Can end curing system with magnetic fanning and belt conveying

A method for drying a plurality of articles moving along axially oriented generally linear path of travel, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an infeed stream of articles;
• imposing a magnetic field on said generally opposite sides of articles to similarly magnetize said articles to produce repelling forces between neighboring ones of said articles to produce a generally parallel gap between said neighboring ones of said articles;
• moving said separated articles along said path of travel in a stream of separated articles;
• and
• driving air against said separated stream of articles to drive air through said gaps between neighboring ones of said articles for removing moisture from said articles.

An article separating and drying system comprising:

• an article separating and drying station for separating a plurality of articles moving along a axially elongated and generally linear path of travel and passing air through gaps between neighboring ones of said plurality of articles;
• conveyor for moving said articles through said separating and drying station;
• pair of spaced-apart magnetic bodies positioned on opposite sides of said plurality for producing a magnetic effect on said articles causing neighboring ones of said articles to repel one another thereby producing a gap between said neighboring ones of said articles;
• an air distribution assembly, said air distribution assembly driving air against said articles positioned in said separating and drying station between said magnetic bodies to force air through said gaps between neighboring ones of said articles to remove moisture from said articles.