appar for withering and drying
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JAMES ANDREW RAMSAY MAIN of 54 Gordon Street Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark Engineer, and JOHN DICK of 218 Saracen Street Possilpark, Glasgow
in the County of Lanark, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for withering and drying
leaves of plants, seeds and analogous substances and it has for its object to provide
in drying houses or lofts for an equal diffusion or distribution of desiccated air
from an air desiccating apparatus and to ensure the steady removal of moisture from
the leaves or other substances being treated.
In carrying out the invention the drying house or loft is divided off into two
compartments by a partition or division the trays for containing the material to be
treated being situated in one compartment which is the larger and the, or part of
the, desiccating apparatus in the other and smaller compartment.
The trays for containing the material are of ordinary construction and they are
carried on a series of racks arranged in rows with an air trunk or passage between
the rows, the said trunk extending the full length and by preference also the full
height of the racks. Each air trunk communicates at one end with the air
desiccating apparatus, its other end being closed. The racks are made with a
series of shelves and along the sides of the air trunks a slot or opening is made
opposite each shelf for the passage of air. To distribute the air equally throughout
the entire length of the air trunks louvre boards or their equivalents are arranged
vertically upon the sides of the trunks these boards being adjustable so as to
regulate the quantity of desiccated air passing through the slots or openings. The
racks are further divided by partitions into vertical compartments of a width
corresponding to that of the trays to be employed and these compartments are
subdivided by longitudinal divisions into a series of shallow drawers in the upper
parts of which the trays are supported the desiccated air being admitted from the
slots or openings before referred to into the space between the tray and the bottom
of the drawer. By this arrangement whilst desiccated air from the trunk is free
to enter under and pass up through each individual tray and its contents, the air
TD 071

page_text: BO passing is prevented from also passing through the next higher tray in the
Beries but is led off through openings into a passage at the opposite side of the tray
from the trunk.
In order further to ensure the equal diffusion of the air passing through each
tray a series of fixed or movable louvres is arranged in each drawer these louvres
being of graduated breadth.
The air supply trunks instead of being the full height of the racks may extend
only through part of such height the air being distributed under each tray by pipes
perforated to cause an equal distribution.
The desiccated air passes from the drying apparatus situated in the smaller
compartment of the drying house or loft through an air duct connected to one end
of the air trunk and the apparatus for desiccating the air may be of the con-
struction described in the specification under the Letters Patent granted to us and
bearing date the 26th day of May 1884 N° 10528 or instead of the chamber
containing the desiccating material rotating as under the said patent described it
may be stationary and consist of a casing having at the interior thereof a series of
partitions composed of perforated metal, wood, or fabric the said partitions
containing or being treated with an absorbent of moisture. After being passed
through or over the absorbent the air is conducted, forced, or drawn into the air
duct thence into the air trunk from whence it passes under and through the trays
containing the material to be treated as before set forth. In conjunction with each
air duct two such desiccating chambers are provided one of which only is in
operation at a time the passages out from the other into the air duct being then
closed by doors or shutters in order that the absorbent material contained in it
may be dried and regenerated by a current of hot air which is conducted there-
through from a pipe connected to an air heating stove.
The circulation of air through the whole apparatus hereinbefore described is
effected or promoted by an exhaust fan or air propeller placed in or over that
compartment of the drying house in which the desiccators are situated and con-
nected to an air trunk or pipe leading to the far end of the drying house. The
air is exhausted by the fan from the said end of the drying house through the said
pipe and discharged into the desiccators from whence it passes as before described.
Instead of so working, the exhaust fan may be situated at the far end of the house
and eject the air into the atmosphere in which case each desiccator when operating
is in direct communication with the atmosphere at the other end of the house the
air being drawn through it by the action of the fan.
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page_text: of Plants, Seeds, and Analogous Substances.
We, JAMES ANDREW RAMSAY MAIN of 54 Gordon Street Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, Engineer, and JOHN DICK of 218 Saracen Street, Possilpark, Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, Engineer, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for withering and drying
leaves of plants, seeds and analogous substances and it has for its object to provide
in drying houses or lofts for an equal diffusion or distribution of desiccated air
from an air drying apparatus and to ensure the steady and continuous removal of
moisture from the leaves or other substances being treated.
On the accompanying drawings figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section,
figure 2 a transverse section and figure 3 a horizontal section of a drying house or
loft arranged in accordance with our said invention and which as seen by these
figures is on the drying floor a, divided off into compartments by partitions b,
communication between the end and the central compartments being had when
desired by means of doors in the partition walls these doors at all other times
being kept closed. The central compartment A, is that wherein the withering
and drying of the material takes place the said material being contained in trays
of ordinary meshed or open worked construction the width of the meshes being
suitable to the material to be treated. The trays are carried in a series of racks B,
arranged as seen at figure 3 in parallel rows extending throughout or nearly
throughout the length of the compartment A, an enclosed air trunk or passage C
being formed between each two rows. These trunks extend the full length, and
by preference, the full height of the racks B and each of them at one of its ends
communicates with the air desiccating apparatus situated either in whole or in part
in the compartment D of the house or loft the other ends of the trunks being
closed. The racks B, are divided into compartments or sections by vertical
partitions c, the distance between any two of which corresponds to the length of
the trays employed. The space between each partition c is subdivided into a series
or tier of horizontal compartments d, in which the trays are so supported on ledges,
runners or shelves that a space is left between the underside of any tray and the
upper surface of the horizontal division next below it and also between the upper
side of the tray and the under side of the next higher horizontal division in the
series. The space between the under side of each tray and the horizontal division
beneath it communicates with the air trunk C, whilst the space between the upper
side of the tray and the horizontal division above it communicates at E, with the
general atmosphere of the compartment A. It will thus be seen that whilst
desiccated air from the trunk C, is free to pass upwards through the material
spread in each of the trays and absorb the moisture from such material the air
after so passing through any individual tray and absorbing moisture is prevented
by the horizontal division above that tray from passing through the next higher
tray in the series but is on the contrary conducted away through the openings at E.,

page_text: In order to ensure an equal diffusion of the desiccated air throughout the entire
length of the trunk C and through or amongst the materials being treated, louvre
boards may be arranged vertically up the sides of the trunk C. These boards
may be fixed or they may be adjustable to regulate the volume of air passing into
the compartments under each tray and to further ensure an equal diffusion, a series
of fixed or adjustable louvres of graduated breadth may also be placed in the spaces
or compartments under the trays.
The desiccated air passes from the drying apparatus through pipes H connected to
the trunks C, and the apparatus for desiccating the air may be of the construction
set forth in the Specification filed under the Letters Patent granted to us and
bearing date the 26th day of May 1884 N° 10528 or of the construction for which
Letters Patent were granted to John Dick one of the present applicants bearing
date the 16th day of January 1885 N° 655 or of other suitable construction, it being
understood that whilst we prefer to use desiccating apparatus constructed and
operating on the principles of these Inventions we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to them in practising the present invention as it is obvious that other
means for drying the air to be passed through the trunks C may be employed.
After being passed through or over the absorbent or otherwise dried the air is
conducted, forced or drawn through the pipes i thence through the pipes H into
the air trunks C, from whence it passes under and through the trays e, as before
set forth.
As shewn by figures 2 and 3 two air desiccating apparatuses are provided in
conjunction with each trunk C, one only of which is in operation at a time the
passage from the other to the pipe H, being then closed by valves, doors or
dampers, in order that the absorbent material contained in it may be regenerated
as described under the said before mentioned patents. G, G, G, are the furnaces
for drying or regenerating the absorbent and g₁ the flue leading therefrom to the
chimney stack. The circulation of air through the whole apparatus is effected or
promoted by an exhaust fan or air propeller ; which may either be placed in the
same compartment D with the air desiccating apparatus or in the compartment X
at the other end of the drying loft. When situated as shown the fan j is
connected to one end of an air trunk K which may be open ended at its other
extremity or as indicated in dotted lines at figure 2 it may have side branches K',
the trunk K in any case communicating with the compartment A. The fan j
may discharge into a trunk or box L to which the inlet pipes h of the air
desiccators may be connected the same air being in that case used over and over or
the fan may discharge into the outer atmosphere in which case the pipes or the
trunk L also communicates with the outside of the drying house.
!
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
In the withering and drying of leaves of plants, seeds and analogous substances
a drying house or loft arranged and constructed substantially as described with
reference to the annexed drawings and having therein and in conjunction therewith
apparatus for chemically or otherwise desiccating the air to be used in the withering
and drying process.