as set forth in claim 7, in which the nozzle locking means includes a member upon which the nozzle is freely supported by gravity.

9. In a drier, the combination of a drying chamber, a conveyor passing through the chamber, a nozzle for directing a current of air onto said conveyor, meansfor yieldably supporting said nozzle for oscillating-movement .when contacted by articles supported on the conveyor and means for vertically adjusting the position of the nozzle above the path of material on the conveyor, the nozzle being gravitationally seated in engagement with the adjusting means ,to permit said oscillating movement.

10. In a drier, the combination of a drying chamber, a conveyor passing through the chamber, and means for directing a current of warm air onto the conveyor, including a nozzle extending transversely across the conveyor, air heating and propelling means located beneath the drying chamber, means including a flat duct forming part of the. side wall of the chamber extending from the heating and propelling means and connected to the nozzle through inlets at opposite sides of the chamber, and means including a flat ductforming a part of the side wall of the drying chamber having inlet connections with the upper part of the drying chamber and a discharge outlet communicating with the heating and propel- Jing means.

' path of the conveyor, and a movable curtain extending across said opening at the drier discharge side of said obstructing current of air.

12. In a drier, the combination of a drying chamber having a discharge opening, a conveyor in said chamber and arranged to 'propel material through the opening, a nozzle system for directing a current of drying air onto the conveyor, means for vertically adjusting said nozzle system, means for withdrawing air from the chamber, and means for obstructing the entrance of air into the chamber through said opening comprising means for propelling a current of drying air across said opening in a sheet substantiaily normal to the path of the conveyor, 8. curta ln at the drier discharge side of said obstructing current of air, said curtain being vertically adjustable by said adjusting means.

ERICH R. ZADEMACH.

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