Desiccating Substances of a like Granular Character.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1887
Complete Left, 10th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th Apr., 1888
Desiccating Substances of a like Granular Character.
We, JOHN ARTHUR YEADON, of 4 Albion Place, and ROBERT MIDDLETON, of
Sheepscar Foundry, Meanwood Road, both of Leeds, in the County of York, and both
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to accelerato the speed of such drying and to turn
out the material more uniformly acted upon.
The main body of the drying apparatus is a cylinder of any desired length or
diameter in which and along whose axis a revolving central shaft is arranged. To this
shaft are fitted a series of knives, blades, or paddles, which not only gradually
propel the material along in the desired direction but also stir it up, lift it, turn it
over and lighten it. In the upper part of this cylinder removable lids may be
arranged to give access when required to the knives. At the feeding end of this
drying cylinder is attached another cylinder of a smaller diameter which forms a
contracted mouth to it. The revolving shaft is continued through this mouth piece
and carries propelling blades which are here, by preference, made adjustable so as to
permit them to be set at any angle and thus to regulate the feed of the material
through the mouthpiece. If required the upper part of the mouthpiece-otherwise
open to the main cylinder-can be closed with a portion of a diaphragm, adjustable
or otherwise, thus compelling all the material to be fed forward through the lower
portion. The material may be first placed in a hopper, in connection with the mouth
piece, fitted with an adjustable slide or not. The exit from the main cylinder is
arranged in the lower portion of the end cover.
The size of this exit may if preferred
be made adjustable.
The fire, or its equivalent, we arrange, for drying washed coal or coke, under the
receiving end of the main cylinder and continue the heat along it, doubling the flue
back if required or running it round the cylinder in any suitable way. For drying
materials not requiring such a great-heat-and which need not be delivered cool the
fire may be arranged under the discharging end of the main cylinder so that the
driest material last passes over the greatest heat. In the upper part of the main
cylinder at the receiving end is arranged an outlet for air and vapour and mechanical
:

page_text: means are resorted to for exhausting such through this opening. We propose to use
a fan but an axhausting jet of any description or any other sucking apparatus will
do equally well. The inlet for the air which we thus let pass continuously through the
main cylinder is at the outlet for the material, so that such air will have to work its
way more or less through the material discharging itself.
Öther air inlet holes may also be arranged to suit different circumstances, always
admitting the air into and amongst the materials.
The contracted mouthpiece at the receiving end and the material in the hopper are
arranged to prevent the air being drawn in at that end.
If required, portions of diaphragms might be fixed internally to the roof of the
main cylinder the knives being arranged to clear them-so as to prevent the air,
having once entered, from continuing its path to the outlet entirely against the roof
as we may term it of the oven.
A regulating door or some equivalent may be arranged at the foot of the Air and
Vapour Outlet in order to regulate the suction.
For drying coal afterwards to be mixed with pitch we prefer to allow cold
air to be used as the discharged coal is then cool and better for the purpose
required.
In some cases, however, heated air may with advantage be admitted-and
such air may be warmed by the waste gases of the furnace, or other suitable
means.
The knives in the main cylinder may be made, for some purposes, as paddles or
scoops so as to pick up the materials and pour them out at a higher part of the
cylinder.
The shaft may be revolved in any suitable manner at the speed found most
convenient.
Although we have described the drying oven to be a cylinder we do not bind
ourselves to such a shape, as a series of revolving shafts may be run side by side,
longitudinally, along any oven, the bottom floor being curved and waved to suit the
range of the various revolving blades. Or a series of revolving shafts may be
arranged across an oven, transversely, thus paddling the material from one to the
other this would also require a bottom with curves and waves-but the shape of the
oven would be a matter of suitable length, breadth, and height, and of course could
not be cylindrical.
Neither need revolving shafts be necessarily used-any mechanical pushers or scrapers
would answer.
In speaking of an exhausting fan, or its equivalent, we do so, considering it to be
simplest but in some cases a forced draught from a blowing fan or other pressure
would do as well.
The points in the apparatus which we consider as essential are as follows-A heating
oven with its materials mechanically stirred or dealt with. A feeding arrangement
by which the material is led in, practically, without admitting air in any quantity; and
a mechanical draught taking off the vapour and admitting dry air-whether such air
be admitted hot or cold.
Dated this Tenth day of June 1887

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Drying Small Coal or Coke or for
Desiccating Substances of a like Granular Character.
We, JOHN ARTHUR YEADON, of 4 Albion Place, and ROBERT MIDDLETON, of
Sheepscar Foundry, Meanwood Road, both of Leeds, in the county of York, and both
Engineers, 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 object of our invention is to accelerate the speed of such drying and to turn
out the material more uniformly acted upon.
In order to explain our invention fully we have annexed a drawing shewing a
longitudinally sectional elevation of our drying apparatus and its arrangements and
appurtenances.
The main body of the apparatus is a cylinder A, A, of any desired length and
diameter in which and along whose axis a revolving central shaft B, B, is arranged.
To this shaft is fitted a series of knives, blades, or paddles, C, C, &c., which not only
gradually propel the material along in the desired direction but also stir it up, lift it,
turn it over, and lighten it. In the upper part of this cylinder removable lids may be
arranged to give access when required to the knives.
At the feeding end of this drying cylinder is attached another cylinder D, D, of a
smaller diameter which forms a contracted mouth to it. The revolving shaft is con-
tinued through this mouth-piece and carries propelling blades, E, E, which are made
adjustable so as to permit them to be set at any angle and thus to regulate the feed of
the material through the mouth-piece. The material is best fed from the hopper, F,
in connection with the mouth-piece.
The exit, G, from the main cylinder is arranged in the lower portion of the end
cover; the size of this exit is made adjustable so as to regulate both the outward
flow of material, and the inward flow of air, see arrow at G.
The fire, J, or its equivalent, we arrange under the receiving end of the cylinder and
continue the heat along it, doubling the flue back if required, or running it around in
any suitable way;-the drawing shows the latter.
In the upper portion of the front end cover of the cylinder is arranged an outlet, K,
for air, vapour, &c., and mechanical means are resorted to for exhausting such away
through this opening. We use a fan, L, but an exhausting jet of any description,
or other sucking apparatus, will do equally well. The inlet for the air, which we thus
let pass continuously through the cylinder is at the outlet for the dried material at G,
so such air has to work its way more or less through the material discharging itself.
Other air holes, say, for instance, for hot air may be arranged to suit different circum-
stances, bearing in mind the advantage of mixing such amongst the materials. Cold
air is best admitted at the outlet G where means may be taken to make the materials
fall through a spout admitting the cold air.

page_text: The contracted mouthpiece at the receiving end of the cylinder and the materials
in the hopper are arranged to prevent the air being drawn in at that end.
A regulating valve, K¹, or some equivalent, may be arranged to govern the amount
of suction through the drier.
In some cases, as already stated, heated air may with advantage be admitted, and
such air may be warmed by the waste gases of the furnace, or other suitable means.
A plan for utilising the waste gases-where no harm would accrue to the materials―
say for instance in drying small coal, is shown on the drawing. The furnace gases,
passing from the fire, J, are led up the chimney M, which may be fitted with one or
more dampers as at M. By regulating this when the furnace is hot and giving off
little or no smoke the draught of the chimney may be subdued; then, by opening the
valve or damper, N2, in the connecting range of pipes, N, and further regulating if
necessary the amount of cold air entering at G, any desired admixture of the hot
furnace gases may be passed through the drier.
The knives in the main cylinder may be made into scoops so as to pick up the
materials and pour them out at a higher part of the cylinder.
The shaft may be revolved in any suitable manner at the speed found most
convenient.
The various arrows shows the directions of the currents of air and gases.
Some of the knives C, C, are only depicted in position by dotted lines on the
drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what-
we claim is-
1. The drying cylinder (and its appurtenances)-fitted with the air-excluding feeding
arrangements through which a mechanically produced current of air or gases is
sucked for the purpose of drying or carrying off the moisture from the materials which
are being mechanically stirred, lifted, lightened, and turned over as well as being
propelled through such cylinder ;-whether the air be admitted hot or cold, or some
part hot and some cold; or whether any portion of it be heated by the waste heat of
the furnace; or whether any portion of the waste gases of the furnace be intermixed
with it or not, as set forth for coal drying; substantially as described herein and shown
on the drawing with the object & for the purpose set forth.
2. The drying apparatus and its appurtenances arranged constructed and operated
substantially as described and shown on the drawing, with the object and for the
purpose set forth.
Dotad this Tighth dov of March 1888