Patent ID: 7320725

Claim:
A disposable cartridge air/gas dryer apparatus for installation in an air/gas line delivering compressed air/gas to an air/gas-driven tool, comprising: a pressure vessel having a peripheral wall member defining an interior space within said pressure vessel; an inlet port disposed upon said pressure vessel; an outlet port disposed upon said pressure vessel; a disposable dryer cartridge disposed within said pressure vessel and comprising a casing having a quantity of a drying composition disposed within said casing; a handle disposed upon on said cartridge for lowering and lifting said cartridge during insertion and removal of said cartridge into and out from said pressure vessel; a cartridge support surface disposed within said pressure vessel for supporting a first lower end portion of said cartridge; a cartridge receiving opening defined within an upper end portion of said pressure vessel for permitting said cartridge to be inserted into and removed from said pressure vessel; and a cover member removably disposed upon said pressure vessel so as to cover said cartridge receiving opening defined within said upper end portion of said pressure vessel, and engaged with a second upper end portion of said cartridge when said cartridge is disposed within said pressure vessel such that said cartridge substantially fills that portion of said interior space of said pressure vessel which is defined between an interior surface portion of said peripheral wall member, said cartridge support surface, and said cover member.