Abstract: A media mill having a cylindrical vessel which is vertically oriented and a motor-driven rotor extending through the vessel to agitate grinding media and a liquid product within the vessel. A tubular outlet housing extends radially outward from the vessel and forms an opening through which a screen assembly is removably mounted. The screen assembly comprises a stack of adjacently positioned annular rings which are supported on a tubular carrier element. Adjacent screen elements retain the grinding media within the vessel while openings between the elements permit the milled product to flow therethrough and into an interior cavity terminating in an outlet. The screen assembly extends into the interior of the vessel and is removably secured to the outlet housing by a quick disconnect retainer means.

Abstract: A sandmill outlet screen is formed by a stack of rings which have projections and corresponding recesses stamped into them. The projections provide a gap between rings whereby flow passages between the rings are created. These passages permit the liquid being processed by the sandmill to flow out of the sandmill, but keep a grinding media in the mill. With the projections of one ring nested in the recesses of an adjacent ring, a small gap is provided. With the rings oriented to prevent nesting, a larger gap is provided. With the rings arranged so that the projections of adjacent rings abut each other, a still larger gap is obtained. This variable flow passage capability is further enhanced by varying the height of the projections.

Abstract: A horizontal media mill comprising a cantilevered shaft extending from a motor into a vessel in which a rotor mounted on the shaft agitates a grinding media and the product being milled. A cup-shaped screen and a cup-shaped end cover fit over the free end of the rotor and are removably mounted on the end of the vessel. The screen filters the media from the milled product as the product flows to an outlet in the end cover. The rotor is of a one-piece polymeric construction and slides off the shaft to be removable when the screen is removed. The mill is tiltable to facilitate cleaning, and includes an integrated hydraulic system which tilts the mill, cools the vessel, drives the product pump, and provides pressure for a seal where the shaft enters the vessel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a horizontal media mill comprising a cantilevered shaft extending from a motor into a vessel in which rotor discs mounted on the shaft agitate the grinding media and the product being milled. A cup-shaped screen and a cup-shaped end cover fit over the free end of the rotor and are removably mounted on the end of the vessel. The screen retains the grinding media in the vessel while permitting the milled product to flow therethrough to an outlet in the end cover. The vessel is tiltable towards the screen end to facilitate cleaning and removal of the grinding media or screen elements. The stack of screen elements is radially positioned by ribs on the surrounding housing and axially clamped against lugs by an externally threaded nut. Also disclosed is a similar screen and outlet construction for a vertically oriented sand mill.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control unit for use with a variable speed system for dispersing, milling or otherwise processing solid particles in liquid. The apparatus used in the system includes a fixed center-drive pulley combination. The control unit automatically resets the pulley combination to a slow start-up position to prevent damage to the system drive train during initiation of a processing operation. In addition, the control unit allows a system operator to precisely and safely adjust the setting of the pulley combination to control the speed of the processing operation. In one arrangement the speed is controlled by manually operated valves that control fluid pressure on opposite sides of a piston that controls the pulley combination. In another arrangement, valves automatically control fluid pressure on the piston to maintain a position in response to a signal from a pressure regulator which is manually or otherwise adjusted to provide a selected speed.

Abstract: A rotor disc for a sand mill is formed with a rim which is considerably thicker in the axial direction than the web extending between the rim and the hub of the disc. This improves the milling operation and extends the life of the disc. Forming the rim and hub of an abrasively tough, high molecular weight material, such as polyethyelene instead of steel, further extends the life of the rotor disc by reducing wear and also reducing contamination of the product being processed. Ceramic materials also provide excellent wearability.

Abstract: The upper portion of the liquid processing vessel of a sandmill is provided with a large diameter tubular outlet. A cup-shaped filter to retain the grinding media in the vessel is placed in the outlet, and a cover having an outlet port is placed over the end of the tubular outlet. The filter can be easily removed for cleaning and selectively located in different rotational positions to even wear of the filter.

Abstract: A device for cooling air to a temperature below its dew point and for separating condensed liquid from the cooled air to produce dry air is disclosed.

Abstract: A disc-like impeller for dispersing solids within liquids is formed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with a plurality of radially extending grooves on each planar face to provide a long wearing product with excellent mixing results.

Abstract: The liquid processing vessel in a sandmill is provided with a perforated annular member near the liquid inlet for evenly distributing the liquid to be processed around the rotor. The upper portion of the vessel from which the processed liquid is discharged is provided with a split filter screen and a split filter screen cover which may be quickly and easily detached and removed from the vessel without the need for removing the entire vessel from its support structure.

Abstract: A tubular safety guard made of strong rigid material surrounds a rotating shaft in dispersion equipment to prevent inadvertent contact with the shaft. The guard is perforated substantially throughout its length so that the shaft is visible through the guard and so that the guard does not collect material in applications wherein the guard may be partially immersed such as in liquid mixing operations.

Abstract: The liquid processing vessel in a sandmill is provided with lugs which fit over mating posts on a supporting column in a manner to permit the vessel to be readily removed from the support column for replacement, repair or storage. Tension on the belt driving the rotor in the vessel is easily relieved by an idler mechanism so that the rotor together with its drive shaft and pulley may be removed with the vessel as a unit. A heavy bracket at the midsection of the vessel is adapted to receive the tines of a forklift truck for handling the unit.

Abstract: High pressure sandmill operation is obtained by balancing the pressure within the vessel on one side of a rotor shaft seal with a higher pressure on the other side of the seal. Pressure switches are employed to sense the pressure within the vessel, the seal housing, and the cooling water jacket surrounding the vessel. The switches are connected in electrical control circuits to deenergize the product pump whenever the sensed pressures are beyond predetermined acceptable ranges. The control circuits also energize lights which indicate which pressure was out of its range and energize a light indicating that the pump motor is deenergized. The control circuit further includes means responsive to the temperature of the product being pumped to the vessel so that an audible warning signal is generated if the temperature exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: Three sandmill processing vessels are mounted on a central supporting column. The rotors in the sandmill vessels are separately driven by hydraulic motors mounted on the upper portion of the central column. Separate pumps driven by hydraulic motors are mounted below the vessels for pumping the material to be processed through the vessels. An electric motor for driving the hydraulic motors may be remotely positioned to eliminate explosion hazards from electrical sparks. Indicator lights included in safety control circuitry for the electric motor are energized to indicate the malfunction if the motor is automatically deenergized.

Abstract: A bridge for supporting a dispersing impeller and drive shaft with the bridge being formed primarily of a single sheet of steel plate bent so as to form a hollow rectangular cross-section. The impeller shaft is mounted by bearings attached to the upper and lower walls of the bridge, for pedestal mounting of the bridge or for being supported directly on the dispersing container.