Web dryer

Claim 2

A web processing device for conditioning a traveling web comprising in combination, an upper drum adapted to carry a web, a lower drum adapted to carry the web, said web wrapping the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums respectively, upper and lower belts wrapping the web on the drums, upper and lower belt guide rolls for the upper and lower belts respectively, said upper and lower guide rolls respectively positioned below and above the upper and lower drums to cause the belts to wrap their drums on the offrunning side and to guide the upper and lower belts toward each other into close running relationship between the drums so that the web is controlled for its entire travel between the upper and lower drums, said belts defining a run for the web between drums with one belt defining one portion of the run and the other belt defining another portion of the run, said portions being at an angle to each other.

Claim 3

A web processing device for conditioning a traveling web being constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said guide rolls are in positions so that the web is brought into actual supported contact when passing from one belt to another belt between drums.

Claim 4

A web processing device for conditioning a traveling web being constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said guide rolls are in positions so that as the web leaves one belt it has a slight space between it and the succeeding belt and travels at an angle approaching the belt to be in engagement therewith as the web engages the drum.

Claim 5

A web processing device for conditioning a traveling web being constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said guide rolls are perforate and have a pressure gland therein positioned to direct a flow of belt drying air through the belt at the location where the web moves out of supported engagement with the belt.

Claim 6

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower surfaces respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a pervious material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums respectively, upper and lower belt guide rolls for the upper and lower belts respectively, a first of said lower belt guide rolls positioned to carry the lower belt between a first and a second of said lower drums, and a first of said upper belt guide rolls positioned to carry the upper belt between a first and a second of said upper drums and located to carry the upper belt to bring the web into supporting contact with the lower belt so that the web is supported for its travel between the upper and lower rolls, said belts defining a run for the web between drums with one belt defining one portion of the run and the other belt defining another portion of the run with said portions being at an angle to each other, said guide rolls being laterally offset from the space between the drums in the same lateral direction.

Claim 7

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower surfaces respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a pervious material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums respectively, upper and lower belt guide rolls for the upper and lower belts respectively, a first of said lower belt guide rolls positioned to carry the lower belt between a first and a second of said lower drums, and a first of said upper belt guide rolls positioned to carry the upper belt between a first and a second of said upper drums and located to carry the upper belt to bring the web into supporting contact with the lower belt so that the web is supported for its travel between the upper and lower rolls, said belts defining a run for the web between drums with one belt defining one portion of the run and the other belt defining another portion of the run with said portions being at an angle to each other, said guide rolls being laterally offset from the space between the drums in the same lateral direction.

Claim 8

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 5 wherein: said first lower guide roll is positioned over the first lower dryer drum.

Claim 9

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisTure from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 5 and including a heated air discharge means for discharging air through the upper belt into the pocket between the belt and the second lower drum.

Claim 10

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 7 wherein the discharge means is located within said upper guide roll and the guide roll is perforate for the discharge of air through the belt while on the guide roll.

Claim 11

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 5 and including means for pressurizing the spaces between the lower surface of the upper drums and the upper surface of the lower drums and the belts for excluding extrinsic air currents.

Claim 12

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 5 and including a lead guide for the upper belt directing it in an upward path onto the first upper drum with the first lower guide roll positioned above the first lower drum to bring the web into contact with the belt in its uprunning path to the first upper drum, and including a lead roll for the lower belt receiving the web for carrying it to the dryer drums, and wherein each of said guide rolls is perforate and is provided with means for pressurizing the roll with heated air for driving heated drying air through the belts.

Claim 13

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 6 wherein lead guide means is provided so that the upper web travels in an upwardly path to the first upper drum and the first lower guide roll carries the lower belt to position the web in engagement with the upper belt as the web travels from the first lower to the first upper drum.

Claim 14

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower surfaces respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a previous material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums respectively, and single rolls carrying the belts between adjacent upper drums and between adjacent lower drums training said belts so that the web is supported by a belt at all positions in its travel between the upper and lower drums, said guide rolls being laterally offset from the space between the drums in the same lateral direction.

Claim 15

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower surfaces respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a previous material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums respectively, and single rolls carrying the belts between adjacent upper drums and between adjacent lower drums training said belts so that the web is supported by a belt at all positions in its travel between the upper and lower drums, said guide rolls being laterally offset from the space between the drums in the same lateral direction.

Claim 16

A web dryer structure from the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 12 wherein the guide roll for the upper belt is at a lower elevation than the guide roll for the lower belt.

Claim 17

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 12 wherein said guide rolls are positioned relative to the belts so that the belts and web wrap a greater arc of the upper and lower dryer drums on the offrunning side then on the onrunning side.

Claim 18

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums aapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower suRfaces, respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a pervious material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums, respectively, upper and lower belt guide rolls for the upper and lower belts, respectively, said guide rolls positioned between the upper and lower rolls and located laterally of the spaces between the rolls a sufficient distance so that the web is in close running relationship with a belt for its entire travel between the upper and lower rolls and so that the web wraps unequal drum areas on the onrunning and offrunning sides of the drums.

Claim 19

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web comprising in combination, a plurality of rotatably mounted upper dryer drums aapted to be heated to carry a web and evaporate moisture therefrom, a plurality of rotatably mounted lower dryer drums adapted to be heated to carry the web and evaporate moisture therefrom, said drums positioned to carry the web in a sinuous path passing successively between the upper and lower drums with the web wrapping their upper and lower suRfaces, respectively, upper and lower looped belts formed of a pervious material accommodating the escape of water vapor from the web and wrapping the web on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower drums, respectively, upper and lower belt guide rolls for the upper and lower belts, respectively, said guide rolls positioned between the upper and lower rolls and located laterally of the spaces between the rolls a sufficient distance so that the web is in close running relationship with a belt for its entire travel between the upper and lower rolls and so that the web wraps unequal drum areas on the onrunning and offrunning sides of the drums.

Claim 20

A web dryer structure for the thermal removal of moisture from a traveling web constructed in accordance with claim 15 wherein the guide rolls for the upper belts are located substantially directly under the upper drums and the guide rolls for these lower drums are located substantially directly over the lower drums.