Method and apparatus for drying articles of ceramic ware
AssigneeInterdri Limited
InventorSidney Wedgwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of drying articles of ceramic flatware supported on a mould comprises passing heated air over an exposed surface of the article, the air flow being directed such that it flows from the periphery towards the center of the article.
Claims15
A method of drying articles of ceramic ware, said method comprising supporting a mould and an article to be dried on a mould support such that the article has an exposed surface, locating the mould support and a member in a spaced apart relation such that the member has a surface extending in close relation over at least a substantial part of the exposed surface of the article and defines a gap between the exposed surface and said member, introducing a drying agent into said gap substantially at the periphery of the article, inducing a flow of the drying agent in the gap with the maximum velocity of the flow at said surface of said member by extracting the drying agent at a location substantially centrally of the article to be dried, and arranging the close relation of said member to the exposed surface so as to substantially confine the exposed surface to the effect of the maximum velocity of the flow of the drying agent.
Apparatus for use in drying articles of ceramic ware, said apparatus comprising a support for a mould and an article thereon to be dried, said article presenting an exposed surface, a member provided in such a spaced apart relation to the mould support as to have a surface which extends in close relation over at least a substantial part of the exposed surface of the article to be dried and define a gap between the exposed surface and said member, supply means for introducing a drying agent into said gap substantially at the periphery of the article to be dried, and extraction means for extracting the drying agent from a location substantially centrally of the article to be dried, the close relation of said member to said exposed surface of the article being such as to substantially confine the exposed surface to the effect of the maximum velocity of flow of the drying agent which occurs at said surface of said member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.