Abstract: Carts successively installed in a transfer station, receives a cotton module from above and are successively transported by a tractor into a conveyor assembly which feeds the carts successively toward a stationary feeder head where the cotton of each module is removed progressively as the cart is passed under the feeder head fluffing the cotton and delivering it to a plenum chamber. An auger, which sweeps laterally over the empty portion of the cart forming a temporary bottom for the chamber delivers the fluffed cotton to an air box separator in which rocks and stones are removed by gravity and a suck pipe removes the fluffed cotton to convey it to the gin.

Abstract: A high aspartame content product having round particles which are about twice as dense as aspartame powder but are surprisingly fast dissolving. The aspartame product is made by intense mechanical mixing a powder mix of aspartame and a binder with an critical amount of water and mixing time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for reforming sponge titanium powder into intermediate titanium particles of desirable fluidity and superior bulk specific gravity suitable as a starting material of a titanium or titanium alloy product to be produced by powder metallurgy, comprising the steps of: charging a sponge titanium powder in mill pots of a planetary ball mill together with crushing medium; collapsing the particles of the powder to be consolidated forming a squamation under an inert atmosphere in the mill pots; and adjusting the particle size and particle diameter by cutting the squamated particle under an inert atmosphere in a crushing medium stirring mill.

Abstract: A bale shredder for shredding a large bale of forage, bedding, or mulching material is provided wherein a cutter is mounted to a frame for moving with a cutting action for shredding a bale. Further, an oscillating carriage is mounted to the frame for oscillating the bale across the cutter to induce an additional cutting action on the bale by the cutter.

Abstract: An extrudable composition formed of a blend of a polymer and a finely divided filler is prepared by combining the materials under conditions of high shear forces resulting in a composition which when diluted to a selected level has an application rate which is relatively higher than a composition having the same relative proportions of polymer and filler combined under conditions of low shear, the high shear forces reducing the aggregate size. The invention is also directed to a method for reducing the initial average aggregate size of a filler dispersed in a polymer by subjecting the mixture to high shear forces in a high intensity mixer.

Abstract: A compounding process for preparing a composite that includes introducing one or more fillers and a matrix material into a stirred ball mill and subjecting the fillers and the matrix material to a combination of shear and impact forces under reaction conditions including reaction time sufficient to reduce the size of agglomerates formed by the fillers to a value below a pre-determined value to disperse the fillers throughout the matrix material.

Abstract: A portable recycle crusher system has a hopper with inward and downward sloping sides, and fold-out hopper extensions. A belt feeder beneath the hopper slides on a slide deck made of a low friction, wear-resistant plastic bolted to a steel plate to prevent tearing of the belt when sharp pointed objects are dumped into the hopper. Stopping and starting and speed of the belt are controlled by remote radio control. Materials fall off the end of the belt feeder onto a scalper, which allows fine materials to bypass a crusher. The materials then enter a large rectangular opening of the crusher, and approach rotating hammers at a proper angle and speed. The hammers strike and break the materials and throw them against abrasion-resistant plates. The broken materials fall between the spinning hammers and through sizing screen steel grates, which provide positive product size control. The materials fall onto a discharge conveyor, which carries the materials away from the recycle crusher and scalper.

Abstract: A comminuting apparatus is provided for use in an impact pulverizer. The comminuting apparatus includes a cover defining a grinding chamber and a support frame connected to the cover and defining a discharge space. A series of spaced-apart bars is circumferentially angled about a generally cylindrical path positioned between the grinding chamber and the discharge space. Each pair of bars in the series of bars defines a material discharge gap and the series of bars defines a series of spaced-apart material discharge gaps between the bars. Each gap defines a flow path having an inner side in fluid communication with the grinding chamber and an outer side in fluid communication with the discharge space. Each flow path extends in a direction generally parallel to a tangent to the cylindrical path defined at the inner side of each respective flow path.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method of beneficiating graphite to a higher purity level by dislodging the impurities from graphite by attrition preferably in an attrition cell which has at least one set of opposing pitched impellers. A pulp is formed preferably essentially consisting of a flake graphite:attrition adjuvant:water in a ratio of 1:2:0.8 to 10 and this pulp subjected to attrition in an attrition cell.

Abstract: This invention refers to improvements to thermoelectrical insulation for high temperatures and electric currents manufactured from amorphous natural graphite, and more specifically to a procedure that consists of the grinding, mixing and classifying by particle size the raw graphite previously selected on the basis of its components of carbon-ash, from which the final product is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ensilage slicing attachment for slicing compacted ensilage. The device is particularly adapted for attachment to a skid steer loader. It is especially useful in an open pit, trench, or bunker silos in which compacted ensilage may be sliced from a vertical compacted facing to produce a forkable product. The attachment typically includes a hydraulically driven reel equipped with flat slicing blades (such as sickle blades) which perpendicularly extend outwardly from the reel. The slicing blades are staggered so as to create uniform and even slicing action. Particularly effective are staggered slicing blades which transversely cut against the ensilage facing at a lateral spacing of about one to about two inches per reel revolution. The skid steer boom serves to sweep the reel along the face while slicing depth may be controlled by forward and backward movement.

Abstract: A method of sorting plastic items by measuring the effect an item has on light directed at a stream of items from a light source, then selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light measured and the light emitted from the detector is provided. The invention also includes an apparatus for separating plastic items which comprises a light source, a detector for measuring the effect an individual item has on light emitted from the detector, and sortation means for selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light emitted by the light source and that measured at the detector. A method for separating single plastic bottles from engaged interlocked bottle clusters comprising directing an air jet at an item sufficiently forceful to displace a single bottle to a collection means but insufficiently forceful to displace an interlocked bottle cluster is also provided.

Abstract: A method of making feedstock from material supplied in rolls of flexible sheet material which comprises the steps of creating a pluri-layer web of "n" different layers of sheet material, each layer being selected with regard to some known parameter property of the sheet material whereby the pluri-layer web has an aggregate value of the selected parameter which lies within a chosen range of values of said parameter property. Conveniently the feedstock is created by disintegrating the pluri-layer web to create a mass of comminuted pieces of sheet material.

Abstract: Brittle material (1) is ground batchwise as a bed of particles by compression between non-yielding hard surfaces at a pressure of at least 50 MPa. In order to reduce the energy requirement and machine expenditure needed for fine, superfine and microfine comminution, the bed of particles is subjected to repeated stressing by pistons (4) in different directions and at least in part successively. The stressing preferably is accomplished by groups of two opposed pistons (4), which are offset at an angle with respect to each other and which are rendered active one after the other. The stressing is repeated in another plane of the grinding chamber. Wet grinding is carried out in a closed grinding chamber from which the liquid expelled from the voids between the particles being ground can drain through at least one aperture of narrow cross section.

Abstract: An improved pulverizing and grinding hammer and methods of making and using such a hammer in a hammer mill are disclosed. The improved hammer has a substantially trapezoidal insert made of a hard metal such as STELLITE 12 that is brazed onto a groove in a conventional hammer to form a contact face having an approximately ten degree layback angle with the vertical. The improved hammer provides a clear visible boundary between the insert material and base metal of the hammer, which acts as a wear indicator when the layback angle wears to approximately 40 to 50 degrees, the critical angle at which the size reduction efficiency of the mill decreases.

Abstract: An improved method for processing of xanthophyll-containing vegetative crops to yield a relatively xanthophyll rich high protein, essentially non-fibrous friable when dry particulate fraction primarily derived from non-vascular plant leaf or petal tissue, and a separate tougher, particulate fibrous fraction derived principally from plant stem and the leaf vascular xylem and phloem network. A system (20) which is useful for carrying out a preferred method includes a drying assembly (22) for drying crop to a moisture content of 15-30% by weight, a fractionating hammermill (24) to separate crop into a high protein xanthophyll-containing fraction and a high fiber fraction, and individual, downstream high protein and high fiber fraction processing assemblies (26, 28). The hammermill (24) includes an elongated housing (48); a rotor assembly (56) is situated within the housing (48) and includes a plurality of spaced outwardly extending hammers (86) each presenting a rounded leading impact surface (88).

Abstract: A method for reducing at production levels sticky, abrasive waste shingles and portions thereof into a reduced shingle material for use of a patch for potholes and cracks and as paving for roads and the like comprises shredding of the shingles to pieces, milling the pieces to particles and granules and impinging the particles and granules with intermittent blasts of compressed air to prevent clogging and sticking and to assist in discharging of the reduced shingle materials. The method may also include the step of spraying water upon the shingles and inside of the apparatus. The apparatus includes an improved hammermill with a compress air manifold with apertures therein for intermittently discharging compressed air which impinges upon the inner chamber of the hammermill and upon the pulverized waste materials. A pressurized water manifold with apertures may also spray the mill chamber of the hammermill with water to prevent clogging or sticking of the hammermill.

Abstract: A compounding process for preparing a composite that includes introducing one or more fillers and a matrix material into a stirred ball mill and subjecting the fillers and the matrix material to a combination of shear and impact forces under reaction conditions including reaction time sufficient to reduce the size of agglomerates formed by the fillers to a value below a pre-determined value to disperse the fillers throughout the matrix material.

Abstract: The ultracentrifugal disintegrator includes a device for cooling the annular zone (7), extending from the outer face (8) of the rotor (4) to the inner face (9) of the sieve (5), by feeding a gaseous coolant to the upper part of the zone (7), vertically with respect to the zone (7). Such a disintegrator is used for the cryocomminution of heat sensitive material.

Abstract: A method of treating plasterboard production scrap wherein the pieces of the plasterboard scrap having the plaster attached to paper components, is passed through an apparatus which comprises a cylindrical housing in which radial arms carry ploughshares riding along the wall of the vessel and cutting heads are provided between the paths of the ploughshares. The apparatus so reduces the pieces that a homogeneous mixture of fibers of the paper components and granular gypsum is formed. This product mixed with raw gypsum provides a calcinable mixture which can be calcined for use in producing additional plasterboard.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for disposing of enameled wire scraps having the steps of cutting the enameled wire scrap consisting of a metal wire and an enamel covering while stirring to obtain a cut-piece and to peel off the enamel covering from the metal wire selecting the cut-piece having a length equal to or less than a predetermined value from others, and separating the enamel covering from the selected cut-piece. As a result, the enamel covering can be removed from the enameled wire scrap with high efficiency and hence at a low cost, without generating a waste gas or the like.

Abstract: Soil materials are screened and crushed simultaneously in a bucket of an excavating machine having its back wall replaced by rotatable crushing and screening elements. The crushed and screened materials fall down through the back wall and the non-crushable materials with size exceeding the size of screen openings remain in the bucket for dumping in the pile of a coarse pieces.

Abstract: To form a binder from naturally occurring products without extraction or purification steps, the binder utilizes proteins from the germ or endosperm of cereal grasses or from the seed of buckwheat, oil seed plants, Amaranthus or leguminous plants or from leaves. The protein has a thermoplastic microstructure with linear polymers of moleculer weight of at least 2,000 linked with peptide linkages of at least 50 in number. The naturally occurring product is ground or milled without further processing and thus includes carbohydrates, particularly as cellulose, and possibly fats, yeast or materials yielding ash upon burning, with the carbohydrates being at least 5 percent of the proteins by weight. The binder may include some initiators or catalysts to polymerize fats or other initiators or catalysts to polymerize proteins.

Abstract: A method for increasing the proportion of a crystalline organic compound which remains amorphous and suppressing recrystallization in which a crystalline organic compound and a hydrophilic polymer substance are fixed onto a surface of core particles by means of impacts applied in a high velocity gas stream. The solubility and stability of the resulting composite product, such as a drug for internal use, can be improved.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for breaking down compressed bales of may or similar materials. The apparatus utilizes a canted bed mounted on wheels for movement as a trailer and a single blade knife spans the width of the bed between two cantilever mounted levers. The knife is activated by a pair of hydraulic cylinders to cut the bale into slices of widths controlled by an operator who advances the bales under the knife by controlling movement of a bale pusher actuated by a third hydraulic cylinder, with all three cylinders exchanging hydraulic oil under pressure with an external source, such as a farm tractor, through a control box. In operation bales are loaded into the lower end of the canted bed, advanced for cutting in the plane of the knife stroke by the hydraulic powered bale pusher, sliced transversely to the compressed layers by the hydraulic powered knife and discharged from a chute at the elevated end of the canted bed.

Abstract: A process for impact crushing of rock and ore lumps, in which a rock lump is subjected to a primary impact force P.sub.1, and then the plurality of resultant smaller pieces are subjected to a secondary impact force P.sub.2. The application of the impact forces P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 is synchronized in time. The velocity vector V.sub.1 of the lump subjected to the primary impact force P.sub.1 and the vector of the secondary impact force P.sub.2 lie on a line running through the center of the lump mass. The invention also covers an apparatus for performing the above process, which comprises a housing accommodating a primary crushing rotor and a secondary crushing rotor, and also means for synchronizing the rotation of the secondary crushing rotor and the primary crushing rotor, coupled kinematically to said rotors. The secondary crushing rotor has two hammers, and its mass increases along the longitudinal axis of symmetry in a direction away from the axis of rotation.

Abstract: An improvement in a bulk stacker/reclaimer of the type comprising a stacker conveyor for stacking bulk material into a pile, a reclaimer conveyor for removing bulk material from the pile and a removing means for transporting reclaimed material away from the stacker/reclaimer to a remote location. The improvement comprises a breaking means, interposed between the reclaimer conveyor and the removing means, to break apart frozen clumps of bulk material. The inflow to the breaking means is in communication with the discharge of the reclaimer conveyor and the outflow of the removing means is in communication with the breaking means.

Abstract: A plurality of recesses, each having a semicircular section, are formed close to each other in the inner surface of a cylindrical housing so that these recesses extend parallel to the axis of the housing. The inner surface of the housing, a portion of a circle which is part of each recess, and the ends of the vanes of a rotor are provided starting from the curvature centers of the semicircular recesses to the axial center of the housing.

Abstract: Fluid-inclusion volatiles contained in a range of types of sedimentary rocks are released under uniform conditions by single-impact crushing by applying a force effective for releasing fluid-inclusion volatiles from unaggregated quartz-grain sands.

Abstract: This invention relates to a gyroscopic centrifuge and mill apparatus having 1) a main mill housing assembly; 2) a material impact means mounted within the main mill housing assembly; and 3) a material conveyor means operable to a) convey raw waste/trash material thereto; b) convey heavy infraction materials initially processed outwardly from the main mill housing assembly; and c) convey the finally processed waste/trash material laterally of the main mill housing assembly. The material impact means is provided with a plurality of spaced adjustable impact blade assemblies mounted on a main upright driven shaft member and being associated with respective separator shelf assemblies in separate waste treatment zones.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing solid waste includes a chamber for receiving the waste, which may be any contaminated or non-contaminated waste including paper, plastics, cloth, metal and hospital sharps, and a ram for forcing the waste, to which germicide may be added, into contact with a plurality of cutting heads. The cutting heads which shred, shear and cut the waste are each mounted on an elongated rotating shaft. Each cutting head includes a plurality of parallel cutting blades separated by spacers. Adjacent cutting heads mesh together so that cutting blades of one cutting head interdigitate with spacers of an adjacent cutting head. A pair of curved doors close the chamber closely adjacent the cutting heads while the waste is being cut, and are opened for releasing the cut waste. The doors include elongated parallel grooves alternately for receiving the cutting edges of the cutting blades and for receiving the spacers.

Abstract: An electrophotographic coating composition comprising finely-divided photoconductive perylene pigment dispersed in a solvent solution of polymeric binder is prepared by the steps of (1) milling a perylene pigment with milling media comprising inorganic salt and non-conducting particles under shear conditions in the substantial absence of the solvent to provide pigment having a particle size up to 0.2 micrometer, (2) continuing the milling at higher shear at a temperature up to about 50.degree. C., to achieve a perceptible color change of the pigment particles, (3) rapidly reducing the temperature of the milled pigment by at least 10.degree. C., (4) separating the milled pigment from the media and (5) mixing the milled pigment with the solvent solution of polymeric binder to form the coating composition. A very high degree of dispersion of photoconductive perylene pigment in solvent solution of polymeric binder is achieved by this method.

Abstract: The invention is a method of making STYROFOAM fluff from STYROFOAM. The fluff particles are torn away from the STYROFOAM by a rapidly rotating router blade. The pulling away of small pieces from the STYROFOAM provides an increased volume to the fluff.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making a compacted, redispersible, aramid pulp fiber product wherein aramid pulp is opened using the forces of a turbulent air grinding mill and then the opened pulp is compacted to the extent desired for shipping.

Abstract: Refuse scrap from incinerated refuse or nonincinerated refuse is dried and precleaned to a metal content in excess of 70% and is then comminuted and abraded in a hammer shredder with the comminuted material being subjected to air separation and magnetic separation to yield a metal product containing at least 90% metal and with a density of at least 1 ton per m.sup.3 for direct use as any other iron scrap in a steel-making plant.

Abstract: A shredder for cutting carbon paper of the type used for credit purchases into indescernible pieces by a high speed cutting blade safely located within an enclosed housing having a lower collection receptacle. A pair of feed rolls moves the carbon paper at a controlled rate through a chute generally perpendicularly into the horizontal cutting path of the blade. One of the feed rolls is power driven by an electric motor. A single push button having a pair of indicating lights controls the drive motors for the blade and for the feed rolls. Depressing of the button while the blade is rotating reverses the blade and feed roll rotation to prevent jamming. Once actuated a timing circuit maintains the blade rotating for generally 10 seconds. A magnet is mounted on the collection receptacle closely adjacent a magnetic switch to provide a safety interlock to prevent the blade motor from being energized when the cover is removed from the collection receptacle.

Abstract: An electrophotographic recording element having a layer formed from a liquid composition comprising polymeric binder and dispersed photoconductive titanyl phthalocyanine particles. The titanyl phthalocyanine particles have a particle size up to about 0.2 micrometer and are characterized by certain X-ray diffraction characteristics and the layers are characterized by certain spectral absorption ranges. The coating composition comprises finely-divided photoconductive titanyl phthalocyanine particles dispersed in a solvent solution of polymeric binder and is prepared by the steps of (1) milling a titanyl phthalocyanine pigment with milling media comprising inorganic salt and non-conducting particles under shear conditions in the substantial absence of the solvent to provide pigment having a particle size up to 0.2 micrometer, (2) continuing the milling at higher shear at a temperature up to about 50.degree. C.

Abstract: A wet mixture of a metal azide having a predetermined average particle size and a metal oxide is prepared. The wet mixture is ground to reduce at least the average particle size of the metal azide. Thereafter, the wet mixture is directed through a chamber containing grinding media. The grinding media is agitated as the mixture flows through the chamber to further reduce the average particle size of the metal azide to a desired particle size.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for careful grinding and simultaneous drying of moist cellulose ether products wherein a moist cellulose ether is introduced by means of a transport gas into a circular space. The moist cellulose ether is impact-comminuted while being circulated in that space, and the product is simultaneously friction-comminuted in a direction opposite to that of the impact comminution. The peripheral speed of the comminution stages, which operate in opposite directions, is regulated to such a value that the resulting grinding energy dries the product to a predetermined residual moisture content. The ground material is conveyed by the gas stream introduced into the comminution space, and the ground material is then separated from the gas stream. If desired, the ground material is subjected to selective screening.

Abstract: A combination of raw coal and water is introduced as a slurry into a vessel. Chemicals are introduced at a feet inlet. The mixture is reduced by interaction with a bed of agitated grinding balls. Air is introduced into the lower portion of the vessel and forced upwardly through the circuitous passages among and between the grinding balls. The rising air bubbles carry the more hydropholic product upwardly into a froth compartment of the vessel and through a discharge outlet of the vessel. Wash water is introduced into the upper portion of the vessel and descends through the froth and the ball passages carrying entrained and less hydrophobic particles into the grinding chamber. The non-floatable material flows downwardly from the grinding chamber to a refuse zone for discharge as refuse from the vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for reconditioning the floor of a poultry rearing area includes a housing and frame adapted to be attached to a three-point hitch of a tractor so that the device is propelled and powered by the tractor. The device further includes a rotating shaft having a plurality of flail elements comprising straight bar members of 10 inches or longer are pivotally attached about the circumference of a rotating shaft for pulverizing poultry litter by rotating closely adjacent a contoured bed in the housing shaped to have an arcuate shape following the arc scribed by the swing of the flail elements through at least 40.degree. of arc. A hinged top cover permits access to the flail elements and rotating shaft and a hinged rear deflector forms with the contoured bed and outlet that ensures that the reconditioned litter is deposited evenly on the floor.

Abstract: Material is comminuted in a substantially dry state in a chamber (4) as a result of agitation by a rotor. During the process, gas is admitted to the chamber (4) through a foraminous base (8) to flow upwardly in a uniform manner across the cross-section of the chamber. Pulses of gas are directed periodically at the material through inlets (15) to prevent agglomeration of the material. The pressure of the gas admitted through the inlets (15) is higher than that admitted through the foraminous base (8). Surface active agents may be added to the material, also to prevent agglomeration, as well as, or instead of the use of pulsed gas.

Abstract: The process for the manufacture of special aluminas from the powder produced in the calcination of alumina hydrate, as proposed by the invention, achieves the recovery of this by-product, treating it separatedly from the rest of the alumina, in order to convert it into special alumina of high calcination degree, or alpha alumina, being adequate for uses other than aluminum production. The process is carried out by submitting the by-product to a water-washing stage that reduces its sodium content, solid and liquid separation, filtering and drying. A drying operation is finally carried out with a calcination at a high temperature wherein the alumina of high calcination degree is transformed into alpha alumina.

Abstract: An improved process for producing a ground crude pigment by grinding in the dry state a crude pigment composed of a phthalocyanine compound or a polycyclic organic pigment compound, is achieved by using a grinding apparatus comprising a cylindrical receptacle having an axis in the longitudinal direction, a stirrer having a rotating shaft disposed along the axis of the receptacle and at least two pairs of arms, each pair having arms fixed to the rotating shaft and extending outwardly toward the side wall of the receptacle, and steel balls as a grinding medium filled in the receptacle.

Abstract: A downdraft reversible hammer mill having a casing structure for rotatably supporting a hammer assembly between a top inlet and a bottom outlet, breaker plates pivoted near the top inlet and extending down on opposite sides of the circular path of the hammer assembly, grate bars circumscribing the hammer assembly and having opposite end grate bars extending into cooperative relation with the bottom ends of the breaker plates, such that by controlling the positions of the breaker plates relative to both the circular path of the hammer assembly and the end grate bars, with one breaker plate moved in adjacent the circular path and the opposite breaker plate moved back from the circular path to open the cooperating end grate bar, the mill is caused to operate with a negative pressure at the inlet and a positive pressure at the outlet to establish a downdraft effect in the mill casing structure in either direction of hammer assembly of rotation upon properly positioning one breaker plate moved in and the opposite

Abstract: Process for producing formed bodies with improved homogeneous properties, high resistance to oxidation and corrosion, great hardness and firmness, good mechanical workability, and high resistance to abrasion, made out of an initial power material which contains two elemental metals; or one or more alloys; or one or more elemental metals and one or more alloys; or a combination of one or more elemental metals and/or one or more alloys with one or more metalloids and/or one or more non-metallic substances, except for formed bodies made of NiTi, of Nb.sub.3 Sn, of stoichiometric, binary intermettalic yttrium-cobalt compounds and gadolinium-cobalt compounds, and of Ni.sub.60 Nb.sub.

Abstract: A mill for effecting in a particulate-containing substance a reduction in size of the particulate. The mill includes a support on which is rotatably mounted a vessel having a comminuting media contained therein. A shaft extends centrally of the vessel and is fixedly secured thereto to rotate with the vessel. Plural planar discs are secured to the shaft and extend in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the vessel. Planar blades are secured to both the disc and to the vessel so that the vessel, shaft, discs and blade means rotate as a unit. A spacing is provided between the radially outermost extremity of the blade means and the discs and the internal surface of the vessel. Deflector members are oriented in the spacing for deflecting media radially inwardly into engagement with the discs and blades so that the disc and blades can accelerate the comminuting media radially outwardly in response to a rotation of the vessel and connected discs and blades.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for its use for reducing discarded pneumatic tires and other large articles of tough, resilient, material into pieces of greatly reduced size, including a series of machines which successively shear and granulate tough, resilient articles into smaller and smaller pieces. In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention two successive rotary shear machines are followed by a granulator. Pieces are sorted before being sent to the granulator, and oversize pieces are sent a second time through the two shears. In another embodiment of the invention a single rotary shear apparatus is followed by a pair of granulators which successively reduce the size of pieces of material to smaller and smaller sizes.

Abstract: The floor of a poultry rearing area is conditioned for reuse for raising a new batch of chicks, by revitalizing the litter and droppings on the floor of the area. This a accomplished by scraping the litter from the floor with an elongated blade, so that the litter is lifted upwardly into the path of a power driven rotatary pulverizer, which pulverizes the litter and droppings, and permits the so conditioned litter to fall back onto the floor for immediate reuse. The scraper blade is maintained at or slightly above the level of the floor, as the litter is scraped, to avoid damage to the floor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the quantitative continuous feeding of iodine by inputting iodine into a hopper under sealed conditions, connecting the lower part of the hopper with a reactor under sealed conditions, having a valve to open and close the passage and installing a quantitative meter to determine the quantity of iodine and feed a constant quantity of iodine to the reactor.