Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for drying a product to remove a vaporous substance therefrom, comprising: an array of elongated infrared heaters having a ventilating passage extending therethrough, said heaters having their ends projecting through respective, spaced apart bulkheads to which said heaters are secured; conveying means for carrying said product beneath said array; and blower means for directing a gas through said ventilating passage onto said product thereby cooling said heaters and removing boundary layer of vapors from said product, said blower means including a pair of ducts formed by said bulkheads allowing gas to flow from a gas inlet to said ventilating passages such that the ends of said heaters project into said ducts where they are cooled by gas flowing through said ducts.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for drying a product to remove a vaporous substance therefrom, comprising: an array of elongated infrared heaters having a ventilating passage extending therethrough, said heaters having their ends projecting through respective, spaced apart bulkheads to which said heaters are secured; conveying means for carrying said product beneath said array; and blower means for directing a gas through said ventilating passage onto said product thereby cooling said heaters and removing boundary layer of vapors from said product, said blower means including a pair of ducts formed by said bulkheads allowing gas to flow from a gas inlet to said ventilating passages such that the ends of said heaters project into said ducts where they are cooled by gas flowing through said ducts.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
188 words
An apparatus for drying a product to remove a vaporous substance therefrom, comprising: a frame having a generally boxlike configuration; a central drying zone having an infeed and an outfeed end formed in said frame; a pair of inlet ducts extending along opposite sides of said drying zone from an inlet at the outfeed end of said drying zone toward the infeed end thereof; a plurality of horizontally spaced, elongated infrared heaters extending transversely across said drying zone adjacent the outfeed end thereof, with the ends of said heaters projecting into said inlet ducts such that the ends of said heaters are cooled by air flowing through said ducts; a semi-cylindrical reflector positioned above each of said heaters, the adjacent edges of adjacent reflectors being spaced apart from each other to form ventilating passages therebetween; a plurality of horizontally spaced ventilating nozzles positioned in said drying zone toward the infeed end thereof; blower means directing gas from said inlet ducts to said ventilating passages and said ventilating nozzles; and conveying means for carrying said product through said drying zone from the infeed end to the outfeed end thereof.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
188 words
An apparatus for drying a product to remove a vaporous substance therefrom, comprising: a frame having a generally boxlike configuration; a central drying zone having an infeed and an outfeed end formed in said frame; a pair of inlet ducts extending along opposite sides of said drying zone from an inlet at the outfeed end of said drying zone toward the infeed end thereof; a plurality of horizontally spaced, elongated infrared heaters extending transversely across said drying zone adjacent the outfeed end thereof, with the ends of said heaters projecting into said inlet ducts such that the ends of said heaters are cooled by air flowing through said ducts; a semi-cylindrical reflector positioned above each of said heaters, the adjacent edges of adjacent reflectors being spaced apart from each other to form ventilating passages therebetween; a plurality of horizontally spaced ventilating nozzles positioned in said drying zone toward the infeed end thereof; blower means directing gas from said inlet ducts to said ventilating passages and said ventilating nozzles; and conveying means for carrying said product through said drying zone from the infeed end to the outfeed end thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further including a blower manifold positioned at the infeed end of said drying zone from which said blower means receives gas, said manifold opening into said drying zone toward the infeed end thereof, and an air passage extending from each inlet duct into said blower manifold such that air flowing from said inlet ducts to said blower means is mixed with gas previously directed onto said product by said ventilating passages and said ventilating nozzles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further including an exhaust outlet receiving gas from the said blower means.