US2488553A - Hair drying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

H. ORNER Nov. 22, 1949 HAIR DRYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1947 INVENTOR Fla-5.7

-' ED P 71 .T OFFIC I j z ii ssse V Y 3 Hemp arrive APPARATUS? fl n rr onie ic i vsaiti ii'e'igiie, one Application January 29, 1947, Serial No. 725,027

" ififsoia'iins (cig r-s i 1:, I H I V I. I n) H I Q I inventionrelates to hair drying apparatus Other objects and advantages Of thisinvention and particularly to such hair drying apparatus will be apparent during th course of the followusing dried-iairi I 1 r ing description.-

prying hair conventionallyconsists of raising In'the accompanying drawings, forming a part the ternperature of circulated air to heat the {i of-=this specification, and in which like numerals moisture in thehair-to-thereby increase the rate are employed to designate like parts throughout or evaporation. However such rate of drying is the same. 7 7 relative to the hygrometric state, a quantity which Fig; 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of maybeexpressed as th'e ratio of the mass of a hair drying apparatus'embodying my invention water vapor, present per unit. volume of air, to shown somewhat diagrammatically inthe respect themassof-watenvaporwhich would be required that for clearness the parts are shown in their to saturate per unitvolume of air if the temperasimplest form. ture remains constant. I Raising of the tempera- Figs; 2 and 3am cross-sectional views taken on ture requires more water vapor to produce satuline-s 22 and 3-3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

rati n. If th at s er isi e p t u- Fig. 4"is-across-sectional view taken on line larly on hot humid summer days, the g of 4-4: of Eig. 2, increased in size;

etm r e s e n means o getting y "Fig; 5 is-a cross sectional view taken on line evaporation, and .any increase v of heat is very 5 5 ofFi'g increasedm Size uncomfortable. Furthermore the evaporation is a cross 'sectional iew imilar to 5 rate is so slow as to take a relative long sitting 21; u iHu-stfa ting a modified fomn Perlod f fi f' 1 "Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 1, but in fragn F 5 n i n theprocess of mem mentary to illustrate modified features of this relatively independent of the hygrometr c state invention of the atmosphere and doPjs not Potany rely on -B,eferring"'more particularly to the drawings, the evaporation of the moisture in the hair by- 25 therviappamtds-cbmprises a housing L generally heat. Furthermore, in dressing hair, a solution cylindrical-m1 shape having a closed end and an used-causmg the half where- It has-been open 'end? *A'mo't'or z is mounted axially within n that this solutiqn Wm dry on the 'l r the housing" I and a blower 3 rotatably mounted hei Preventive the miculatedfiir reachmg the on the 'rnotor shaft facing the open end of the lindeflying ham In thls inYentlon I further housing Mounted approxin iately on the same i a. means overcome thls to t the axis of the'motor "shaft is a rotary drum 4 in -iifi*ii?;y 8b?;iiiiitiifiiitioitto pmeer e 'iw Also minted in the same videa hair dryingapparatus to efficiently dry s s 22 5 im 2 hair, but which obviates all of the aforesaid difli -g e i a @35 g culties and" disadvantages. v

More specifically itisan object of this inveh- 2 5m m .7 recelYe Persms d tion' to provide a hair drying apparatus to dry -g g g endrof the u hair with the lea-st discomfort to the person. W gen 3 wie r fl y a the blower ,Another'objectof this invention is to increase 40 1S P e 8 wing erem number of the rate of drying ham I (I V p electric heating coils 9. Beyond the rotary drum ,Another. object of this invention is to prevent: .-h slde passage 8 coherence of the hairtopermit drying belowthe ii eii a sa .1 l d t f housmg I m surface hair. ef tmos he ee Anotherobject of this invention is to dry hair -'Iherp ru fi. s qf an puter cylinwith the, maximum independence to the hygro- 119 31 rme La -m r y ring 2, ce

metric state of. the atmosphere. rally spa ed by. al m s 3 the -Another object ofthis invention is to provide, p ri l space between rings II and I2 into a fully automatic drying system using an adsorbc on W i sfi l W h a dehydrating agent ing mechanism to dry air for drying,,and to re.- '4- he-pr e r d y ting agent being what activate the adsorbing..mechanismat the same, iscommercially referred to as silica gel. I The. time. H I v open ends ,oi the sections are covered by screens Another object of this invention is, to dry. hair IFi retaining -the. silica gel I 4 in. place and perwith the least amount. of. heat directed on the n itting circulation ;of air therethroughi The ro-Q ha -e.

sleeve I6 supported by a journaled bracket I1 fixed in housing I.

The sleeve I6 (see Fig. 4) having a head portion IB shouldering against the journaled portion of the bracket I'I, two washers I9 on either side of a hub 20 of the rotary drum 4, and a nut 2I threaded on the opposite end of the sleeve I6 against a shoulder 22 to permit the hub 20 to rotate on the sleeve I6. The rotary drum 4 has spoke members 23 fastened to ring I2 supporting the hub 20' in axial relation to the ring I2. The members 23 have openings 24 to permit circula tion of air therethrough. Th outer ring II extends axially forming an annular flange 25, so-

provided for a wheel 26 to ride. on the inside surface.

The wheel 26 is fixed to "a counter'shaft '21" and supported in a journaled sleeve 28. Sleeve 28 is fixed on an arm 2.9 pivoted on a pin 30' to a stationary support in the housing I. A spring 3I i1rges the arm-29 in a. direction "to cause the wheel 26 to frictionally engage the fiange 25 to drive it and thereby rotate the rotary drum 4.

On -theopposite end of the counter shaft #21 is fixed a pulley 32 driven by the motor '2 by the connecting belt 33 and a pulley '34 rotatably fixed on the motor shaft.

A shaft 35 (see-Fig.4) journaled in the sleeve I6 has atone end a-pulley 36 fixed thereon, and driven by a 'belt 3'I which receives its rotary power from a pulley'portion 38 of the wheel-26. On the other end of the shaft 35 is fixedrotary vanes 5,"-includin'g outer extending arms 39 1 9wing at its extreme ends vane members 40 ex tending to the cylindrical walls of housing I.

Along the inner cylindrical walls of the housing- I are fixed stationary guides M for directing the circulated air. Guides 4I"are sloped inward-' ly towardthe bulge of the structure of the passage II] to guide the-circulated air under it, to compensatefor its obstruction,- to more evenly distribute vthe airalong the circumference of housing I.

A support 42 is provided for the housing I ineluding-a stand (not shown): of the type conventionally used with hair drying apparatus.-

In operation, air (indicated by arrows) is circulated along thecylindrical wall of the housing I by the blower 3 into two general paths. One

path, airis conveyed through the passage 8 be-' tween the heatercoils 9,"into the silica gel M of rotary drum 4, and out through the passage I 0 into the atmosphere. The other path, air is circulated through the silica gel I4 of rotary drum 4, passing vane members 40 into the drying .cham i ber I, back inward at the center of the drying chamber 1, through the openings24 of the rotary drum 4, back to the blower 3. Limited openings 43 may be provided-atthe closed end of the housing I to cool the motor 2.

The air circulated in the last mentioned path in passing through the silica gel I4 has a. portion of its vapor removed and in so doing heat is liberated equivalent to the latent heat of evaporation of the adsorbed liquid resulting in the rise of'temperatureof'the dried air. This dried warmair'passes' into'the drying chamber I to dry the moisture on the hair.

The silica gel" being of an established mesh has a definite resistance to air flow through 'a packed bed of granular'particles. The rate of the air velocity and pressure in the drying chamber I is a factor"of; the blowerpapacityfthe mesh size granular silica "gel; the area of the'surface' of the silica gel, and its'deptli in rotary drum 4.

4 These factors may be so established as to give the desired efliciency of drying hair.

In a modified form, as indicated in Fig. 7, the silica gel may be packed into the entire hollow volume of a smaller diameter rotary drum 4', dispensing with ring I2 and members 23, and extending the radial members I3 to hub 20. Thus drying the returning air drawn into the blower 3- and-permitting a free passage between the outer diameter of the rotary drum 4' and the cylindrical wall of the housing I.

In this continuous process, the silica gel must be activated for re-use and the rotary drum 4 (or 4') is rotated so the saturated portion of the silica'gel comes into the air path of the first mentioned path, between the passages 8 and ID. The "air passingover the coils 9 is heated to a desired temperature and passed through the silica gel to remove its moisture, and out into the atmosphere through passage I U.

The rotary drum' 4 (or 4') is rotated by'the wheel'26 as explained and is driven at a continuous rate to permit proper activating of the silica gel. The action of the silica gel is practically instantaneous under dynamic adsorption conditions and'the reactivating process is what establishes the rate of rotation of the rotary drum, and this is a factor of: the rate of air passed therethrough, and the amount of heat of the coils 9. However the drying process of hair does not require the complete reactivating of the silica gel to complete dryness,'but a portion of the moisture may be removed by the establishment of these factors to give an effective activation of the silica gel over a range satisfactory for the purpose of this invention. This would require a relative established rate of rotation of the rotary drum,'an established amount of heat from coils 9, and a definite rate of air circulated from the blower 3.

A more direct method of controlling the activation of the silica" gel is shown in Fig. 7. The outlet temperature'of the air in the passage I0,

tion of arm 29. The spring 3| being dispensed with.

To further facilitate drying of hair as earlier stated, the present use of hair dressing solution tends'to cause the hair to cohere forming a barrier to the circulationof air to the underlying hair. It may be desirable to provide vane members 40 rotated at an established rate cutting the circulating air just prior to entering the drying chamber I.

The vane members 40 may take any desired cross sectional form which may be suitable for the following action. In Fig. 5, it may take the simple formofhaving two side walls at a slight angle to each other. The circulating air passingalong the side walls are reflected slightly outward (indicated by the arrows) causing a relative low pressure area at L and a higher pressure area on either side; The hair under the. vane member 40 will be caused to move upward slightly at the low pressure area and forced down-' ward slightly at the high pressure area. The movement of the hair need not be more than several times the diameter of the hair. The vanes 5 are rotated on shaft 35 so that the vane members 40 cause varying pressure areas over the hair at such a rate as to cause the hair to vibrate, and so preventing setting of the hair dress solution.

The vane member also may have a cross-section such as 40' in Fig. 6 (indicated by the arrows), air is circulated between two walls a,-a inclined inward and at b-b inclined sharper, to force the air into a high pressure stream at H and low pressure just on either side. In any case whatever the cross-section is provided it is desired to disturb the flow of circulating air over short radial areas moving over the entire circumference at such rate as to continuously vibrate the hair to prevent it from cohering.

The silica gel l4 used as indicated in rotary drum 4 has the characteristic described by the manufacturer as:

Silica gel is a most inert, rugged material, its hardness being about Number 5 in Mohs mineralogical scale, or slightly softer than ordinary window glass. Due to these characteristics it is an extremely durable product and neither erodes nor dusts while in service or while being regenerated. The action of silica gel in adsorbing vapors is purely physical, and there is no change in the size or shape of the particles as it becomes saturated. Likewise, no corrosive or injurious compounds are given ofi as is usually the case when chemical absorption takes place. Even when saturated, the particles of silica gel feel and appear perfectly dry.

However this invention is not limited to the use of silica gel since activated alumina or similar adsorbing agents may be used with similar results.

Thus there has been provided a hair drying apparatus circulating air which is continuously dried, and the hair is vibrated continuously to efilciently dry hair below the surface hair.

The apparatus is fully automatic in operation and requires no attention, adjustment or replacement of parts during the hair drying operation.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a hair drying apparatus, a housing including a blower, said blower circulating air in said housing, a drying chamber in said housing to receive a persons head for the purpose of drying hair by said circulating air, an adsorbing mechanism in said housing to remove moisture from the circulating air, said adsorbing mechanism including a rotary drum, an adsorbing agent in said drum, rotatable means for said drum to expose active portions of the adsorbing agent to the circulating air to have the moisture thereof removed by the said adsorbing agent, and means to reactivate the said adsorbing agent in another portion of said drum to remove the moisture thereof during the said operation of removing moisture from the circulating air.

2. In a hair drying apparatus, a housing including a blower, power means for driving said blower, said blower circulating air in said housing, a drying chamber in said housing to receive a persons head for the purpose of drying hair by said circulating air, an adsorbing mechanism in said housing to remove moisture from the circulating air, said adsorbing mechanism including a rotary drum, an adsorbing agent in said drum, rotatable power means for said drum to expose active portions of the adsorbing agent to the circulating air to have the moisture thereof removed by the said adsorbing agent, and reactivating means including a section of the said rotary drum, said blower conveying air therethrough, heating elements for heating said conveyed air, and a continued passage thereby from said rotary drum terminating outside the said housing, said rotatable power means for said drum to expose saturated portions of the adsorbing agent to the heated conveyed air to remove moisture from said adsorbing agent, to continually reactivate the adsorbing agent.

3. In a hair drying apparatus, a blower conveying air, a housing including therein: an adsorbing mechanism to remove moisture from said air, said adsorbing mechanism including a rotary drum, an adsorbent in said drum, rotatable power means for said drum to expose active portions of the adsorbent to the conveyed air, a drying chamber to receive a persons head for the purpose of drying hair, to use said moisture removed air for drying hair, vibrating mechanism to vibrate the hair to facilitate the drying operation by preventing cohering of the hair; a diverted air passage in said housing and a heater for said air therein, a portion of said adsorbing mechanism having a portion thereof adjacent one end of said passage, and a continuation of this passage to the atmosphere, to thereby reactivate the adsorbing mechanism by exposing the saturated portion of the adsorbing mechae nism to said heated air and passing the saturated air into the atmosphere.

HARRY ORNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,570,045 Coune Jan. 19, 1926 1,793,313 Fuchs Feb. 17, 1931 1,814,028 Egli July 14, 1931 2,066,847 McShea Jan. 5, 1937 2,115,226 Kopp Apr. 26, 1938 2,127,121 Kelly Aug. 16, 1938 2,190,168 Armistead Feb. 13, 1940 2,278,854 Hunsicker Apr. 7, 1942 2,293,161 Miller Aug. 18, 1942 2,367,601 Nicol Jan. 16, 1945 2,444,481 Watkins July 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 396,845 Great Britain Aug. 17, 1933

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