Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Wool and other Material.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1896
LOOD
FIL
1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Wool and other Material.
I, JOHN MCCREATH of South British Chambers Esk Street, Invercargill, in the
Colony of New Zealand, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the drying of wool and other materials, and has for its
object the providing of a process by which a continual draught of hot air is drawn
through suction pipes & forced by a fan or blower into a drying box or tank which
contains a series of endless nettings stretched on revolving rollers. In order that the
value of my invention may be understood I describe it in detail.
My invention consists of a fan or blower, an air box or tank, and a fire or heating-
box, the latter forms a connection between the said fan or blower and the air box or
tank. The bottom of the delivery pipe from the said fan or blower to the said air box or
tank forms the top of the heating-box while the suction pipes form the sides of the
said fire or heating-box. The shafts of the said fan or blower comes through the said
suction pipes and is held by bearings which are attached on the outside of the said
suction pipes; the far end of the suction pipes is open to allow the entrance of air, the
air being drawn along the sides of the fire into the said fan or blower is then forced
over the top of the fire through the delivery pipe into the said drying box or tank,
thus the air is doubly heated by the same fire. On the suction pipes at a point close
to the said fan or blower are two sliding doors to allow the entrance of cold air, if
required, to cool the heated air. A damper is fitted in the said delivery-pipe to
regulate the heat and current of air. The said delivery pipe after leaving the fire is
widened out to the full width of the air box or tank. The air after being heated is
forced by the said fan or blower into the bottom of the said air box or tank through
the delivery pipe, of the box or tank, crossways, and slightly above the bottom, the
ripples guide the air upwards, distributing it through all the nettings until it finally
escapes at the top of the box. At each end of the air box or tank are rollers placed
in pairs at different heights, round which are stretched endless nettings. The top
netting is three or more inches shorter than the air box at the far end to which the
wool is fed in, the netting below is shorter at the opposite end and travels in the
opposite direction, the next netting is similar to the top one in length and movement,
and so on alternately until the bottom netting is reached, and this one extends the full
length of the box and slightly outside through an opening. The rollers on which are
stretched the nettings, are set in motion by means of cog, chain, rope or belt gear and
can be geared at either one, or both ends, the rollers being set in motion carry the
nettings round with them, and the material to be dried, being fed on to one end of the
top netting is carried its full length, then round with them and the material to be
dried being fed on to one end of the top netting is carried its full length, then falls
down to the lower netting, which carries it its full length to the opposite end of the
box, where the material falls to the next netting below, and so on, until the material
reaches the bottom netting, which finally discharges it out of the said box or tank in
a thoroughly dry state, caused by its passage on the nettings for a sufficient period
through the hot air. The rollers will be held by means of bearings attached to each
side of the said air-box or tank, the bearings are sliding so as to tighten the nettings
if desired. The top of the said air box or tank can be open or partly closed as
desired. The fire is an ordinary furnace and is placed under the said delivery pipe
and between the said suction pipes; after leaving the furnace the flame and heat of

page_text: the fire are carried by means of a flue under the said air-box or tank, along one side
to the far end, where it crosses to the other side along which it is carried to the
unnel or stack. An ordinary ash-pit is provided below the fire for draught and
shes.
Referring to the drawings :-
Figure 1 is a front view of my invention set on a brick base.
Figure 2 is a side view of my invention with a side of the air box or tank removed
to show the nettings, and rollers.
Figure 3 is a top view of my invention, with the top partly open.
A is a fan or blower. B is an air-box or tank. C is a furnace. D is a delivery-
pipe. EE are suction pipes, G G are bearings for the fan or blower. H H are open
ends by which the air enters the suction pipes. I is a sliding door. K is a damper.
L is a set of ripples. M M are nettings. 00 are rollers. P P are sliding bearings.
Dated this 9th day of July 1896.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4 South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Wool and other Material.
I, JOHN MCCREATH, of South British Chambers, Esk Street Invercargill, in the
Colony of New Zealand, Ironfounder 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 the following statement:
My process of drying wool and other materials consists in subjecting same to a
continuous draught of hot air which is drawn through suction pipes and forced by
a fan or blower into a drying box or tank which contains a series of endless nettings
stretched on revolving rollers and over which nettings the wool and other materials
pass.
Referring to the drawings lodged with the Provisional Specification.
Figure 1, is a front view of the invention.
Figure 2, is a side view of the invention with one side removed to show the
endless nettings.
Figure 3. is a top view of the invention with the top partly open to show the
nettings.
A, is the fan or blower.
B, is the air-box or tank.
C, is the fire or heating-box.
D, is the delivery pipe.
E, E, are the suction pipes.
F is the shaft of the fan or blower.
G. G. are the bearings of the shaft.
H. H. are the open ends of the suction pipes.
I is the sliding door.
K is the damper.
Lis the set of ripples.
M. M. are the endless nettings.
O. O. are the revolving rollers.
P. P. are the bearings for the rollers.
The invention consists of a fan or blower, A, an air-box or tank, B, and a fire box
or heating box, C, the latter forms a connection between the said fan or blower, A,

page_text: and the air-box or tank, B, and forms the top of the heating-box C, while the suction
pipes, E, form the sides of the said fire or heating-box, C.
The shaft, F, of the said fan or blower, A, will come through the said suction
pipes, E and will be held by bearings G, which are attached on the outside of the
suction pipes, E, the far end, H, of the suction pipes, E, will be open to allow the
entrance of air; the air being drawn along the sides of the fire into the said fan or
blower, A, is then forced over the top of the fire through the delivery-pipe, D, into
On
the said drying box or tank, B, thus the air is doubly heated by the same fire.
the suction pipes, E, at a point close to the said fan or blower, A, will be two sliding
doors, I, to allow the entrance of cold air if required to cool the heated air.
A damper, K, is fitted in the said delivery pipe, D, to regulate the heat and current
of air. The said delivery pipe, D, after leaving the said fire will be widened out to
the full width of the air-box or tank, B. The air after being heated is forced by
the fan or blower, A, into the bottom of the said air-box or tank, B, through the
delivery pipe, D, whence it meets a set of ripples, I, placed the full length of the air-
box or tank B, crossways, and slightly above the bottom, the ripples guide the air
upwards, distributing it through all the nettings, M, until it finally escapes at the top
of the box. At each end of the air-box or tank, B, are rollers, O, placed in pairs at
different heights, round which are stretched endless nettings, M. The top netting
is three or more inches shorter than the air box at the far end to which the wool
or other material is fed on, the netting below is shorter at the opposite end and travels
in the opposite direction, the next netting is similar to the top one in length and
movement and so on alternately until the bottom netting is reached and this one
extends the full length of the box and slightly outside through an opening.
The rollers, O, on which are stretched, the nettings, M, are set in motion by means
of cog, chain, rope or belt gear, P, and can be geared at either one or both ends; the
rollers, O, being set in motion carry the nettings, M, round with them and the
material to be dried being fed on to one end of the top netting is carried its full
length, then falls down to the lower netting, which carries it its full length to the
opposite end of the box, where the material falls to the next netting below, and so on,
until the material reaches the bottom netting which finally discharges it out of the
said box or tank, B, in a thoroughly dry state, caused by its passage on the nettings, M,
for a sufficient period through the hot air. The hottest air reaching the wool in its
last stage of drying. The rollers, O, will be held by means of bearings, P, attached
to each side of the said air-box or tank, B, and will be sliding so as to tighten the
nettings if desired. The top of the said air-box or tank, B, can be open or partly
closed as desired. The fire is an ordinary furnace and is placed under the said
delivery pipe, D, and between the said suction pipes, E; after leaving the furnace
the flame and heat of the fire are carried by means of a flue under the said air
box or tank, down along one side to the far end, where it crosses to the other side,
down which it is carried to the funnel or stack. An ordinary ash-pit is provided
below the fire for the draught and ashes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In the process of the drying of wool or analogous material, the combination
of a fan, such as A, with a furnace, such as C, for producing a current of hot air to
be applied so that the hottest air reaches the wool in its last stage of drying
substantially as shown and described herein.
2. In the process of the drying of wool or analogous material, the combination of
enclosed endless netting travelling tables, such as M, for carrying the wool through
a continuous current of heated air, forced by a fan, such as A, and directed to the
whole of the wool by ripples, such as L, substantially as shewn and described
herein.
3. The method of drying wool or analogous material by passing it over enclosed
endless bands of travelling netting tables and forcing a continuous current of hot

page_text: air thoroughly through same in such a manner that the hottest air reaches the
wool in its dryest stages by a machine substantially as shewn and described herein.
Dated this Tenth day of November 1896.
JOHN MCREATH.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4 South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.