Improvements in Apparatus for Drying by Means of Furnace Gases and Air.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying by Means of Furnace Gases
and Air.
I, FRANKLIN DAVID CUMMER, of 1051 East Madison Avenue, City of Cleveland
County of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, 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:―
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for drying with products of
combustion and air.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one form of my improved drying
apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus enlarged
relatively to Fig. 1, and broken out in the center, and Fig. 24 is an elevation of
sections of the front spider rim and the cylinder ring.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the invention, showing the larger part of the
machine in section and a dust collecting chamber at the top and an air heating
space at the bottom.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of the dust collecting chamber, and Fig. 5 is
a front elevation of the apparatus with a part of the front wall broken away, as
hereinafter more fully described.
Fig. 6, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of an apparatus with an open
rear end.
°
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the hoods, and Fig. 8, is a cross section
of the cylinder.
A, (Fig. 1) is the fuel furnace, and B, is a flue or passage way for the products
of combustion between the air inlet floor, C, and the perforated arch, D.
In order to temper and regulate the degree of heat entering the cylinder, E,
and to distribute the heat in the said cylinder in such way as to give the desired
results, according to the material being dried, and the amount of heat required at
one place or another between the ends of the cylinder, I have provided the
arch, D, (Fig. 1) with numerous openings d, and the floor, C, likewise is provided
with openings, c, for the admission of air to the passage, B. The arch, D, extends
well back towards the rear end of the furnace and the products of combustion and
heated air commingled pass through openings, d, into the heated chamber and
cylinder above, and thus the cylinder is protected from the direct heat from the
furnace except as it is filtered through this perforated arch. This enables me to
maintain a much more intense heat in the furnace and to do vastly more drying
than would be possible without the perforated arch and the hooded openings
through the cylinder as hereinafter described, because without the arch the flame
would strike the cylinder direct and burn it out. The air inlets a, beneath the floor, C,
are provided with registers or their equivalent to admit as much air as may be
needed.
The cylinder, E, is provided with a series of openings, e, (Fig. 1) arranged
spirally, and hoods, R, (Figs. 2, 7 and 8) over the openings on its inside. These
hoods serve as coverings for the openings, so that as the heated air and products of

page_text: combustion pass through the same they still prevent the material which is being
dried from dropping through. To this end said hoods are made elbow shape, and
have flaring shields, r, with fine wire webbing or gauze, s, (Figs. 7 and 8) or it
equivalent forming a diaphragm at the base of the shields, which prevent the
material from passing through the hood into the drying chamber. The hood, R
is bolted to the cylinder, and the diaphragm is secured between the shield and the
body of the hood. The space beneath the air inlet floor, C, is divided into
compartments. This is done so that air may be admitted into any one or more of
the compartments according as cool air is wanted at the front, middle, or rear of
the cylinder. This enables me to temper the heat at any point where the air is
admitted, so that I may have 2500° at the mouth of the furnace and not over 150°
or less where the products of combustion enter the rear of the cylinder. The
products of combustion and heated air that does not pass through the hoods, R,
enter the cylinder through openings, 5, Fig. 1, or the open rear end, Fig. 6, and
the dried material discharges at the rear end of the cylinder into the conveyor, 4,
beneath.
The cylinder is driven by gearing comprising the gear wheel, 6, on the shaft, 7,
and enlarged and shown more distinctly in Fig. 2. The shaft or elongated
trunnion, 7, is rigidly secured in the spider, H, by spline or otherwise, and is
supported upon two bearings 9, and 10, and has flanges or stops, 11 and 12, at
either side of the outer bearing, 10. These flanges might be employed with either
or both of the said bearings, their object being to prevent any longitudinal
movement whatever at this end of the machine on account of expansion or
contraction by cold or heat. Such expansion or contraction is provided for by
the rear journal, 2, which is free to slide back and forth in the self lubricating
bearing, 21.
In Figs. 1 and 2 a rod or bolt, 12', extends longitudinally through hollow shaft
or trunnion, 7, and projects through beyond both ends thereof, and a yoke or
brace, 14, is connected with said rod and has its ends fixed to the inside of the
cylinder, E. On the outer extremity of the said rod is a spring, 16, secured by
nut and washer and resting between said washer and the end of the said shaft, 7.
Two or more such yokes or braces, 14, may be used. The nut and washer may be
turned up, increasing the tension of spring, 16, until it overcomes the sliding
tendency of the cylinder rearward, and thereby keeping said parts in their proper
working position.
L, is a re-enforcing ring riveted on the front end of the cylinder, E, Fig. 2.
This ring closely encircles the periphery 17, of the spider or head, H, and is
locked to turn therewith, as hereinafter fully described. This periphery, 17, is
turned down so as to be perfectly true on its inner side, and to have a smooth
wearing surface for ring, L, and to fit closely about the flange, 20.
By the foregoing construction it will at once become obvious if for any reason
the shaft, 7, should settle or otherwise get out of line with the cylinder, E. because
it would at once show by the separation of flange, 20, and ring L. The
spring, 16, and rod, 121, serve the further office of maintaining a free working
union between the said ring and flange, 20, and make a dust tight joint.
The periphery, 17, of the spider has lugs, 22, Fig. 2A, and a corresponding lug
is on the ring, L, to engage between said lugs, but said lugs should not interfere
with a slight back and forth sliding movement between said parts as the machine
may require. A suitable packing ring, N, (Fig. 2) is arranged about the outer
edge of the ring, L, and the britching, 23, and the periphery and the spider, H,
the ring, L, and the cylinder, E, with the shaft, 7, all are rotated together.
Referring again to Fig. 2, we see that the trunnion 2, is hollow and that the
arms of the spider, 25, likewise are hollow, and have openings, 26, for the admission
of air and an opening, 27, is formed centrally in the spider to admit air directly
into the cylinder, E. These passages may have means for closing them if desired.
A rim, O, is rigidly secured to the cylinder about its surface near the periphery
of the spider, 25, in order to obtain a true circular surface to pack against with the

page_text: packing ring, P, thereby making a close joint at this point. The said packing ring
in its turn is secured to the breeching, Q, which is secured to the brick work and
to which the packing ring, P, is fixed and adapted to the ring, O.
A small hood, 30, is arranged about the inlet, 27, from hollow journal, 2, in the
rear of the cylinder to prevent the material that is tossed on the inside thereof
from leaking out through the said hole.
I have found it a very great advantage to use a perforated arch, D, beneath the
cylinder whereby the products of combustion are gradually admitted into the
cylinder and are reduced in temperature by fresh air as desired, so that there is no
possibility of so called excessive firing in a furnace of this description, and any
amount of firing may be done and the heat can be taken care of and utilized and
distributed so as to be effective for drying purposes and not entail injury upon the
cylinder or other parts of the machine. In this way we can, in fact, successfully
employ two or three times as much heat as formerly with any given size of
machine and not work injury to any part. This machine is, therefore, to be
considered as one which is especially adapted to the use of very high and what
might be considered excessive temperatures, and to be used where a large amount
of work is to be done by crowding the machine, but with the understanding that
the material handled in this way is not of a combustible or explosive nature.
The products of combustion pass out from the cylinder at its front end, thence
through the hole 561 in the top of the housing 56, and thence by a pipe (not
shown) into the smoke stack.
A fan or blower may be located in the pipe leading from the opening 56¹ to the
smoke stack.
Referring now to Fig. 3, we find coiled pipes, C3, for the purpose of utilizing
exhaust steam from the engine which rotates cylinder E, to heat the air which is
admitted to the air chamber beneath said floor, because it is sometimes desirable to
have heated air at this point and thus not only economize the otherwise waste heat
of the exhaust steam but also to contribute to the temperature in the furnace
chambers and passages.
A dust collecting chamber or room is shown, which, in this instance, is built over
the cylinder chamber to trap dust that may be discharged or drawn away with the
products of combustion from the drying cylinder, especially when such dusts are
valuable, as often occurs. As here shown I have erected walls, 50, upon the sides
and ends of the drying chamber, and the chamber thus formed is covered over with
angle irons, 51, transversely thereof and the bricks, 52, intermediate of said irons,
so that the chamber when completed will be absolutely non-combustible, especially
when inflammable or explosive materials are being dried. If non-combustible or
non-explosive materials are dried the chambers may be of combustible materials.
One or more outlets, 54, are located at the top of the said chamber.
At the front of the dust chamber the flue, 56, (Fig. 3) leads from the
britching, 57, at the front of the drying cylinder and a blower or its equivalent, 58,
is located in the elbow or pipe, 59, that extends from said flue, 56, into the
discharge cylinder or walled passage way, 60, in the said dust chamber. This
short pipe, or elbow, 59, may indeed be the outer extremity of cylinder, 60, and
the said cylinder extends lengthwise of the dust chamber the full length thereof.
It has either a continuous opening at its bottom, or a series of openings at or near
its bottom. I have shown three longitudinal openings, 62, (Figs. 3 and 4) and the
discharge from the furnace of all the products of combustion and heated air and
whatever else may be carried away therewith is through the cylinder, 60, and these
openings, 62. The part, 60, is preferably cylindrical, but it may have a different
shape and serve the same purpose, and at its bottom and outside are longitudinal
plates, 65, arranged in V-shape, as shown in Fig. 4, converging from the sides of
the cylinder downward. At the bottom of these plates in reverse or inverted
position is a V-shaped deflector, 66, which conveys the dust laterally somewhat
while the products of combustion escape between said two sets of plates, 65, and 66.
Within the rectangular dust chamber is an internal chamber V-shape in cross

page_text: section and formed by walls, 70. At the bottom of this chamber is a longitudinal
conveyor, 71, for carrying the accumulated dust through the front end of the said
chamber and back into the britching at the front to be mingled with the fresh
material to be dried, but it may be otherwise cared for. The products of combus-
tion disappear from the inner chamber, 70, through the flue or inlets, 54, at the
top, and the discharge from cylinder, 60, and the chutes beneath the same is
constantly downward, so as to promote the depositing of the dust and prevent its
being carried out through the flue, 54. The advantage of this is obvious, because
while the products of combustion are considerable and the blower, 58, is constantly
at work, the action of the blower is practically exhausted and lost in the
cylinder, 60, and there is no especial force or draft present in the dust chamber
to disturb the quiet settlement of the dust at the bottom thereof, especially since
the parts, 65, and 66, are so arranged as to prevent any disturbance of the dust at
the bottom of the chamber, 70, by the draft through the bottom cylinder, 60.
Between the outer wall of the dust chamber and the inner walls, 70, I place a
series of steam pipes, 80 (Figs. 4 and 5), to heat air which is taken to the cylinder
chamber, E, through the inlet openings, 81, and the down passage, 82, in the wall
of the furnace into the said cylinder chamber, thus utilizing the otherwise waste
space in the dust chamber and the exhaust steam as well.
Lifters V (Figs. 6 and 8) run longitudinally of the drying cylinder and serve to
carry the material toward the top of the cylinder and toss it down. The hoods, R,
are deep enough in the neck to stand out from the material at the bottom of the
cylinder and prevent choking.
It is immaterial whether the cylinders discharge through openings, 5, or through
their ends over the spider, as seen in Fig. 1, and 6, respectively.
The cylinder E is provided with a series of hooded inlets or opening 90 through
to the inside, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These inlets are arranged
between the lifting blades of the cylinder, and over these inlets on the inside of
the cylinder are the substantially elbow shaped hoods or guards R, Fig. 7.
These hoods are designed as coverings and passages for the openings 90, so that
the products of combustion and heated air may have a free and unobstructed flow
through them notwithstanding the presence in the cylinder of a mass of tossed
and travelling material, which, without such hoods or guards would unavoidably
sift out through the openings 90, and be lost. Hence, also, the peculiar shape of
the hoods with the elbow turned preferably toward the front of the cylinder in the
direction of the draft, and the flaring mouth and shield r.
With this construction
the material dropping onto the hoods at the bottom of the cylinder is shed or
thrown off, and as a further safeguard at the base of this flaring shield or mouth
there is a fine wire webbing, gauze, or other suitable open work diaphragm s,
which prevents the material which may happen to come within shield r, from
passing through the hood into the expansion chamber. Of course, the heavy
draft or suction through the hoods is directly opposed to any such tendency,
but still the precaution of the diaphragm is deemed necessary.
The hood R may
be cast or otherwise formed substantially as shown, and is bolted firmly to the
cylinder over the openings 90. In this instance the flaring shield r, is shown as
made in a separate piece bolted to the hood, and the diaphragms is secured
between said parts. These details may of course be varied without departing
from the spirit of the invention.
Some of the materials dried by this apparatus are sulphate of soda, carbonate of
soda, potters clay, common salt, lime, malt-fertilizers, corn from sugar and starch
works, all kinds of rock and minerals, and numerous other articles not necessarily
enumerated herein.
The flow of heat through the openings c in arch C to the cylinder is controlled
in this instance by a sliding cover W (Fig. 6) of asbestos cloth or other non-
combustible material perforated to match the openings cand adapted to be drawn
more or less over said openings by handle rod w, as more or less flow of heat is
wanted.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inver
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what !
clain is-
1. In an apparatus as described, the drying cylinder open at its ends for
the passage of the material and the products of combustion in opposite
directions, inlet openings at intervals through the side of said cylinder and hoods
or guards over said openings on the inside of the cylinder, substantially as set
forth.
2. The drying cylinder having an inlet for the material at one end and an
outlet for the material at the other end and inlet openings through its side, and
hoods over said openings on the inside of the said cylinder having their direction
of discharge substantially parallel with the axis of the cylinder, substantially as
set forth.
3. The drying cylinder described, having a series of inlet openings through its
side, elbow-shaped hoods over said openings on the inside of the cylinder, and
lifting blades constructed to toss the material over the hoods, substantially as set
forth.
4. The cylinder described, having inlet openings at intervals about its side and
hoods over said openings of substantially elbow-shape, and open work shields or
diaphragms in said hoods to prevent escape of material through them, substantially
as set forth.
5. The cylinder described, having a series of openings through its side, and
elbow-shaped hoods over said openings on the inside of the cylinder and having
flaring discharges, substantially as set forth.
its
6. The cylinder described, having longitudinally arranged lifting blades on
inside, and a series of inlet openings over its surface between said blades and
hoods over said openings having necks to raise the discharge above the floor of
the cylinder and curved at their top to discharge in the direction of the end of the
cylinder, substantially as set forth.
7. The drying cylinder open at its ends for the passage of the material and the
products of combustion in opposite directions, and having inlet openings through
the side of the cylinder between its ends, substantially as set forth.
8. The combined furnace and walled chamber for the drying cylinder, and the
drying cylinder therein open at its ends and arranged in the line of draft, and
having covered inlet openings between its ends and a device at the front of the
dust cylinder to stimulate or augment the natural draft through said cylinder,
substantially as set forth.
9. The apparatus described, comprising a furnace and a drying cylinder set into
the line of draft from the furnaces and open at its ends, and a perforated arch
between the said cylinder and the line of draft from the furnace to the rear of the
cylinder, substantially as set forth.
10. The furnace and the perforated arch forming a continuation of the furnace
arch, and a revolving drying cylinder above said perforated arch, and open at its.
ends to allow draft through the same, substantially as set forth.
11. The furnace and the perforated arch beyond the furnace over the line of
draft, and a drying cylinder set into the line of draft above said perforated arch
and provided with covered openings to admit heat into the cylinder about its
side, substantially as set forth.
12. The furnace and the drying cylinder set into the line of draft therein, and
provided with a series of hooded inlet openings between its ends and a perforated
arch extending substantially parallel to said cylinder beneath the same and
separating the cylinder from the direct draft from the furnace, substantially as set
forth.
13. The furnace, and the perforated arch forming an extension substantially of
5 the arch of the furnace, in combination with the open ended revolving drying
cylinder set into the line of draft and having its side provided with a series of

page_text: inlet openings, and elbow shaped hoods over said openings, substantially as set
forth.
14. The furnace and the perforated arch extending beyond the same toward the
rear and forming the covering of the line of draft, and a perforated air inlet arch
beneath said line of draft, substantially as set forth.
15. The furnace constructed for a drying apparatus, the drying cylinder therein
and an air inlet arch beneath said cylinder perforated at intervals for the passage
of air, whereby the temperature of the products of combustion are reduced as air
is admitted, substantially as set forth.
16. The construction described, consisting of the furnace proper, the parallel
perforated arches forming the draft passage from the furnace between them, and
the revolving drying cylinder set into the line of draft above said arches,
substantially as set forth."
17. The furnace and the two perforated arches, one above the other and having
the draft passage between them, and mechanism to regulate the flow of air through
the lower arch, substantially as set forth.
18. The furnace described, the parallel perforated arches and air inlets to the
lower of said arches, in combination with the open ended dryer cylinder above
said arches in the line of draft and having hooded inlet openings about its side,
substantially as set forth.
19. The furnace and the two perforated arches, the drying cylinder set into the
line of draft above said arches and having openings about the side, and hoods over
said openings having their discharge directed toward the front of the cylinder,
substantially as set forth.
20. The furnace proper and the draft passage from said furnace having
perforated arches above and below the same, a cylinder in the line of draft above
said arches and open throughout its length, hooded inlet openings in said cylinder
and a device to produce artificial draft through said cylinder, substantially as set
forth.
21. The furnace and the revolving drying cylinder set into the line of draft
therefrom and having inlet openings about its side and hoods over said openings,
means at the front of said cylinder through which material to be dried is fed
thereto and means to produce an artificial draft through the cylinder and said
hoods, substantially as set forth.
22. The construction described, consisting of the furnace and the expansion
chamber and a perforated arch beneath said chamber, and a cylinder having its
front end projecting outside of said chamber and made to feed the material to be
dried into said cylinder, substantially as set forth.
23. In a cylinder of the kind described, a tubular spindle or trunnion and
tubular arms radiating from said spindle and an open passage through spindle and
arms to admit air, substantially as set forth.
24. The cylinder, in combination with the combined tubular spindle and arms
and the band integral with said arms, said parts connected, substantially as set
forth.
25. The furnace and the arch over the passage way therefrom provided with
openings, and means to control said openings, substantially as set forth.
26. The furnace and the perforated arch to the rear thereof over the passage
way, and a sliding part of non-combustible material to control the said perforations,
substantially as set forth.
27. The furnace having a perforated arch at its rear and a chamber over said
arch having air inlets at its side, substantially as set forth.
28. In a drying apparatus, a drying cylinder, a spider in the end of the cylinder,
a hollow trunnion for said spider, a spring pressed rod through said trunnion and
arms connected with the inner end of said rod and the inside of said cylinder back
from the end thereof, substantially as set forth.
29. The drying cylinder and a ring fixed thereto at one end and a journaled
spider encircled by said ring, a rod through the journal of said spider and

page_text: connecting arms from the inner end of said rod to the inside of the cylinder, said
rod provided with a spring to yield longitudinally, substantially as set forth.
30. The construction described, consisting of the cylinder and the ring about its
front end, and hollow journalled spider having a ring shaped periphery overlapped
by the ring on said cylinder and the said rings constructed to engage and rotate
together, whereby the cylinder is turned, a rod through said spider journal, a spring
encircling the rod outside said journal and the yoke or arms connected with the
inner end of said rod and the inside cylinder, substantially as set forth.
31. The cylinder and the ring fixed to the end thereof, in combination with a
spider having its periphery overlapped by the said ring and having a projection on
its periphery against which the said ring is adapted to bear, connections independent
of said spider to hold said ring and spider in operative relation, said connections
fixed to the said cylinder some distance from its end, substantially as set forth.
32. In a drying apparatus as described, a drying cylinder having hooded inlets
between its ends for the passage of the products of combustion and heated air, and
openings at its rear and side for the further inlet of products of combustion and
for the discharge of dried material, substantially as set forth.
33. The drying cylinder described, having a series of openings about its rear
and side through which the dried material is discharged and the products of
combustion are admitted to said cylinder, and having a supporting spider and
journal in its rear and outside said openings, substantially as set forth.
34. In a drying apparatus, a furnace and heating chamber and a rotating drying
cylinder in said chamber, in combination with a dust collecting chamber and a
walled passage in said chamber constructed to promote deposition of the dust, a
draft passage from said cylinder to said walled passage, and a blower to promote
artificial draft through said passages, substantially as described.
35. The apparatus comprising the furnace and heating chamber and a rotating
cylinder in said chamber, in combination with a dust collecting chamber over the
said heating chamber, a draft passage from the cylinder to said chamber, and a
blower in said passage, substantially as set forth.
36. The dust chamber described, having an inlet from the furnace and a blower
connected therewith, and a passage way in said chamber provided with an opening
along its bottom and closed about its sides and top and an outlet at the top of said
chamber for the escape of the products of combustion, substantially as set forth.
37. In a drying apparatus, a dust collecting chamber provided with an inlet
passage extending into the same and open along its bottom, and a deflector or
guard along the sides and bottom of the said passage to promote the deposit of
the inflowing dust at the bottom of said chamber, substantially as set forth."
38. In a drying apparatus as described, a cylinder through which the products
of combustion and the material dried pass in opposite directions, in combination
with a dust chamber, a flue from said cylinder into said dust chamber provided with
means to promote the depositing of the dust at the bottom of said chamber, and
the said chamber having sides converging towards the botton thereof, substantially
as set forth.
39. The dust chamber having an outside enclosing wall and inside downwardly
converging sides, 70, and a conveyor at the bottom of said sides, 70, substantially
as set forth.
40. The dust chamber having the converging inner side walls and the conveyor
at the bottom thereof, in combination with the dust inlet passage extending into
said chamber and open along its bottom and an outlet at the top of said chamber,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this it dow of At 1005
FRANKLIN DAVID CUMMER.