Abstract: An apparatus and method for the continuous or semi-continuous removal of unreacted monomers from polymer suspension slurrys or latices to produce polymers with the least possible distribution of heat history.A polymer suspension liquor or latex is supplied to a vessel having open topped compartments positioned on a vertical shaft for rotation. A feed inlet for the polymer suspension liquor is mounted on the shaft to permit introduction of the polymer into each of the open topped compartments. A steam and/or inert gas is introduced at the bottom portion of each compartment to strip a monomer from the polymer.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing a certain amount of moisture from moisture laden cotton bolls. The apparatus includes a hopper for receiving the moist cotton bolls and rotatable dispensing structure for controllably metering optimum measures of moist cotton bolls into a fast moving airstream leading into a plenum. The midsection of the plenum houses at least one rotatably driven saw drum which is rotated at a controllable slow rate, e.g., 10-20 RPM. The teeth of the saw drum are arranged with the pointed tip portions respectively trailing the root portions or successively pointed into the airstream as the saw drum is rotated. Accordingly, the cotton bolls are impaled upon the pointed tip portions by the force of the circumfluent air. Therefore, movement of the cotton bolls through the midsection of the plenum is controllably retarded since the velocity of the circumferential surface of the saw drum determines the period of time in which the cotton bolls are exposed to the fast moving airstream, i.e.

Abstract: Crop drying apparatus comprises a horizontal rotatable drum divided internally into a plurality of outer chambers for containing crop to be dried, and a central, axially-extending, multi-sided duct which receives an axial air flow. The inner surface of each chamber has a perforate area to permit flow of air from the duct into the chamber to dry the crop therein and the outer surface of each chamber has a perforate area to permit discharge of moisture-laden air from the chamber to the surrounding atmosphere, the inner perforate area of each chamber leading the associated outer perforate area in the normal direction of rotation of the drum. Control flaps are provided to control the air flow through the inner perforations during rotation of the drum.

Abstract: Processing chambers formed by circumferentially spaced pockets of a rotor rotatable in a cylindrical chamber disposed with its axis substantially horizontal are loaded through a top access opening in the cylinder and unloaded by a single or double vaned scoop rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the casing to sweep product out of an upwardly opening rotor pocket. The spider rotor and unloading rotor are power-driven intermittently so that the unloading rotor sweeps through a pocket of the spider rotor when the spider rotor is stationary, and the spider rotor is indexed to expose successive pockets to the access opening of the casing when the unloading rotor is out of the path of movement of the spider rotor partition vanes.