Agitating – Rubber or heavy plastic working – Stirrer is through-pass screw conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-23
2001-03-06
Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Rubber or heavy plastic working
Stirrer is through-pass screw conveyor
C366S085000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196711
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a machine for continuous processing of flowable materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A machine for processing flowable materials is known e.g. from EP 0 788 867 A1. A plurality of axis-parallel shafts driven in the same direction and disposed at the same central-angle distance are disposed in a space in the housing along a circle, each of which bears a number of worm or similar processing elements disposed axially one behind the other with which adjacent shafts intermesh tightly. The housing is provided on the radially inward and outward sides of the space with axis-parallel grooves shaped like segments of a circle for receiving and guiding the particular shaft with its processing elements.
The flange to which the tension rods are fastened is formed by an end plate which seals the housing on the side facing the driving member and through which the shafts extend to the driving member. This ensures that the considerable tensile and torsional forces occurring in the housing during processing of the flowable material flow via the housing into the driving member and are received thereby.
The housing jacket and the end plate must therefore be of accordingly massive design. The housing wall is weakened by the material inlet. In the known machine, the opening must thus either be smaller than desired or the housing wall thicker. The thick housing wall means not only greater production expense but also an increase in the energy expense for heating and cooling.
The material added via the material inlet generally has a solid, powdery form. It must plasticize only when it has been conveyed by the worm elements out of the area of the material inlet into the closed housing area. It is therefore frequently necessary to cool the housing greatly in the area of the material inlet. This is also opposed by the thick housing jacket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the thick housing wall of the known machine without additional expense.
This is attained according to the invention by disposing the flange attacked by the driving member with tension rods on the side of the material inlet facing the material outlet. That is, the housing portion with the material inlet is located between the flange and the driving member according to the invention. The tensile forces arising in the housing during processing of the material thus flow via the flange into the driving member so as to avoid the housing portion with the material inlet. The flange is preferably in addition connected to a frame to which the driving member is fastened in order to also sink the torque occurring in the housing during processing of the flowable material via the flange into the driving member so as to avoid the housing portion with the material inlet.
Since no appreciable axial or torsional forces thus attack the housing portion with the material inlet in the inventive machine, this portion can be formed with low strength and thus be modified in a great variety of ways.
Thus, it is possible to essentially reduce the wall thickness of this housing portion, the consequence being for example that the housing portion with the material inlet can be cooled much more easily with much less energy. In addition, the contact surface between the housing portion with the material inlet and the rest of the housing can be reduced to a minimum, thereby permitting the housing portion with the material inlet to be insulated very largely from the rest of the housing. This means for example that the rest of the housing can be heated much more easily with less energy.
In addition, the material inlet can be formed with virtually any desired size. Also, any desired number of material inlets can be provided in this portion.
The inventive machine can be formed as a one-, two- or multi-shaft machine. In a preferred embodiment, however, it is formed in accordance with EP 0 788 867 A1. That is, the housing has a space in which axis-parallel shafts driven in the same direction are disposed along a circle with the same central-angle distance, each of which bears a number of worm or similar processing elements disposed axially one behind the other with which adjacent shafts intermesh tightly, the housing being provided on the radially inward and outward sides of the space with axis-parallel concave channels shaped like segments of a circle for receiving and guiding the particular shaft with its processing elements.
In such a machine the material is deflected radially from one direction in the other whenever it passes between the processing elements of two adjacent shafts. This means that the solid powdery material is separated from air and other gases or volatile substances in the housing portion in the area of the material inlet. In order to remove the separated gases one therefore preferably provides on the housing portion with the material inlet according to the invention at least one gas outlet, to which gas suction means can be connected. Thus, the inventive machine can also be used to process very finely powdered light materials with an accordingly high air or gas component.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3078824 (1963-02-01), Bechle
patent: 3802670 (1974-04-01), Okada et al.
patent: 4581264 (1986-04-01), Emery et al.
patent: 4591487 (1986-05-01), Fritsch
patent: 5462426 (1995-10-01), Imamura
patent: 5836682 (1998-11-01), Blach
patent: 0 422 272 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 0 788 867 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 01241423 (1989-09-01), None
Blach Josef A.
Blach Markus
Blach Michael
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Soohoo Tony G.
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