Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Glutinous, Fibrous, Granular, and other Materials.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 25th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 24th May, 1887.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Glutinous, Fibrous, Granular,
and other Materials.
I EDWARD ROBINSON of 4 New London Street in the City of London, Merchant'
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:— .
My Invention relates to drying apparatus intended more particularly for operating
on sticky and glutinous substances, such for example as starch, White lead, Distillers
wash, Cement, and the like, but which is also applicable to the drying of fibres, such
for example as wool, moss, shoddy and the like, also of wet grain or seed, malt, fish,
tea and other substances.
In carrying out my Invention as applied for example to the drying of sticky and
glutinous substances, I employ a revolving cylinder working in a horizontal or nearly
horizontal plane, into which cylinder heated air is driven (by a pressure blower or
fan) through a stationary central tube provided with a row of conical or other nozzles
arranged at suitable intervals and which admit of the largest amount of air with the
least possible friction or resistance. The cylinder is provided on its internal periphery
with a number of series of radiating rods or bars carrying transverse tines or pro-
jections, and the stationary central tube is also provided with similar series of
radiating rods or bars carrying transverse tines or projections, the two series being so
arranged as to engage or interdigitate with each other. The material is introduced,
say for example through a door provided on the periphery of the cylinder, until the
cylinder is say about one quarter full. The apparatus is then started, and the
revolving tines carry up the material against and between the stationary tines and
thus break up, separate and distribute it, keeping it in constant motion and con-
tinually turning about, so as to expose a fresh surface to the heated air, which passes
out through the conical nozzles (by preference directed downwards at a slight angle)
into and among the material under treatment. The heated air is thus brought into
the most direct and effective contact with every particle of the material to be dried,
and having become saturated with moisture, the air is again driven out of the cylinder
through suitable openings say for example in the ends of the cylinder, being constantly
replaced by fresh heated air as the operation proceeds.

page_text: When the material has been sufficiently dried, the motion of the apparatus is
arrested in such a position that the door will be on the underside, and the dried
material is discharged into any convenient receptacle.
The transverse tines or projections may be duplicated, an additional series being
provided for each radiating rod or bar, and arranged either on a separate rod or bar
or on a sleeve or otherwise so as to be capable of sliding or moving in order to adjust
the distance between the tines to meet the exigencies of the work as the operation
proceeds, the radiating rods or bars being also capable of motion for adjustment where
necessary to adapt them to the altered position of the transverse tines or projections.
In some cases the transverse tines or projections may be dispensed with, as for
example in the treatment of fibres, in which case, curved fingers are substituted for
the stationary radiating rods or bars, and so arranged as to embrace the revolving
radiating rods or bars carried by the cylinder.
When, moreover, it is desired to use the apparatus for drying cod or similar large
fish the radiating rods or bars may be entirely dispensed with and skeleton frames or
equivalent devices employed in lieu thereof, the fish being hooked or suspended on
the frames in a radial position round the cylinder, which revolves as before, whilst the
nozzles blow the heated air between each two consecutive wheels, thus formed by the
frames and fish.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Glutinous, Fibrous, Granular,
and other Materials.
I EDWARD ROBINSON of 4 New London Street in the City of London, Merchant 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:
My Invention relates to apparatus applicable for drying sticky or glutinous
materials such for example as Starch, White lead, Distillers wash, Cement and the
like for drying fibres such for example, as wool, moss, shoddy and the like; also for
drying wet grain or seed, malt, fish, tea and other materials.
And in order that the said Invention may be perfectly understood 1 shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the accompanying sheets of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 (sheet 1) of the accompanying drawings represents a sectional elevation
of an apparatus constructed according to my Invention adapted for the drying of
sticky and glutinous materials for example. Figure 2 is a cross section of the same
and Figure 3 is a plan of the base and frame with the drying cylinder removed.
Figures 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, and 10 and 11 are detached views illustrating
details and modifications hereinafter referred to. Fig. 12 (sheet 3) is a transverse
section illustrating another modification of apparatus constructed according to my
Invention and adapted more particularly to the drying of fish. Figure 13 (sheet 2)
is a sectional elevation of an apparatus constructed according to my Invention for
drying fish for example, the apparatus being of a similar type to that represented
in Figure 12 but slightly modified in its details. Figure 14 (sheet 2) is a plan.
Figure 15 (sheet 3) a transverse section and Figure 16 an end elevation of the same.
Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the skeleton frames
or boxes.
Referring to Figures 1 to 11 (sheet 1) which illustrate a mode of carrying out my
Invention as applied for example to the drying of sticky and glutinous materials the
material to be dried is operated on in a cylinder A arranged in a horizontal or nearly
horizontal plane, and mounted so as to be capable of revolving on its axis, either by
being supported on rollers aa as shewn in the drawings or in any other suitable
manner. To this cylinder rotatory motion is imparted by any convenient arrange-
ment of gearing. In the example illustrated in sheet 1, the cylinder is provided on
its periphery with spur teeth with which engage the teeth of a spur pinion & fast on
one extremity of a shaft c suitably supported in bearings on the base B and the
opposite extremity of which shaft carries the driving pullies C. C, whence motion
communicated from a prime mover is imparted to the shaft and thence to the cylinder,
but any other convenient mode of driving the cylinder may be adopted. "D is a

page_text: stationary central tube suitably supported from the base B at a'a', into which tube
heated air is driven by a pressure blower or fan (not shewn in my drawings). This
tube is provided with a row of nozzles dd placed at suitable intervals and directed
downwards, by preference at a slight angle as shewn, so as to conduct the heated air
driven into the tube into and among the material under treatment; the nozzles
are shewn of conical form with the smaller end of the frustum at the external
orifice of the nozzle (see details Figures 10 and 11) but they may be of any other
suitable tapering form which will admit of the passage of the largest amount of
air with the least possible friction or resistance, a circular section not being indispen-
sable provided that the external orifice of the nozzle is of smaller area than the body
of the nozzle. The cylinder is provided on its internal periphery with a number
of series of radiating rods or bars Ecarrying transverse tines or projections e,
and the stationary central tube D is also provided with similar series of radiating rods
or bars E carrying transverse tines or projections e', the two sets of transverse tines
or projections e and el being so arranged as to engage or interdigitate with each
other. In the general views Figures 1 and 2 the radiating rods or bars E with their
transverse tines or projections e are indicated and one of the radiating rods or bars E¹
with its transverse tines or projections e' is shewn in Figure 2, but I have not shown
the radiating rods or bars with their transverse tines or projections e¹ in
Figure 1 in order to avoid confusion; they are however, attached to the stationary
central tube D at the parts marked e³ between the rods or bars E in a manner
which will be well understood without illustration. The tines or projections e e¹ of
the rods or bars E E' are shewn of a triangular section in the general view Figure 2
and the rods or bars E. with their tines or projections e¹ of triangular section are also
shewn in detail in Figures 4 and 5. The shape and arrangement of the rods or
bars E, E with their tines or projections e e¹ are however susceptible of modification
according to the nature of the material under treatment and the exigencies of any.
particular case. In figures 6 and 7 the tines or projections e are shewn of an oval or
lens-shape, and the tines or projections e may also be similarly modified in shape.
I may observe that the triangular section of tines or projections is more particularly
adapted to the treatment of such materials as guano, superphosphate, nitrate of soda,
fuller's earth and the like; and the oval or lens-shaped tines or projections are more
suited for operating on more sticky or glutinous materials such for example as white
lead, starch, cement, whiting, soap, fish, manure and the like.
Figures and illustrate a modification in the shape of the peripheral tines or
projections and of the attachment of the radiating rods or bars to the central tube D
which require no further explanation.
In the operation of the apparatus the material to be dried is introduced through a
door (not shown in sheet 1 of my drawings) provided on the periphery of the cylinder
until the cylinder is say about one quarter full. The apparatus is then started and
the cylinder revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow the revolving tines or
projections e carry up the material against and between the stationary tines or pro-
jections e¹ and thus break up, separate and distribute it, keeping it in constant motion
and continually turning about so as to expose a fresh surface to the heated air which
passes out through the nozzles d d into and among the material under treatment.
The heated air is thus brought into the most direct and effective contact with every
particle of the material to be dried and having become saturated with moisture the air
is again driven out of the cylinder through suitable openings say for example
at in the ends of the cylinder, being constantly replaced by fresh heated air as
the operation proceeds. When the material has been sufficiently dried the motion
of the apparatus is arrested in such a position that the charging and discharging
door will be on the underside and the dried material is discharged into any convenient
receptacle.
In lieu of the tines or projections e e¹ being all placed transversely to the radiating
rods or bars, they may in some cases be arranged so as to lie parallel with such rols
or bars, the tines or projections e being, however, caused to engage or interdigitate
with the tines or projections e¹ as before.

page_text: Figure 12 (Sheet 3) illustrates another modification of apparatus constructed
according to my Invention and adapted more particularly to the drying of fish.
According to this modification, the radiating rods or bars are entirely dispensed
with and in substitution therefor there are employed skeleton frames E which in the
example, illustrated consist of wire or other open work boxes each occupying about
one fourth of the transverse area of the cylinder, and attached to longitudinal
Tirons gg extending the whole length of the cylinder the skeleton boxes in sets of
four constituting a species of wheel containing the fish, being arranged at suitable
intervals throughout the length of the cylinder, which revolves as before, whilst the
nozzles (not shown in Figure 12) blow the heated air (driven into the stationary
central tube D) between each two consecutive wheels formed by the frames and fish.
The doors for the insertion and removal of the skeleton frames or boxes are shewn.
at F, one being employed say for each frame or box. The skeleton frames or boxes
themselves are also provided with lids 1 (Fig. 12) for the introduction and removal
of the fish, the said lids being more clearly indicated in Figure 17 of a modification
to be presently described. The mode of suporting and driving the cylinder is
however not shewn in Figure 12 but it may be similar to that hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figures 13 and 14 (sheet 2) and Figures 15, 16 and 17. (sheet 3) represent an
apparatus constructed according to my Invention. for drying fish for example, the
apparatus being of a similar type to that represented in Figure 12, but slightly modified
in its details.
In this modification the external casing A' of the cylinder is made stationary whilst
the wheels of skeleton frames or boxes E revolve as before for which purpose the
spur wheel is attached to the system of wheels the same effect being obtained as in
the arrangement herein before described with reference to Figure 12. In Figure 13
the wheels marked E are clearly shewn. are the spaces Between the wheels into
which spaces the heated air driven into the stationary central tube D is discharged by
preference in a downward direction through the pendent nozzles dd whilst the
system of wheels supported on rollers a a is in rotary motion, the air when it has
become saturated with moisture being driven out of the cylinder through suitable
openings say for example in the ends of the casing and being constantly replaced by
fresh heated air as the operation proceeds. The external casing A¹ of the cylinder
being stationary, two or more large doors F may be conveniently used for the
insertion and withdrawal of the skeleton frames or boxes containing the fish. In the
perspective view Fig. 17 some of the skeleton frames or boxes are represented as open
in order to shew the manner in which they may be filled and discharged. When in
the machine they may be kept in their place by bars i adapted to hold say four of the
.skeleton frames or boxes at a time and secured by thumb nuts (not shewn).
In the modifications of my Invention illustrated in Figs. 13 to 17 and in Figure 12
the nozzles dd of the stationary central tube D are by preference arranged vertically
in lieu of at a slight angle, the heated air being preferably directed downwards as
before.
Apparatus similar in construction to those hereinbefore described with reference to
Figure 12 and Figures 13 to 17 but slightly modified in detail may also be used for
drying tea, wool and fruit and like substances. For example for the drying of tea
the skeleton frames or boxes require to be of a finer texture, and means such for
example as shelves may be employed inside such frames or boxes for maintaining the
tea in motion by carrying it up and then allowing it to fall in a thin stream
0 exposed to the action of the heated air which traverses the sides of the skeleton
frames or boxes. For the drying of wool the skeleton frames or boxes should
usually be of larger capacity than when designed for drying fish. For the drying of
fruit the skeleton frames or boxes may be provided inside with pockets or with small
rods or pins to keep the fruit separate. Similarly for drying other materials such
5 modifications in detail will be made as will readily suggest themselves to those skilled
in this particular art without further explanation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:—
1. The combination with a revolving cylinder working in a horizontal or nearly
horizontal plane for containing the materials to be dried, of a stationary central tube
having nozzles directed downwards and constructed substantially as set forth for
conducting heated air into and among the materials to be dried, and of two sets of
radiating rods or bars (the one set rotating and the other set stationary) provided with
engaging or interdigitating tines or projections for breaking up, separating and
distributing the material and maintaining it in constant motion so as to continually
expose a fresh surface to the heated air discharged through the nozzles of the stationary
central tube, substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination of a rotatory system of wheels composed of skeleton frames or
boxes containing the materials to be dried, with a central or internal tube having
nozzles for discharging heated air between the wheels formed by the said skeleton
frames or boxes and the materials to be dried, substantially as herein before described.
3. In an apparatus for drying glutinous, fibrous, granular and other materials, the
employment of nozzles directed downwards for conducting heated air into and
amongst the materials to be dried, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 25th day of April 1887.
THS. J. HANDFORD,
50, Bedford Row, London, W.C.,
Agent.