Cascade drier for dewatering and dhying pellet-water slurries

Claim 1

CASCADE DRIER FOR PELLETS COMPRISING A SHELL HAVING A DEWATERING SECTION IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING PELLET WATER SLURRY TO SAID DEWATERING SECTION, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HEATED AIR TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHELL, AND A SERIES OF SETS OF INCLINED SCREENS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID DEWATERING SECTION AND THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHELL, SAID DEWATERING SECTION HAVING AN ANNULAR CUP OF SMALLER DIAMETER THAN SAID SHELL, SAID CUP COMPRISING A RIM AT LEAST A PORTION OF WHICH IS SPACED INWARDLY OF SAID SHELL, AN INVERTED FRUSTO-CONICAL DEWATERING SCREEN HAVING A DISCHARGE OUTLET FOR PELLETS IN ITS LOWER PORTION, SAID SCREEN BEING MOUNTED IN SAID CUP AND SECURED ALONG ITS UPPER PERIPHERY TO SAID CUP ABOUT THE INNER WALL THEREOF, AND A WATER OUTLET CONNECTED TO SAID CUP, WHEREBY MUCH OF THE WATER IS DRAINED FROM THE PELLETS AND THE ACCUMULATED PELLETS IN SAID SLURRY OVERFLOW THE RIM OF SAID CUP ONTO SAID DEWATERING SCREEN AND ARE DISCHARGED ONTO SAID SERIES OF SETS OF INCLINED SCREENS FOR CASCADE DRYING TREATMENT.