Apparatus for drying of articles traveling upon a conveyor

An apparatus for drying of articles traveling upon a conveyor comprising:

• (a) a housing means defining drying chamber having a first upstream section and a second downstream section therein, said housing means also defining a first plenum chamber and a second plenum chamber therein, said housing means further defining a conveyor inlet therein to allow the conveyor and articles traveling thereon to enter said first upstream section of said drying chamber for drying thereof, said housing means further defining a conveyor outlet therein to allow the conveyor and articles traveling thereon to exit from said second downstream section of said drying chamber after drying, said housing means also including a first blower inlet in fluid flow communication with respect to said first plenum chamber to admit drying air therein, said housing means further including a second blower inlet in fluid flow communication with respect to said second plenum chamber to admit drying air therein, said housing means further defining an air outlet in fluid flow communication with respect to said drying chamber to allow exit of spent drying air;
• (b) a blower means including a first supply conduit connected in fluid flow communication with respect to said first blower inlet to blow drying air into said first plenum chamber, said blower means also including a second supply conduit in fluid flow communication with respect to said second blower inlet to blow drying air into said second plenum chamber;
• (c) a central dividing wall extending through housing means partitioning said first plenum chamber from said second plenum chamber;
• (d) a first airflow control means extending through said housing means and cooperating with said central dividing wall to define said first plenum chamber and said first upstream portion of said drying chamber and preventing fluid flow communication therebetween other than through said first airflow control means, said first airflow control means defining at least one first airflow slot extending across said first airflow control means in a direction angularly oblique with respect to the directon of movement of eggs traveling upon the conveyor therebelow to direct drying air from said first plenum chamber into said first portion of said drying chamber and onto articles carried upon the conveyor therebelow for drying, each of said first airflow slots being generally rectangular in cross-section and including an upper section and a lower section thereof, said lower section including vertically extending lower walls spatially disposed and extending vertically parallel with respect to one another to guide drying airflow directly onto articles traveling upon the conveyor within said first upstream section of said drying chamber, said upper sections of said first airflow slots including upper walls flared outwardly with respect to one another to facilitate the flow of drying air therein with a minimum of airflow turbulence;
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• (e) airflow control means extending through said housing means and cooperating with said central dividing wall to define said second plenum chamber and said second upstream portion of said drying chamber and preventing fluid flow communication therebetween other than through said second airflow control means, said second airflow control means defining at least one second airflow slot extending across said second airflow control means to direct drying air from said second plenum chamber into said second portion of said drying chamber and onto articles carried upon the conveyor traveling therethrough for drying thereof, each of said second airflow slots being generally rectangular in cross-section and including an upper section and a lower section thereof, said lower section including vertically extending lower walls spatially disposed and extending vertically parallel with respect to one another to guide drying airflow directly onto articles traveling upon the conveyor within said second downstream section of said drying chamber therebelow, said upper sections of said second airflow slots including upper walls flared outwardly with respect to one another to facilitate the flow of drying air therein with a minimum of airflow turbulence.