Improvements in Drying Biscuits and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept.. 1894-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying Biscuits and in Apparatus therefor.
We JOHN VICARS, THOMAS VICARS, and JOHN VICARS the younger, all of
56 Seel Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object is to dry in an improved manner, biscuits, after they leave the oven;
and to provide apparatus for carrying the improvement into effect, with the
result that both the space and time required for drying are greatly reduced.
The invention consists essentially in drying biscuits whilst in motion, by means
of a current of heated air moving in the opposite direction to the biscuits to be
dried. Heat is imparted to the drying air from the waste gases of the ovens, or
any other convenient source.
Apparatus under our invention consists of travelling webs, step by step feed
apparatus, or other suitable appliances for giving motion to the biscuits, together
with any suitable transferrer for conveying heat from the waste gases to the
drying air, and a fan blower or equivalent device for giving motion to the air.
Elevators or conveyors are used to transfer the biscuits from the oven to the
drying apparatus.
Dated this 5th day of December 1893
Per pro J. T. KING,
W. B. Johnson,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying Biscuits and in Apparatus therefor.
We JOHN VICARS, THOMAS VICARS, and JOHN VICARS the younger, all of
56 Seel Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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 :-
The object is to dry in an improved manner, biscuits, after the leave the oven;
and to provide apparatus for carrying the improvement into effect, with the result
that both the space and time required for drying are greatly reduced.
The invention consists essentially in drying biscuits whilst in motion by means
of a current of heated air moving in the opposite direction to the biscuits to be
dried. Heat is imparted to the drying air from the waste gases of the ovens, or
any other convenient source.
Apparatus under our invention consists of travelling webs, step by step feed.
apparatus, or other suitable appliances for giving motion to the biscuits together
with any suitable transterrer for conveying heat from the waste gases to the drying
air, and a fan blower or equivalent device for giving motion to the air. Elevators
or conveyors are used to transfer the biscuits from the oven to the drying
apparatus.

page_text: '
elevation part being in section at the line A A, of apparatus constructed in
accordance with our invention, one oven and drying chamber above, being shown
out of a series.
a, oven of any usual or suitable construction for baking biscuits. biscuit
drying chamber on the top of or above the oven. c, products of combustion and
waste gas flue for the oven a. The said flue c, is connected by a branch d into the
chamber e and by a branch to the chimney flue The chamber e is also'
connected to the chimney flue g by a branch Huc h. i, j, dampers, k, air heating
enclosure within the chamber e. 1, apertures through which air enters the
enclosure k, m, space between the top of the chamber e and the bottom of the
chamber b. 11, nozzles opening from the space m into the chamber b. The space m
is connected by flues or passages with the enclosure k. o, suction fan driven by any
suitable motor or gear for drawing air through the chamber b.
The action so far as described, is as follows:--
The waste gases and products of combustion from the oven furnace pass by the
flue c and branch d into the chamber e, and thence by the branch to the chimney
flue 9, the said gases and products also pass from the said flue by the branch h
to the chimney flue, the amount passing in either or both directions being
regulated by the dampers i, j. Air is drawn by the fan o through the
apertures 1, enclosure k, space m and nozzles n into and up through the chamber b,
where it drys the biscuits. The amount of heat imparted to the said air being
regulated by its speed of flow through the enclosure and space m together
with the amount of waste gases and products of combustion passing through the
chamber e.
Travelling bands or webs p p are located beneath the mouths of the ovens and
convey the baked biscuits to the well g, situated between a pair of ovens.
elevator which conveys the biscuits from the well y, to the shoots, which
alternately delivers the said biscuits to the ways t, t, along which they are
moved by travelling scrapers u, u', carried by endless chains or their equivalents.
v, rocking piece actuated by a cam », so as alternately to turn the biscuits down
either branch of the shoot s. The biscuits are carried by the scrapers u u¹ over
trap doors w, one for each drying chamber. a, cam for holding the trap door w,
in position, and for allowing it to fall when covered with biscuits, and deliver
them into the chamber b. The cams and x, scrapers u, elevator r, and
travelling bands p, p, are all connected together as shown by the gearing y, so
as to work in unison. Any convenient and suitable gear is used, and such gearing
for connecting endless bands with elevators and conveyors is so well known that
it need not be further described.
When the biscuits are delivered into the chamber b, by the trap door w, they
fall on to a series of fixed bars 1, alternating with movable bars 2. The movable
bars 2, are actuated by cams 3, so as to have a rising forward falling and
backward motion, In this way the biscuits are moved step by step along the
fixed bars 1, until they rest on the trap door 4. The trap door 4 is weighted
so as to rest normally in the position shown and be opened by the biscuits
deposited thereon, or such trap door is actuated by a cam and lever 5 as shown at 4,
or a cam and striking piece 6 as shown at 4". The biscuits pass from the bars 1 to
the bars 1, 1b, as many series being used as is found necessary. 1 is an endless
perforated or open work band which may be used instead of the fixed and
movable bars. Step by step motion is given to the parts within the chamber by
means of ratchet gear worked by connecting rods 7, and belts and pulley gear 8.
9,.are driving pulleys. 10 biscuit delivery. way from the chamber, b.
,
It will be seen that the biscuits are carried from the oven up to the top of
the chamber b, and then conveyed therethrough in a downward direction whilst
heated air passes up through the said chamber. It will be evident that by
regulating the travel of the biscuits and the flow of the heated air-the said biscuits
may be dried to the degree necessary.

page_text: 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 :-
:-
First. Drying biscuits as delivered from the ovens and whilst in motion, by
means of a current of heated air moving in the opposite direction to the biscuits.
Second. Drying biscuits as delivered from the oven and whilst in motion by
means of a current of air heated by the waste gases and products of combustion of
the said oven.
Third. The combination of an oven with a drying chamber, and means for
conveying biscuits from the oven and heated air through the said drying
chamber.
Fourth. The combination of the oven a, drying chamber b, travelling bands p,
well elevator 2', shoots, scrapers u and trap-doors w in combination with
apparatus for conveying biscuits through the drying chamber, all geared together
so as to work in unison substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination of an oven with a drying chamber b, and means for
conveying biscuits and heated air therethrough, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
"
1004
J. T. KING,
Agent.