Abstract: An agitator mill comprises a grinding receptacle with a cylindrical inside wall which is free from any openings whatsoever. All the openings needed for operation, in particular a separating device joined to a grinding-stock discharge line and, if required, a refill opening for auxiliary grinding bodies, are disposed in a bottom which is releasably connected with the grinding receptacle.

Abstract: A fine powder heat treating apparatus which includes a container rotated by an electric motor, a quantity of rolling media disposed in the container and a heater provided for heating the container and the rolling media, wherein the rolling media are mixed with each other as the container is rotated and a finely powdered raw material in a fluid state containing fine powder and a liquid component is supplied from a raw material discharge pipe.

Abstract: An assembly for separating milling elements from a worked suspension, having several parts which are movable with respect to each other. Slots are formed between the parts. Neighboring moving parts engage each other, thereby being able to perform a limited relative movement in such a way that a first moving part is continuously moved within its total range of movement, with the other moving parts successively following in a delayed, chain reaction-like discontinuous movement.

Abstract: A gas fluidized-bed stirred media mill is provided for comminuting solid ticles. The mill includes a housing enclosing a porous fluidizing gas diffuser plate, a baffled rotor and stator, a hollow drive shaft with lateral vents, and baffled gas exhaust exit ports. In operation, fluidizing gas is forced through the mill, fluidizing the raw material and milling media. The rotating rotor, stator and milling media comminute the raw material to be ground. Small entrained particles may be carried from the mill by the gas through the exit ports when the particles reach a very fine size.

Abstract: A mill, especially an intermittently operating mill with milling bodies is emptied or filled through an opening provided with a pair of ball cocks of which a ball proximal to the opening is integrated with a sieve plate in its throughgoing bore, thereby eliminating dead zones and contamination resulting from wear of the sieve.

Abstract: Basket for machines for mixing and grinding a number of substances in order to produce uniform mixes, such as those used for paints, with the basket in question featuring along its perimeter a circular ring (1) bound at the inner and outer edges by micro-perforated walls (2 and 3), and with this ring functioning as a channel inside of which microspheres made of glass or of other suitable materials are placed; the central portion of the basket, when viewed from below, appears empty in the middle, with this space being bound along its perimeter by the circular channel (1).

Abstract: A method of preparing milled solid particles of a compound comprises the steps of forming a slurry of a liquid medium, the compound and rigid milling media in a milling chamber, contacting the compound with the milling media while in the chamber to reduce the particle size of the compound, and thereafter separating the compound from the milling media by vacuum filtration through a removable filter probe immersed in the slurry. In a preferred embodiment, the milling media is a polymeric resin having a mean particle size of less than 300 .mu.m. The method enables the use of fine milling media which provides extremely fine particles of the compound while avoiding problems, e.g., decrease yields due to separator screen plugging, associated with prior art processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stirring mill in whose grinding tank, provided with an inlet and an outlet, and charged with a load of grinding beads, a stirring shaft (stirring mechanism) provided with stirrers, is rotatable, on which, for holding back the grinding beads a separator is mounted ahead of the outlet and is provided with radial openings. The invention is addressed to the problem of creating a stirring mill with a grinding bead separator whose separation limit corresponds to the upper grain size of the fines, by which sieves or filters for holding back the grinding beads are avoided, and which nevertheless sufficiently assures that no grinding beads or particles of dispersants can enter into the finish-ground product. This problem is solved by the fact that the separator is formed by a rotor in the manner of a centrifugal force sifting rotor (6) wherein the passages are formed by the interstices or spaces between every two sifter rotor paddles (10).

Abstract: An agitator mill is provided with a separate grinding-stock/auxiliary-grinding-body separator device, which comprises a rotor, drivable to rotate, for the separation of the auxiliary grinding bodies from the treated grinding stock. The auxiliary grinding bodies and untreated grinding stock are returned to the agitator mill. The separator device and the agitor mill and the lines connecting these two form a closed system.

Abstract: A continuous type media mill for effecting in a particulate-containing substance, a reduction in size of the particulate. The mill includes a support and an elongate vessel mounted on the support. The vessel has a generally cylindrical interior. An inlet port to the interior of the vessel is provided as is an outlet port for the particulate-containing substance. Comminuting media is provided in the interior of the vessel, the media having a tendency to move toward the outlet port with the particulate-containing substance flowing through the vessel. A rotor extends centrally in the cylindrical interior of the vessel and along a majority of the length thereof. The rotor has a diameter substantially less than the inner cylindrical surface of the vessel to define a space therebetween. The rotor includes a plurality of blades spaced axially along the length thereof for flinging the media radially outwardly in response to a rotation of a driven shaft for the rotor.

Abstract: An agitator ball mill for processing free-flowing products features a horizontally split housing (2a, 2b) as a grinding bin in which a disc-shaped agitator (1) is arranged to rotate. The product enters the grinding product inlet (17) and flows through an upper disc-shaped grinding chamber (8a), an outside deflection zone (10), and a lower disc-shaped grinding chamber (8b). At the lower grinding chamber (8b), a deflection zone (11) arranged radially to the inside is connected in which the product containing the grinding pearls is deflected to the upper grinding chamber (8a). In the area between the deflection zone (11) and the upper grinding chamber (8a), a branch channel (13) branches off radially to the inside to the separation zone (14), along which a partial stream of product flows to this separation zone (14) whereas a second partial product stream together with the grinding pearls enters the upper grinding chamber (8a).

Abstract: For the continuous autogenous grinding of a free-flowing stock containing insoluble particles of varying diameter, the stock is set rotating concentrically of an axis in a grinding chamber, insoluble particles of greater diameter being concentrated superproportionally in the grinding chamber. There is no need of an auxiliary-grinding-body retaining device.

Abstract: An agitator mill comprises a grinding receptacle and an agitator unit disposed in the latter and having an agitator shaft. The agitator shaft is hollow, this grinding-stock/auxiliary-grinding-body return chamber being connected with the grinding chamber at one end of the agitator shaft. At the other end of the agitator shaft, the return chamber opens into a cage-type section of the agitator shaft, an auxiliary-grinding-body retaining device likewise projecting into this section.

Abstract: An agitator mill comprises a grinding receptacle, in which a high-speed agitator is disposed. An auxiliary-grinding-body outlet discharges from an end of the grinding receptacle, a grinding-stock and auxiliary-grinding-body return line leading from this outlet to the other end of the grinding receptacle. Directly adjoining the auxiliary-grinding-body outlet, a grinding-stock supply line opens into the line, which ensures the auxiliary grinding bodies to circulate reliably.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for ceramics is adapted to heat treat a ceramic raw material such as a slurry for obtaining a pulverized ceramic material. The apparatus comprises a drum body (1) which is transversely supported and rotated about its axis, and a number of rolling media (2) which are stored and stirred in the drum body (1). The drum body (1) has a pyramidal inner surface, so that the rolling media (2) are strongly stirred following rotation of the drum body (1), whereby the ceramic raw material is heat treated and pulverized effectively.

Abstract: This present invention intends to provide a continuous type vertical planetary ball mill performing with high efficiency. In this ball mill, a mill pot is provided with an entrance and an exit which are vertically open. The entrance communicates with a charging port of a charging case which rotates together with a revolving rotary body, and the exit communicates with a discharging case fixed to a bed so as to allow only fine particles to pass through. Compressed air is supplied to bearings interposed between an airtight chamber and a fixed shaft, between the airtight chamber and a rotary shaft, and between the airtight chamber and a mill casing. As a result, this continuous type vertical planetary ball mill is stable in construction as compared with the conventional vertical type of ball mill and enables a high speed operation. Crushing performance and material quality reforming performance are improved.

Abstract: The invention relates to an agitator mill which has both a static separating arrangement and a dynamic separating arrangement on the outlet side of the grinding chamber. These two separating arrangements complement one another in an ideal manner, since in the starting phase in particular the dynamic separating arrangement ensures a trouble-free start, whilst during operation the static separating arrangement enlarges the total effective opening in a desired manner and thus leads to a low pressure in the mill. Thus the agitator mill according to the invention is distinguished by a high level of reliability, low maintenance costs, low wear and universal applicability.

Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus to continuously operate a bead mill. At the outlet of the bead mill is a separator screen which prevents particles of a certain size from being discharged. After running the bead mill, the screen tends to get clogged with large sized particles. The present invention provides an ultrasonic probe that periodically cleans the screen when the pressure within the milling chamber reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A partition diaphragm which divides a grinding chamber of a ball mill into several chambers is formed into a compound structure comprising a primary screen plate and a secondary screen plate, with the slit clearance of the secondary screen plate being smaller than that of the prior art while avoiding the occurrence of blinding. The secondary screen plate of the partition diaphragm is comprised of a wire sieve provided with fine slits having a trapezoidal shape in section. The wire seive is loosely disposed between adjacent members so as to be freely movable to a certain extent. Since there is no sticking of material by movement of the wire sieve in spite of the slit clearance in the wire sieve, fine particles in the partition diaphragm can move smoothly and the two grinding chambers are well-balanced, resulting in an improved grinding efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for finely grinding minerals and similar materials in an essentially dry state to particle sizes at which the ground material can be used as a filler. The method is characterized by effecting at least the final grinding phase in a closed grinding cavity that has been placed under a sub-pressure. The pressure in the grinding space shall preferably be lower than the prevailing ambient pressure by up to about 10 kPa.The invention also relates to a mill having a grinding cavity that can be placed under a sub-pressure.

Abstract: A mill for comminution comprising a cylinder rotating with its axis perpendicular to a uniform inertial force field that has helical chambers at each end of the cylinder that are coaxial to and connected with the cylinder. The other end of each helix is connected to an external connection such that one feeds into and the other removes material from the mill. The helical chambers have opposite senses of rotation so that when the mill is rotated in one of its two possible directions any media in the mill is dynamically retained in the mill by the screw action of the helices even as material to be ground flows through the mill.

Abstract: A system for grinding hot coke includes feeding the hot coke into the system, while maintaining the system under less than atmospheric pressure, wetting the coke during this feeding step to assure constant flow of the coke into a grinding mill where the coke is reduced to a slurry and forwarded to a holding tank. The system includes apparatus to recover and treat vapors derived from the grinding of the coke and to feed the slurry to gasification means.

Abstract: An agitator mill for treating free-flowing grinding stock comprises a discharge device, which is provided with a separating device to be disposed in the grinding chamber. In the separating device a mixing device is arranged, which comprises a mixing body movable in longitudinal direction of the cylindrical separating device.

Abstract: Flow rate of material passing through a partition diaphragm of a ball mill is regulated. One end of a disc controller is mounted on an outer shell of the ball mill, and a control disc is mounted on the other end through a diaphragm chamber formed inside the partition diaphragm. The disc controller performs an opening and closing operation of a discharge opening by moving to and from a center core A disk adjust bar 41, a universal joint 45 and a disc holder bar 50 are connected in such a manner as to be separately bendable with respect to each other. The opening and closing operation performed by the control disc is not affected by deformation of the outer shell of the ball mill or any positional change during operation.

Abstract: Grinding body separator in mills for comminuting and crushing deagglomerating solids, predispersed in liquids, which comprises circular rings provided with cross bores. The number of the bores decreases as a function of a decrease in diameter of the rings. The bores are equidistantly distributed on the rings. The diameter or the bores also decrease as a function of a decrease in diameter of the rings.

Abstract: Improvements in a mill for comminuting and crushing and disagglomerating solids, predispersed in liquids, that comprises: two interconnected bored parts forming the inlet pipe of the mill, having a seat and a buffer in its inner chamber, wherein a sphere and an opposing spring are disposed in said inlet pipe. One of the bored parts exhibits a projection with said buffer with passages for the product to be treated. A thin washer is detachably inserted and mounted in a groove, which surrounds the circular detent of the first sealing means, disposed within the shaft of the rotor and the stator of the mill. A propulsion drive means is disposed crosswise in the disk annexed to the free end of the shaft of the mill.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for finely-grinding minerals and similar material intended for use as filler material to a particle size appropriate for this purpose, with a mill which operates by agitating grinding medium and in which the material is ground in a substantially dry state. The invention is characterized by predetermining the stay time of the material being ground in the mill; maintaining the predetermined stay time partly by discharging ground material from the mill at a predetermined, essentially constant rate, and partly by adjusting the infeed of material to the mill in relation to the quantity of material discharged from the mill by the amount of material present in the mill increases during the infeed of material thereto; and by interrupting the infeed of material to the mill over a predetermined short period of time when the material reaches a predetermined highest level in said mill.

Abstract: A planetary ball mill in which a plurality of mill pots revolve by receiving a rotational force from a main shaft, while rotating on their own axes. A feed is continuously supplied to the mill pots so that ground particles are discharged out of the mill pots utilizing air flow. A partition for dividing a grinding chamber from a discharge pipe is disposed on the discharge side of the chamber of each mill pot so as to permit only the feed already ground to pass through. The feed having passed through the partition is collected by way of a discharge chute not rotating but surrounding a discharge pipe which rotates relative to the discharge chute to generate a negative pressure which assists the discharge of ground feed from each mill pot.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding balls to a grinding mill. The apparatus includes a downwardly inclined chute (12) adapted to receive balls from a bin or hopper, the chute for delivering the balls to the grinding mill and means (20) for sequentially feeding the balls, one-at-a-time, to the grinding mill. The feeding means includes a first actuator (22) and a second actuator (26). Each of the actuators preferably includes an extension arm (24 and 28 respectively) mounted for rotation along the longitudinal axis of the chute. The first actuator is for restraining balls from traveling down the chute and works in conjunction with the second actuator for isolating the lowermost ball in the chute to be fed next to the grinding mill. The second actuator is for releasing the isolated ball. The feeding means may include a computer controller (90) for operating each of the actuators at a predetermined time interval corresponding to the ball attrition rate of the grinding mill.

Abstract: A continuous grinding system for comminuting material in a liquid includes a grinding vessel and a rotating shaft carrying one or more mixing arms disposed within the vessel. A funnel-shaped housing and a cylindrical extension project into the vessel and the rotating shaft extends through the housing and the extension with the mixing arms being disposed beneath the extension. The rotating shaft also carries one or more radially projecting, angled impeller blades which are disposed within the extension. The blades may engage the extension in which event the extension may be separate from the housing or may terminate short of the inner wall of the extension in which event the extension may be secured to the housing. The cylindrical extension in a modified form of the invention extends into the housing a distance equalling from about 10% to about 75% of the depth thereof and preferably from about 50% to about 55%.

Abstract: A tube mill with a cylindrical jacket (1) terminating at each end in a conical wall (2). The wall merges into a neck (3). A tube (6) is accommodated at a radial interval in a stationary milling-stock intake-and-outlet housing (5). The tube is attached to the neck. The tube is surrounded by a feed screw (12). The screw's threads (13) are loosely attached to the tube. The screw is connected to a shaft (9). The shaft is mounted in a bearing (18) outside the mill. The object is to improve the suspension of the feed screw to the extent that the bearing will be able to accommodate eccentric rotation by, and sudden and uncontrolled stresses on, the screw along with axial displacements of the shaft. The housing (19) for the bearing is accordingly surrounded at a radial interval by a continuous ring (22). The housing rests against the ring by way of several tensioned springs (23) uniformly distributed around the circumference of the housing.

Abstract: A grinding appliance, intended especially for grinding material in the form of flowable or pasty conglomerates, consists of a housing (1) with an inlet chamber (2), a grinding chamber (3) for receiving grinding balls and an outlet (4). A rotatably mounted agitator body (5) which can be driven by means of a motor (7) is arranged in the grinding chamber. So that the conveyance can be controlled in a simple way independently of the rotational speed of the agitator body, the inlet chamber (2) is preceded by a storage vessel (46) which is equipped with an air-pressure connection (50) and which is sealingly closeable (FIG. 1). Alternatively, a pump can also be inserted in the storage vessel and the air-pressure connection be selectively exchangeable with a return connection.

Abstract: A grinding mill dishcarge apparatus cone is a multi-component arrangement with an outer segment having a coated rigid frame, an inner segment with a coated rigid frame, which inner segment has a wear plate of a high abrasion-resistant metal mountable upon the inner segment for ease of removal and replacement, and the outer segment being removable for rebuilding after extended wear and previous replacement of the inner segment.

Abstract: An agitator mill has an in each case annular cylindrical exterior grinding chamber and an interior grinding chamber, which are delimitated from each other by a cup-shaped agitator element, the interior grinding chamber and the exterior grinding chamber being connected with each other by bypasses formed in the agitator element for the return of auxiliary grinding bodies. In order to improve the grinding result and to increase the lifetime of the auxiliary grinding bodies or to be able to use even smaller auxiliary grinding bodies without their reaching a separator device arranged ahead of a grinding stock exit, carriers are arranged in the area of the bypasses at the inner casing of the agitator element and extend over a substantial part of the radial width of the interior grinding chamber and into it.

Abstract: Grinding body separator in mills for triturating and breaking up solids predispersed in liquids, which has a truncated cone-shaped stepped support, the major base of which has a flange for mounting in the mill and on the steps of which are fitted respective circular rings, provided with transverse orifices and which are superposed on one another leaving an outer separation smaller than the smallest thickness of the grinding bodies and an inner separation greater than the former, the assembly of rings being secured by a disk, which itself is secured to the minor base of the support and which delimits an outer separation, relative to the smallest ring, equal to that between the superposed rings.

Abstract: A continuous grinding system for comminuting material in a liquid includes a grinding vessel and a rotating shaft carrying one or more mixing arms disposed within the vessel. A funnel-shaped housing and a cylindrical extension project into the vessel and the rotating shaft extends through the housing and the extension with the mixing arms being disposed beneath the extension. The rotating shaft also carries one or more radially projecting, angled impeller blades which are disposed within the extension. The blades may engage the extension in which event the extension may be separate from the housing or may terminate short of the inner wall of the extension in which event the extension may be secured to the housing.

Abstract: A dispersing and grinding apparatus disperses and grinds material by the use of a particulate grinding medium. A separator installed at the discharge end of the apparatus separates the processed material from the grinding medium. The separator comprises a stationary stator, and a rotatable rotor mounted so that the rim area of the rotor is spaced from and faces the stator to define therebetween a small gap which is large enough to permit the processed material to pass therethrough small enough to prevent the grinding medium from passing therethrough. The rotor has on its underside a plurality of protruding guide portions configured as arc-shaped protrusions which forcibly guide and disperse the grinding medium tending to collect and concentrate at the rim area of the rotor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of preparing, transporting, disposing and distributing a load of cement slurry, especially for highway and similar construction work. This method is particularly adapted to be used to reconstruct old road beds, which already have a surface material thereon, but which surface has deteriorated to such an extent that a new road surface is required. This method and apparatus provide a greatly improved safety means to the construction industry, which heretofore has relied on the "dry cement powder" process, which generates a toxic dust cloud that is harmful to humans, animals and vegetation, to obtain the widely used "cement treated base" for construction or renovation of roads, streets and highways.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing and sizing particle material that is readily susceptible to efficiency enhancement with vibratory exciters. The apparatus includes a rotary drum particle size reductino device having a substantially imperforate drum, and a rotary screen having a perforate screening member with upstream and downstream portions, said upstream portion of the screen surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the drum. A screen supporting member including a vibratory exciter engages an upstream portion of the screen for vibrating said upstream portion substantially independently of the drum.

Abstract: An agitator mill for the treatment of flowable grinding stock has a grinding receptacle (3) with a mostly closed grinding chamber (9) and a rotatingly drivable agitator element (21) disposed therein. An interior stator (24) is disposed in the agitator element. A grinding stock supply chamber (53) is placed ahead of the grinding chamber. On the same side of the grinding receptacle (3) a separator device (34) is provided through which the grinding stock is discharged again after treatment. In order to prevent to a large extent wear on the separator device (34) and, at the same time, to achieve as even as possible a distribution of the grinding bodies in the grinding chamber (9), the agitator element (21) is designed approximately cup-shaped and disposed between the interior stator (24) and the wall of the grinding receptacle (3) with the formation of an exterior grinding chamber (9') and an interior grinding chamber (9").

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for pulverizing quick lime into a slurry form. It has a vertical shell and a rotary shaft mounted in the shell. An agitating layer and a pulverizing layer are formed in the shell at its upper and lower portions, respectively. The material fed from top of the shell is agitated and melted into smaller particles in the agitating layer and then pulverized into fine particles in the pulverizing layer. The fine particles are discharged from a top or middle of the shell. A discharge pipe is provided so as to extend upwardly from the discharge port at the middle of the shell. An agitator may be provided in the discharge pipe. The material to be pulverized is prevented from going from the inlet directly to the outlet without passing through the pulverizing layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tube mill partition as a transfer or discharge partition. With a view to reducing wear and facilitating maintenance, separate wearing beams are used and the latter or the slotted plates can be easily replaced without any further assembly opening.

Abstract: An agitator ball mill comprises a grinding container having a cylindrical grinding chamber which is defined by a grinding-chamber wall. At least one agitator, which is provided with projecting agitating tools is arranged in said grinding chamber. The agitator and the grinding container can be rotatably driven about their respective axes which are parallel to each other. The grinding chamber is partially filled with auxiliary grinding bodies and has a grinding-stock supply means and a grinding-stock discharge means comprising a grinding-stock/auxiliary-grinding-bodies separating device. The agitator axis has an eccentricity with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the grinding chamber.

Abstract: A dispersing and grinding apparatus disperses and grinds material by the use of a particulate grinding medium. A separator installed at the discharge end of the apparatus separates the processed material from the grinding medium. The separator comprises a stationary stator, and a rotatable rotor mounted so that the rim area of the rotor is spaced from and faces the stator to define therebetween a small gap which is large enough to permit the processed material to pass therethrough though small enough to prevent the grinding medium from passing therethrough. The rotor has a plurality of protruding portions which extend radially outwardly from the rotor and which effectively centrifugally disperse the grinding medium which tends to collect and concentrate at the rim area of the rotor. The protruding portions are removably fastened to the rotor, either as separate protruding members or as part of a one-piece structure, so that the protruding portions can be removed and replaced as they become worn.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifugal-force vibratory grinding machine having a container (3) which receives filling material consisting of workpieces and work bodies and the bottom (4) of which rotates relative to the container wall (5) around the axis of the container and leaves a separating gap (7) towards the container wall (5), and it proposes, in order to reduce the wear within the region of the separating gap (7), that at least one discharge element (A) is provided for the removal of particles of filling material which have penetrated into the space of the gap, which element engages into the space of the gap and rotates with the bottom (4) and/or is stationary with respect to the container wall (5).

Abstract: A ball-tube mill in which an inclined wall dividing the mill into coarse and fine grinding chambers occupied by grinding bodies has through holes for the passage of the material being ground provided in a portion of contact of the surface of the inclined wall with the grinding bodies present in the coarse grinding chamber. The through holes have a length much greater than their width with their elongated side running in parallel with an outer contour of the inclined wall.

Abstract: Stirred ball mills which have a casing that houses serially related sets of elongated, longitudinally extending stirring elements. The elements of each set are supported in a concentric array about and from a rotatable shaft. Complementary arrays of stirring elements may be supported from the casing, and it and the shaft can be rotated in opposite directions to optimize the stirring of the grinding balls in the mill. Also, concentric arrays of stirring elements may be assembled to the shaft or the shaft and the casing for this purpose. The stirring rods also cause the grinding balls to scour and thereby prevent plugging of a screen located at the discharge end of the mill to keep the grinding balls from escaping. The mill can be tilted in a manner that results in the grinding balls being uniformly distributed along the length of the casing.

Abstract: A ball-tube mill includes a rotatable drum enclosed at the opposite sides by bottoms having a charging port and a discharge port, the drum accommodating an even number of perforated walls having the form of an ellipse, arranged at an angle to the centerline of the drum, and offset along the like axes of the ellipse one relative to another to define milling chambers occupied by grinding bodies. The bottoms are inclined to the longitudinal centerline of the drum at an inclination angle equal to the angle of inclination of the perforated walls, each bottom and one of the perforated walls being inclined in pairs to the opposite directions, the bottoms and the perforated walls being successively offset along the like axes of the ellipse one relative to the other at an angle .beta.=360.degree.:n, where n is the total number of bottoms and perforated walls.

Abstract: A rotary-type mill is provided with a system for charging powder to a mill under seal from atmospheric air, the system being comprised of a sealable loading conduit and a valve assembly. The valve assembly, which controls the opening to the mill, is disposed in part in the sealable loading conduit, and is operable without breaking the seal to the atmosphere. In addition to permitting charging and operations of the mill in a protective environment, the system is designed for gravity-dependent essentially unencumbered vertical entry of feed to the mill and for minimization of the problem of wear of machine parts during operation of the mill.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for the comminution of material particles dispersed in a liquid. The comminution apparatus includes a vertical cylindrical comminution vessel having a comminuting media disposed therein. A vertical agitator shaft extends into the comminution vessel and includes radially extending agitator rods at its lowermost end. A helical blade is provided on the agitator shaft to create circulation within the vortex of the comminuting media. The material may be pre-mixed with a liquid before introduction into the comminution vessel. Following comminution, the comminuted material may be removed as a slurry by a suction apparatus.