Board drying apparatus

• US 4,562,650 A
• Filed: 03/08/1984
• Issued: 01/07/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Denki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Denki Company Limited
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Kiyoshi, Itoh, Eiichi, Kato, Sadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Westphal, David W.
• Application Number:
  US06/587,703
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 34/107, 34/149, 34/219, 34/227, 34/236, 198/607, 198/611, 198/782, 198/424, 271/192, 271/189
• US Class Current: 34/612
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 15/22 the objects or batches of materials being carried by endless belts the objects or batches of material being carried by trays or holders supported by endless belts or chains F26B15/205 takes precedence; vertical bulk material conveyor-driers F26B17/06

Abstract

A board drying apparatus includes a pair of fork conveyors provided in a housing and disposed vertically with spacing therebetween. Each fork conveyor has a number of extension arms fixed at to said fork conveyor to extend substantially at right angles therewith. These extension arms of both of the fork conveyors are associated with each other in such a manner that each of the extension arms of one of the fork conveyors is arranged at the same level as the associated extension arm of the other of the fork conveyors and that the extension arms on the inner side of each fork conveyor are opposed to each other and move downwardly at the same speed. A board to be dried is supplied to the uppermost horizontal extension arms at the inner sides of the fork conveyors and is carried downwardly by the extension arms during which the board is dried by heated air circulated through space between the fork conveyors in the lengthwise direction of the boards.

Claims

1. A board drying apparatus comprising:

a substantially closed housing;

a pair of fork conveyors disposed vertically in said housing with spacing therebetween and having inner sides opposed to each other;

each fork conveyor having a plurality of extension arms fixed at ends thereof to said fork conveyor to extend substantially at right angles thereto, in such a manner that each of said extension arms of one of said fork conveyors has an associated extension arm at the same level on the other of said fork conveyors, and that the said extension arms on said inner sides of said fork conveyors are opposed to each other and are moved downwardly at the same speed;

means for feeding boards to be dried to the uppermost horizontally positioned said extension arms at said inner sides of said fork conveyors, said feeding means comprising a delivery conveyor provided above and between said pair of fork conveyors, said delivery conveyor including a pair of swingable arms operable to be opened at lower portions thereof in the manner of a gate;

means for discharging the dried boards from the lowermost position of said fork conveyors;

heating means for producing heated air in said housing;

blower means for circulating the heated air through space between said fork conveyors; and

said blower means and said heating means being disposed in series in the horizontal direction at a side portion in the interior of said housing to cause the heated air to flow through said space between said fork conveyors in the lengthwise direction of the boards supported thereby.

2. A board drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said fork conveyors includes front and rear endless chains arranged in a double row, said endless chains having connected thereto said extension arms in the form of frame-like members spaced at intervals.

3. A board drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discharge means comprises a discharge conveyor belt provided directly below and between said pair of fork conveyors, whereby a dried board dropping downwardly from the lowermost said extension arms is placed on said discharge conveyor belt.

4. A board drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises upper and lower heaters, and said blower means comprises upper and lower fans disposed in series with said upper and lower heaters, respectively, said upper and lower fans having reverse blowing directions.