Apparatus for controlling flow of gases

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRYING PEANUTS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: (A) A DRYING CHAMBER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING PERFORATED BOTTOM WALL, (B) A SECOND DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING WALLS SPACED BELOW SAID PERFORATED WALL TO DEFINE A PLENUM CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, (C) MEANS TO SUPPLY A DRYING GAS ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF SAID PLENUM CHAMBER WHEREBY THE GAS PASSING THROUGH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER FLOWS LATERALLY THROUGH SAID PERFORATED WALL INTO SAID DRYING CHAMBER, (D) BAFFLE MEMBERS WITHIN SAID PLENUM CHAMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF FLOW OF SAID GAS THROUGH THE PLENUM CHAMBER AND DIVIDING SAID PLENUM CHAMBER INTO SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS, AND (E) THERE BEING OPENINGS THROUGH SAID BAFFLE MEMBERS OF A SIZE FOR SAID GAS TO PASS THERETHROUGH AND MAINTAIN A PROGRESSIVELY DECREASED STATIC PRESSURE WITHIN EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS IN THE DIRECTION OF GAS FLOW IN RESPONSE TO SUPPLYING GAS AT A CONSTANT PRESSURE WHEREBY PROGRESSIVELY SMALLER AMOUNTS OF DRYING GAS PASS LATERALLY THROUGH SAID PERFORATED WALL TOWARD THE UPPER END OF SAID DRYING CHAMBER.