Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – With apparatus using centrifugal force
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-17
2001-10-09
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
With apparatus using centrifugal force
C034S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298575
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1 . Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to an apparatus for drying materials, and is particularly suited for drying of vegetables
2. Background Information
Produce, such as vegetables, is typically treated with a chlorine solution prior to packing and shipping for the end market. For leafy vegetables that are often packaged in bags, the vegetables are processed in a slurry form. The bulk of the water can be drained by gravity. However, all excess moisture must be completely removed from the surface of the produce as mold and rot will ensue. Additionally, the produce cannot be damaged during the drying process, as damaged produce either cannot be sold or brings a reduced price. Commercial produce packaging plants, therefore, further “dewater” produce in a commercial dryer.
There are many known commercial dryers using centrifugal force to remove moisture from produce. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,493,156 to Siegmann and 5,027,5302 Volmer et al. disclose a vertical and horizontal drying apparatus respectively. However, the drying processes of prior art dryers are particularly damaging to produce and much is ruined, with the end result of unacceptable levels of waste. Additionally, existing dryers typically process produce in either a continuous or intermittent (batch) sequence. They do not provide the options for continuous and batch mode of operation in a single dryer. Further, the capacities of these dryers are not sufficient to meet today's demand for high-speed automation, such as processing leafy type vegetables in the range of 2000-7000 pounds per hour.
Applicant's invention provides an improved dryer which overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a cetrifugal drying apparatus for dewatering produce or removing liquid from other materials. The dryer comprises a plurality of conveyors that are arranged inside a pair of trunion rings such that the conveyors are shingled to form a polygon shaped cylinder that rotates about the central axis of the trunion rings to create centrifugal forces on produce, or other material conveyed on the conveyors. The shingled orientation of the conveyors reduces product spillage and increases yield. A conical inlet and outlet are designed to minimize damage to the produce upon entry into and exit from the dryer. Each conveyor has an elongated endless porous belt driven in one direction by a conveyor drive mechanism to convey material from the inlet end to the outlet end of the conveyor. A control mechanism is connected to the conveyor drive mechanisms to advance conveyors an amount with each revolution of the trunion rings. A drive mechanism is connected to at least one of the trunion rings to rotate the trunion rings and thereby rotate the conveyors about the central axis.
Each conveyor drive mechanism includes a one-way bearing which is actuated in one embodiment by a lever arm extending radially therefrom. The lever arms are received in a portion of a gimbal ring which causes the lever arms to reciprocatingly move an amount with each revolution of the trunion rings. The gimbal ring is positionable about a transverse axis to vary the amount of reciprocating movement, thereby varying the amount the conveyors advance with each revolution. The gimbal ring can also be set in a neutral position where no movement is imparted to the crank arms, thereby allowing the dryer to process in a batch mode.
In another embodiment of pair of slidable concentric rings are substituted for the gimbal ring to achieve the same effect on the lever arms.
In still another embodiment a friction roller is connected to the one-way bearing rather than a lever arm and a friction ring is rotated independently of the conveyors and trunion rings to control the amount the friction rollers turn with each revolution of the the trunion rings. In a variation of this embodiment the friction ring has individual segments which can be selectively actuated to engage or disengage the friction rollers.
In still another embodiment, the friction rollers are cone-shaped and the control mechanism includes a stationary friction drive ring segment positioned adjacent the friction cones to intermittently contact the friction cones as the conveyors and trunion rings rotate. The friction cones are axially adjustable to provide variable circumferential contact with the friction drive ring, thereby controlling the amount each conveyor advances each time its cone contacts the drive ring segment.
The features, benefits and objects of this invention will become clear to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description, claims and drawings.
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Aikins James Edward
Aikins Warren Ahlson
Fastovsky Leonid
Walberg Teresa
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