Coffman, Randall R.;

Heat recirculating dryer

A dryer for extracting moisture from goods and recirculating at least a portion of the air withdrawn from a tumbler cylinder located within the dryer. The dryer includes an air distribution system for supplying heated air to the tumbler cylinder, withdrawing air from the cylinder, and recirculating at least a portion of the air withdrawn from the cylinder. The air distribution system includes a burner tube and a heating passageway disposed about a portion of the burner tube, the passageway being connected for directing recirculated air about the burner tube to heat the recirculated air. The air circulating system also includes an air flow tube concentric with a portion of the burner tube for directing ambient air about the burner tube for cooling the burner tube.

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What is claimed is:

1. In a dryer for extracting moisture from wet goods, the dryer including a tumbler cylinder housed within a shell and further including air distribution means for supplying heated air to the cylinder for drying goods therein, withdrawing air from the cylinder, and recirculating at least a portion of the air withdrawn from the cylinder, the improvement comprising

a. said air distribution means including a burner chamber within a burner tube for providing heated air,

b. heating passageway means disposed about at least a first portion of said burner tube, said heating passageway means being connected for directing recirculated air about said burner tube to cause the burner tube to heat the recirculated air,

c. an inlet end for said burner tube,

d. air flow tube means surrounding at least a second portion of said burner tube at said inlet end and located for directing ambient air about said second portion of said burner tube to said inlet end, and

e. means providing ambient air to said air flow tube means.

2. A dryer according to claim 1 in which said burner tube is cylindrical and said heating passageway means comprises a duct.

3. A dryer according to claim 2 in which said duct extends about at least half of the circumference of said burner tube for part of the length thereof.

4. A dryer according to claim 2 in which said burner tube is cylindrical and said air flow tube means is concentric therewith.

5. A dryer according to claim 4 in which said air flow tube is formed so that the direction of air flow between said air flow tube and said burner tube is opposite to the direction of air flow within said burner tube.

6. A dryer according to claim 1 in which said air distribution means includes a recirculation duct extending from a location proximate said tumbler to said heating passageway means, and including means for exhausting recirculated air before air enters said heating passageway means.

7. A dryer according to claim 6 in which said means for exhausting comprises an adjustable damper located in said recirculation duct, and an exhaust duct associated with said damper to exhaust air directed to said exhaust duct by said damper.

8. A dryer according to claim 6 in which said shell is pivotable to expel the contents thereof, and in which said recirculation duct includes a first part pivotable with said shell and a fixed second part, and including a joint between said parts.

9. A dryer according to claim 8 in which said joint comprises a flanged collar on each of said parts, said collars abutting one another.

10. A dryer according to claim 9 in which each collar includes an oppositely curved periphery to prevent interference between the collars when said shell is pivoted.