Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – Rotary drums or receptacles
Patent
1996-09-30
1999-03-16
Capossela, Ronald
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
Rotary drums or receptacles
34595, 34607, 165 89, D06F 5800
Patent
active
058814736
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a coating machine, used in particular for coating granulated material, e.g. pharmaceutical or confectionery, with a suitable layer of an outer coating.
BACKGROUND ART
Coating machines for pharmaceutical, confectionary and the like, are usually equipped with a rotary hollow drum, in which the products to be coated are introduced and sprayed with a liquid mixture aimed at forming the coating.
Inside the rotary drum, also called coating pan, the products are subsequently exposed to a stream of hot air, so as to cause drying of the coating layer.
In several drying devices used to perform this operation, the air is supplied in the pan and exhausted therefrom at a distance above the tumbling products.
Alternatively, the air is supplied and exhausted via suitably shaped bodies which are immersed in the heap of products.
In the European Patent N. 0.131.152, granted to the Applicant, there is disclosed a drying device in which the air is freely injected into the rotary pan, while it is exhausted by suitable perforated hollow bodies immersed in the heap of products.
Good results have been obtained by means of this device, in particular the coating speed has been increased and granular remains, usually left after the coating operation, have been avoided.
The hollow bodies are fastened (see e.g. the Application No. 21924A/89 of the Applicant) to respective tubular members, which are removably fixed to each other so as to define a pipe arranged in coaxial relation to the pan.
The air to be exhausted from the rotary pan and that is drawn off via the hollow bodies passes through the pipe.
The tubular members can be disassembled and the hollow bodies can be detached therefrom thus allowing to easily carry out cleaning and/or maintenance operations of the same hollow bodies and pipe.
When the rotary pan is small and/or medium in size, the operator can carry out the above mentioned disassembling operation directly through the front opening of the pan.
When the rotary pan is rather big in size, the above mentioned operations cannot be performed from outside, therefore it is necessary for the operator to enter the pan, with all the inconveniences resulting therefrom.
Consequently, performing inside cleaning operations, in particular of the air exhaust pipe, is very uncomfortable and difficult, specially with big rotary pans.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to propose a drying device for a coating machine, that allows to improve cleaning and/or maintenance operations, in particular as far as the drying air exhaust means are concerned.
The above mentioned objects are achieved by means of a drying device for a coating machine equipped with a rotary pan, in which the products to be coated are introduced, that includes air injecting means for supplying air to dry the products inside the rotary pan, and an exhaust air pipe equipped with perforated hollow head pieces which can be removed, adapted to be immersed in a heap of products to be coated.
The pipe is supported by sliding means which are moved in a direction longitudinal to the same pipe between a working position, in which the exhaust pipe is operated, and an advanced position, so as to allow maintenance operation on the exhaust pipe performed from outside through the front opening of the pan.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The characteristic features of the present invention are pointed out in the following with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a lateral sectional view of the drying device;
FIGS. 2 and 3 show the same view of the device, in different operative configurations;
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show respective partial cross-section views of the subject device, taken along the lines IV--IV, V--V and VI--VI of FIG. 1.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates the rotary pan, in which the products to be coated are inserted.
The pan 1, equipped with a door 3 aimed at allowing introduction
REFERENCES:
patent: 4656759 (1987-04-01), Yamato
patent: 4916831 (1990-04-01), Yasumura et al.
Giogoli Antonio
Scipioni Angelo
Capossela Ronald
G.S. S.r.l. Coating System
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