Abstract: A mixing apparatus comprising: a) a mixing well characterized by an internal volume not exceeding 100 ml; b) a drive mechanism including a stationary circumferential gear on an inner surface of the mixing well; and c) a planetary mixing element driven by a mixing element gear which engages the stationary circumferential gear.

Abstract: A log washer apparatus having two longitudinal shafts. The shaft includes paddles arranged into groups. Some of the groups are aligned about the circumference of the shaft such that each of the paddles in the group extend outward from the shaft at the same circumferential location about the shaft. Some of the groups are offset such that paddles within the offset groups are offset with respect to the adjacent paddles so as to increase fluid flow in the log washer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating the membrane portion of waste egg shells from the hard mineral portion thereof, so that each can be used or further processed as desired, thereby addressing the environmental and economic issues associated with disposing of waste egg shells. The membrane and shell are separated by first processing waste egg shells so as to yield small waste egg shell particles. During this processing, the waste egg shell particles are at least slightly abraded, whereby the linking structure between the membrane and shell is at least partially disrupted. Thereafter, the waste egg shell particles are conveyed to a tank containing, preferably, water, and allowed to settle therethrough. As the waste egg shell particles settle, the particles experience turbulent forces in the liquid which cause the membrane and shell portions to fully separate. Since the membrane particles are very light, they tend to remain entrained in the liquid, where they are, for example, siphoned off and dewatered.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and plant for cleaning unwashed clay/sand or oil sands in which a vessel having a false floor of permeable material contains a column of liquid and sand to be cleaned in which an air and liquid mix is injected through the permeable material at a controlled pressure so that the air, water and sand clay mixture will mix together to fluidise the sand with the presence of small bubbles of air to create a turbulence and abrasion of the particles and to clean the sand.

Abstract: A separator apparatus to separate less dense particulate material from dense particulate material has a tank for containing fluid which has sidewalls and a sloping bottom with upper and lower ends. A vertically oriented housing is secured to the tank and has an upper and lower end with the lower end being in the tank and the upper end extending above the tank. An auger means is mounted within the housing and extends the substantial length thereof. A discharge location is located in the tank adjacent the lower end of the bottom for removing dense objects therefrom. The housing has a discharge location at its upper end for discharging the less dense objects lifted from the tank by the auger apparatus. A spout is located at the discharge location for the housing and has a spout that has a wall tangential to the cylindrical housing for quickly and easily receiving less dense objects from the outer periphery of the helical flighting.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator has a rotating tub with annular dams to trap the heavier components of the slurry fed into the tub through a centrally located feed tube. The latter rotates at a speed slightly different from that of the tub and supports radially extending spokes that have depending tines provided with lower nozzle defining ends in the annular spaces between the dams. Water under pressure emanates from these nozzles. An alternative tub configuration has annular water manifolds inside these annular spaces to provide water under pressure to nozzles in the tub itself for supplementing the action of the nozzles in the depending tines.

Abstract: A heavy metal separator, including a rotatable paddle inside a tank receiving placer ore, and a discharge tube and a discharge pipe at the bottom of the tank, the tube serving to carry off the heavy metal, while the pipe carries off the remaining ore fragments.

Abstract: Severed metal bearing ore is placed in a vessel having a water inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top. A propeller causes water to flow upwardly through the vessel and to be discharged through the outlet carrying gangue with it. Concentrate, which is heavier because it contains the metal to be recovered, does not rise to the level of the outlet and therefore remains in the vessel. To achieve better vertical separation of the gangue and concentrate, a horizontal screen is positioned above the propeller to equalize pressure and inhibit rotational flow in the upper portion of the vessel.

Abstract: A hydraulic classifier for sand has a vessel of circular cross section about a vertical axis and tapers downward to an aperture in its bottom. A rotor is slowly rotated on a hollow shaft coaxially mounted in the vessel. It includes a hollow member conically tapering from an annular lower orifice upwardly spaced from the bottom aperture toward a smaller upper orifice, a flow tube mounted on the shaft for receiving liquid upwardly discharged from the upper orifice of the hollow member for upward flow, agitating blades projecting radially outward beyond the flow tube above the hollow member, and a nozzle on the shaft below the hollow member for forcing cleaned sand through the bottom aperture of the vessel by means of a flushing medium. A washing nozzle directs a liquid washing medium radially inward toward the conical hollow member intermediate the orifices of the same whereby washing medium is deflected into the flow tube and draws additional liquid from the upper orifice.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating and recovering metallic zinc from an ash-like solid substance composed of a mixture of metallic zinc, zinc oxide and other zinc containing materials is disclosed. This apparatus comprises a saucer-like container of an inverse cone form for receiving dross and a plurality of agitating scraper plates disposed in said container to squeeze out metallic zinc from the dross, discharge means for metallic zinc and discharge means for secondary dross being mounted on an opening formed on the bottom of said cylinder.