Abstract: A blending device is described for providing a uniform mix of particulate material. A pressurized fluid is conducted into a plenum surrounding a mixing chamber proximate the lower end thereof. An annular slit in the wall between the plenum and the mixing chamber allows the pressurized fluid to discharge through the slit for agitating particulate material contained in the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A blender is provided which is comprised of an impeller having at least three sets of blades, a first set of blades positioned near the inlet of the blender and a second set of blades positioned near the outlet of the blender are radially extending and pitched, said first and second set of blades having a differential in the average pitch relative to each other. The third set of blades positioned between the inlet and outlet sets, which may be pitched or unpitched, include blades which are curved toward both the first and second set of blades. The blender has particular application to the smelter art and is useful for the continuous blending and agglomeration of fine particulate materials.

Abstract: A soil compacting device has a vibrator unit dependent from a follower tube and so connected thereto as to be able to swing transversely relative to the tube. The connection is effected by at least one internally disposed flexible tension element such as a rope or cable. A resilient sleeve forms a seal between the adjacent ends of the vibrator unit and the follower tube and restrains relative rotation therebetween. The sleeve is pre-compressed by the tension in the wire or rope. The vibrator unit, sealing sleeve and follower tube form an elongated cylinder-like assembly with a substantially uniform cross-section.

Abstract: A self-cleaning type stirring apparatus comprising a cylindrical container, a plurality of rotary shafts rotatably extending into said cylindrical container and not having a common axis of rotation, and the same number of stirring members as the number of said rotary shafts disposed in said cylindrical container at locations radially remote from the axes of rotation of said rotary shafts respectively and being slightly spaced from or in light contact with each other, the radially outermost one of said stirring members being slightly spaced from or in light contact with the inner wall of said cylindrical container, each of said stirring members being fixedly connected with each of said rotary shafts in such a manner that it will rotate around its own axis while rotating bodily incident to the rotation of the two rotary shafts to which it is connected, and said stirring members during rotation not interfering with each other.

Abstract: A method of increasing the output of a mixing and kneading machine consisting essentially of a casing of fixed length having a screw shaft arranged in the casing and at least four mixing and kneading vanes; the casing being provided with kneading elements equal in number to said vanes and projecting radially inwardly on the inner wall of said casing and means for simultaneously rotating and reciprocating at least once per rotation the screw shaft within said casing; the method steps comprising the steps of doubling or tripling the diameter of the casing while simultaneously increasing the core diameter of said screw by an amount to maintain unchanged the difference between the casing diameter and the diameter of the screw and simultaneously reducing the screw speed about one half or about one third, respectively.

Abstract: An extrusion apparatus for use with thermoplastic materials has a withdrawable rotor which is mounted on a piston motivated carriage, the carriage having anti-vibration mounting members to reduce loads on the rotor. A gaseous vent chamber is operable in conjunction with a reversible extruder screw and a waste mix ejection arrangement, to prevent undesirable contamination or incompletely mixed material from the extruded product.

Abstract: A method for dispersing a powder in a liquid entails the successive steps which consist in forming a liquid flow passage between a pouring point and an atomization station, in continuously feeding powder into the liquid flow passage at the pouring point so as to guide the powder to the atomization station within and together with its liquid envelope and in atomizing the liquid flow passage containing the powder at the atomization station.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is provided for economically producing meat analog products. According to the invention, at least one slurry comprising oil, water and coagulable protein is continuously mixed and layered. The layered slurry is heat set under moist heat to provide a cohesive mass without surface product drying. The heat set product is then sliced for marketing as is, or after subjecting it to varying degrees of frying. The preferred product is a partially fried bacon analog product.

Abstract: An oscillatory stirring apparatus for liquids in a container comprising a stirring assembly attachable to said container and means to supply at least two cyclically alternating flows of air under positive and negative pressures to said stirring assembly, said stirring assembly comprising a housing containing at least two pressure-activated chambers spacedly arranged within said housing, a stirring rod dependingly supported within said housing, means interconnecting a portion of said rod within said housing with each of said chambers, means on the exterior of said housing to connect said chambers to said air flow supply means and means to secure said housing to said container in sealing relationship with an opening in said container.

Abstract: Equipment for charging ready-mixed concrete additives batchwise, which aims at keeping the slump of ready-mixed concrete within a certain range and making longer transportation by truck mixer possible without degrading the quality. The slump of ready-mixed concrete is detected electrically as a change in the mixing torque so that, when this detected value reaches a value set beforehand, a motor receives a control instruction to charge additives for adjusting slump into the ready-mixed concrete. The operating time of the motor for charging additives and the interval until control operation is reset and may be adjusted with a timer.

Abstract: A material processing device and method for milling, emulsifying, dispersing, blending, polymerizing and hydrogenizing flowable materials. The device includes a processing chamber through which flowable material flows, an oscillating surfacing of the processing chamber which produces an oscillatory squeezing action on the flowable material within the chamber, an oscillating motor which drives the oscillating surface, a chamber inlet for dispersing the flowable material into the chamber and a chamber outlet for discharging and displacing the flowable material from the chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for wetting dry particles and dispersing the particles in a liquid. The dry particles are delivered onto a vibrating tray, which has a circular discharge opening therein and a circular plate secured to the tray below the opening. Positioned below the tray is a closed container, which includes a body of liquid and an opening in the container lid for receiving the vibrating plate member. A vertical conduit section in the container has an open end positioned above the liquid surface and directly below the plate member.In a typical operation, a liquid stream under pressure passes upwardly in the vertical conduit and discharges in the form of a circular spout. From the tray the particles fall onto the vibrating plate member, and then downwardly, in a circular curtain pattern, into the liquid spout. In practice, the dry particles will strike the liquid just beyond the apogee of the spout.

Abstract: A method for mixing liquids and solids to form a mixture, and preferably nitrogen phosphorus potassium fertilizers in which the liquid is introduced tangentially into a mixer to establish a continuous vortex and the solids in the form of a stream are deflected from the central portion of the vortex to form a mixture of the solids with the liquid. The means for deflecting the solids into the vortex may be mechanical or a corona discharge electrode.

Abstract: The apparatus for heating foodstuffs or other substances disposed in cans (hereinafter also referred to as canned food) comprises a boiler and a quantity of flowable heating medium in the boiler and only partially filling the same, a heater to bring the flowable heating medium to a given temperature, a retaining means for at least one can disposed in the boiler, bearing means for the movable mounting of the retaining means in the boiler, drive means on the boiler to move the retaining means, the latter having a range of motion which is situated partially above and partially below the level of the flowable heating medium in the boiler, and also comprising an aperture in a boiler wall above the level and at a place adjacent the top range of motion of the retaining means, and comprising a closure flap for said aperture.

Abstract: Methd and apparatus for the manufacture of chips or flakes from food, stimulant, or feed materials such as fruits, vegetables, potatoes or the like in which a moist mass of material is deposited on a rotating cylinder. The film is formed on the drum and then removed therefrom, cut into strips and formed into typical chip-like shape, and then removed. A plurality of rotating knives is provided downstream of the cylinder to cut the film into strips and preferably to shape the chips as they are being cut.

Abstract: Conveyor screws located in side-by-side relationship on fixed, substantially horizontal axes at the bottom of a closed vessel are adapted to be rotated to provide mixing action. Means are provided for continuously supplying the vessel with meat material and with carbon dioxide. There is a discharge outlet in alignment with one of the conveyor screws, so mixed material will be continuously discharged from the vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for plasticizing material such as rubber, synthetics plastics and like plasticizable compositions comprising feeding material between two spaced apart surfaces, preferably rollers, at least one of which is rotatingly propelled, the surfaces being so shaped and relatively disposed that the material is repeatedly subjected to varying pressure, varying down to zero at times, and thus more intensive, less intensive and virtually no shearing work. Where the surfaces are on rollers the rollers are preferably formed with helical grooves, the rollers being rotated in the same or opposite directions.

Abstract: A rotary screw extruder and a method are provided to both devolatilize and dry plasticized resinous hygroscopic materials during extrusion thereof into a finished product of indefinite length. The extruder includes a screw having three successive pumping sections and a pair of vent sections. Each vent section separates two of the successive pumping sections. The first pumping section meters plasticized material throughflow. The intermediate pumping section has partially full channels that permit a continuous, helical passage to interconnect the two vent sections. The partially full channels establish a free surface which promotes devolatilization and drying. The third pumping section pressurizes the devolatilized and dried plasticized material for extrusion through a conventional die orifice. The devolatilizing and drying method begins by controlling the flow rate of plasticized material into a gas removal zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the skins from fruit (including vegetables) where the fruit has an elongated shape being substantially cylindrical or egg shaped, and which are particularly suitable for removing the skins from Chinese gooseberries (Actinidia Chinensis). The apparatus comprises a heated lye bath for loosening the fruit skin, washing means for removing the loosened skin and conveying means for separately conveying each fruit through the lye bath and the washing means. The conveying means comprises an endless drive loop having projecting dividers adapted to separate and propel each fruit in use. The apparatus includes guide means in the lye bath and through the the washing means defining a path followed by the fruit. The dividers tend to roll the fruit along said path when the fruits contact the guide means.

Abstract: A device for generating .[.ultrasonic.]. waves in a fluid preferably used in emulsifying water and fuel oil and the like constructed of two side plates (each having at least one recess, occurring in adjacent pairs) and a thin steel membrane disk having a liquid access groove (discontinuities) cut out of said disk and extending into said recess such that the remaining portion of the membrane disk extending across each recess pair vibrates (preferably resonates) in the liquid flowing through said groove and into one of said recesses to pass out a discharge conduit extending from the base of such recess.