Dry material and slurry processor

Details Dry material and slurry processor Dry material and slurry processor

2000-01-18

2001-04-17

Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)

Agitating

With specified discharge means

By endless belt or screw conveyor

C366S186000, C366S234000, C366S314000, C241S074000, C198S550600, C209S304000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06217209

ABSTRACT:

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to material processing and more particularly to the processing of dry and granular materials, liquids, and slurries to obtain a homogenous compound, whether dry or liquid.
In many commercial settings, including commercial baking or chemical mixing processes, for example, materials commonly need to be sifted or mixed. Traditionally, this process has been accomplished with paddle-wheel type mixers or blenders. The traditional mixing machine comprises a barrel-like enclosure that is laid horizontally with a paddle shaft extending horizontally through the enclosure. An array of mixing paddles extend generally radially outward from the shaft, in the enclosure, and rotate with the shaft to mix selected ingredients that are placed in the enclosure. These traditional mixing machines are, however, quite slow. They also fail to sift the ingredients, thus requiring an additional processing step with additional equipment to break up clumps of material, or sift the mixture. Further, it is inherent in the traditional paddle type mixer that the mixing process occurs on a large scale. That is to say that the batch of mixture may have the desired ratios of the selected ingredients, but any given, small sample of the mixture may not. The resulting mixture may not be homogenous.
One may, then, realize a need for equipment that provides high speed mixing and sifting of ingredients, either wet or dry, to quickly provide a homogenous blend.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a material processor having an enclosure with an ingress to receive material into the enclosure, and a discharge to remove material from the enclosure. A spindle is located in the enclosure, has a longitudinal spindle axis, and is rotatable about the spindle axis. A drive is operatively connected with the spindle to rotate the spindle about the spindle axis. A centrifugal sieve is located in the enclosure and coupled with the spindle. The ingress feeds material into the sieve. A conveyor is connected with the discharge to transfer material from the enclosure. The conveyor further has a generally cylindrical tube with a tube diameter, two opposing ends, and a tube axis extending through the ends. A helical blade extends along the tube axis between the two ends and is rotated about the tube axis.
More particularly, the helical blade may have a series of blade tips that are spaced along the tube axis. Adjacent blade tips may be spaced apart by a distance that is less than or equal to about one half the tube diameter. Further, the helical blade is rotated at high speed, more specifically, between about 600 to about 1500 rpm. In another aspect of the invention, a volumetric ratio of material conveyed in the conveyor as compared to the internal volume of the conveyor is between about ten to about twenty percent.
Additionally, the tube may include first and second tube sections, or more, that are coupled together with a clamp ring. The first section may have a male end with a male flange, while the second section may have a female end with a corresponding female flange. The male and female ends and flanges abut one another to define a generally truncated V-shaped ridge that extends outward from the tube with opposing, inclined surfaces. The clamp ring overlays and presses inward upon the inclined surfaces to press the male and female flanges and ends together.
These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art and by those who practice the invention, from the specification, the claims, and the drawing figures.


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