US249978A - palmer - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet ,1.

(No Model.)

A, N. PALMER.

DRIER.

No. 249,978. Patented Nov, 22,1881.

(No Model.)

A. N. PALMER.

DRIER.

No. 249,978. Patented Nov. 22,1881.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nrrn

PATENT FFECEO DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,978, dated November 22, 1881.

' Application filed April 21, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANsoN NEWTON PAL- MER, of Syracuse, Onondaga county, New York, have invented a new and Improved Drier, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the drier complete; Fig. 2, the upper or feed end of the cylinder in elevation; Fig. 3, the lower or discharge end of the cylinder in elevation Fig. 4: a transverse section of the cylinder, taken on the line m w of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail side elevation of the discharge end of the cylinder, showing a portion of the shell or jacket broken away to expose the water-discharge device 5 and Fig. 6 is a sectional view, being an enlarged detail, showing the manner in which thejoints of the inlet and of the outlet fixed and revolving branches of the steampipes are made in the fixed cylinder-heads.

The drawings show the drier attached to and provided with the necessary apparatus and appliances for cutting and drying tobacco; but it can be used for other and general purposes of dryin gand mixing various substances quick- I ly and uniformlywith a minimum of labor, and

at the same time purify and improve the substance being dried, both as to quality and flavor.

The points of my improvements embrace matters of construction and of combination, which will be specifically made the subject of the claims, in connection with a revolving drier receiving the substance to be dried at one end and discharging it automatically at the other end.

The apparatus is constructed as follows, when applied to the use of drying tobaccos A is an ordinary tobacco-cutter.

-B is a suction fan or drum, connected with or attached to the cutter A in any ordinary manner.

G is an air spout or pipe extending from the fan B upward and into the receiverD. This receiver is a box so constructed as to receive the tobacco and allow the air to escape while the tobacco drops into the spout E, which is a feed-spout leading from the bottom of thereceiver down and into the head F, and projecting through it a short distance into the cylinder H, which is usually made of boiler-iron,

and is about twenty feet long by three feet in diameter, more or less. Itis constructed with two shells, one within the other, and from one and a half to two inches apart all around, of which I) is the outer shell, and c the inner one. These shells are made steam-tight, and are connected by a steam-tight joint.

Around both ends of the cylinder, at or near the ends, are the flat rims or bands 0. (Shown in Fig. 5.) The head F is made with a flange, d, which fits over the rim 0 at that end of the cylinder closely, so as to make a tight joint, in which packing can be used, if desired. The head G is made with a similar flange, d, fitting the rim 0 at that end of the cylinder. The drawings show the shape of this flange d, which fits closely, yet loose enough to allow the cylinder to turn whilethe heads and flanges are stationary. Both of these heads are supported independently of the cylinder by stay-rods, or in any ordinary manner.

In the lower part of the head G is the discharge-openingf through the face of the head, the flange being whole, as in Fig. 3.

inwardly-projecting shelves 0 upon the inside of the cylinder can be used, if desired.

A steam-supply pipe, h it, passes through the head F, extends into the cylinder H a short distance, and, turning down to and through the shell 0 of the cylinder, opens into the steamchamber between the shells. By this pipe the cylinder is heated. The steam-outlet pipe 2" 2' extends from the steam-chamber out through the head G, as shown in the drawings. This pipe also carries off all the water created in the steam-chamber by condensation of the steam; and for collecting this water and facilitating its flow into this pipe 7: 2', a rim or plate, y, Fig. 5, is placed between the shells, to fill the space between the shells, and partially circular in shape, which, by the revolution of the cylinder, collects the water within it and carries it up with it until the water runs into the pipe 72 t, which conducts it away. Both of these pipes h 71. and t" t are steam-tight in all their connections; and where they pass through the heads are provided with universal joints or couplings placed in the heads, so that those parts of the pipes inside of the heads revolve with the cylinder, while the rest of the pipes remain stationary; and by this construction ICO that part of each pipe outside of its head assists in holding each head in place and steadying it.

K is an air-pipe leading from within the cylinder out through the lower part of the head, F, and extending to a suction-fan, L, to which it is connected in any ordinary manner, and M is a discharge-pipe from this fan.

The cylinder H is mounted upon the frictionrollers Z l in any ordinary manner, and lies upon them in a somewhat inclined position, the feed end covered by the head F being the highest. Bands 8 are placed around the cylinder upon which the rollers run.

The roller Z is made flat or plane upon its outer or bearing surface, and the roller 1 is made with a flange upon its right-hand edge.

Friction-rollers m, Figs. 2 and 3, with a flange upon the right-hand edge, are used at each end of the cylinder, so mounted and located as to bear against the bands 8 at each end of the eylin der, on opposite sides at or near the center of it perpendicularly, for the purpose of steadying it while being revolved. These flanges on the rollers m fit over the edge of the band 8 of the cylinder and prevent the sliding or endwise movement of the cylinder.

Flanges may also be made on both sides of all of these friction-rollers, if desired.

R is a suspended shaker-sieve, so located as to receive the discharge from the cylinder, and can be used when it is desired to screen the material being dried. It can be connected with the mechanism which revolves the cylinder in such a manner that it will have a' constant vibratory or shaking motion.

The box Sis used to catch the material which passes through the sieve.

The cylinder can be mounted upon a foundation of masonry or timber, or suspended from above on timber bents, as shown in the drawlngs.

For drying tobaccos it is operated as follows: Everything having been set up, as described and shown in the drawings, and started up, (the steam having beenletinto the steam-chamber a to heat the cylinder,) the cutter to cut tobacco, the fans and cylinder to revolve, and the sieve to shake, the fan B sucks the cut tobacco away from the cutter and blows it upward through the pipe 0 into the receiver D, where the air is allowed to escape through the sieve sides or windows, while the tobacco falls into the mouth of the feed-pipe E, down which it passes of its own gravity, through the head F, into the cylinder H, and the cylinder being heated and revolving the tobacco is dried therein. The shelves 6, as they revolve with the cylinder, (if used,) catch up the tobacco, carry it upward until it pours ofi down upon the bottom of the cylinder, and meanwhile, by the inclination of the cylinder, the tobacco is gradually worked along from the upper end of the cylinder to the lower end, where it is discharged through the openingfin the head G, and, if necessary to be screened, falls into the sieve R, where it is sifted, these particles small enough passing through the sieve into the box or receptacle S, while the balance pass out over the tail of the sieve, which is open at one end and slightly inclined lengthwise for that purpose. While the tobacco is passing through the cylinder H it is exposed to a counter-current of air, created by the fan L sucking air in through the discharge-opening f, upward and through the cylinder, out of it through the pipe K, into the fan L, whence it is blown away through the pipe M. The force or speed of this current of air can be varied and controlled by dampers in the pipe K, or by varying the speed of the fan L, or by any other ordinary devices.

It will be readily seen that for other purposes the cutter will be dispensed with, while the fan B and pipe 0 can be retained for elevating the material to be dried; and, also, that in place of the pipe 0 an ordinary bucket-ele vator can be used; and, further, that a hopper can be attached to or put upon the upper part of the feed-pipe when desired.

Referring to the means for supporting and operating the drying-cylinder, it is importantthat the rollers l I serve as driving-rollers, and for this purpose they are connected by a shaft, 1 operated by a bevel-gear, v 10, just beneath the cylinder, whereby it is driven by friction due to its weight, and thus avoids allstrain and undue wearofthe cylinder upon thefixedheads, and at thejoint-connections of the steam-inlet and discharge-pipe h h t '1', carried by said heads.

It is also important that the flanges (l of the fixed heads should form a close lap joining with the cylinder-rims o by inward-projectin g lips fitting over said rims.

Referring to Fig. 6, the joint-connections of the steam inlet and discharge pipes are shown as formed by packing a, interposed between the fixed pipes h t and the revolving pipes h and i, the said fixed pipes telescoping with the revolving pipes at the cylinder-heads, and being of a sufficiently less diameter than the interior of the revolving pipes to allow said packing x to be placed between them. The packingis compressed to make the joint steamtight by being pressed by a collar, 2, on the fixed pipe against an interior collar, 2, of the revolving pipe, the said collar 2" being forced inward by screws 00 in a collar, z on the end of the pipe h outside of the cylinder-head.

What I claim as my invent-ion, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1., The revolving drying-cylinder enveloped by a circumferential steam-space, a, formed by the cylinder 0 proper and jacket or shell I), in combination with fixed heads, the steam-inlet pipe h h, and the steam and water discharge pipe t" t', the said pipes having each an interior section revolving with the cylinder and connected with a fixed section by a joint, substair tially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a revolving cylinder with the fixed heads F and G, the steam inlet and discharge pipes communicating with said steam-space, and a water-discharging device within the said steam-space, whereby to gather, lift, and discharge the water through the steamoutlet pipe as the cylinder revolves.

3. The combination of the fixed heads F and G, having the overlapping and inwardly-projecting flanges d, with the cylinderH, having the circumferential end rims, 0 0, with which the flanges lap, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of a cylinder, adapted to be revolved within fixed heads, with the automatic feed device, consisting of the cutter and the forcing-fan A B, the pipe 0, a closed hopper, into which said pipe 0 discharges, having provision for the escape of the air from said forcing-fan, and the pipe E, connecting said closed hopper with the fixed head G of said revolving cylinder, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a drier, of a cylinder enveloped by a circumferential steam-space, a, and adapted to be revolved within fixed heads, having steam inlet and discharge pipes communicating with said steam-space, with the fan B for blowing the material into the feedhopper D, and the exh auster L for drawing cold air through the drying-cylinder, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a drier, of the revolving cylinder H, provided with the supportingrollers l l m m, the rollers Z Z being mounted upon a driving-shaft and serving to drive the cylinder by friction, thereby relieving the cylinder of all strain and unequal wear upon its joint-connections, with the fixed heads and the steam inlet and discharge connections, substantially as described.

7. In a tobacco-drier, the combination of the double-shell cylinder El, fixed heads F and G, the steam-inlet pipe h h, and the water and steam discharge pipe t" c, the exhaust-fan L, connected with the cylinder-head, the cutter A, fan B, spout O, the receiver D, the feed-pipe E, and the discharge-openingficonstructed and operating substantially as described, for thepurpose set forth.

8. In a tobacco-drier, the combination of the cylinder H, stationary heads F G, steam-pipes h t', exhaust-fan L, and pipe K, with the cutter A, fan B, elevating-spout 0, receiver D, feedpipe E, discharge-openingf, and sieve R, constructed and operating together substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of March, 1881.

ANSON NEWTON PALMER.

Witnesses:

G. W. SMITH, GEO. M. BAXTER, Jr.

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