Patent ID: 6751885
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: F26B

Abstract:
A vertical kiln comprising a drying chamber having two or more vertical and adjacent stacks of horizontal trays which are made to rise by steps in one stack and then to descend by steps in the next stack via an elevating and lowering system, and which are moved along horizontal translatory paths by a lower translation device for the transfer from the top of one stack to that of the adjacent stack and for the transfer from the end of the last stack to the start of the first stack, where stations for unloading and loading articles from and into the trays operate in operable positions,the elevating and lower system comprising, outside the stacks of trays, on the short sides of the trays, in the lower parts of the stacks, and in a quantity equal to one for each corner of the bottom tray to be raised and lowered, vertical guides integral with corresponding uprights of a kiln frame, on which slide corresponding carriages, each of which carries a lever pivoted parallel to the short sides of the trays, the lever being controlled by a jack which can bring an upper extension of the lever into an active position of projection under the corner area of the tray to be raised or lowered, or into a retracted position of non-interference with the trays, the carriages of the adjacent stacks of trays of the kiln operable in opposite elevating or lowering movements, wherein the trays arranged with vertical spacers so that the trays can be stacked on top of each other with sufficient spacing between them, and can be raised and lowered in the adjacent stacks by the elevating and lowering system which operates on the bottom trays of the stacks, to pick up and deposit the trays on the lower translation device at an appropriate time, a lowering device of the elevating and lowering system transferring an empty tray from a last stack to a first stack of the kiln, a bottom tray of the last stack being held at a given height, above the lower translation device, by grippers which are activated and disabled in step with the elevating and lowering system.