An Improved Drying Apparatus for Textile and other Matters.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 21st June, 1889-Accepted. 27th July. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Drying Apparatus for Textile and other Matters.
I JEAN STORBAY of Tourcoing in the Republic of France Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct a drying apparatus in which the drying
is performed by a current of hot air in such a manner that the temperature of the
incoming current of air may be regulated and that a perfectly equal temperature may
prevail in all parts of the drying chamber, said drying apparatus being more especially
intended for the testing of samples of textile matters to ascertain the loss in weight
upon removing the moisture in the sample, but being applicable to drying of other
matters.
The apparatus comprises a bed plate having a central inlet for hot air from a stove
or any suitable air heater. Above the bed plate is a free space bounded above by a
flat plate being the floor of the drying chamber. Through said space pass three or
more flues communicating with the drying chamber and with an annular space in or
under the bed plate through which the hot air is eventually carried off from the
apparatus. The drying chamber is enclosed by five concentric cylindrical plates,
the two inner ones being connected to form an annular hollow wall or one packed
with a non conductor of heat. The third and fourth plates are likewise connected and
similarly packed to form a second wall. The fifth plate forms the third wall. The
space between the first and second walls is in communication below with the hot air
inlet space, above with the interior of the drying chamber, by an annular and even
orifice, and between near the bottom by an annular opening with the space between
the second and third walls. The space between the second and third walls is closed
below and open above to the outer air through holes or slots in an annular platu
rendered adjustable or to be closed or opened by a second and similar annular plate
movable thereon in the known manner. The hot air mingles evenly in the inner annular
space with the desired quantity of cold air from the outer annular space, and the
mixture ascends in the inner annular space and enters the drying chamber, being
doflected downward therein by a baffle plate, and eventually passes out through the
outlet flues, the direct entrance of which is guided by an annular false bottom to
the drying chamber. The lid or roof of the chamber has a central hole covered
by a close fitting cover and is provided with a thermometer placed so that the
bulb is in the current of air entering the drying chamber. The hot air inlet and
outlet are provided with registers or valves with suitable gear for convenient opera-
tion of them from outside the apparatus. A bracket is provided for the balance to
which the sample to be tested or matter to be dried is suspended.
Dated this 8th day of February 1889.
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Drying Apparatus for Textile and other Matters.
I, JEAN STORHAY of Turcoing, department du Nord in the French Republic,
Engineer of Arts and Manufactures, 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 :-
This Invention relates to apparatus for drying or conditioning textile and other
similar materials capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere and of having
bygroscopic moisture withdrawn therefrom by dessicated air.

page_text: The apparatus hereinafter described is more particularly adapted for conditioning
textile materials or ascertaining the amount of hygroscopie moisture thoroin, but it
is also applicable to other similar purposes.
The exact determination of the degree of humidity in textile and other hygro-
metric materials, is made by means of a conditioning apparatus. The sample to he
examined is placed in this apparatus in a current of warm air the temperature of
which is clearly above 100 degrees Centigrade, but lower than that which would
effect a change in the nature or composition of the material itself. Experiments
have shown that after a sufficient time the sample is completely deprived of its
hydroscopic water. When this time las arrived, the exact weight of the sample
is taken before its removal from the dessicating apparatus hy means of a special
balance placed upon the apparatus itself. The comparison of the weights taken
before the commencement and at the termination of the operation will show the
amount of humidity of the sample.
Such apparatus heated by gas and by warm air, which have hitherto been in use
possess more or less the following disadvantages :-(1) The external casing of the
apparatus radiates a considerable amount of heat into the room in which it is placed;
(2) The thermometer, because of faulty arrangements, gives an uncertain reading of
the temperature of the current of warm air; (3) The textile material is submitted
to a very unequal temperature at its various parts according to the parts of the drying
chamber in which it may be situated; (4) The temperature of the drying current of
air varies very much because of the imperfect means for regulating it, its quantity
should be diminished and sometimes reduced to zero when the temperature is high;
(5) The great height of the apparatus and its construction renders the manipulation
troublesome and is opposed to the easy removal of its parts and the cleansing of the
interior.
The conditioning stove constructed arranged and operated according to these
Improvements, remedies these inconveniencies, and the novel arrangements and modi-
fications of structure hereinafter described may be applied to other similar apparatus
whether heated by an air stove, by gas, or by steam.
These Improvements are represented in the accompanying drawings to which
reference is hereinafter made, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section; Fig. 2 a
horizontal section along the line (DEFGH Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a horizontal section
along the line A B Fig. 1; and Fig. 4a side elevation.
The apparatus consists :-
(1) Of a cast bed plate u fixed to the floor and including the inlet. A for the warm
air and the outlet chamber D for the delivery of the air which has been used; at the
inlet there is a regulator; the chamber D is continued by a pipe which is furnished
with the regulator y.
(2) Of a cylindrical body having a double wall 1 and 2 and a double bottoni a
and ; the space between the walls 1 and 2 is filled with an insulating material or
with confined nir; the double bottom serves for the departure of the air which escapes
by three pipes in the chamber D.
The cylindrical body forms the drying chamber entirely open at the top and resting
upon the base by the three tubes or feet T.
(B) Of a triple jacket formed by the cylinders 3, 4, and 5 leaving hetween them
and the cylindrical body an annular space through which rise the currents of warm
and cold air already mixed in convenient proportions. The cylinders 3 and 4 form a
double wall filled in with insulating material and hermotically sealed at top and bottom.
The cylinders & and 5 are connected at top and at bottom respectively by the rings k
and m which are pierced by the openings o and 9. Cold air from the room in which
the apparatus is placed cau circulate from top to bottom in the space between the
cylinders 4 and 5 and this air will keep the external wall 5 quite cool and it serves
also to regulate the temperature of the warm air enturing the apparatus through the
chamber . The triple jacket or onvelope rests simply upon a convenient scuting or
flango formed upon the bed plate u.

page_text: (4) Of an annular plate n, capable of being moved circularly, and having rect-
angular perforations corresponding with the similar openings in the connecting ring m.
The openings in m and n respectively are so arranged and proportioned that the
quantity of air admitted is proportional to the position of the ring n.
(5) Of a perforated gallery permitting the air of the room to enter above the plate n.
(6) Of the short sheet iron cylinder 6 which serves to deflect into the same direction
and to mix in the space 2-3 the two currents of warm and cold air.
(7) Of an annular deflecting plate g depressed towards the centre for the purpose of
directing the current of air upon the sample.
(8) Of the cast tablet s having an opening in the centre covered by the fitted lid V,
through which the sample may be introduced.
(9) Of the regulator for the admission of the warm air together with the con-
nection devices for moving it by means of the handle w.
(10) Of the regulator y for the exit of the air, together with its rod and handle z.
(11) Of a bracket for tho support of the balance or scales and two handles fixed to
the outside of the cylinder 5.
When it is desired to use the apparatus, the sample is suspended in the drying
chamber by means of a rod or wire passing freely through the lid V, from the end of
the scale beam which is used for ascertaining the weight; the exit regulator y is com-
pletely opened; the warm air regulator is partly or completely opened; and, the
openings o in the annular plate m are regulated for the admission of the air of the
room until the thermometer L permanently indicates the desired temperature. The
regulation of the openings o is effected by means of the stud or handle I (Fig. IV)
which is connected to the movable perforated ring n.
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 an apparatus for drying textile and other materials; the construction com-
bination and arrangement of the plinth or bed plate u enclosing the warm air inlet and
having an air outlet, with the cylindrical body 1-2 the deflecting cylinder 6 and the
triple jacket 1-2-3 each separately supported by the plinth; substantially as borein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2) In an apparatus for drying textile and other materials: the construction and
arrangement of the drying chamber resting upon the outlet pipes Tand surrounded by
the insulated double wall 1-2 and receiving the drying current of air over its upper
edge; substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(3) In an apparatus for drying textile and other materials; the construction and
arrangement of the triple jacket 3-4-5 substantiully as and for the purpose herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(4) In an apparatus for drying textile and other materials; the combination and
arrangement of the perforated annular plates m and n with means for altering the
position of the plate a relatively to the plate m: substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(5) An apparatus for drying textile and other materials, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
DL 17th of June AD 1880
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.