IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MOISTURE FROM SUBSTANCES AND MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES OF AND APPARATUS FOR
REMOVING MOISTURE FROM SUBSTANCES AND MATERIALS." A communication
from abroad by Levi Knight Fuller, of Brattleborough, Windham County,
Vermont, U. S. A.
Sealed the 20th September 1878, and dated the 20th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th March 1878.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES
OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MOISTURE FROM SUBSTANCES AND MATERIALS."
(A communication from abroad by Levi Knight Fuller, of Brattleborough, Windham
County, Vermont, U. S. A.)
In removing moisture from a substance or material by my process, the material
to be acted upon is placed in a room, apartment, or commodious receptacle which
can be closed air-tight or nearly so.
The entering air is heated by any suitable means, either before or after it enters
the room.
The warm air vaporizes and absorbs the moisture from the material
acted upon, and when sufficiently charged therewith, is withdrawn from the room
by a suitable outlet. It is then deprived of its moisture by any suitable means;
and is again forced into the room to be used afresh. This operation is continued
until the material is sufficiently dried.
:
My improved method is applicable where any substance or material is to be
devaporized or dried, but it is especially adapted to the drying or seasoning of
lumber, for which use it thoroughly, speedily, and effectually removes the sap and
moisture, without cracking, checking, or otherwise deteriorating the wood.

page_text: One method of carrying my Invention into practice is as follows, although I do not
confine myself to the precise details of construction or operation here set forth :-The
lumber or other material to be dried is properly piled, stacked, or otherwise arranged
within a tight room or apartment, which I designate the "drying room." This
drying room is provided with a suitable apparatus for heating air which enters it to
the necessary temperature.
I provide a blower or air-forcing apparatus, and tubes connected therewith,
through which air is drawn from the drying room, and forced into and through a
suitable condensing apparatus, and thence again into the drying room.
The condensing apparatus may be of any construction preferred, its operation
being to remove the moisture from the air, while the latter is passing through it,
and to deliver the air in a dry or comparatively dry condition.
The operation is as follows:-The moist air is forced by the blower into the con-
denser, which deprives it of its moisture, and theuce into the drying room where it
is heated, and circulates through or about the material piled therein, vaporizing and
absorbing the inoisture therefrom. It is then drawn out through the outlet tube by
the suction of the blower, and is again forced through the condenser, and into the
drying room, to repeat the same course indefinitely. The circulation of the air is
thus kept up coutinuously, until the material being operated upon is sufficiently
dried.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
September 1878.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES
OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MOISTURE FROM SUBSTANCES AND MATERIALS."
(A communication from abroad by Levi Knight Fuller, of Brattleborough, Windham
County, Vermont, U. S. A.)
This Invention relates,-
First. To a process for removing moisture from substances and materials.
And, Secondly. To an apparatus for the practice of the said
process.
In practicing this process the material to be acted upon is placed in a room,
apartment, or receptacle which is closed air-tight, or nearly so.
A current of air is forced into this room, and the entering air is heated by
any suitable means, either before or after it enters the room. This warm air
vaporizes and absorbs the moisture from the material acted upon, and when
sufficiently charged therewith is withdrawn from the room by a suitable outlet. It
is then deprived of its moisture by suitable means, and is again forced into the
room to be used afresh. This operation is continued until the material is
sufficiently dried.

page_text: This improved process is applicable where any substance or material is to be de-
vaporized or dried, but is especially adapted to the drying or seasoning of lumber,
from which it thoroughly, speedily, and effectually extracts the sap and moisture,
without cracking, checking, or otherwise deteriorating the wood.
One method of practicing this process is as follows, although I do not confine
myself to the precise details of construction or operation here set forth :-The lumber
or other material to be dried is properly piled, stacked, or otherwise arranged within
a tight room or apartment which I designate the "drying room." This " drying
room" is provided with a suitable apparatus for heating air which enters it to the
necessary temperature.
"
I provide a blower or air-forcing apparatus and tubes or pipes connected there-
with, through which air is drawn from the drying room, and forced into and through
a suitable condensing apparatus, and thence again into the drying room.
The condensing apparatus may be of any construction preferred, its operation
being to remove or partially remove the moisture from the air while the latter is
passing through it, and to deliver the air in a dry or comparatively dry condition.
The operation is as follows:-The moist air is forced by the blower into the
condenser, which partially deprives it of its moisture, and thence into the drying
room, where it is heated, and circulates through or about the material placed therein,
vaporizing its contained moisture and absorbing the same. It is then drawn out
through the outlet tube by the suction of the blower, and is again forced
through the condenser and into the drying room to repeat the same course
indefinitely. The circulation is thus kept up continuously until the material
being operated upon is sufficiently dried.
It is unessential whether the air is heated by a heating apparatus situated
within the drying room, or caused to pass, after leaving the condenser, through an
external heating apparatus.
Neither is it essential that the air first pass through the flower and then through
the condenser and heater, as in some cases it may be preferable to have it pass first
through the condenser, or through both the condenser and heater, before passing
into the blower.
In the Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a drying room
and apparatus for practicing this process.
Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, showing a modified arrangement of the
apparatus.
Referring to Figure 1 of the Drawings, A is the drying room; B is material to
be dried, shown as stacked therein in such a manner as to leave interstices for the
entrance of the air; C is a heating apparatus which I have here shown as a series
or coil of steam pipes laid horizontally near the floor of the room, but any other
method of heating may be employed, and the position or arrangement of the appara-
tus may be varied, as circumstances dictate; D is a tube or eduction pipe which leads
from the drying room to a blower or air-forcing apparatus E. The form or kind
of this apparatus is not essential, any good blower will serve the purpose; G is
a pipe leading from the blower to a condenser H, which connects by an induction
pipe I with the drying room A. The particular construction of this condenser is
immaterial, any known or possible arrangement which will remove sufficient
moisture from a current of air while the same is passing through it, to deliver it
into the room A in a comparatively dry condition, being all that is necessary.
In the operation of this apparatus the steam coil or other heating apparatus C
heats the atmosphere of the drying room A to the proper temperature for taking up
the moisture from the material B, and maintains it at that temperature.
The air circulates among the interstices of the material, vaporizing and absorbing
its contained moisture.
The blower or other air-forcing apparatus E draws off the hot air charged with
moisture, through the eduction pipe D, forces it through the condenser H, whereby
its moisture is more or less condensed, and thence in a comparatively dry con-
dition back into the drying room to be again heated, when the operation is

page_text: repeated continuously, until the material B has been sufficiently deprived of its
moisture.
In Figure 2 is shown a slightly modified arrangement of the apparatus. The moist
air is withdrawn from the drying room A (a portion only of which is shown) through
the eduction pipe D from which it passes into and through a suitable condenser H, it
being actuated by suction from the blower E. After passing through the blower
it is forced through the heater C, where its temperature is raised, and thence through
the induction pipe I back into the drying room.
The heater C may be heated by steam, as shown, or otherwise.
In case these apparatus were situated within instead of outside the drying room,
either or both of the pipes D and I might be dispensed with.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the Invention commu-
nicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is,―
First. The process of drying substances consisting of enclosing the same in a
drying room, forcing air into said room, so that it may come in contact with said
substance, and absorb moisture therefrom, withdrawing the moisture charged air
.from the room, passing it through a suitable condensing apparatus, whereby it is
more or less deprived of its contained moisture, and again forcing said air in a
comparitively dry condition into the drying room, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. The process of drying, consisting of enclosing the substance to be dried
within a drying room, heating the air in said room sufficiently to cause it to
vaporize and absorb the moisture from said substance, withdrawing the air
from the room when sufficiently charged with moisture, condensing or partially
condensing its moisture, and again forcing it into the drying room to be used afresh,
substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. A drying room A provided with a heating apparatus C, a blower
for forcing in substantially dry air, and an exit for the moist air, as described
and shown.
Fourthly. The combination of a drying room A, blower E, condenser H, and
heating apparatus C, when arranged to operate, substantially as and for the pur-
poses set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.