Patent ID: 6990751

Claim:
An apparatus for directing air under pressure at passing articles comprising: an air distribution enclosure having opposing, laterally separated ends along a central axis and from which air under pressure is directed at said passing articles in a first direction through at least one opening; an inlet opening located between said opposing ends and defining a longitudinal axis of rotation transverse to the central axis; at least one thrust nozzle located on at least one of said opposing ends of said distribution enclosure to receive air and directed to emit a jet of air in a direction tangential relative to said longitudinal axis of rotation and in a direction transverse relative to the first direction; a blower having an inlet duct leading to said inlet opening in said air distribution enclosure; and a rotatable coupling that joins said distribution enclosure to said inlet duct and which permits rotation of said air distribution enclosure relative to said inlet duct about said longitudinal axis of rotation.