Greenhouse-bulk curing and drying system

Claim 1

A bulk curing and drying structure adapted to utilize the solar energy associated with available solar radiation transmitted into the structure to cure and dry bulk tobacco disposed within said structure, said structure comprising: a. means for continuously forcing a vertical system of air through at least one curing and drying area of said structure and including means for adding heat to the forced air as necessary to maintain a predetermined temperature within said curing and drying structure; b. means for receiving and holding tobacco leaves in bulk form within said structure and including support structure means for supporting a volume of tobacco leaves in close side-by-side relationship with the plane of the leaves being generally vertically oriented so as to allow air to pass vertically therethrough, said support structure means disposed transversely across the entire width of the vertical system of forced air for supporting the volume of tobacco leaves transversely across the entire width of the same vertical system of air passing through the curing and drying area of said structure thereby requiring the entire vertical system of air to pass through the supported volume of tobacco leaves without by-passing the same; c. support means associated with said structure for supporting said tobacco receiving and holding means within said structure; d. transparent exterior means disposed about a substantial area of said structure for transmitting available solar radiation and the energy associated therewith through said structure and into the internal areas thereof; and e. heat absorber means generally stationarily disposed interiorly of said transparent exterior means for absorbing the solar energy transmitted through said transparent exterior means and transferring the captured solar energy directly inwardly to the vertical system of air passing through said bulk tobacco disposed within said curing and drying structure and supported by said support structure means, said heat absorber means assuming a position between said transparent exterior means and the bulk volume of tobacco disposed within said structure such that said heat absorber means tends to confine the forced system of air passing through the bulk tobacco interiorly of said heat absorber means thereby permitting the captured solar energy in the form of heat to be transferred directly inwardly to the vertical system of forced air passing on the inner side of said heat absorber means opposite the space between said heat absorber means and said transparent exterior means.