942 THE FKUIT INDUSTRY IN XEW YORK STATE 



The size was 2i/>x3 feet or 2 1 /^x3 1 / feet, but this was later 

 increased to produce twelve bushels per day of fifteen hours. 



The Zimmerman patent came next. This differed from the 

 Topping in being made entirely of metal. Its general principle 

 was similar to that of the Topping, however, with the addition 

 of a heat spreader to force hot air over the racks; its size was 

 about 3x3% feet. 



MIDDLE PERIOD TYPES 



The tower drier of the middle period consisted of an enormous 

 brick chimney, usually entirely inside the building, extending 

 from the cellar up through the two stories and roof and tapering 

 after leaving the roof. The walls of the chimney were four inches 



FIG. 273. LARGE KILN PLANT AT SAXHORN, ONTARIO COUNTY, X. Y. 



in thickness, and there was an inside opening a trifle over four 

 feet square. Wooden racks were used in this type of drier, the 

 slats being of wood in some cases and of wire in others. Under 

 one patent the width of the racks was about half that of the tower 

 itself, so that the racks, attached to an endless chain of brackets, 

 went up on one side and came down on the other, the fruit being 

 removed on the side opposite that of its introduction. Under the 

 other patent the racks were square, nearly the size of the inside 

 of the tower, and were introduced into the tower on the first floor 

 above the fire at a high heat (about 175 degrees). This entire 



