Apparatus for drying continuous webs of textile material

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF TEXTILE MATERIAL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CLOSED DRYING CHAMBERS, A ROTATABLE HOLLOW PERFORATED ROLLER DISPOSED WITHIN EACH CHAMBER, WEB FEED AND DISCHARGE SLOTS RESPECTIVELY IN OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ROLLER POSITIONED SO AS TO GUIDE A WEB AROUND NOT MORE THAN 180* OF THE PERFORATED PERIPHERY OF THE ROLLER THEREBY LEAVING THE REMAINING PART OF THE PERIPHERY UNCOVERED BY THE WEB, A HEAT GENERATOR MOUNTED WITHIN EACH CHAMBER AND LOCATED OUTSIDE THE ROLLER IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE PART OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE SAME WHICH WILL BE UNCOVERED BY THE WEB, SAID HEAT GENERATOR PROVIDING DRY HEAT APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE ROLLER MAKING SAID OUTER SURFACE THE HOTTEST ZONE OF THE THICKNESS OF THE ROLLER WALL, AIR INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS IN THE WALLS OF THE CHAMBERS TO PROVIDE AN AIR THROUGHPUT FOR SCAVENGING AND CARRYING AWAY MOISTURE ABSTRACTED BY THE HOT ROLLER, THE AIR INLET OPENING BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SIDE OF THE ROLLER AGAINST WHICH THE HEATER IS LOCATED AND THE AIR OUTLET OPENING FACING THE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROLLER, THE CHAMBERS BEING SO DISPOSED THAT ADJACENT CHAMBERS HAVE A COMMON WALL IN WHICH THE WEB DISCHARGE SLOT OF ONE CHAMBER IS LOCATED AND CONSTITUTES THE WEB FEED SLOT OF THE ADJACENT CHAMBER.