Horizontal Patents (Class 366/99)
  • Patent number: 10611050
    Abstract: A mixer for ceramic feedstock pellets includes a tank, a mixing device within the tank, and a heat exchanger including a cooler for cooling of the content of this tank. A controller controls the heat exchanger which includes a heater arranged to heat the content of this tank to a temperature comprised between a lower temperature (TINF) and a higher temperature (TSUP) stored in a memory for a specific mixture. The heater exchanges energy with a heat exchanger and mixing temperature maintenance circuit, external to this tank. The thermal inertia of this circuit is higher than that of this fully loaded tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Comadur S.A.
    Inventor: Damien Cartier
  • Patent number: 10421215
    Abstract: The mortar mixer paddle assembly includes a rectilinear shaft having a centrally registered longitudinal axis, a tow-end and an engine-end axially opposed from the tow-end, and a plurality of rectilinear paddle arms radially extending outwardly from the centrally registered longitudinal axis. A mechanism for entraining air into the mortar mixture and along the rectilinear shaft inside the existing polyethylene drum is provided. A mechanism for horizontally reciprocating a mortar mixture slurry along a bi-directional linear travel path parallel to the centrally registered longitudinal axis of the rectilinear shaft is provided. A mechanism for radially redirecting slow-moving mortar mixture slurry, traveling along the rectilinear shaft, upwards into faster moving arcuate travel paths rotating about the rectilinear shaft thus eliminating mortar mixture slurry build-up on the rectilinear shaft and the rectilinear paddle arms is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Inventor: James A Swisher
  • Patent number: 10390537
    Abstract: A dough preparation machine includes a power unit, which drives, through rotational speed mechanism, a helical screw shaft that extends into a dough chamber so that the dough is compressed and pushed through rotation of the helical screw shaft to be discharged out of a jet nozzle mounted to the dough chamber. The dough chamber is provided, at a location above the helical screw shaft, with an auxiliary dough driver, which includes two movable blades that are opposite to each other and are selectively extendable outward and retractable inward. When one of the movable blades passes through a circular sidewall of dough chamber, it is pressed by the sidewall to get retracted inwardly and at the same time causing another one of the movable blades to extend outward to knead and poke dough. This process is cyclically repeated to efficiently knead the dough and prevent attachment of the dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ANKO FOOD MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Li-Hsien Wang
  • Patent number: 10258050
    Abstract: A household mixer appliance having an open top mixing container, a hook and a drive arrangement. The mixing container has a side wall portion with a through hole for the drive arrangement and the hook is arranged to be rotatable around an axis of rotation within the mixing container via the drive arrangement. A seal is arranged between the drive arrangement and the side wall portion of the mixing container, and the drive arrangement includes a quick-release mechanism to which the hook is attachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventors: Anders Jahge, Martin Kwarnmark
  • Patent number: 10149482
    Abstract: A horizontal mixer includes a mixer bowl seal arrangement with a removable seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Ricky D. Kesig, John A. Cremeens, Aaron E. Pollock, Jason D. Switzer, Randy L. Jacoby, Joel J. Everhart, Kyle R. Pulfer
  • Patent number: 9504971
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mixing apparatus which is characterized by a specific range of cavity diameters in combination with a specific range for the size of the inner element (i.e. the maximum diameter, typically of the rotor). Said mixing apparatus provides good shear and distributive mixing with low energy dissipation (i.e. low temperature increase of the mixture due to the mixing process) and allows the manufacture of edible dispersions at a wide range of mixture throughput levels. Also disclosed is a process using said mixing apparatus for the manufacture of edible dispersions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Unilever BCS US, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailendra Gupta, Johannes Jozef M Janssen, Krysztof Piela
  • Patent number: 8573828
    Abstract: A method for plasticating and conveying macromolecular materials based on elongational flow and equipment thereof are disclosed. A set of spaces having specific shape is used, and the volume of the spaces can increase and decrease periodically, and the materials flow into the spaces when the volume is increasing; and are pressed, plasticated and discharged when the volume is decreasing, so that the plasticating and conveying process is mainly under normal stress. A vane-type plasticating and conveying unit mainly comprises a cylindrical hollow stator; a columned rotor eccentrically installed in the inner cavity of the stator, wherein a group of rectangular slots are formed along the circumference of the rotor; a plurality of vanes which are arranged evenly in the slots and baffles mounted on the two sides of the stator. The inner surface of the stator, the outer surface of the rotor, the two vanes, and the two baffles surround to form the spaces having specific shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: South China University of Technology
    Inventor: Jinping Qu
  • Publication number: 20130142005
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for kneading foodstuffs. The device comprises a container having a container wall, which container comprises at least one rotary shaft extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the container, an inlet located at a first side of the rotary shaft, through which the foodstuffs to be kneaded can be introduced into the container, as well as an outlet located at the opposite side of the shaft, spaced from the inlet, through which the kneaded foodstuffs can be discharged from the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Gilis Anne Maria Victor Lekner, Marinus Arie Van Praag, Ivo Hubertus Anna Willems
  • Publication number: 20120123022
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for continuously mixing fibers with a binding agent for producing fiberboards in a continuously operating mixing apparatus which comprises at least one mixing chamber and one or a plurality of mixing tools fastened to a rotating mixer shaft, wherein the mixing tools mix the fibers with the binding agent and convey it in a conveying direction through the mixer. Said method is characterized in that the rotational speed (n) of the mixer shaft and the diameter (d) of the mixing chamber are matched to each other with the proviso that the (nominal) centrifugal acceleration of the fibers in the region of the mixer inside wall is 10000 to 30000 m/sec2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Jochem Berns, Wilhelm Franck, Karsten Lempfer
  • Patent number: 8118476
    Abstract: A gas/liquid mixing equipment of the present invention comprises a stirring vessel 1, a stirring shaft 10 inserted horizontally in the stirring vessel 1 and a helical ribbon impeller 20 attached to the stirring shaft 10, whereby a high gas absorption performance can be secured even with low shearing. Further, a polymer can be produced with high productivity. A gas/liquid mixing method of the present invention is a method which comprises employing the above-mentioned gas/liquid mixing equipment, and a method for producing a polymer of the present invention is a method which comprises polymerizing feed monomers containing gaseous monomers in aqueous solvents, wherein the gaseous monomers and the aqueous solvents are mixed by such a gas/liquid mixing method. A polymer of the present invention is produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kasahara, Shin Tatematsu, Shigeki Kobayashi, Yasuhiko Matsuoka, Hiroki Nagai, Terence Edwin Attwood, Steven McDonald, Philip David Mackrell, Shigeki Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20110075506
    Abstract: A kneading device (101) for kneading dough. The device (101) comprises a kneading tool (106), a driving unit (110) for driving the kneading tool around a central axis, a bowl (104) for accommodating the kneading tool (106) and a base (103) for supporting the bowl (104). The kneading tool (106) comprises a central body (107) having only one agitating arm (108) and at least one axially and radially extending wiper (109). This tool (107) has a good performance and facilitates easy cleaning of the kneading device (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Monika Kafer, Wolfgang Moser
  • Patent number: 7893307
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for producing hydrocarbon materials from a feed composition, the apparatus including a feed port; a viscous shear apparatus; a thermal decomposition assembly including a ribbonchannel reactor which includes an inner heated hollow cylinder; an outer heated hollow cylinder, one of which is rotatable with respect to the other, both heated hollow cylinders providing heat to the feed composition to convert it to a vapor fraction and a solid residue fraction; low height flighting mounted with respect to the inner and outer heated hollow cylinders to move the feed composition through the thermal decomposition assembly; at least one vapor port for removing the vapor fraction; and at least one solids port for removing the solid fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: David G. Smith
  • Patent number: 7866877
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for improved mixing of yeast-raised and yeast-raised type dough. The device and method keep the dough cool by an improved structure and method for circulating coolant around a jacketed bowl, and by circulating cooled air through the spinning agitator roller bars. Better aeration of the dough and faster mixing time are achieved along with full water and flour absorption, and reduced operating temperatures by controlling placing of the agitator driveshaft in a carefully defined region. Finally, the invention provides a wiper for wiping the lip of the bowl to keep it clean of dough and to insure a proper seal along the bowl lip when a resilient, expandable bowl seal is used, and it provides a pneumatic seal for securely sealing the mix ingredients in the bowl during mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: CMC America Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Fay, James Fay, Michael Baron
  • Publication number: 20100085832
    Abstract: A mixer arrangement includes a mixer bowl, an agitator within the mixer bowl and a shaft extending through a wall of the mixer bowl for moving the agitator. A seal assembly is associated with the shaft at an external side of the mixer bowl wall. The seal assembly includes a boot component disposed about the shaft, the boot component formed of a resiliently compressible material. A boot compression component is disposed about the shaft and moveable along the shaft between a seal position that urges the boot component toward the mixer bowl wall and a release position away from the boot component. A linkage is connected to the boot compression component and has an over center orientation for holding the boot compression component in the seal position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: IIIinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Dale K. Wells
  • Patent number: 7569196
    Abstract: A reactor for carrying out catalyzed liquid reactions in which the catalyst is present as a dispersion in the reaction zone. The reactor includes at least one inlet and outlet, with all starting materials being fed in via the inlet and all products being discharged via the outlet. The inlet and outlet can be switched so that an exit previously serving as the outlet is utilized as an entrance serving as the inlet and at the same time an entrance previously serving as the inlet is utilized as an exit serving as the outlet. The inlet and outlet each include a filter element that keeps the catalyst in the reactor. The reactor also includes a device that ensures homogeneous distribution of the catalyst and the starting materials in the reactor. This reactor can carry out reactions at a high solids content without the catalyst having to be separated off from a product stream in an extra process step and without regular cleaning and thus shutdown of the process being necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: OXENO Olefinchemie GmbH
    Inventors: Horst-Werner Zanthoff, Dietrich Maschmeyer, Thorsten Schwärtzke, Udo Robers, Anita Völkel
  • Publication number: 20070263480
    Abstract: The invention relates to a horizontal mixer with a cylindrical mixing vessel and a horizontal shaft located in the mixing vessel, which shaft is connected with at least one mixing tool and at least one scraper, with which a or the lowermost point of the interior of a mixer can be reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: Gebr. Lodige Maschinenbau-Gessellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Wolfgang Saalmann, Reiner Lemperle
  • Patent number: 6863429
    Abstract: In a dough mixer for preparing dough, the essentially cylindrical chamber with horizontal axis within which kneading elements (4, 4c, 4b) rotate coaxially or parallel to this axis, between two casing surface sections (1a) with the same casing line, two level surface sections (1b, 1c) which are essentially formed by the surface of sliding (2b, 3b) blades (2, 3) with upper charging opening (2a) and lower discharging opening (3a) in closed position, and the aforementioned surfaces (1a, 1b, 1c) turn into two front, coaxial, separated circular surfaces (1e, 1f) via rounded areas (1g) with the largest possible radius, such that, together with the rotating (4a) kneading element (4, 4c, 4d), which likewise has very round forms, they enable the preparing and compressing of dough and rolling into balls of an individual dough portion that is discharged without residue of ingredients or dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Artos, S.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Torghele, Pierluigi Malfatti
  • Patent number: 6345907
    Abstract: A process for producing a liquid composition containing at least one active component and a diluent by mixing the active with diluent and/or liquid active to produce a liquid crystal mixture and incorporating diluent into it such that the mixture remains substantially homogeneous to produce a composition in which the concentration of active components is lower than the concentration of active components in the liquid crystal mixture. Novel apparatus for use in the process is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Lever Brothers Company, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Galip Akay, Graeme Neil Irving, Adam Jan Kowalski, David Machin
  • Patent number: 6241376
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of high-quality magnetic dispersions having an Hc>120 kA/m, a residual induction Mr/Mm ≧0.9 and an orientation ratio of about 2.7 achieves, with a self-purging single-shaft blade-type kneading apparatus, very advantageous magnetic values of the magnetic coatings and excellent tape characteristics if at least a) the radial shear gradient in the gap between blade circumference and housing wall is from about 150 to about 1600, in particular from about 500 to about 1400, 1/sec, and b) the circumferential velocity of the kneading blade is from about 20 to about 80, in particular from about 35 to about 60, cm/sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Emtec Magnetics GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Schünemann, Hans-Dieter Zettler, Peter Nagel
  • Patent number: 6183124
    Abstract: A kneading trough for the industrial production of dough for baking bread, Viennese bakery products, pastry or the like, designed to supply a processing unit, such as a dough divider (6) having one or several vats (2, 2A) provided with a kneading mechanism (3) and a mechanism for measuring out (4) ingredients to supply the vat(s) (2, 2A) at each kneading cycle. This kneading trough (1) includes the vat(s) (2, 2A) which are are mounted tilting on a supporting frame (10) located above the dough-processing unit (6), and, furthermore, the mechanism for measuring out (4) ingredients (I1, I2, I3, I4, I5) is mounted on the supporting frame (10) above the vat(s) (2, 2A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Mecatherm
    Inventor: Renè Voegtlin
  • Patent number: 6161955
    Abstract: A device for kneading doughs and pastes consisting of a type of flour, a liquid such as water and other appropriate additives, which device consists substantially of a horizontal lying elongated trough provided with a curved bottom having standing side walls connecting thereto, and a rotatably driven mixing and kneading gear operating in the trough, wherein the mixing and kneading gear consists of at least two tubes or rods which are driven around the center line of the trough bottom and received in rotatable supports on either end of the trough, wherein the diameters of the rotating tubes or rods are practically identical and the circumscribed circle lies a short distance from the trough bottom, such that many types of dough mass can be made and the mixing and kneading gear is easy to clean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Rademaker B.V.
    Inventor: Mattheus Anthonius Rademaker
  • Patent number: 5934801
    Abstract: In the case of a mixing and kneading apparatus for the, in particular, thermal treatment of products in the liquid, pasty and/or pulverulent state, with or without the supply and discharge of gases and vapors, in a housing (1), a shaft (2) rotating in said housing and having disk segments (3) or similar disc-like elements arranged on it, which segments or elements interact with mating kneading elements (7) fixed on the housing, the intention is to form, between the mating kneading elements (7), and between the mating kneading elements and the disk segments, an open space (12) in which a mixing arm (14) engages from the shaft (2). In this case, mixing arms (14) of different configurations engage in the open space (toric space 12) from the shaft (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventors: Jorg List, Walther Schwenk, Alfred Kunz
  • Patent number: 5879077
    Abstract: A hand-operated, dough-making machine has a box-like container (10) with parallel upper side wall portions, inclined lower side wall portions (13, 14) and a flat bottom (15); a removable beater (26) is turned by a removable handle (22) which has a cylindrical bearing portion (20) passable through circular holes in each end wall of the container and has a square plug (21) which is fitted into either of square sockets (33 & 34) in each end wall of the beater which are the ends of an optional sleeve extending through the beater, the beater blade is formed with flat end faces (27, 28), flat side faces (29, 30) and has a rounded top face (31) and an angled, flat-faced bottom edge (32) with an obtuse-angled leading edge A and an acute-angled trailing edge B; the beater is off-center so that the trailing edge sweeps more into the corners formed at the junction of vertical and sloping side-wall portions (11, 12, 13, 14) and sloping side wall portions (13, 14) and the flat bottom (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventors: Graeme Bruce Doreian, Bruce Douglas Doreian
  • Patent number: 5716130
    Abstract: A pug mill having a housing including a drive and bearings for rotatably mounting and driving a cantilevered shaft extending from one side of the housing. Associated with the housing and concentrically arranged about the shaft are, in seriatim, a vacuum chamber, a mixing chamber, an extruder and a reduction cone. A port about the shaft is positioned between the vacuum chamber and the mixing chamber. A source of vacuum maintains a vacuum within the vacuum chamber and creates a vacuum within the mixing chamber by air passing through the port. An auger associated with the shaft positioned within the extruder forces clay toward the reduction cone. This creates a seal for maintaining vacuum within the mixing chamber and extrudes cylindrical blocks of conditioned clay without significant air bubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Randolph C. Wood
  • Patent number: 5674004
    Abstract: A supplying device and method make use of a cylinder and a rotary member rotatable in the cylinder for introducing and forwarding a band- or string-shaped raw material having a regular section along a fluidization passage formed between the cylinder and rotary member, while fluidizing the raw material into fluid material with frictional heat produced by the rotation of the rotary member. The fluid material is continuously discharged from a nozzle disposed on the cylinder to various processing devices such as a synthetic-resin molding machine or machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Shinko Sellbic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5421713
    Abstract: A device to mix and extrude various ingredients including pastas, pastries, baked goods, hors d'oeuvres, and cookies. The device includes novel measuring, mixing and extrusion arrangements including: an automatic measuring cup; a way to continuously mix and extrude ingredients without intervening cleanings; a mixing and extrusion feed for handling different consistencies of ingredients; an integrated automatic cutter; motor cooling and extruded ingredient drying; as well as various safety devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Ronco R&D Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan L. Backus, Ronald M. Popeil
  • Patent number: 5393217
    Abstract: A noodle forming device includes a dough mixing chamber and an extruding chamber connected to each other, a mixing shaft having mixing blades fixed thereon extending through the mixing chamber, an extruding screw disposed within the extruding chamber and connected to the mixing shaft in such a way to be rotatable about the same rotational axis in unison therewith to extrude mixed dough out of the noodle forming device through an extruding die to form the noodles. A partition plate is removably disposed between the mixing chamber and the extruding chamber to prevent the dough ingredients from entering the extruding chamber before well mixed. Once the dough is well mixed, the partition plate is removed to allow the dough to be expelled into the extruding chamber to be extruded out of the extruding die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: Chun-Pin Cheng
  • Patent number: 5358329
    Abstract: An apparatus for mixing plural flowable materials, for example liquids, is disclosed having a disk-shaped rotor connected to a rotating drive shaft and housed in a cylindrical chamber. The rotor has engraved on one or both faces a spiral-shaped groove to provide sufficient mixing turbulence and prevent unmixed solute from exiting the chamber. The chamber is defined by walls of two stationary end plates separated by an outer cylindrical barrel. When configured in multiple stages having a plurality of rotors connected with a single rotating drive shaft and housed in a plurality of axially arranged such chambers, a centrally-drilled passage intervening between chambers connects adjacent chambers. Additional solvent liquid is introduced at each mixing stage through a radially drilled passage. The materials to be mixed are confined to a narrow interstice between the rotor, adjacent walls and barrel, and pass in sequence from one chamber to the next.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Fluid Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Plache, Martin W. Selch
  • Patent number: 5358693
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for continuously producing a rubber base compound and a rubber end compound in a single stage for vehicle tires, drive belts, conveyor belts as well as for industrial rubber products. The rubber base compound and the rubber end compound are produced continuously in one and the same mixing arrangement which includes a twin-screw extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Hermann Berstorff Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Brinkmann, Gerd Capelle
  • Patent number: 5322368
    Abstract: A dough mixer has a dough material feeding inlet and a dough discharging outlet at upper and lower portions of a housing, in which a mixing member is disposed. The dough mixer further includes at least one metal shutter member for opening and closing the dough material feeding inlet and the dough discharging outlet, and a guide rail member contacting of the at least one of metal shutter member for guiding motion of the shutter member through an established motion path, the guide rail member being formed of a synthetic resin. The at least one shutter member for removing a dough material in the motion path of the shutter expels compressed air at its tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: House Food Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Tanaka, Tomio Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 5310569
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for continuously producing a stress free sheet of dough. The dry ingredients are measured and mixed on a continuous basis and the liquid ingredients are injected into the stream of dry ingredients. The ingredients are then transferred to a temperature controlled kneading chamber which generates a continuous stream of dough. The dough stream is discharged from the kneading chamber without benefit of rollers or stress inducing apparatus through a discharge conduit of predetermined flow resistance. The resulting stress free continuous stream of dough has a well developed and undamaged gluten network producing a high quality dough product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Rykaart, Inc.
    Inventor: Ben Muller
  • Patent number: 5200204
    Abstract: A rotary extruder having an integral auger feed assembly operatively connected to the extruder barrel, the auger feed assembly being adapted to introduce feed material directly into the annular space between the rotor and barrel of the rotor extruder. The apparatus is particularly useful for feeding low bulk density feed materials to a rotary extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Permian Research Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Horton, Richard L. Abner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5147135
    Abstract: In the case of a continuously operating mixing kneader for the thermal or chemical treatment of products in liquid, pasty and/or pulverulent state in a housing, there is arranged in this housing, running axially, a kneader shaft (20), which is equipped with disk elements (25) and kneading bars (40) and rotates about an axis of rotation (z). Said kneader shaft effects the transporting of the product in the direction of transport (x). Between the disk elements (25) there are provided kneading counter-elements (33), fixed to the housing (1), the disk elements (25) being arranged furthermore in disk planes (42) perpendicularly to the kneader shaft and forming between them free sectors, which create kneading chambers with the disk plane (42) of adjacent disk elements (25). In this arrangement, the kneading bars (40) are intended to be arranged on a positive or negative offset line (43 or 44) in the kneading chambers between two disk planes (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventors: Jorg List, Walther Schwenk, Winfried Dotsch, Pierre Liechti
  • Patent number: 5100240
    Abstract: A high-speed continuous mixer for solids and liquids has a horizontal tubular vessel with a semi-cylindrical bottom and a mixer shaft coinciding with its axis. Multiple crescent-like flat blades are mounted on the shaft at right angles thereto and clear the semi-cylindrical bottom by a small distance. Each crescent-like blade has a tapered knife edge on its convex periphery which has a sweeping shape to provide, when rotated, a slicing action through the mass undergoing mixing while moving from the feed end to the discharge end of the tubular vessel. Remarkable high-speed production of dough for pasta and baked goods is achieved as an example of the outstanding performance of the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Inventor: Joseph C. D'Alterio
  • Patent number: 5045252
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically controlling the operation of a rotary extruder, including using a pressure transducer (38, 40, 42) communicating with the annular space (50) between the barrel (12) and rotor (14) to monitor the hydraulic pressure of the melted polymer, using a microprocessor-based controller (62) to compare the measured pressure with a predetermined set point, and thereafter selectively controlling the speed of a feed drive motor (56) or melt drive motor (60) to maintain the melt pressure within a desired range while holding the extruder rotor speed constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Permian Research Corporation
    Inventors: Granville J. Hahn, Allen C. Bailey, Richard D. Antrim
  • Patent number: 5033861
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for use in a rotary extruder, comprising a rotor rotatably mounted inside a barrel by means of drive and free end bearing assemblies; a coaxial longitudinal bore extending into the rotor from its free end; a conduit disposed within the bore defining a longitudinally extending annulus therebetween; and rotatable means providing fluid communication between a heating medium inlet and the rotor bore through the longitudinally extending annulus, and between the annulus and a heating medium outlet through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Permian Research Corp.
    Inventors: Granville J. Hahn, Sammy K. Flud
  • Patent number: 4955721
    Abstract: A portable apparatus adapted for use in filling chuck holes in paved surfaces with a sulphur-based material that has been heated to a plasticized condition. The apparatus includes an electrically heated furnace in which an auger is mounted for the purpose of moving a sulphur-based material through the furnace at a controlled rate (e.g., about 2 feet per minute), such that the material will be elevated to a temperature of above 305 degrees Farenheit (the melting point of sulphur) to produce a tenacious filler material. The furnace is heated by tubular resistance heaters that are bent in a spiral fashion around a mandrel, so that they may be placed in intimate contact with the exterior of a tube which constitutes the core of the furnace. The furnace is fed by a hopper that is mounted above the entry point for the auger, so that dry material may be fed--by gravity--into the furnace whenever a gate-valve mechanism is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Inventors: Lloyd T. Clark, James W. Marshall
  • Patent number: 4941130
    Abstract: A multi-spindle kneading mixer with at least two intermeshing shafts, one of which is equipped with disk elements which are cleaned by a second agitator shaft,with intensive full mixing and kneading taking place at the same time, characterized in that fixed kneading counterelements are inserted in the housing for the purpose of an approximately complete cleaning of the two agitator shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventors: Heinz List, deceased, Walther Schwenk, Alfred Kunz
  • Patent number: 4917501
    Abstract: A rotor for an internal mixer includes blades whose profile assures a suile stress of the rubber between the blade and the inside wall of a chamber. This profile includes a gradual convergent surface, a fine passage surface, a gradual divergent surface and then a zone of break in the continuity of the profile, called a setback, followed by a steeper divergent surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin- Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Dominique Simonet, Michel Garmy
  • Patent number: 4913556
    Abstract: A rotor and stator mixing system has mixing-chamber recesses in the outer periphery of the rotor and inner periphery of the stator which are generally similar, arrayed in peripheral and axial rows and are mutually axially offset. The guide radius R of the semicircular ends of each elongated recess is also the trough radius thereof and the trough depth is less than this guide radius. The length L of the mixing chambers is three to four times the guide radius, the web width between the recesses of each circumferential row is less than half the guide radius and the shear gap width W is so selected that the shear velocity which is realized is sufficient for effective mixing by a shear action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Bernd Schroter, Wilfried Schwarz, Richard Fellmann, Hans-Joachim Bartels
  • Patent number: 4906102
    Abstract: An extruder feeds a thermoplastified flow of synthetic resin to at least one mixing unit which is driven independently of the extruder and has a rotor and stator with mutually facing pockets and defining a gap between them traversed by the thermoplastified flow and into which an additive is pumped at an upstream end so as to obtain an especially homogenius distribution of the additive in the thermoplastified flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Wilfried Schwarz, Peter Stommel
  • Patent number: 4902455
    Abstract: A method of degassing thermoplastic plastic melts over a wide range of viscosities in a degassing extruder including a plurality of sequential degassing sections. Each degassing section includes at least one screw section having flights formed thereon. Each section includes a degassing region and a metering section downstream thereof. The height and length with which the flights are filled in the degassing regions in the individual degassing sections is controlled by the comparison of a pressure gradient measured in the metering region of that section with a desired pressure gradient and on the basis of this, the melt is conveyed with substantially the same throughput capacity in each degassing section. As a result of these measures, the degassing is effected in all of the degassing sections with optimally partially filled screw threads and with an optimum filling length of the worm threads, which is independent of the viscosity of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Hermann Berstorff Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Wobbe
  • Patent number: 4900155
    Abstract: A method of mixing a pumpable additive with a thermoplastified flow utilizes a pocketed rotor and stator structure integrated in a worm or screw plastifier and to which the additive is fed by a metering pump at the upstream end of the gap between the rotor and stator surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Wilfried Schwarz, Peter Stommel
  • Patent number: 4900494
    Abstract: An apparatus including a single screw extruder for extruding a fused molten mass of thermoplastic material and for reverse degassing the melt. The device includes an extrusion screw rotatable in a hollow cylindrial barrel, and a hopper for introducing the melt into the barrel. The screw has at least one flight for conveying the introduced melt and a return delivery flight disposed upstream, in the direction of extrusion, of the hopper. Reverse degassing of the melt is effected by a vacuum source disposed upstream of the hopper in communication with the return delivery section, and provided with a degassing dome generating a reduced pressure or vacuum. At least one radially adjustable separating member for effecting mechanical separation of fused mass from the gas is provided in at least one location in the return delivery section. The method includes degassing of the melt by producing a reduced pressure in the return delivery section. The gas extracted from the melt is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Hermann Berstorff Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Wobbe
  • Patent number: 4889431
    Abstract: Heatable or coolable mixing kneader for batchwise or continuous operation for mixing/kneading processes with liquid, pasty and free-flowing products, with a kneading shaft (16) coaxially rotating in a cylindrical housing (1), with disk elements (17) mounted at right angles thereupon, with kneading bars (18), which interest with kneading counterelements (19/20/21) fixed in the housing, characterized in that these kneading tools are designed as interengaging forks with kneading gaps of large specific length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventor: Pierre Liechti
  • Patent number: 4887907
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for use in a rotary extruder, comprising a rotor rotatably mounted inside a barrel by means of drive and free end bearing assemblies; a coaxial longitudinal bore extending into the rotor from its free end; a sleeve within the bore defining a thermally insulated central zone disposed radially inward from the plasticizing surface of the rotor, and cooling zones disposed at each end of the sleeve radially inward from the drive and free end bearing assemblies; a conduit disposed within the sleeve defining a longitudinally extending annulus therebetween; and rotatable means providing fluid communication between a coolant inlet and the interior of the conduit, and between the longitudinally extending annulus and a coolant outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: Permian Research Corporation
    Inventors: Granville J. Hahn, Sammy K. Flud
  • Patent number: 4871260
    Abstract: A rotary processor for high-shear processing of plastic or polymeric materials comprises a rotor having end discs and at least one mixing disc therebetween, the rotor closely surrounded by a housing to defined annular processing chambers flanking each mixing disc, with a high-shear-mixing transfer gap defined between the mixing disc and the housing. Channel blocks are deployed at circumferentially spaced apart positions in adjacent chambers to cause transfer of material through the transfer gaps, with dispersive mixing occurring in the transfer gaps. Some embodiments have plural channel blocks in the chambers, evenly spaced apart. The channel blocks extend generally into and to the bottom of a chamber, and have two working surfaces divergent from a central region of the chamber and convergent toward the disc walls defining the chamber. The working surfaces and disc walls defined two high-shear-mixing recycle gaps through which a portion of the material passes and is mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventors: Zehev Tadmor, Arthur D. Siegel, Jan-Chin Yang
  • Patent number: 4842788
    Abstract: Extrusion machine and process, the machine having a barrel having a feed section for receiving solid extrusion material, and containing a screw for moving the solid extrusion material through a solids conveying section to a compression section of the barrel to generate heat and pressure to melt the extrusion material and force the melt through a downstream extrusion die. The solids conveying section of the barrel has a cross-section comprising a plurality of flat or slightly curved surfaces which extend substantially tangentially relative to the extrusion screw circumference, providing axial recesses which restrain the rotation of the solid extrusion material with the screw as it is moved axially into the compression section. The present machine and process causes plastic extrusion composition to be packed as a non-rotating mass to fill the solids-conveying and compression sections and increase the dead head pressure and extrusion output of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: D. Emil Johnson
  • Patent number: 4832889
    Abstract: Extrusion process and apparatus, the apparatus including an extrusion barrel having axial grooves which extend through the feed section and solids conveying section and disappear at the exit end of the compression section. The apparatus also includes a helical thread extrusion screw having a maximum channel depth in the feed section, which depth disappears at the exit end thereof. The process and apparatus causes plastic extrusion composition to be packed as a non-rotating mass to fill the solids-conveying and compression sections and increase the dead head pressure and extrusion output of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: D. Emil Johnson
  • Patent number: RE36147
    Abstract: A device to mix and extrude various ingredients including pastas, pastries, baked goods, hors d'oeuvres, and cookies. The device includes novel measuring, mixing and extrusion arrangements including: an automatic measuring cup; a way to continuously mix and extrude ingredients without intervening cleanings; a mixing and extrusion feed for handling different consistencies of ingredients; an integrated automatic cutter; motor cooling and extruded ingredient drying; as well as various safety devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Ronco R&D Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan L. Backus, Ronald M. Popeil