Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Fruit and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Fruit and the like.
We GEORGE FRICK and FREDERICK FRICK Manufacturers both of Waynesboro',
Franklin County, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in certain improvements, the object of which is to produce a
continuously working apparatus for the purpose of drying fruit and vegetables and liké
produce, one in which all the heat shall be completely utilized, also to enable au easier
introduction and withdrawal of the material to be dried, to provide for a better
working control of the drying process than has been the case with hitherto known
apparatus and to obtain a more perfect result than heretofore.
The apparatus consists principally of two chambers placed horizontally or slightly
slanting one above the other the lower one of said chambers serving for heating the
drying air whilst the upper one is the drying chamber.
The drying chamber is longitudinally divided by a partition partly fixed, partly
movable into two spaces through which are conducted on rails or tracks by means of
endless chains the crates or cages which contain the produce to be dried. The heat
within each space is regulated separately by means of traps, or slides so that the
necessary quantity of drying air is conducted separately from the hot air chamber into
each space. The vapour escapes through an outlet passage which is arranged at the
back part of the apparatus, whilst the entire working can be regulated from the
front of the apparatus. In the front is likewise, what may be called a vestibule an
arrangement which is intended to separate a part of the apparatus from the remaining
part during the introduction of the fresh produce to be dried as well as during the
removal of the completely dried produce and to make the apparatus accessible without
interfering with the process of drying.
An apparatus for drying, constructed according to this invention, is represented in
the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a
sectional plan, and Fig. 3 a sectional end view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views
hereinafter explained.
A is the drying chamber. B the chamber for heating the air. C the outlet
ssage, M a beating stove for steam, water, or air. In the present case the air is
heated by steam pipes m in chamber B, said pipes, being carried through the space B
from the boiler M.

page_text: The drying chamber A is divided into two spaces a and a', in the centre part by
the stationary vertical partition D at the ends by the revolvable traps D' suspended
underneath the roof (the trap on the right which could if desired be dispensed with
is not represented). At each end of the partition wall D is a perpendicular arbor e el
carrying above and below the chain wheels y g' over which run the endless chains s
and ¹.
To these chains are fastened the separate crates or cages R which serve for
receiving flat trays n. constructed of wire netting or perforated metal sheets to
carry the produce to be dried. The back wall of the cages R secured to the chains
is solid, the other parts are composed of wooden or metal bars to allow free passage
of air.
The arbor e carries outside the apparatus a bevelled toothed wheel o into which
gears the bevelled pinion o¹, the shaft of which can be turned by handle H in
order to move the chains. The frames R are supported below by means of grooved
wheels running on the edge rails u and are supported above by the upper rails u¹
and rollers p.
On working the chains s¹ the cages R move and traverse the two
spaces a and a¹. At the ends the rails are bent semicircularly and at such parts are
also arranged guard rails to facilitate the running of the cages over the curves.
As each cage R arrives at the bend of the track the hinged partition wall D'
must be lifted in order to allow the cage to pass through; this can be done by
handle t on the pintle of the hinge. The wall D₁ can however be constructed so
light that the cage lifts the same automatically by pressing the same aside and
letting it fall again after having passed.
The introduction of the material to be dried, is effected at the front of the apparatus
through the door Q which can be lifted by the chains .c. As soon as the door Q
is open, and the trap D¹ is turned aside, the trays with the material to be dried
are placed upon the trays of one of the crates or cages R which has been moved
in front of the opening of the door and the latter is then shut. The cage then
proceeds in the direction of the arrows by turning the chains by hand until another
cage arrives in front of the door Q; this is then filled, and in like manner all the
cages are filled.
The drying is now commenced by introducing the drying air from B into the
spaces a and a¹ through slides E arranged at the bottom which can be regulated from
the front by handle k. The vapour and the used up air escape through the outlet
passage C which communicates with the spaces a and a¹ by a regulating slide / which
can be moved from the front by the chain h. In order to empty or refill the crates
or cages with produce to be dried during the continued working of the apparatus
without allowing the outer air to pass into the whole part of the drying chamber
the construction is made as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sliding doors J J are
inserted from above into the drying chamber to close the spaces between the side
walls of the chamber and the edges of the solid back wall of that cage R which
has been moved in front of the door Q; these sliding doors therefore close the
space at the back. They may be suitably connected with the door Q by means of
chains and rollers passing over an outer frame work y as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 so
that as the door Q is raised the doors J J are lowered and vice versa.
The slides J J enter rebates to on the sides (Fig. 2) and fit closely to the back wall
of the cage R moved in front of the door Q. 9 a slot hole arranged in door Q
which permits the latter to be raised and lowered over the shafts of the cranks H
and t.
A still more suitable shutting off construction for the separate cages R during
emptying and refilling is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
In this case the door Q¹ is connected with a box S which is closed all round by
bottom, roof and side walls, is only open at the back. This box S runs on rails by
means of rollers and can be moved over the cage R into the apparatus as shown
by Figs. 4 and 5. As the back wall of the cage is solid, the same is then separated
all round from the space A by the box S placed thereover and the door Q can be
opened to remove the drying trays and to introduce fresh ones.

page_text: When the cage R is to be moved on, the box S is drawn out to its full extent.
The projections on the side walls in space A which can be seen in Figs. 1. 2 and 3
and which are marked by letter d are boards or metal sheets for the purpose of
causing the heating air to pass from below upward, through the cages and to prevent
it rising at the sides of the cages.
In order to prevent the heating air from entering the vestibule space of the
chamber A when the space is open a separate air slide (Fig. 1) for the front space
which can be moved by handle fis constructed. This front air inlet can also be
contrived in such a manner that upon lowering of the sliding doors J this slide is
automatically closed at the bottom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. A drying apparatus comprising two horizontal or slanted spaces A and B placed
one above the other, the lower one of which contains heating air and communicates
with the upper space, the drying space, by slides or valves in the latter space the
cages R adapted to receive the material to be dried and to be moved by outward
propelling device and an endless chain round a perpendicular partition D in said
space and so to traverse the drying space.
2. With a drying apparatus having a drying chamber with movable cages
substantially as set forth the combination of sliding doors J J which can be lowered
next to the solid back wall of the cage R in order to separate one part of the drying
space from the remaining space during the emptying or filling of the respective cage.
3. With a drying apparatus having a drying chamber with movable cages the
combination of a movable box S having door Q¹ and adapted to be passed over a cage
so as to shut off the same from the remaining part of the drying space A with
assistance of the solid backwall of the cage for the emptying or filling of the
respective cage.
Dated this 24th day of Anil 1980