Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Salt and other Substances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept.. 1894-Accepted, 5th Jan., 1895
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Salt and other Substances.
1, THOMAS CRANEY of 624 Harrison Street, Bay City, Michigan, United States
of America, Manufacturer, 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 invention is especially designed for drying salt and similar comminuted
material but may be used for drying any material.
The invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a
vertical series of rotating hollow screens and the construction of the feeding
devices from an upper screen to the next lower one, whereby the particles or parts
of the material are spread over the screen surfaces in thin layers at different
points and falling from the top to the bottom are held in this condition a
considerable time, during which they may be subjected to upwardly passing air
currents to thoroughly dry the same.
The invention further consists in the peculiar construction of the rotating
screens and of the deflectors or chutes arranged on the discharge side of the
currents to carry the material from an upper screen to the next lower one, these
deflectors being vibrated by the rotating screens and thereby acting as knockers
to clean the meshes of the rotating screens, and further in the peculiar construction,
arrangement and combination of the various parts all as more fully hereinafter
described.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved drier, showing the tower and the
actuating devices for rotating the screens.
Fig. 2 is a vertical, central section therethrough.
Fig. 3 is a vertical, central section through Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an end view, and
Fig. 5 a longitudinal section of the drum, to be hereinafter referred to, on an
enlarged scale.
A is a tower enclosed, and having an open top. B are ducts or pipes leading
into the lower end thereof to admit heated air from a blower or other source.!
C are a series of transverse shafts arranged centrally through the tower and
provided at their ends with bevel gear wheels D, with which mesh the bevel
pinions E on the exterior or vertical shaft F which is driven from any suitable
source of power, these gear wheels and pinions being so arranged that every
alternate shaft is rotated in the same direction, and the two series are rotated in
opposite directions.
Secured to each of these shafts within the tower are the heads G which are
counected together near the outer edge by means of cross-bars H Figs. 4 and 5
forming a hollow open drum upon which I secure a cover I of perforated material,
such as wire cloth, thus making hollow screens which are secured to the rotating
shafts C.
Preferably upon the exterior of the screens are secured the cross bars or ribs J
opposite the interior cross-bars H, being secured at their ends to the heads.
Upon the heads and preferably upon the periphery I form a series of teeth L, as
shown in Fig. 3 and 4.
Al are chutes hinged below the discharge side of the rotating screens and having
their free ends resting upon the heads of the screens, being vibrated in the rotation
of the screens by means of the teeth L.

page_text: These chutés I preferably form of open work, such as wire cloth or perforated
sheet metal.
At the upper end of the tower is a suitable feed spout O delivering upon a feed
apron or chute P. At the lower end of the tower is a hopper Q into which the
material falls and in the lower end of which is a conveyor Q' for carrying the
material laterally into the elevator R, by means of which it may be carried to any
desired point.
The parts being thus constructed their operation is as follows: Motion being
given to the parts the screens will be rotated, the material will be fed through the
spout upon the chute P and centrally upon the upper drum, which turning, as
indicated by the arrows, will carry the material to the side, the material sliding
over that section of the screen upon which it falls as it moves from its horizontal
to its vertical position, and finally will fall from the drum upon the vibrating
chute M.
As the rotating screen moves along in its motion after having discharged the
material from its surface it will make a half revolution before fresh material is
discharged upon it and during this half revolution it will be constantly jarred by
the vibration of the feed chute, thereby thoroughly cleaning the meshes of the
screen.
In addition to this some of the material will fall through the screen and work on
the inside which will tend further to keep the meshes from clogging.
The material will thus take a zigzag course being carried slowly over each
screen and chute successively until it reaches the bottom..
It will thus be seen that the material is spread in a thin layer over different
points of the rotating screen, and the chutes, and thus its fall through the tower
will be retarded so that it may be held suspended with the particles separated at
all times, so that the air may reach all parts of it to thoroughly dry it.
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 1
claim is:
->
1. In a drier, a tower, a vertical series of horizontally arranged rotating screens
and chutes under the discharge side of the screens to deflect the material upon the
next lower one.
2. In a drier, a tower, a vertical series of hollow screens and means for rotating
the alternate screens in opposite directions, and chutes under the discharge side of
the rotating screens to deflect the material from the upper screen upon the next
lower one.
3. In a drier, a tower, a vertical series of hollow rotating screens, and vibrating
screens forming chutes under the discharge side of the rotating screens to feed
the material discharged from au upper upon a lower screen.
4. In a drier the combination of a tower, a series of transverse driven shafts
therein, cylindrical screens secured to the shafts, and each consisting of heads,
connecting strips H and J between the heads, a wire screen secured to the heads
between the strips, the teeth L on the heads, and the screen chute hinged to the
side of the tower upon the discharge side of the drums and resting with their free
ends upon the notched heads.
Dated thin orth d
T1100
THOMAS CRANEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.