Pin oven system for cans

A can drying system for open-ended cylindrical cans mounted on generally horizontal elongate carrier pins attached to a conveyor chain in spaced relation therealong for movement in a serpentine chain path defined by a series of straight runs connected by generally curved turn sections, the path disposed in a generally vertical plane, said system comprising:

• an open-faced generally U-shaped duct for each straight run positioned parallel to and spaced from the conveyor chain forming the run such that the carrier pins and cans mounted thereon extend into the duct, said duct having an end wall and a pair of opposing side walls extending generally perpendicularly from the end wall, the end wall positioned generally parallel to and spaced from the closed bottom walls of the cans and the side walls positioned generally parallel to and spaced from the cylindrical walls of the cans;
• the end wall and side walls of said duct each having a pattern of orifices extending uniformly along the length of the duct for directing pressurized heated air through the duct walls in generally perpendicular directions against the bottom and cylindrical walls of the cans;
• a U-shaped curved duct section for each curved turn section, each of said duct sections interconnecting the ends of an adjacent pair of straight run ducts;
• each duct section having a curved end wall and a pair of concentric opposed curved side walls;
• the curved end wall and curved side walls of said duct sections having patterns of orifices extending uniformly along the duct section length contiguous with the orifice patterns for the interconnected straight run ducts;
• and,
• means for driving said conveyor chain and for carrying the cans through the serpentine path.

A can drying system for open-ended cylindrical cans mounted on generally horizontal elongate carrier pins attached to a conveyor chain in spaced relation therealong for movement in a serpentine chain path defined by a series of straight runs connected by generally curved turn sections, the path disposed in a generally vertical plane, said system comprising:

• an open-faced generally U-shaped duct for each straight run positioned parallel to and spaced from the conveyor chain forming the run such that the carrier pins and cans mounted thereon extend into the duct, said duct having a straight end wall and a pair of opposing straight side walls extending generally perpendicularly from the end wall, the straight end wall positioned generally parallel to and spaced from the closed bottom walls of the cans and the straight side walls positioned generally parallel to and spaced from the cylindrical walls of the cans;
• the straight end wall and side walls each having a pattern of orifices extending uniformly along the length of the duct;
• a U-shaped curved duct section for each curved turn section, each of said duct sections interconnecting the ends of an adjacent pair of straight run ducts;
• each duct section having a curved end wall adjoining and continuous with the duct end wall and a pair of concentric opposed curved side walls adjoining and continuous with the duct side walls;
• the curved end wall and curved side walls of said duct sections having patterns of orifices extending uniformly along the duct section length contiguous with the orifice patterns for the interconnected straight run ducts;
• said patterns of orifices including a series of parallel slots extending along the full lengths of said straight end walls and a first array of spaced perforations extending along the full length of each adjoining curved duct section end wall;
• second arrays of spaced perforations extending along the full lengths of said duct side walls and the adjoining curved duct section side walls;
• means for directing pressurized heated air through said slots and perforations in generally perpendicular directions against the bottom and cylindrical walls of the cans;
• and,
• means for driving said conveyor chain and for carrying the cans through the serpentine path.

A can drying system for open-ended cylindrical cans mounted on generally horizontal elongate carrier pins attached to a conveyor chain in spaced relation therealong for movement in a serpentine chain path defined by a series of straight generally parallel runs connected by generally semicircular curved turn sections, the chain path disposed in a generally vertical plane and enclosed within a heated drying chamber, said system comprising:

• a continuous duct for each straight run and connecting turn section positioned along the path of and spaced from the conveyor chain such that the carrier pins and cans mounted thereon extend into the duct, said duct having an end wall and a pair of side walls, the end wall and side walls of said duct each having a pattern of orifices extending uniformly along the length of the duct for directing pressurized heated air through the duct walls against the bottom and cylindrical walls of the cans;
• a series of sprockets mounted within the drying chamber and supporting the chain for movement around each turn section, said sprockets spaced circumferentially along the generally semicircular curve of the turn section such that the chain between each adjacent pair of said sprockets lies generally on a chord of the curve, each sprocket having a diameter less than half the diameter of the curve;
• and,
• means for driving said conveyor chain and for carrying the cans through the serpentine path.