Abstract: A method of crushing particles of material in a ball mill comprises feeding a mixture of balls and a charge comprising the particles to be crushed, a solvent and a lubricant continuously through a ball mill which initially contains balls. The balls are recovered from the mixture issuing from the mill and are re-introduced into the mill with a fresh charge. One form of apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a cylindrical container disposed with its axis horizontal and rotatable about said axis. The inlet and outlet of the mill are arranged centrally at opposite ends of the container, and the outlet leads to an annular sieve which rotates with and is coaxial with the container. The sieve retains the balls for return to the inlet and allows the milled charge to fall into a receptacle. In an alternative form of the apparatus, the container has inlets at both ends and has an outlet with an associated sieve at its mid-length.

Abstract: Recovery of paper fiber for reuse for waste paper materials containing plastic sheet and film is facilitated by the combination of a pulper in which the waste paper materials are pulped in a pulper equipped with a junk remover connected with the bottom of the pulper tub by a chute and provided with a pump constructed and arranged to maintain the hydrostatic head in the tub at a higher effective level than in the junk remover tower by circulating liquid from the tower back to the tub. The result is to cause transfer of the plastic and other lightweight trash to the junk remover for removal by its conveyor buckets and to prevent accumulation of lightweight trash in the tub to the extent that it interferes with extraction of the defibered paper slurry.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a cellulose pulp by mechanically freeing wood fibers in a grinder to form a fibrous pulp and bleaching the fibrous pulp with a peroxide-containing bleaching agent, as the only bleaching agent, in a peroxide bleaching stage, the mechanical freeing of the fibers being carried out in the presence of a spent liquor from the peroxide bleaching stage have a pH of 7 to 9.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for disintegrating and slurrying unconsolidated overburden for transport to a distant site. A hopper-like enclosure having a sloping floor is provided with a plurality of high-pressure water jets near the upper end thereof. The jets are directed tangentially along the floor surface. A first, coarse grillwork across the top of the hopper opening screens out large, consolidated material fragments and assists in disintegrating lumps of unconsolidated overburden. The overburden passes through the upper grillwork and falls upon the sluicing, high pressure water which mixes with the overburden and carries it downwardly toward an aperture in the hopper floor. A pair of toothed rollers are disposed in the aperture along with a second, finer, grillwork having bars extending between the roller teeth. Fine material passes readily through the fine grillwork, the larger chunks of overburden being comminuted by the rollers.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for manufacturing ground wood pulp from ligno-cellulose containing wood block material by forcing the block material to be ground against the end surface of a rotatably mounted grinding disc which has projecting grinding means in the shape of elevations or ridges located on the disc end surface which define grooves directed towards the end surface circumference. The apparatus includes a pressure plate for pressing the block material along a longitudinal side against the disc end surface with the fibers directed outwardly from the center of the grinding disc and toward the periphery of circumference of the disc while the fibers are separated. In this manner the fibers are oriented in the same direction as the edges of the elevations or ridges which carry the fibers radially outward and the elevation edges engage the block fibers under a movement component which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the fibers.

Abstract: Flaked metal powders are made by subjecting finely divided metal and a lubricant in a heterogeneous liquid system in a ball mill in which there is a mass of attritive elements through which an agitator is moved to displace the elements. The weight ratio of attritive elements to finely divided metal is within the range from 37 to 1 to 10 to 1. The weight ratio of inert liquid to finely divided metal is preferably within the range from 0.5 to 1 to 1 to 4. The weight ratio of finely divided metal to lubricant is preferably within the range from 30 to 1 to 1 to 1. The attritive elements preferably have a diameter within the range from 1/32 inch to 1 inch (0.8 to 25.4 mm). Preferred temperatures, times and other conditions are disclosed. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes, in addition to the attritive elements and the agitator, additional agitating means producing agitation in a relative direction counter to that of the agitator. The additional means may be rods extending among the attritive elements.

Abstract: Monitoring the production of a reactive or pyrophoric aluminum (produced by the milling of particulate aluminum in the presence of a subsequently displaceable material capable of sorbing onto the surface of the aluminum sufficiently to stabilize it) to ensure that the mill does not revert to conditions wherein welding rather than comminution predominates.

Abstract: A method for separating a plastics-containing mixture comprising a lead alloy, a polyolefin, a polystyrene and ebonite, which comprises (1) separating the lead alloy from the mixture in a running liquid, with the lead alloy being recovered as a residue; (2) placing the resulting plastics mixture comprising the polyolefin, polystyrene and ebonite in a separation cell containing an aqueous liquid medium in the presence of a wetting agent; (3) introducing gas bubbles into the cell thereby to cause the gas bubbles to selectively adhere to the surface of the polyolefin and float the polyolefin, with the polyolefin being recovered as a float; (4) adding a flotation agent into the cell containing the resulting plastics mixture comprising the polystyrene and ebonite; and (5) introducing gas bubbbles into the cell thereby to cause the gas bubbles to selectively adhere to the surface of the polystyrene and float the polystyrene, with the polystyrene being recovered as a float and the ebonite being recovered as a residu

Abstract: A method of preparing a suspension of additive-free beta-alumina particles includes vibromilling water free beta-alumina particles of a diameter larger than 2 microns in an organic fluid having a dielectric constant at 25.degree.C of from 12 to 24 with beta-alumina grinding media. The resulting suspension is useful for forming beta-alumina articles by electrophoretic deposition.

Abstract: 1. A method of inducing rapid failure in a shape that is under stress and is composed of cold rolled steel comprising applying against a surface of said cold rolled steel shape a mixture composed of lithium metal, lithium chloride and potassium chloride, rapidly heating that mixture as well as the surface of the steel shape in contact therewith sufficiently to melt the mixture but below the annealing temperature of the steel, and maintaining that temperature until the steel shape cracks.

Abstract: Improved aluminum particulate suitable for powder metallurgy applications is produced by wet-milling particulate aluminum in an inert atmosphere in the presence of a predetermined amount of oxygen to thereby comminute the aluminum into finer particles while oxidizing the new surfaces of such particles and then, after the supply of oxygen is exhausted, welding together such particles by further milling to provide a larger aluminum particle having aluminum oxide dispersed therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting thermoplastic waste material into a commercial-grade granular material wherein the waste material is introduced into a chamber containing a rotating cutter which shreds and frictionally heats the thermoplastic material which is thereafter cooled by cooling water added to the material while the cutting operation continues. The cooling water or vapor is then withdrawn or exhausted from the container under negative pressure leaving the granular material dry. Also, solvents are removed from the material. The cutter blade may include baffle bars which provide frictional heating surfaces for heating the thermoplastic waste material.

Abstract: Minerals, including metal ores, fillers and coal, are ground with a grinding aid which is an ionic polysaccharide, particularly sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for comminuting cellulosic materials such as paper and destructible constituents of trash and garbage wherein the material is supported on a flat wire screen presenting sharp, upwardly directed edges and wherein the material is subjected to the force of jets under a high enough pressure to impact the material at at least 100 psi. The disclosure provides for varying the force of jets to accommodate differing qualities of material and to selectively comminute only that which is desired to be introduced into a slurry, the force being insufficient to comminute materials to be rejected.