Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for drying articles comprising a housing, conveying means for conveying articles along a path of travel in said housing, means for drying articles during the movement thereof in said housing by said conveying means, said drying means being at least a pair of heat sources disposed to normally direct heat toward the path of travel of said conveying means, said pair of heat sources being disposed in opposing relationship to each other on opposite sides of said path of travel, said pair of heat sources having longitudinal axes disposed along but askewed to the path of travel of said conveying means, the skewing of said pair of heat sources being in directions opposite each other, means for redirecting the normal direction of heat application away from said path of travel to prevent heat damage to the articles carried by said conveying means, and said redirecting means including means for rotating said heat sources away from the path of travel of said conveying means about axes generally parallel to said longitudinal axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for drying articles comprising a housing, conveying means for conveying articles along a path of travel in said housing, means for drying articles during the movement thereof in said housing by said conveying means, said drying means being at least a pair of heat sources disposed to normally direct heat toward the path of travel of said conveying means, said pair of heat sources being disposed in opposing relationship to each other on opposite sides of said path of travel, said pair of heat sources having longitudinal axes disposed along but askewed to the path of travel of said conveying means, the skewing of said pair of heat sources being in directions opposite each other, means for redirecting the normal direction of heat application away from said path of travel to prevent heat damage to the articles carried by said conveying means, and said redirecting means including means for rotating said heat sources away from the path of travel of said conveying means about axes generally parallel to said longitudinal axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotating means simultaneously rotates said pair of heat sources in opposite directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotating means include common endless drive means entrained about said pair of heat sources for imparting said rotation thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said conveying means carry a plurality of mandrels each adapted to carry thereon an article to be dryed, each mandrel having a shaft journaled for rotation relative to said conveying means, means for rotating each shaft during the motion of said conveying means, said rotating means including a sprocket carried by each shaft adapted for meshing engagement with a generally stationary rack, means for aligning each sprocket for meshing engagement with said stationary rack, said aligning means including cam means preceeding said stationary rack, and cam follower means carried by each shaft for engaging said cam means and being rotated thereby thus imparting rotation to said sprockets for aligning teeth thereof for meshing engagement with said stationary rack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said cam follower means includes a uniplanar surface adapted for sliding movement along said cam means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including means for biasing said cam means toward said cam follower means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4 including at least a pair of links for pivotally mounting said cam means for movement toward and away from said cam follower means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means mounting said generally stationary cam means for movement sufficient to compensate for initial infeed misalignment between said sprockets and said cam means, and said mounting means include spring biasing means for permitting compensatory movement of said cam means generally parallel to said conveying means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for drying articles comprising means defining a heating chamber for drying articles conveyed therethrough, means for conveying articles through said heating chamber, said conveying means carrying a plurality of mandrels each adapted to carry thereon an article to be dryed, each mandrel having a shaft journaled for rotation relative to said conveying means, means for rotating each shaft during the motion of said conveying means, said rotating means including a sprocket carried by each shaft adapted for meshing engagement with a generally stationary rack, means for aligning each sprocket for meshing engagement with said stationary rack, said aligning means including cam means preceeding said stationary rack, and cam follower means carried by each shaft for engaging said cam means and being rotated thereby thus imparting rotation to said sprockets for aligning teeth thereof for meshing engagement with said stationary rack.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for drying articles comprising means defining a heating chamber for drying articles conveyed therethrough, means for conveying articles through said heating chamber, said conveying means carrying a plurality of mandrels each adapted to carry thereon an article to be dryed, each mandrel having a shaft journaled for rotation relative to said conveying means, means for rotating each shaft during the motion of said conveying means, said rotating means including a sprocket carried by each shaft adapted for meshing engagement with a generally stationary rack, means for aligning each sprocket for meshing engagement with said stationary rack, said aligning means including cam means preceeding said stationary rack, and cam follower means carried by each shaft for engaging said cam means and being rotated thereby thus imparting rotation to said sprockets for aligning teeth thereof for meshing engagement with said stationary rack.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said cam follower means includes a uniplanar surface adapted for sliding movement along said cam means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 including means for biasing said cam means toward said cam follower means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 including at least a pair of links for pivotally mounting said cam means for movement toward and away from said cam follower means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 including means mounting said generally stationary cam means for movement sufficient to compensate for initial infeed misalignment between said sprockets and said cam means, and said mounting means include spring biasing means for permitting compensatory movement of said cam means generally parallel to said conveying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including means for biasing said cam means toward said cam follower means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including at least a pair of links for pivotally mounting said cam means for movement toward and away from said cam follower means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including means mounting said generally stationary cam means for movement sufficient to compensate for initial infeed misalignment between said sprockets and said cam means, and said mounting means include spring biasing means for permitting compensatory movement of said cam means generally parallel to said conveying means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 11 including at least a pair of links for pivotally mounting said cam means for movement toward and away from said cam follower means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 11 including means mounting said generally stationary cam means for movement sufficient to compensate for initial infeed misalignment between said sprockets and said cam means, and said mounting means include spring biasing means for permitting compensatory movement of said cam means generally parallel to said conveying means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 16 including at least a pair of links for pivotally mounting said cam means for movement toward and away from said cam follower means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 17 including means mounting said generally stationary cam means for movement sufficient to compensate for initial infeed misalignment between said sprockets and said cam means, and said mounting means include spring biasing means for permitting compensatory movement of said cam means generally parallel to said conveying means.