Tumbler dryer

Claim 2

A tumbler dryer, comprising: a. a housing incluDing parallel ends having coaxial inlet-outlet openings and doors therefor; b. a perforated cylindrical tumbler drum disposed for rotation in coaxial relation to the openings, the tumbler drum including end portions terminating at the peripheries of the openings; c. a hot air inlet chamber above and immediately inward of each opening, each inlet chamber having a movable wall formed by the perforated end portion of the tumbler; d. a hot air supply duct communicating with the chambers for the introduction of hot air into the extreme ends of the tumbler drum; e. and an air outlet chamber under the central portion of the tumbler drum having a moving wall formed by the perforated central portion of the tumbler drum.

Claim 3

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said inlet duct includes an air inlet slit disposed along the top side of the tumbler drum for the introduction of a predetermined portion of air distributed along the top side thereof.

Claim 4

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the perforated end portions of the tumbler drum are conical and converge axially outward therefrom.

Claim 5

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. a set of axial extending tumbler ribs within the tumbler drum extending to the margins of the inlet-outlet openings selected ribs in the region of hot air inlet having radially inward extensions tending to deflect the contents of the tumbler drum onto the conical portions thereof for further deflection toward the center of the tumbler drum.

Claim 6

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the doors closing the inlet-outlet openings comprises: a. an upper door section; b. at least one complementary door section hinged to the lower margin of the upper door section; c. means for rotating the upper door section between a lower position wherein the door sections occupy a closed position and an upper position wherein the door sections are disposed above the door opening; d. and means for securing the door sections in their closed position.

Claim 7

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. a fixed base structure; b. a first set of separable pivot means located under one end of the housing; c. a second set of separable pivot means located under the other end of the housing; d. said separable pivot means including elements carried by the base structure and the housing; e. and a thrust means for tilting the housing in opposite directions.

Claim 8

A tumbler dryer, comprising: a. a base frame; b. a generally cylindrical housing; c. cooperating separable pivot elements defining transverse axes located near the axial ends of the housing and corresponding portions of the base frame; d. thrust units carried by the base frame and connected to the housing to effect selective pivotal movement of the housing about either of the transverse axes; e. a cylindrical tumbler drum perforated end-to-end and disposed in substantially coaxial relation with the housing; f. means engaging the periphery of the tumbler drum to effect rotation of the drum within the housing; g. inlet-outlet doors at each axial end of the housing confronting the ends of the tumbler drum; h. hot air inlet chambers at the upper portion of the housing and adjacent the axial extremities thereof communicating directly with the perforated end portions of the tumbler drum; i. means for supplying hot air to the chambers for introduction into the tumbler drum at each end thereof; j. and hot air outlets centrally located at the under side of the housing and confronting the central perforated portion of the tumbler drum.

Claim 9

A tumbler dryer, comprising: a. a base frame; b. a generally cylindrical housing; c. cooperating separable pivot elements defining transverse axes located near the axial ends of the housing and corresponding portions of the base frame; d. thrust units carried by the base frame and connected to the housing to effect selective pivotal movement of the housing about either of the transverse axes; e. a cylindrical tumbler drum perforated end-to-end and disposed in substantially coaxial relation with the housing; f. means engaging the periphery of the tumbler drum to effect rotation of the drum within the housing; g. inlet-outlet doors at each axial end of the housing confronting the ends of the tumbler drum; h. hot air inlet chambers at the upper portion of the housing and adjacent the axial extremities thereof communicating directly with the perforated end portions of the tumbler drum; i. means for supplying hot air to the chambers for introduction into the tumbler drum at each end thereof; j. and hot air outlets centrally located at the under side of the housing and confronting the central perforated portion of the tumbler drum.

Claim 10

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 7, wherein: a. the perforated end portions of the tumbler drum which receive the hot air are conical and diverge toward the central region of the drum.

Claim 11

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 8, which further comprises: a. a set oF axially disposed tumbler ribs within the tumbler drum extending into the conical portions to aid the conical portions to effect movement of the contents of the dryer toward the central region of the tumbler drum away from the inlet-outlet doors.

Claim 12

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the doors comprises: a. three complementary door sections connected by horizontally disposed hinges; b. means pivotally connecting the uppermost door section for movement between a downwardly directed closed position and an upwardly directed open position, the remaining door sections depending from the uppermost door section and movable thereby between a lower closed position and a raised open position; c. and means for latching the door sections in their closed positions.

Claim 13

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 7, wherein: a. the hot air supply means includes an upwardly directed hot air supply fixed in the base frame below one side of the housing; b. and a hot air duct carried by the housing extending upwardly from the hot air supply and partially wrapping the housing, the entrance end of the hot air duct being spaced from the supply to permit entrainment of surrounding air, the duct being tiltable with the housing away from the hot air supply.

Claim 14

A tumbler dryer, comprising: a. a tumbler drum including a perforated cylindrical main portion, and at least one perforated end portion of reduced diameter to receive air radially therein for axial flow into the drum; b. a housing enclosing the drum including the ends thereof and having means for rotating the drum about its longitudinal axis; c. means defining an air inlet duct for delivery of air radially into the perforated end portion of the drum; d. means defining an air outlet for extracting air from the main portion of the drum; e. and an access door mounted in an end of the housing confronting a reduced end portion of the drum.

Claim 15

A tumbler dryer, comprising: a. a tumbler drum including a perforated cylindrical main portion, and at least one perforated end portion of reduced diameter to receive air radially therein for axial flow into the drum; b. a housing enclosing the drum including the ends thereof and having means for rotating the drum about its longitudinal axis; c. means defining an air inlet duct for delivery of air radially into the perforated end portion of the drum; d. means defining an air outlet for extracting air from the main portion of the drum; e. and an access door mounted in an end of the housing confronting a reduced end portion of the drum.

Claim 16

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 12, which further comprises: a. means for tilting the housing and drum about at least one transverse axis for loading and unloading the drum.

Claim 17

A tumbler dryer, as defined in claim 12, wherein: a. perforated reduced end portions are provided at both ends of the drum; b. and air inlet ducts extend to both end portions, whereby air flows from both end portions axially toward the center of the drum.