Abstract: An automatic system for drying high moisture content material from a source. The system includes a dryer enclosing a bed inclined upwards from the bottom portion thereof to the top portion thereof, and a slat and picker drive motor for urging material downward from the top portion to the bottom portion of the bed. A first material feed system transports the high moisture content material from the source to the top portion of the bed, and includes a surge bin disposed between the source and the dryer for assuring a constant supply of material to the dryer for constant operation thereof. There are sensors for detecting the amount of material delivered to the surge bin; and a controller, responsive to the sensors, which adjusts the rate of material transferred from the surge bin to the dryer and the rate material is processed through the dryer.

Abstract: A dryer (10, 50, 100) for drying combustible, chip-like material has at least one ramp-like transport (12) inclined at an angle between five and ten degrees steeper than the natural angle of repose of the material. The transport (12) supports substantially laminar flow of a bed of material from a material feed element (40) to a material discharge element (48). The dryer feed element (40) may include a material size separator for depositing finer chips below larger chips of material so as to stratify the bed and reduce particulate entrainment. The dryer (10, 50, 100) preferably has modular construction for nesting a plurality of stacked transports (12) compartly within a common enclosure (52, 102).

Abstract: A gasifier (10) for particulate combustible material in effect separates the pyrolysis and the oxidation of the flowable fuel material with a traveling grate (40) for advancing a bed of the material from a material feed station (40A) to a material discharge station (40B). A material feed mechanism (60) has fuel and ember chutes (62, 64) for depositing hot embers below combustible material. Discharge transport apparatus 70 separates ash from combustible residue, i.e., embers. A recirculation transport (80) delivers combustible residue to the ember chute (64) where it is reintroduced to the traveling grate (40) for a further transit through the gasifier (10).

Abstract: A gas generator for generating combustible gases from biomass material comprising an enclosure within which is mounted an inclined support intermediate the top and bottom such as to define a gas generating chamber above the support and a plenum chamber below the support, a feed conductor at the top of the enclosure through which biomass material is delivered to the upper end of the support, a discharge conductor at the top of the enclosure through which gas generated within the chamber is discharged and a conductor at the bottom for delivering primary air to the underside of the support, the support being characterized in that it is comprised of a plurality of hollow metal tubes, the longitudinal axis of which partake of the inclination of the support, linkage including a crank for effecting oscillation of the tubes about their longitudinal axis, a blower arranged to deliver cooling air to the lower ends of the tubes, a vent chamber at the upper ends of the tubes for discharging air therefrom, a blower for su

Abstract: A flyleaf heat sealer for adhering a flyleaf having its inner surface pre-coated with hot melt or heat sensitive adhesive to the exposed outer surfaces of the end sheets of a book block insert, includes means for engaging and transporting a book block insert and the flyleaf folded therearound, means for directing a flow of air heated to a temperature adequate to melt the adhesive against and impinging upon the outer surfaces of the flyleaf, and means for pressing and cooling the flyleaf and book insert between them and removing heat from the flyleaf and book block, and thus curing and hardening the adhesive.

Abstract: A spark-arresting module for disposition in a duct for hot stack gases comprising a rigid frame structured with spaced, parallel bars alternating with spaced, parallel slots, a shaft at the upstream side of the frame and parallel thereto, a plurality of blades provided with diametrically-located vanes fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, said vanes being movable through the slots in shearing relation to the bars by rotation of the shaft and being so shaped that some portion of each blade is at all times situated between the bars and a motor for effecting rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: Apparatus for progressively burning biomass material comprising a retort defining a chamber, a linearly moving grate bed enclosed within the chamber with a space below and a space above for respectively supplying primary air to the lower side of the grate and for collecting gases generated by progressive distillation of the biomass material at the upper side of the grate. Primary air is supplied to the underside of the grate bed at different pressures lengthwise of the grate by a distribution chamber extending lengthwise of the grate of V-shaped cross section containing at its bottom a Venturi opening through which air is delivered to the distribution chamber from successive longitudinally-arranged plenum chambers which, in turn, are supplied with air through conductors connected to a primary air source, each of which contains a damper. The grate may be horizontal or inclined.

Abstract: A dryer for particulate material, especially wood chips, to render them suitable for burning comprising an enclosure, spaced baffle plates in the enclosure dividing the enclosure from bottom to top into three chambers; an intermediate drying chamber for holding a column of particulate material for drying and two air chambers, one on each side of the drying chamber. The baffles contain openings, the air chamber at one side contains a bottom opening through which drying air is supplied to the enclosure and the air chamber at the other side contains an opening at the top through which moist air is discharged from the enclosure.

Abstract: A molded unitarily formed pallet is provided, the pallet including wood particles bonded together by a cured binder in compressed relation. Also provided is a method for making such pallets. The pallet includes a deck having an upper supporting surface, a lower surface, a plurality of integral leg sections extending downwardly from the deck, and a densified integral peripheral portion surrounding the deck to provide increased strength at the periphery of the pallet. The pallet may also include narrow elongated wooden strips bonded to the densified peripheral edge to further increase the strength of the pallet.

Abstract: A reactor wherein a biomass is moved progressively downwardly along the upwardly facing side of an inclined grate supported with an enclosure comprising a retort, the rear and front walls of which provide, in conjunction with the grate, a plenum chamber at the downwardly facing side of the grate and a mixing chamber at the upwardly facing side of the grate, the said structure providing for converting the biomass by a process of destructive distillation to CO and ash characterized in that the grate is maintained at a temperature below the fusion temperature of the ash to prevent slagging of the ash by the expedient of supplying an excess of primary air to the plenum chamber at the lower end of the grate so that it flows upwardly along the downwardly facing side thereof, the surplus discharged at the top, providing the grate with a plurality of relatively small openings distributed throughout its length and breadth and providing fins at the downwardly facing side of the grate perpendicular to the plane of the u

Abstract: A reactor for generating combustible fuel gases comprising a chamber, an inclined grate extending from adjacent the top of the chamber to near the bottom and sloping forwardly within the chamber from the top to the bottom, said grate dividing the chamber into a primary chamber at the forward side of the grate and an antechamber at the rear side, a conveyor for delivering a solid fuel such as wood chips and other chopped-up woody material to the upper end of the grate at a rate to maintain a continuous bed of fuel from top to bottom, a blower for delivering primary air to a plenum chamber at the downwardly facing side of the grate to sustain combustion of the fuel at the lower end of the bed and to generate sufficient heat above the place of combustion to effect destructive distillation of a portion of the fuel in the bed above the place of combustion said primary air at said place of combustion converting the charcoal remaining after distillates have passed off descending from the place of distillation to CO

Abstract: A press for compacting and integrating material to form a continuous strip comprising spaced parallel arrays of long narrow bars, a frame supporting the bars in each array for reciprocal movement, a feeder for supplying material to the space between the arrays of bars at one of the press, rams for effecting relative movement of the arrays of bars toward each other to apply compacting pressure, and rams for effecting longitudinal movement of the bars in each array in a predetermined succession in one direction and for retracting all of the bars in consonance in the other direction.