Abstract: An improved dryer and method for drying the surface of produce and other objects. The dryer has a continuous conveyor for transporting the objects in a substantially horizontal path, a heat reservoir disposed beneath the conveyor for radiating heat, and a drying hood assembly for enclosing a volume above the heat reservoir and the continuous conveyor. The drying hood assembly has a hood, air baffles disposed near the conveyor, and a hood fan to facilitate air flow turbulence about the air baffles within the drying hood assembly. A heat source is provided for heating the heat reservoir. A monitoring system is provided for receiving and interpreting sensory readings received from sensors disposed at locations about the dryer. The monitoring system also provides controlling signals to regulate the drying conditions for objects being conveyed.

Abstract: A new automatic air freshener and deoderizer for releasing a scent into an interior of a vehicle. The inventive device includes a pump disposed within a housing. The housing is positioned within a trunk of a vehicle. The pump has wiring extending outwardly therefrom. The housing has an opening extending within a top wall thereof. The opening is in communication with the pump. The opening receives an air fragrance canister therein. The air fragrance canister has an outlet pipe connected to an inlet tube of the pump. The pump has an outlet tube directed outwardly of the housing. A tube extends outwardly of the outlet tube of the pump. The tube extends into a bifurcated outer portion with open ends. The bifurcated outer portion is positionable beneath seats of the vehicle. Each of the open ends have a dispensing nozzle disposed thereon. A power switch is secured to a dashboard of the vehicle. The power switch is in communication with a battery of the vehicle. The power switch couples with the wiring of the pump.

Abstract: A device for providing elevated and universally adjustable support of a hair dryer, the hair dryer having a body with a handle portion and a heated air discharge portion. A receptacle member is provided for gripping the hair dryer by its handle portion and is positioned in the elevated and overhead fashion by an elongated support which is either supported by a floor base or is attached to a vertically extending wall. The receptacle member includes a plurality of curvilinear gripping portions which each define gripping surfaces for biasingly engaging the handle portion of the hair dryer. In one embodiment, a plurality of uniquely configured gripping portions extend from a base of the receptacle member and the hair dryer handle biasingly engages between a selected pair of the gripping portions. In a further preferred embodiment, the gripping portions are substantially circular shaped and extend in opposing fashion from a central portion to form a generally "S" shaped configuration in cross section.

Abstract: A double backer for curing the web bonding adhesive and drying the corrugated paperboard web utilizes a web holddown apparatus for maintaining the web in intimate drying contact with the lower heating units which does not require the use of a driven holddown belt. The holddown is provided instead by a series of parallel, flexible, closely spaced strips suspended above the web in the heating section and extending in the direction of web travel. The length of the holddown strips in contact with the web may be selectively varied.

Abstract: A single tier drying section is disclosed for drying a web. The drying section includes a dryer and a felt guided about the dryer such that the web is disposed between the dryer and the felt for drying a first side of the web. A further dryer is disposed downstream relative to the dryer and a further felt is guided about the further dryer such that the web is disposed between the further dryer and the further felt for drying a second side of the web. A dryer transfer mechanism is used for transferring the web from the dryer to the further dryer.

Abstract: An electrothermal drying rack including a main support, a retaining cover pivotally connected with the main support and a heating tube disposed in the retaining cover. Ventilating devices such as fans are disposed on the main support. The retaining cover serves to firmly secure and protect the heating tube and mount the drying rack on a wall face. The retaining cover defines a half-closed air passage and the fans forcedly guide and speed the air flow through the air passage so as to enhance the drying effect.

Abstract: A spin dryer apparatus substrate such as a wafer can dry without degrading the cleanliness on both front and back sides of the wafer and without unnecessary cost increases. The spin dryer apparatus includes a holder section for holding a substrate in a substantially horizontal plane and defining a back space located beneath a back surface of the substrate, a driving section for rotating the holder section in the substantially horizontal plane, and a gas supply mechanism for supplying a clean gas into the back space. It is possible to avoid contamination of the back side of the substrate by preventing an ascending gas flow from approaching the substrate.

Abstract: The dryer section of a paper-making machine is fabricated as a number of subsections arranged end-to-end throughout the length, the subsections each including a pair of prefabricated large vertical side frames which provide support for the dryer cans, felt rolls, etc. The subsections can be individually fabricated and do not require precise levelling relative to each other resulting in great improvements in the speed and cost of installation of the dryer section.

Abstract: A new Uniform Heat Distributing Head Protecting System for providing a cap which protects a user's ears and uniformly heats a chemical applied to the user's hair. The inventive device includes a cover formed to snugly engage a head, an elastic band attached to the cover, a pair of arcuate support members attached to the cover, a heat control switch, and three heating elements secured within the cap for heating the chemical applied to the hair. The three heating elements comprise a high temperature heating element, a medium temperature heating element, and a low temperature heating element controlled by the heat control switch.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a dryer section for an apparatus to produce a continuous material layer, such as paper, carton or cardboard. At least one dryer group has a plurality of dryer cylinders and guiding rollers. The dryer cylinders and guiding rollers carry the material layer along a meandering path, with each dryer cylinder and each guiding roller having a first side disposed on a same side of the dryer section. At least one mechanical drive mechanism is provided, with each drive mechanism being coupled with the first side of a dryer cylinder and/or guiding roller. A plurality of supply tubes are each connected with the first side of a corresponding dryer cylinder and/or guiding roller.

Abstract: A machine for producing a material web, e.g., a paper or cardboard web, with a dryer section including at least one dryer group having a plurality of dryer cylinders and a plurality of web guide rolls, e.g., suction web guide rolls. At least one web guide roll, and preferably all, may be associated with an external suction box. Further, a jacket of the at least one web guide roll may include a plurality of through openings and at least one groove formed in an outer surface of the jacket. A predetermined number, and preferably all, of the through openings may be coupled with a bottom portion of the at least one groove to enable the external suction box to suction the at least one web guide roll.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device which has been specifically conceived to dry feet thoroughly by means of hot air; it comprises an upper and a lower chamber. The lower chamber acts as a support for the upper chamber, and should be rectangular in shape and hermetically sealed. This lower chamber houses the ventilating mechanism which has an air intake for the fan which is driven by an electric motor fed by a cable; the fan generates the draft necessary for the drier to work. The drier is also fitted with a tubular resistor which heats up when electric current is applied and so warms the air in the lower chamber to a preferred temperature controlled by means of a regulator and a timer to pre-set the operating time The upper chamber is half enclosed with a convex cover and is positioned and supported on the walls of the lower chamber. Its function is to close in the air and direct it all around the top and sides of feet in a whirling fashion, so drying the upper part of the feet and the toe webs.

Abstract: The dryer for a motor vehicle washing and drying system includes three downwardly-facing nozzles. The nozzles oscillate in a synchronized manner, with two side nozzles oscillating over a limited range only. A center nozzle, disposed between the two side nozzles, oscillates over a wider range to drive water on the upper surface of the vehicle towards the side nozzles. The side nozzles then drive the water along the contours of the vehicle surface down the sides of the vehicle using the Coanda effect. One of the side nozzles as well as the center nozzle is moved in an inward or outward direction depending upon the sensed width of the vehicle. The center nozzle is rotated in a forward or rearward direction as the vehicle moves underneath the dryer. Each nozzle contains a unique ovoid-shaped member disposed in the nozzle to accelerate and concentrate the output of the nozzles.

Abstract: A dryer system comprising a particle counter that measures the level of particulates in the dryer is disclosed. The dryer system is particularly adapted for drying garments to be worn in clean room environments. The dryer system preferably comprises an enclosure having a rotatable drum for receiving and tumbling garments or other clothing, a fan and motor assembly for providing airflow through the drum, an exhaust duct near the drum and in communication with the drum, a sampling tube in the exhaust duct, and a particle counter for measuring the concentration of particles withdrawn through the sampling tube from the drum. A sampling line may optionally be incorporated in the dryer inlet for withdrawing one or more samples of inlet air and transferring to the particle counter. A check may then be made to ensure that the incoming air is sufficiently clean.

Abstract: The method and oven of the invention are able to homogeneously and continuously melt about twelve kilograms of glass per hour.A microwave oven is used with the wave being monomodal and with frequency of 915 MHz. Disposed opposite the entrance (15) of the microwaves is a piston (20) continuously oscillating so as to constantly make the position of the reflection surface (21) of the electromagnetic waves vary. Thus, all the points of the melting bath surface (9) are heated.Application for the vitrification of radioactive and toxic waste.

Abstract: A freeze dryer includes a freezer unit having a plurality of walls defining a freezer interior. A housing defining a chamber suitable for receiving a specimen to be freeze dried is mounted to one of the panels to extend through an aperture therein into the freezer interior. A lid engages the housing to seal the housing. A condenser and a pump are coupled to the housing to lower pressure in the chamber and to condense liquid from the specimen.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for de-watering a bead suspension of fragile beads having a high water content suspended in a liquid includes a staging vat, a metering vat, and a de-watering vat. The application of pressurized gas to the staging vat causes the bead suspension to move up a central feed tube which extends from the staging vat to the metering vat. The bead suspension is gravity fed from the metering vat through a transfer pipe and into the de-watering vat. The bottom portion of the de-watering vat has both an inner wall and an outer wall wherein the upper portion of the inner wall has perforations and the bottom portion is solid. Upon entering the de-watering vat, the bead suspension pours a short distance onto an inverted spreader cone. The bead suspension flows down the spreader cone and pours over the edge of the cone toward the perforated upper portion of the inner wall.

Abstract: An improved industrial dryer adapted for more efficient, quieter and safer operation. The dryer blower has a relatively large size blower wheel adapted for generating high volume air flows at substantially reduced noise levels so as not to disrupt the work environment nor necessitate that workers wear ear protection. The blower is mounted on a pivotal door of the housing for easy access and an adjacent air feed cone is mounted for selective adjustable positioning into axial relation with the blower wheel for efficient air distribution. The dryer includes a burner adapted for generating a multi-leg, relatively short length discharge flame for enhancing fuel combustion and maximizing surface area over which air passes and is heated as it is drawn to the tumbler of the dryer.

Abstract: A boot dryer (1) comprising an electric motor driven blower which is contained in a blower housing (2). The blower forces air past a deodorizer pad and through a flexible hose (16) which is placed inside a boot. A toe piece attached at the end of the flexible hose prevents flow blockage. In a preferred embodiment, a liquid deodorizer is applied through a port in the blower housing onto an absorbent pad mounted within the dryer. The flexible hose (16) may be detached and the blower driven by a small battery so that the blower portion of the unit can be easily carried by back packers.

Abstract: Sensitive articles, such as IC wafers can be maintained in a contamination-free condition. A base member is provided for supporting one or more of the sensitive articles. A cover is provided for sealing engagement with a base member so as form a sealed unit. The sealed unit has an interior. The sealed unit is positioned at a storage position. A particle-free ionized gas is passed though the interior to bathe the articles supported therein with the gas at the storage position. The sealed unit is moved with the articles to an access position on associated processing equipment. The cover is removed from the base to expose the articles. The exposed articles are bathed continuously at the access position with a particle-free ionized gas. The articles are moved sequentially between the access position and a processing position on the associated processing equipment. The articles are bathed with a particle-free ionized gas during the moving steps.