Material drying apparatus

Claim 1

DRYING APPARATUS FOR SEED COTTON OF THE TYPE HAVING A DRIER CASING WITH INLET AND OUTLET DUCTS, MEANS FOR CONDUCTING COTTON THROUGH SAID CASING, HEATER FOR SAID CASING AND CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID HEATER, A DOWNWARDLY DISPOSED FEED DUCT WITH DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING WALLS HAVING A RESTRICTED PORTION FOR SUPPLYING SEED COTTON BY GRAVITY TO SAID INLET DUCT, AND MEANS CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE OF COTTON FROM SAID FEED DUCT TO SAID INLET DUCT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SPACED ELECTRODES FIXED ON THE INNER PORTION OF ONE OF SAID WALLS AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE MOST RESTRICTED PORTION OF SAID FEED DUCT IN POSITION TO BE CONTINUOUSLY BRIDGED BY COTTON PRESSED THEREAGAINST IN PASSING THROUGH SAID RESTRICTED PORTION, MEANS FOR IMPRESSING AN ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL ACROSS SAID ELECTRODES AND SAID BRIDGING COTTON, AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID ELECTRODES, AND A RESISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE IN SAID CIRCUIT FOR SENSING THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF SAID BRIDGING COTTON, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID RESISTANCE MEASURING MEANS AND SAID HEATER CONTROL FOR ADJUSTING SAID HEATER ACCORDING TO THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE COTTON BEING HANDLED.