IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER MATTERS FOR THE BETTER PRESERVATION THEREOF
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Alfred Oakes, of Rectory Road,
Hornsey, Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER MATTERS FOR THE
BETTER PRESERVATION THEREOF.”—A communication from abroad by
Andrew Jackson Reynolds, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America.
Sealed the 3rd March 1876, and dated the 4th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th October 1875.
I, BENJAMIN ALFRED OAKES, of Rectory Road, Hornsey, Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER MATTERS FOR THE
BETTER PRESERVATION THEREOF," to be as follows:
This Invention of improvements in apparatus for drying fruit, vege-
tubles, and other matters, for the better preservation thereof, consists in

page_text: constructing a vertical chamber or casing of either metal or brickwork,
within which is caused to revolve a series of racks or trays carrying
fruit, vegetables, or other matters, these racks being acted upon by beat
in such a manner as to quickly and thoroughly dry the fruit or other
matters, without decreasing its natural beauty or flavour.
The outer casing, which may be constructed with metal plates or
brickwork, contains two vertical chambers, one to act as a flue, and the
other to be used as the drying chamber. Underneath this chamber is a
furnace in communication with the flue, and for the purpose of sup-
plying heated air to the drying chamber. Passing through the centre of
the chamber is a hollow shaft, receiving motion through a pair of bevil
wheels from a weight and cord or from a handle. Arms are projected
from the top of the shaft, having series of trays or racks attached
thereto for carrying the fruit or other matters. At the lower end of the
vertical shaft is keyed a spur wheel gearing into two small pinions on
opposite sides, cach pinion giving motion to a vertical shaft carrying
fans. At the top of the hollow shaft are two pans, the upper and larger
one being filled with water for condensing the hot vapour arising from
the fruit, the lower pan receiving the condensed moisture and conveying
it through the hollow shaft to a waste tank below.
When the trays are filled with fruit or other matters and the furnace
lighted the heated air passes upward through the chamber. The trays
are then made to revolve by turning the hollow shaft, the fans at the
same time receiving rotatory motion, but in an opposite direction to the
trays, thereby causing complete distribution of heated air, and conse-
quent thorough drying of the fruit or other matters.
I also sometimes slightly vary the design from that described above,
and construct the improved apparatus in the following manner :-
:-Within
the drying chamber I cause to revolve, by means of bevil wheels from
below, a hollow drum, having flat sides with projecting hooks carrying
trays for fruit or other matters. From the furnace a hot-air pipe passes
through the flue and across the top of the chamber, entering the drum.
A fan placed beneath the furnace and driven from the bevil wheel shaft
draws the heated air down the drum and through holes in its sides, about
midway of its length, so as to ensure a distribution of heat in the middle
of the chamber, which would otherwise be colder than the upper and
lower parts. The fluc is enclosed in a brick chamber large enough to

page_text: prevent any loss of heat. Holes are formed in this chamber to allow
the heated air to pass into and up the drying chamber, mixing with the
air coming direct from the furnace, and also with that passing through
the drum, thence escaping through the top of the chamber and into the
flue. Dampers are placed over the furnace to regulate the supply of
air. The condenser pans are similar to those previously described, but
the condensed vapour is delivered into the flue chamber instead of
through the shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
ALFRED OAKES, of Rectory Road, Hornsey, Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes, Her
special license that I, the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Alfred
Oakes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND
OTHER MATTERS FOR THE BETTER PRESERVATION THEREOF," (a communication to
me from abroad by Andrew Jackson Reynolds, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention of improvements in apparatus for drying fruit, vege-
tables, and other matters for the better preservation thereof consists in
constructing a vertical chamber or casing of either metal or brickwork,
within which is caused to revolve a series of racks or trays carrying fruit,
vegetables, or other matters to be dried, these racks or trays being acted
upon by heat in such a manner as to quickly and thoroughly dry the
fruit, vegetables, or other matters without decreasing their flavor.
The outer casing, which may be constructed with metal plates or
brickwork, contains two vertical chambers, one to act as a flue, and the
other to be used as the drying chamber. Underneath this chamber is
a furnace in communication with the flue, and for the purpose of sup-
plying heated air to the drying chamber. Passing through the centre
of the chamber is a hollow shaft, receiving motion through a pair of
bevil wheels from a weight and a cord or from a handle. Arms are
projected from the top of the shaft, having series of trays or racks
attached thereto for carrying the fruit, vegetables, or other matters to
be dried. At the lower end of the vertical shaft is keyed a spur wheel
gearing into two small pinions on opposite sides, each pinion giving
motion to a vertical shaft carrying fans. At the top of the hollow shaft
are two
pans, the upper
and larger one being filled with water for con-
densing the hot vapour arising from the fruit, vegetables, or other
matters, the lower pan receiving the condensed moisture, and conveying
it through the hollow shaft to a waste tank below.
When the trays are filled with fruit, vegetables, or other matters, and
the furnace lighted, the heated air passes upward through the chamber.
The trays are then made to revolve by turning the shaft, the fans at the
same time receiving rotatory motion, but in an opposite direction to the
trays, thereby causing complete distribution of heated air, and conse-
quent thorough drying of the fruit, vegetables, or other matters.
I also sometimes slightly vary the design from that described above,
and construct the improved apparatus in the following manner :- - Within

page_text: the drying chamber I cause to revolve by means of bevil wheels from
below a hollow drum, having flat sides with projecting hooks carrying
trays for fruit, vegetables, or other matters. From the furnace a hot-air
pipe passes through the flue and across the top of the chamber, entering
the drum. A fan placed beneath the furnace, and driven from the bevil
wheel shaft, draws the heated air down the drum and through holes in
its sides, about midway of its length, so as to ensure a distribution of
heat in the middle of the chamber, which would otherwise be colder
than the upper and lower parts. The flue is enclosed in a brick chamber
large enough to prevent any loss of heat. Holes are formed in this
chamber to allow the heated air to pass into and up the drying chamber,
mixing with the air coming direct from the furnace and also with that
passing through the drum, thence escaping through the top of the
chamber and into the flue. Dampers are placed over the furnace to
3 regulate the supply of air. The condenser pans are similar to those
previously described, but the condensed vapour is delivered into the flue
chamber instead of through the shaft.
And in order that the said Invention may be better understood and
more readily put into operation, I will now proceed to describe the
Drawing hereunto annexed, which shows a vertical section of the
improved apparatus.
A, A, is the top of the drying chamber; B, B, the improved con-
denser. C is a vertical shaft pivotted at each end, and carrying a flat-
sided hollow drum E, E, closed at each end. This drum is provided with
hooks R, R, placed at proper distances apart, and upon which fruit
racks F, F, are suspended. G, G, is the drip pan for receiving and dis-
charging all vapours and condensed water from the condenser. O is a
hot-air pipe leading from the furnace N and K up through the smoke
stack to top of dry house, thence down the centre of the condenser and
drip pan to the top of drum. The fan S is used to pass a current of
heated air into the centre of the dry house through the ports 2, 2, in
the drum to equalize the heat by reducing it at the furnace and in-
creasing it at the centre of the chamber. The fan may be worked by a
belt from the shaft M. The smoke pipe or stack should be enclosed in
a flue T its entire length, the flue being air-tight at the top, but
provided with ports at the side for the heated air to escape into the dry
house.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and how the same may be carried into practical operation,
I would have it understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
First. The construction and manner of operating the drum E, E, for
the purpose of forcing heated air to the outer surface of the dry house
and through the fruit racks, as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawing.
Second. The heated air pipe O leading from the furnace to the top of
the drum E, E, for the purpose of admitting air to the centre of the
fruit through the ports 2, 2, as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawing.
Third. The hooks R, R, in combination with the fruit racks F, F,
when constructed for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawing.
Fourth. The manner of constructing the smoke stack in connection
with the flucs and heated air ports, and with the fan S and radiating
fluc T, as herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawing.
And, Fifth. The general arrangement of fruit drier, as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Alfred Oakes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
23, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.,
Patent Agent.
BENJN. ALFº. OAKES. (L.S.)