Apparatus for dehydrating food and the like

Claim 1

DEHYDRATING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: A NORMALLY CLOSED, THERMALLY-INSULATED HOUSING AFFORDING A TREATING CHAMBER, THE TOP THEREOF BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET FOR SPENT GASEOUS DEHYDRATING MEDIUM; A DOOR ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HOUSING TO AFFORD AN OPENING FOR INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL FOR DEHYDRATION; A ROTATABLY-SUPPORTED PLATFORM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING, AND MEANS TO ROTATE THE PLATFORM; AN INVERTED, TRUNCATED PYRAMIDAL, OPERFRAME TRUCK ADAPTED FOR REMOVABLE SUPPORT BY SAID PLATFORM COAXIALLY WITHIN THE HOUSING AND PASSABLE THROUGH THE OPENING AFFORDED BY THE SAID DOOR; A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY INCLINED BANKS OF OPEN, PERFORATEDBOTTOM TRAYS REMOVABLY SUPPORTED BY THE TRUCK AND ADAPTED FOR INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL TO BE DEHYDRATED WITHIN THE HOUSING, ALTERNATE BANKS BEING OPPOSITELY INCLINED; AND MEANS, SUPORTED BY AND LOCATED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, FOR JUXTAPOSITION EACH TO THE LOWER END OF A CORRESPONDING BANK OF RACKS, WHEN LOCATED THEREIN, TO DIRECT THROUGH MATERIAL ON SAID TRAYS CORRESPONDING STREAMS OF HEATED GASEOUS, DEHYDRATING MEDIUM.