Freeze drying apparatus with removable conveyor and heater structures

Claim 2

Freeze drying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, sprayer means for spraying liquid in finely divided form into said chamber, means or refrigerating said chamber and freezing said sprayed liquid into frozen particles which fall downwardly within the chamber, a generally horizontally extending conveyor belt within said chamber positioned to receive said downwardly falling frozen particles and advance them generally horizontally along a predetermined drying path toward a discharge location, said chamber having an access opening at one end thereof, a closure for closing said opening in vacuum sealed relation, a frame received in said chamber and mounted for movement generally horizontally out of the chamber through said access opening when said closure is open, rotary elements mounted rotatably to said frame and engaging opposite ends of said conveyor belt to mount it for endless movement relative to said frame for advancing said particles, said belt and said rotary elements being dimensioned and constructed for removal from the chamber through said opening with said frame, powered means for driving said belt along said endless path, heater means in the chamber positioned and constructed to heat said particles and freeze dry them as they are advanced by said conveyor belt, and means mounting said heater means to said frame for removal therewith from said chamber and through said opening.

Claim 3

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said last-mentioned means include detachable connector means securing said heater means to said frame for movement therewith into and out of said chamber but enabling detachment of said heater means from the frame at the outside of the chamber.

Claim 4

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said heater means include a series of electrical heater elements positioned above said conveyor at different locations therealong.

Claim 5

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said last-mentioned means include supports for said heater means interfitting with support means on said frame and separable therefrom by upward movement of the heater means, to enable detachment of the heater means from the frame after removal therewith from said chamber.

Claim 6

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said last-mentioned means include a plurality of spaced supports for said heater means projecting downwardly into pin and socket interfitting engagement with means on said frame and separable therefrom by upward movement of the heater means, to enable detachment of the heater means from the frame and conveyor after removal therewith from said chamber.

Claim 7

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, including tracks near opposite sides of said chamber supporting said frame for said generally horizontal movement from the chamber.

Claim 8

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a suspension track at the outside of said chamber positioned to be above the frame and conveyor and heater means as they are moved horizontally from the chamber through said opening, and means movable along said track and operable to support said frame and conveyor and heater means as they move outwardly from the chamber.

Claim 9

Freeze drying apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a locking element detachably interfitting with said frame and means in said chamber in a relation releasably locking said frame against removal from the chamber.

Claim 10

Freeze drying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an upwardly projecting freezing portion and a lower horizontally elongated drying portion, means for spraying a liquid downwardly into said freezing portion of the chamber and freezing it therein to a large number of frozen particles, a generally horizontally elongated and generally horizontally extending conveyor belt positioned in the chamber to receive said particles and advance them along said drying portion of the chamber toward a discharge location, rollers mounting opposite ends of said belt, a first frame carrying said rollers rotatably and thereby mounting said belt for endless movement, a drive for advancing said belt, said chamber having an access opening at one end thereof, a closure for said opening, series of electric heaters above said belt for drying said particles as they advance along the belt, a second frame above said conveyor carrying said heaters, a pair of tracks near opposite sides of the chamber supporting said first frame and mounting it for sliding movement with said rollers and belt as a unit generally horizontally from the chamber through said access opening, a plurality of inverted generally U-shaped supports connected to said second frame at spaced locations and having spaced downwardly projecting arms at opposite sides of the conveyor belt, upwardly opening sockets on said first frame at opposite sides of said conveyor belt for removably receiving said arms in a relation connecting said second frame and heater elements to the first frame for removal therewith through said opening, but enabling upward detachment of said second frame and the heater elements from said first frame at the outside of amber.

Claim 11

Freeze drying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an upwardly projecting freezing portion and a lower horizontally elongated drying portion, means for spraying a liquid downwardly into said freezing portion of the chamber and freezing it therein to a large number of frozen particles, a generally horizontally elongated and generally horizontally extending conveyor belt positioned in the chamber to receive said particles and advance them along said drying portion of the chamber toward a discharge location, rollers mounting opposite ends of said belt, a first frame carrying said rollers rotatably and thereby mounting said belt for endless movement, a drive for advancing said belt, said chamber having an access opening at one end thereof, a closure for said opening, series of electric heaters above said belt for drying said particles as they advance along the belt, a second frame above said conveyor carrying said heaters, a pair of tracks near opposite sides of the chamber supporting said first frame and mounting it for sliding movement with said rollers and belt as a unit generally horizontally from the chamber through said access opening, a plurality of inverted generally U-shaped supports connected to said second frame at spaced locations and having spaced downwardly projecting arms at opposite sides of the conveyor belt, upwardly opening sockets on said first frame at opposite sides of said conveyor belt for removably receiving said arms in a relation connecting said second frame and heater elements to the first frame for removal therewith through said opening, but enabling upward detachment of said second frame and the heater elements from said first frame at the outside of amber.

Claim 12

Freeze drying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, sprayer means for spraying liquid in finely divided form into said chamber, means for refrigerating said chamber and freezing said sprayed liquid into frozen particles which fall downwardly within the chamber, a generally horizontally extending conveyor belt within said chamber positioned to receive said downwardly falling frozen particles and advance them generally horizontally along a predetermined drying path toward a discharge location, said chamber having an access opening at one end thereof, a closure for closing said opening in vacuum sealed relation, a frame received in said chamber and or movement generally horizontally out of the chamber through said access opening when said closure is open, rotary elementS mounted rotatably to said frame and engaging opposite ends of said conveyor belt to mount it for endless movement relative to said frame for advancing said particles, said belt and said rotary elements being dimensioned and constructed for removal from the chamber through said opening with said frame, powered means for driving said belt along said endless path, at least one suspension track extending longitudinally of said chamber at the outside thereof and positioned to be above the level of said frame and conveyor belt as they are moved horizontally from the chamber through said opening, a unit movable along said track, and means operable to suspend said frame and conveyor belt from said unit as the frame and belt move outwardly from the chamber.

Claim 13

Freeze drying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, sprayer means for spraying liquid in finely divided form into said chamber, means for refrigerating said chamber and freezing said sprayed liquid into frozen particles which fall downwardly within the chamber, a generally horizontally extending conveyor belt within said chamber positioned to receive said downwardly falling frozen particles and advance them generally horizontally along a predetermined drying path toward a discharge location, said chamber having an access opening at one end thereof, a closure for closing said opening in vacuum sealed relation, a frame received in said chamber and or movement generally horizontally out of the chamber through said access opening when said closure is open, rotary elementS mounted rotatably to said frame and engaging opposite ends of said conveyor belt to mount it for endless movement relative to said frame for advancing said particles, said belt and said rotary elements being dimensioned and constructed for removal from the chamber through said opening with said frame, powered means for driving said belt along said endless path, at least one suspension track extending longitudinally of said chamber at the outside thereof and positioned to be above the level of said frame and conveyor belt as they are moved horizontally from the chamber through said opening, a unit movable along said track, and means operable to suspend said frame and conveyor belt from said unit as the frame and belt move outwardly from the chamber.