Drying chamber apparatus and method

Claim 1

A method of conveying elongate flexible material which comprises: arranging a plurality of lengths of said elongate flexible material in mutually parallel, horizontal array, moving said lengths longitudinally while in said array, and subjecting said array of lengths while moving to a plurality of alternate, upwardly and downwardly, rapidly moving curtains of air, thereby maintaining said lengths in suspended disposition without physical support.

Claim 2

A method of conveying elongate flexible material which comprises: arranging a plurality of lengths of said elongate flexible material in mutually parallel, horizontal array, moving said lengths longitudinally while in said array, and subjecting said array of lengths while moving to a plurality of alternate, upwardly and downwardly, rapidly moving curtains of air, thereby maintaining said lengths in suspended disposition without physical support.

Claim 6

The method of drying a plurality of liquid-bearing strands, yarns or cords which comprises: arranging said plurality of strands in mutually parallel, spaced horizontal array, moving said array of strands axially in a path extending from a supply arrangement to a collecting arrangement, and exposing said horizontal array of parallel strands, while moving, to a plurality of spaced alternating downwardly and upwardly proceeding streams of a drying medium intersecting said array substantially perpendicularly, said streams having a volume velocity in relation to the weight per unit length of the strands sufficient to maintain said strands suspended therein without any appreciable catenary as would require support of said strands intermediate said arrangements.

Claim 7

The method of drying a plurality of liquid-bearing strands, yarns or cords which comprises: arranging said plurality of strands in mutually parallel, spaced horizontal array, moving said array of strands axially in a path extending from a supply arrangement to a collecting arrangement, and exposing said horizontal array of parallel strands, while moving, to a plurality of spaced alternating downwardly and upwardly proceeding streams of a drying medium intersecting said array substantially perpendicularly, said streams having a volume velocity in relation to the weight per unit length of the strands sufficient to maintain said strands suspended therein without any appreciable catenary as would require support of said strands intermediate said arrangements.

Claim 8

The method of drying a plurality of liquid-bearing strands, yarns, cords or the like, which comprises: moving said plurality of strands in a horizontal path in which the strands are in mutually spaced, parallel array, said path extending from a delivery support to a winder support spaced a distance from said delivery support, and exposing said horizontal array of parallel strands while traversing said distance to a plurality of alternating downwardly and upwardly proceeding streams of drying medium intersecting said array substantially perpendicularly, said streams having a volume velocity in relation to the unit length weight of said plurality of strands sufficient to maintain said strands suspended therein without essentially any catenary.

Claim 9

The method of drying a plurality of liquid-bearing strands, yarns, cords or the like, which comprises: moving said plurality of strands in a horizontal path in which the strands are in mutually spaced, parallel array, said path extending from a delivery support to a winder support spaced a distance from said delivery support, and exposing said horizontal array of parallel strands while traversing said distance to a plurality of alternating downwardly and upwardly proceeding streams of drying medium intersecting said array substantially perpendicularly, said streams having a volume velocity in relation to the unit length weight of said plurality of strands sufficient to maintain said strands suspended therein without essentially any catenary.

Claim 10

An apparatus of utility in drying and partially curIng, on a continuous basis, a plurality of continuous strand-like lengths of material bearing an elastomeric impregnant and arranged for continuous horizontal movement in mutually parallel, spaced relationship defining, in aggregate, a planar array of said strand-like material, said apparatus comprising: a generally closed chamber including side walls, a top wall and opposed parallel end walls, all connected together to define said generally closed chamber, one end wall having an opening defining an inlet for said moving horizontal array of lengths of strand-like material, nozzle means for producing a plurality of upwardly directed and downwardly directed spaced curtains of a heating medium controlled to move transversely across the path between said inlet and said outlet, said upwardly and downwardly moving curtains being in staggered relationship, said nozzle means including a plurality of spaced elongate conduits disposed parallel with said end walls in alternate vertically offset, mutually parallel relationship above and below a plane defined between said inlet and said outlet, said conduits each including an opening along its length on the side closest to the path between said inlet and outlet, wall means connected to said conduits in a manner to embrace each of said openings, said wall means proceeding convergingly from said openings to terminate in a slot opening proximate said path and transverse to said path coextensively with said conduit, said wall means including, sandwiched therebetween, individual means for throttling heating medium proceeding from said conduit to said slot, a heating chamber, and means for delivering a heated medium under pressure from said heating chamber to said nozzle means.

Claim 11

An apparatus of utility in drying and partially curIng, on a continuous basis, a plurality of continuous strand-like lengths of material bearing an elastomeric impregnant and arranged for continuous horizontal movement in mutually parallel, spaced relationship defining, in aggregate, a planar array of said strand-like material, said apparatus comprising: a generally closed chamber including side walls, a top wall and opposed parallel end walls, all connected together to define said generally closed chamber, one end wall having an opening defining an inlet for said moving horizontal array of lengths of strand-like material, nozzle means for producing a plurality of upwardly directed and downwardly directed spaced curtains of a heating medium controlled to move transversely across the path between said inlet and said outlet, said upwardly and downwardly moving curtains being in staggered relationship, said nozzle means including a plurality of spaced elongate conduits disposed parallel with said end walls in alternate vertically offset, mutually parallel relationship above and below a plane defined between said inlet and said outlet, said conduits each including an opening along its length on the side closest to the path between said inlet and outlet, wall means connected to said conduits in a manner to embrace each of said openings, said wall means proceeding convergingly from said openings to terminate in a slot opening proximate said path and transverse to said path coextensively with said conduit, said wall means including, sandwiched therebetween, individual means for throttling heating medium proceeding from said conduit to said slot, a heating chamber, and means for delivering a heated medium under pressure from said heating chamber to said nozzle means.

Claim 14

A method of moving a length of flexible strand-like material which comprises: arranging for said length of said elongate flexible strand material to be moved in a horizontal path, moving said length in a substantially horizontal path and subjecting said length while moving horizontally to a plurality of upwardly and downwardly rapidly moving curtains of air, thereby maintaining said length in suspended disposition without essentially any catenary.

Claim 15

A method of moving a length of flexible strand-like material which comprises: arranging for said length of said elongate flexible strand material to be moved in a horizontal path, moving said length in a substantially horizontal path and subjecting said length while moving horizontally to a plurality of upwardly and downwardly rapidly moving curtains of air, thereby maintaining said length in suspended disposition without essentially any catenary.