Apparatus for curing tobacco

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CURING TOBACCO LEAVES COMPRISING WALLS, A FLOOR AND A SLOPING CEILING FORMING A CHAMBER, A HEAT CONDUCTING SLOPING ROOF SPACED ABOVE SAID CEILING AND TOGETHER WITH THE CEILING FORMING AN AIR DUCT FOR CONVEYING AIR FROM THE SURROUNDING ATMOSPHERE AT A POINT ADJACENT THE LOWER POINT OF THE CEILING TO DISCHARGE IT AT A POINT ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE CEILING WHEN THE ROOF IS BEING HEATED BY THE SUN AND IN TURN THE ROOF IS HEATING THE AIR OF THE DUCT DURING THE DAYTIME AND FOR CONVEYING AIR FROM A POINT ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE CEILING DOWNWARDLY TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE APPARATUS WHEN THE ROOF IS COOLING THE AIR IN THE AIR DUCT DURING THE NIGHTTIME, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A COMPACT BED OF TOBACCO INTERMEDIATE THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID CHAMBER, MEANS OPERABLE TO DRAW AIR DISCHARGING AT A POINT ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE CEILING INTO SAID CHAMBER AND PASS IT DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID TOBACCO BED AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE LOWER PORTON OF SAID CHAMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE WHEREBY HEATED AIR IS PASSED DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE TOBACCO BED TO HEAT AND CURE THE TOBACCO WHEN THE ROOF IS HEATED AND AIR PASSES UPWARDLY THROUGH THE HEATED TOBACCO BED WHEN THE ROOF IS COOLING THE AIR IN THE AIR DUCT DUE TO THE HEATING OF AIR BY TOBACCO BED AND DUE TO RADIATION CAUSING AIR TO FLOW DOWNWARDLY IN THE DUCT TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE APPARATUS, THE LAST MENTIONED FLOW OF AIR CAUSING A NEGATIVE PRESSURE OVER THE TOBACCO BED.