Samuel Blatchford

“ The inclined blades cause the wheel to be rapidly revolved by the ascending currents of air, and these, meeting with a resistance, are compelled to pass by the blades in a uniform manner, said blades being so cut or separated as that they shall permit the passage of an equal quantity of air at every point below the bottom of the tray placed next above. ”

“ In each division is arranged a series of inclined slats, a, a, and the four series of said slats are inclined outward in the four different directions, whereby, when the evaporator is set over the furnace, the current of hot air, as it ascends, is directed to the sides of the machine. ”

“ For the lighter forms of driers I propose to make these trays of the ordinary sieves, or build them in the same manner, with perhaps two or more braces beneath the foraminated bottom, to give it sufficient
strength to support the weight of fruit. ”

“ If the currents of air be very rapid and strong, the revolutions of the wheels are correspondingly rapid, and thus, under all circumstances, the currents are automatically regulated and always evenly distributed. For the larger sized driers, the wheel, W, may advantageously be placed immediately over the funnel mouth, S, conducting the heated air from the furnace below, as in Fig. 2. It may be pivoted in any desirable way, and other fans may be distributed throughout the series of trays. ”

“ I am aware that a fruit evaporator has been made with upright sliding bars or posts provided with spring-pawls, which pass under the trays to support the same, but in such case the pawls are inaccessible, and none of them can be thrown out of the way ”

“ These are found, in practice, expensive to build, difficult to handle and move, and liable to get out of order; and it is a very important feature of the present invention to do away with all these objections. ”

“ The power is applied through the medium of two worms, situated at each end of a drum or shaft, extending along the side of, and at least the width of, the stack to be lifted. These worms engage into appropriate cog-wheels, affixed to two other drums or shafts running at right angles to the first-named shaft, on opposite sides of the stack, and extend horizontally the length of the same. ”

“ K is the main body of the tray, having a surrounding hoop, L. The several trays being of one size, (save the uppermost, to be hereinafter described,) it will be observed that each one will form a section of the wall of the drier, no matter what its position, and that this wall may be increased in height as much as desired or found necessary. A is a crane, and B a rope or chain running over it, and controlled by the windlass, O. From the crossbars, C, the ropes or chains, G, depend, and these are made to suspend the drier through the medium of the handles, H, H, etc., upon each tray. ”

“ Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the drier as located over a large furnace, as in the most extensive dry-houses. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, illustrating the improved drier in a position removed from over an ordinary cooking-stove. ”

“ Any number of these fans may be placed in the series of trays, as is apparent from the construction above described. They are automatically operated, not liable to get out of repair, and they are found to be very efficient for the purposes intended. ”