Abstract: Disclosed is a device for the production of a granulate whereby a perforated rotating outer tube with a supply device for the dripping material arranged on the inside thereof is disposed on a rocker whereby the drive motor for the drum is disposed as a counterweight on the side opposite the pivoting axis of the rocker. The rocker is pressed against a stop for positioning and is provided with a pivoting arm part (6a) which bears the bearing for a side of the rotating drum and which can be pivoted laterally with the bearing for maintenance activities or similar in order to enable easy dismantling of the drum.

Abstract: An extruder for extruding a flowable substance in the form of droplets includes a perforated rotating drum, and a nozzle strip arranged inside the drum at a lower portion thereof in facing relationship to an inner circumference of the drum. A cantilevered restricting strip is disposed within a flow channel of the nozzle strip to form a flow-restricting slot for apportioning and calming the flowing substance.

Abstract: An endless conveyor belt has a thermal fluid (gas or liquid) sprayed against a portion of its underside to define a temperature-controlled region of the belt. To prevent the lateral escape of the thermal fluid, stationary seals are provided which contact the belt underside adjacent respective longitudinal edges of the belt. To keep the seals in continuous contact with the belt, despite warping that might occur, the seals carry magnets, and the belt is formed of a magnetizable material. Hence, the magnets force the belt and seals together.

Abstract: A method for producing and coating melt portions includes two sheet strips, which form coating material layers, being continually fed. The melt portions embedded between the sheet strips are cooled and calibrated according to their thickness. The sheet strips are longitudinally and transversely separated in the region of their connection points such that the melt portions become isolated and the sheet strips are connected to each other such that each melt portion is embraced tightly.

Abstract: A drop former includes a supply vessel having bottom discharge openings for discharging a free-flowing viscous mass. An endless perforated belt rotates around front and rear guide drums such that a lower run of the belt travels toward the rear guide drum while passing across the discharge openings of the vessel to periodically open those openings and allow drops of the mass to fall onto a cooling conveyor. A collecting space is formed beneath the rear guide drum for collecting residual mass from the belt. A recirculation mechanism recirculates that collected residual mass back to a location adjacent the discharge openings.

Abstract: A double-belt system for processing viscous melts includes a driven upper belt having a lower working run, and a driven lower belt having an upper working run spaced beneath the lower working run to form a gap therewith for receiving a viscous melt. A gap-adjusting mechanism includes upper rollers engaging an upper surface of the lower working run, and lower rollers engaging a lower surface of the upper working run. A distance between the upper rollers and lower rollers is adjustable to vary a size of the gap. A compensation mechanism is disposed over the lower working run to apply an upward force thereto for pulling the lower working run against the upper rollers, thereby resisting sagging of the lower working run. At least one delivery mechanism applies a temperature-controlled liquid across an entire width of the lower working run for controlling a temperature thereof. The liquid is extracted by an extraction mechanism disposed downstream of the delivery mechanism.

Abstract: A method for producing and coating melt portions includes two sheet strips, which form coating material layers, being continually fed. The melt portions embedded between the sheet strips are cooled and calibrated according to their thickness. The sheet strips are longitudinally and transversely separated in the region of their connection points such that the melt portions become isolated and the sheet strips are connected to each other such that each melt portion is embraced tightly.

Abstract: A flowable material, such as a supercooled melt or supersaturated solution, is dispensed onto a take-up member such as a belt or drum. Either prior to, or after being dispensed onto the take-up member, the material is exposed to ultrasound to promote the crystallization of solid substances in the material. All of the material or only a portion of the material can be exposed to ultrasound. If only a portion is exposed, it is later combined with the rest of the material prior to being dispensed onto the take-up member.

Abstract: After being subjected to a melt crystallization operation, a crystal-containing melt is formed into particles of the same size and shape and then conducted in counter-flow relationship to washing liquid in a washing column. The crystal-containing melt can be formed into particles by a device which deposits the crystal-containing melt as identically sized drops onto a cooling belt. The particles can be completely hardened or only partially hardened when entering the washing column.

Abstract: After a warp beam on a loom is used up, its old warp threads are separated from a material being woven on the loom. The used-up beam, together with its residual old warp threads, is then mounted on a transport device and moved away from the loom. A winding element rotatably mounted on a maintenance device is positioned adjacent the transport device. Leading ends of the old threads are affixed to the winding element and separated from the used-up beam, whereafter the used-up beam is replaced by a new beam. Leading ends of new threads on the new beam are attached to trailing ends of respective ones of the old threads, whereafter the winding element is rotated to wind-up the old threads and parts of the new threads, while pulling the new threads through a loom device (such as a warp stop motion device, and/or a shedding device, and/or a weaving reed) carried on the transport device. Then, the winding element is rolled along a guide surface to a removal device.

Abstract: A hollow drum is rotatable about a horizontal axis and includes openings around its circumference for discharging drops of a free-flowing substance onto a cooling belt in the manufacture of pastilles. A stationary body disposed inside the drum is spaced from the interior surface of a front side of the drum to form therewith a sickle-shaped gap leading to the drop-forming zone. A channeling member rests against an external surface of the front side of the drum to form therewith an upwardly open channel. The supply passage which delivers the freely flowable substance to the drum can be defined by the channel, whereby the substance would be fed into the upwardly open end thereof and would flow into the gap through the drum openings. Alternatively, the supply passage could be defined by a space within the stationary body which communicates with the gap at a location disposed above the drop-forming zone.

Abstract: A mechanism for making granulated material from a viscous substance includes a vessel charged with the substance and having a discharge arrangement such as a slit through which the substance can flow onto a cooling surface. A belt disposed above the cooling surface is passed across the slit of the vessel. The belt has openings arranged to periodically come into alignment with the slit to allow the substance to flow therethrough. The belt is a thin metal belt strengthened by sleeves projecting from respective ones of the openings in a direction away from the vessel.

Abstract: A drop former comprises a drum assembly including a stationary inner drum and a rotatable outer drum mounted coaxially around the inner drum. The outer drum has holes which periodically become aligned with holes in the inner drum to allow a flowable substance to flow from the inner drum onto a cooling belt traveling beneath the outer drum. In order to redirect into the outer drum, residual portions of the substance which have not fallen off the outer drum, a directing device is disposed around a portion of the circumference of the outer drum. The directing device is mounted on a frame which pivots toward and away from the outer drum. In order to secure the directing device to the drum assembly, a ring is mounted on an end of the inner drum which projects beyond a respective end of the outer drum. The ring, which is rotatable and movable axially relative to the inner drum, carries a radial projection which is received in a recess of the frame when the frame is in an operating position.

Abstract: Crystallization of a melt is induced by causing the melt to flow downwardly in a gap which is defined by upwardly moving cooled walls so that crystallate adheres to the walls and is carried upwardly for recovery. The walls are formed by endless belts which are cooled by fluid sprayed from nozzles. The walls are adjustable so as to be parallel or upwardly divergent.

Abstract: In order to form separate particles from a flowable mass, the flowable mass is fed through a pipe and extruded through holes formed along a longitudinal axis thereof. The pipe is oscillated by an agitator in a direction transversely of the longitudinal axis to cause the extruded mass to be sheared-off in the form of particles. Stop members can be positioned adjacent respective sides of the pipes to be contacted by the pipe and thereby define change-of-direction points for the pipe during its oscillation. The agitator may include piezoelectric ceramics attached to the stop members.

Abstract: Granular material is produced by discharging a viscous material from a vessel and onto a support surface on which the material solidifies. The vessel has first openings through which the material flows, and a belt travels across lower ends of the first openings, whereupon second openings of the belt periodically come into alignment with the first openings to permit a downward flow of the material. The belt comprises a plurality of links having long and short sides, with the long sides arranged parallel to one another and perpendicular to the direction of belt travel. Mutually facing long sides of adjacent links have undercut grooves which receive an elastic connector in the form of a pair of parallel rods received in the recesses and interconnected by springs.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for improved coating of small solid particles with a melt of a material which solidifies at room temperature. The device includes a rotatable turbine body and conduits for supplying solid particles and molten material to the rotatable turbine body. The turbine body is rotated by a hollow drive shaft and is provided with a series of heating conduits extending through the drive shaft and the turbine body for heating the turbine body. The turbine body can be heated to a controlled temperature to maintain the molten material at a desired temperature by varying the temperature of a heating agent which is supplied through the heating conduits.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for improved coating of small solid particles with a melt of a material which solidifies at room temperature. The device includes a rotatable turbine body having two rotatable disk parts. An annular gap is provided between the rotatable disk parts which allows the melt to emerge to coat the solid particles in an annular space. The two rotatable disk parts are connected by a fine-pitch thread which allows the size of the annular gap to be adjusted by rotating one of the disks relative to the other. Rotation of one of the disks is performed from the exterior of the device by an adjusting pin which eliminates the need to dismantle the device to adjust the flow of the coating material.

Abstract: A mechanism for making granulated material from a viscous substance includes a vessel charged with the substance and having a discharge opening arrangement for discharging the substance onto a cooling surface. A belt travels across the vessel, the belt having openings arranged to periodically come into alignment with the discharge opening arrangement to allow the substance to fall onto the cooling surface. The discharge opening arrangement comprises a plurality of rows of discharge openings. Each row extends transversely of the longitudinal direction of belt travel, and the rows are spaced apart in that longitudinal direction. The vessel openings of each row are offset in the transverse direction with respect to the vessel openings of other rows. A collection arrangement collects residual substance falling from the belt and returns the substance onto the belt at a location upstream of the vessel.

Abstract: An endlessly driven belt extends around a drum and carries a product. Removal of the product from the belt is effected by a doctor blade which bears against a portion of the belt traversing the drum. The doctor blade is fixedly connected to the drum for movement therewith to remain parallel to a surface of the belt. The doctor blade is attached to shafts that are mounted in respective bearing assemblies that permit movement of the shafts along their mutually aligned axes. The doctor blade can be positioned between upstanding ribs formed on the belt whereby the ribs can displace the doctor blade in response to pivoting of the drum in order to keep the doctor blade parallel to the axis of the drum.