Web dryer arrangement

Claim 1

Apparatus for drying a traveling, permeable web comprising: at least a pair of support members, each having a foraminous surface and arranged in an upper and a lower tier; a pair of felt members for supporting the web on either side thereof; guide means for a. directing the felts and interposed web onto the surface of a support member whereby one felt member is innermost relative to the support member surface and the other felt member is outermost relative thereto, b. guiding the outermost felt member away from the web in spaced relationship thereto while the now exposed web and innermost felt remain on the support member surface, c. returning the outermost felt member to contact the seb so that the web is in supporting contact with both felts, d. removing the felts and interposed web from the support member surface and conveying them onto the surface of a support member in the other tier; e. guiding the outermost felt member, which was the innermost felt member relative to the immediately preceding support member surface, away from the web in spaced relationship thereto while the now exposed web and innermost felt member, which was the outermost felt member relative to the immediately preceding support member surface, remain on the support member surface, f. removing the felts and interposed web from the support member surface in said other tier; a hot air supply means positioned about the support members' surface in spaced, substantially parallel adjacency to the exposed web on the innermost felt and between the web and outermost felt member to direct hot air onto and through the web and innermost felt member to provide equal exposure of the felts and of both sides of the web thereon to the drying effects of the hot air blowers as they are conveyed from tier to tier; vacuum chamber means mounted beneath the foraminous support members' surface to draw hot air and water vapor through the web and lowermost felt member and maintain the web in stabilized condition while exposed on the lowermost felt above the vacuum chamber means.