VERTICAL TILE DRYER WITH BLOWN AIR DRYING

Description

TIPPED BO92A000333 Title: VERTICAL AIR DRYER FOR TILES WITH BLOWN AIR DRYING On behalf of: SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA Scrl based in Imola (BO) ****** The present invention relates to a vertical tile dryer with blown air drying. The well-known vertical tile dryers comprise a casing divided vertically to form two compartments connected to each other at the top and the base, inside which a pair of chains moves, closed in a ring and supporting the baskets that carry the tiles. In vertical dryers of this type, the drying air is conveyed inside the casing so that it passes through the baskets as much as possible and touches the tiles to remove the humidity. The effectiveness of these well-known dryers is affected by the fact that the conveyance of the drying air is rather irregular and can only be controlled very roughly, which is detrimental to the dryer's performance. The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a vertical dryer that allows for a significantly higher yield than traditional ones. This task is achieved with a dryer of the type described above which is characterised by the fact that the Dr. Eng. Guido Mediano. S. Tara Mediano Vera M&fcno. Dr. Inq. Noma Zane ni, Dr. log. Vincenzo di Francia, Carle Venturdl baskets, between the shelves supporting the tiles, have tubular elements and that inside said compartments there are chambers connected with means of supplying drying air and provided with holes that can be connected to said tubular elements, said tubular elements being provided with orifices for the expulsion of drying air between said levels of tiles. Further features of the invention will become clearer from the following description of an embodiment illustrated by way of example, not of limitation, in the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially sectioned, of a dryer according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the dryer of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of the dryer of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, 5 and 6 show three views respectively in longitudinal section, cross section and plan of a basket for supporting tiles; Fig. 7 is a vertical section view similar to that of Fig. 3, but taken between the baskets and the drying air conveying chambers and finally Figs. Θ and 9 show on an enlarged scale two different versions of the connection between the chambers and the tubular elements. Dr. Ina- n Vera ΐ·..·>^. ·'»Dr-in$' Dr. Ing^ Vincenzo di Francia, arj IVn”i Venturoll Cards In the figures, the dryer is indicated overall with 1 and comprises a casing 2 which rises in the form of a prismatic tower, divided into two compartments 3,4 by dividing walls 5. The compartments are connected to each other at the top and the base, and the pair of chains 6,7 supporting the baskets 8 carrying the tiles slides within them. The chains 6,7 are wound on respective gear wheels 9 and are driven intermittently by a gearmotor 10. 11 indicates the loading area for the tiles to be dried in the baskets 8, while the dried tiles are unloaded onto a removal conveyor 12 located at the base between compartments 3 and 4. The baskets 8 each comprise two parallel sides 13,14, made up of metal sheets connected to each other by metal profiles 15. In the sides 13,14 there are openings 16 arranged in equidistant horizontal parallel rows and on equidistant vertical columns. In the openings 16, see the enlarged detail in fig. 8, the flared ends 17 of tubular rollers 18 are engaged, having smaller dimensions than the said openings, forming the support surfaces for the tiles 19. The tiles 19 are fed onto the rollers 18 by means of special devices 20,21 comprising opposing spindles, controlled to engage in the opposite ends. Dr. Inq. Guido Mediano, S. Cera Mediano V' . Dr. Ing. Nemo Zanottl. Df.jÌ»......λdi Francie, Certainly Venturo li of the rollers forming each plane. Therefore, by imparting a rotary motion to the spindles, it is possible to rotate the rollers 18 and advance the dried tiles towards the removal conveyor to unload them onto it and at the same time load the tiles to be dried into the basket. Between the overlapping planes of the rollers 18 are interposed further planes of tubular elements made up of tubes 22 parallel to rollers 18. The tubes 22 are arranged so as to be equidistant vertically and horizontally and have opposite ends integral with the sides 13,14. Furthermore, in the tubes 22 there are orifices 23 distributed longitudinally and oriented towards the overlapping planes of the tiles supported by the rollers. The described drying room is completed by chambers 24,25 and 26,27 which extend inside the compartments 3,4 adjacent to the sides 13,14 of the baskets both along the ascending and descending straight sections of the chains 6,7. The chambers 24-27 are connected to a source of hot drying air generated by a pair of burners 28 (one for each side of the dryer) and kept in circulation inside the casing 2 by ventilation means 29. Chambers 24-27 are essentially rectangular cross-section ducts in each of which a channel 30 is formed, open towards the baskets to allow the passage of the ascending and descending sections of the chains and the basket support arms. On the faces of the chambers 24-27, facing the baskets, holes 31 are made from which respective conical nozzles 32 extend which project towards the sides 13,14 of the baskets whilst remaining spaced from the latter. The nozzles 32 have the same distribution as the access openings 33 in the pipes 22 so that, at any given moment, each nozzle is aligned with a respective pipe 22. The operation of the dryer described will be completely understandable from the description provided. In particular, the hot air generated by the burners 28 is conveyed into the chambers 24-27 from where it is projected into the pipes 22 through the nozzles 32. The air then escapes through the orifices 23 and directly hits the opposite faces of the tiles resting on the rollers 18, determining an effective removal of humidity from the tiles themselves. It should be noted that the truncated conical shape of the nozzles 32 gives rise, by the Venturi effect, to an aspiration of air from the annular gap defined between the adjacent ends of the nozzles and the tubes 22. Therefore, there is no loss of hot air in the passage between chambers 24-27 and pipes 22. Naturally the advancement step of the baskets along the compartments 3,4 will be kept strictly constant to ensure, at each stop of the chains 6,7, perfect alignment between pipes 22 and nozzles 32. A prerogative of the present invention is the fact that the tiles are subjected to a substantially constant flow of air at every point of the dryer so as to ensure uniform drying of all the tiles. The dryer described is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the inventive concept. According to the embodiment shown in Figure 9, in place of the nozzles 32, openings 34 are provided, extending vertically and opposite the ends of the tubes 22. The openings 34 are delimited laterally by gaskets 35 in sliding contact with the external faces of the sides 13, 14 of the baskets to ensure the connection between the chambers 24-27 and the tubes 22. y wertoVeturo»

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Vertical tile dryer comprising a casing divided vertically to form two compartments connected to the screen and the base, inside which a pair of chains closed in a ring moves and supports the baskets carrying the tiles, characterised in that the baskets, between the shelves on which the tiles rest, have tubular elements and that inside said compartments there are chambers connected by means for supplying drying air and provided with holes connectable to said tubular elements, said tubular elements being provided with orifices for the expulsion of drying air between said shelves of tiles.

2. Dryer according to claim 1 characterised in that said tubular elements are arranged according to horizontal planes lying between the planes of the tiles and are aligned according to vertical planes parallel to the ascending and descending sections of the basket transport chains.

3. Dryer according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said chambers extend inside the vertical spaces of the casing both along the ascending and descending sections of the chains.

4. Dryer according to claim 3 characterised in that said chambers are made up of ducts of rectangular section in the faces of which, facing the baskets, channels are made to allow the passage of the basket transport chains.

5. Dryer according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that holes are made on the faces of the chambers facing the baskets, having the same distribution as said tubular elements and suitable for aligning with the latter during the stops of the baskets.

6. Dryer according to claim 5 characterised in that respective conical nozzles project from said holes which, aligning with the ends of said tubular elements, give rise to a Venturi effect.

7. Dryer according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that on the faces of the chambers facing the baskets, vertical openings are made, surrounded by gaskets in sliding contact with the sides of the baskets.

8. Vertical dryer for tiles with blown air drying as can be deduced from the description and drawings. Or Ipb. Guido Modlano, Giddi WtodtartO Vere Codiano Dr.lng. Nemo Zanot^ G. r. Ing. Vincenzo ji|Francia, GarìoVe^urem IJno per essi) ni CODIANO & ASSOCIATI SrL 40126 BOLOGNA - Via Irnerio, 12 / 2 PROVINCIAL OFFICE / INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE AND AK / lCIAMATO DI BOLOGNA OFFICE Ik HIN