Method of mixing propellant charge powder rods

Details Method of mixing propellant charge powder rods Method of mixing propellant charge powder rods

1991-04-26

1994-03-01

Hornsby, Harvey C.

Agitating

With weighing

366186, 366219, 366348, 241200, 241283, 414756, B01F 1300, B01F 1502

Patent

active

052901009

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and a method of mixing propellant charge powder rods.
It is conventional to produce propellant charge powders in individual batches. To a certain extent the properties of the propellant charge powder vary from batch to batch because the manufacturing conditions prevailing during production of a batch are not precisely reproducible for another batch. Therefore, different batches of any one type of powder are mixed together in order to minimize the spread of the propellant charge powder characteristics around a given medium value, thus obtaining uniform quality in the long run.
Where the propellant charge powder is available in the form of sticks or rods, the mixing so far is carried out manually, with strict observance of mixing rules, for example by exchanging certain proportions of batches of propellant charge powder rods positioned side by side on a mixing table. Although attempts have been made in the past to mechanize the mixing process by the use of mixing drums, they did not meet with success since the propellant charge powder rods assumed oblique positions in the mixing drum, becoming jammed with one another, and impeding the further movement of the rods so that mixing no longer took place. Another disadvantage of the mixing drum method became evident in emptying the mixing drums: Prior to being able to pass on the unaligned, crisscross heap of rods to further steps in the production, they had to be fed to a vibrating or sorting device for proper alignment.
It is the object of the instant invention to indicate an apparatus and a method by which to mix propellant charge powder rods mechanically.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is met, in accordance with the invention, by an apparatus for mixing propellant charge powder rods, comprising a flexible band which is suspended freely in a loop between two paraxial, radially spaced drums and movable back and forth between the drums by drive means.
The object further is met by a method of mixing propellant charge powder rods, wherein the propellant charge powder rods are placed in the upwardly open, freely suspended loop of a flexible band, in parallel with the plane thereof, and thereupon the band in the loop is moved back and forth at least once.
The expressions "propellant charge powder rods" or "powder rods" in the sense of the instant invention are to be understood as comprising also propellant charge powders or powders which differ from the usual cross sectional shape of a "rod or stick" in that their cross section is perforated, tubular, polygonal or in any other way different.
The invention provides for positioning the propellant charge powder rods with their longitudinal extension transversely of the direction of movement of the flexible band in the suspended loop of the band and mixing them by moving the band back and forth between the (loop) drums. That makes the propellant charge powder rods roll above and below one another, while maintaining their lengthwise alignment, and intensive mixing takes place.
The solution proposed by the invention eliminates the cumbersome mixing by hand so that a reduction in production cost can be achieved. Moreover, the mixing of propellant charge powder rods of different batches is very good and uniform. On the whole, the apparatus and method according to the invention are suited to simulate the course of the conventional manual mixing which follows precise specifications with the advantages of mechanization (e.g. reliability, lower costs). Adaptation to the various specifications for mixing can be obtained, for instance, by connecting in series several apparatus according to the invention or by carrying out the method according to the invention in a plurality of successive courses following different mixing specifications.
Another advantage of the apparatus and method according to the invention is to be seen in the fact that the specific safety requirements involved in the handling of propellant charge powders are fulfilled to a h

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