VEGETABLE AND FRUIT DEHYDRATION 



15 



increased so that the handling time is less than 10 to 12 seconds per 

 tray or if the flow of product is not uniform, two tray lines will be 

 necessary. 



Spreading the product on trays is slightly more difficult than 

 spreading on a flat belt, because the sides of the trays are higher than 

 the material. Leafy vegetables, such as nonblanched shredded cab- 

 bage, are an exception since this material is stacked higher than the 

 sides of the trays. Several suggested means of spreading on trays 

 are sketched in figure 7. The blanchers shown in figure 7, G and D, 

 are especially well suited for uniform spreading of products. 



VIBRATOR OR SHAKER 





~7~^~~' 







Blancher ~~\ 





I- 





^| 



Vibr 





m 



Tray 



Conveyor 



Ml —-L^ ffsS. / ^Vibrator 



» | || ^MYoy Conveyor 



SYNCHRONIZED SPREADING BELT 



SPREADING DEVICE- This may be o 

 stationary bor, straight, curved, or 

 angular; or it may be a revolving 

 arum with brush bristles, fingers, or 

 other suitable protuberances 



Product is fed from end 

 of blancher either parallel 

 or at right angles 



\ ($5^ ^-Protection Shiel 



The movement of tt 

 synchronized with th 

 of the spreading bel 



DIAGONAL FEED 

 FROM TWO BLANCHERS 



Tray 

 Conveyor 



Figtjee 7. — Various methods of automatically spreading product on trays : A, Vi- 

 brator or shaker type of spreader ; B, spreader utilizing spreading belt lo- 

 cated above trays ; C, a 4-f oot blancher will spread evenly across 3-f oot trays, at 

 approximately a 45° angle. This lay-out is designed to fit into floor plan 

 shown in figure 2. D, two blanchers, each 4 feet wide, will spread evenly 

 across 6-foot trays at approximately a 45° angle. 



It is important that tray handling be avoided wherever feasible. 

 One possibility is illustrated in figure 8. After the trays are scraped 

 and dumped, they are placed immediately on the tray conveyor which 

 takes them back to be loaded again. Tray cleaning can be accom- 

 plished on this conveyor by means of high-pressure, hot-water sprays, 

 revolving brushes, etc. A car standing alongside the conveyor can 

 be used to furnish extra trays when necessary. Two conveyors in 



