Abstract: A blender for blending materials having a container with a container opening extending a distance therethrough and intersecting the upper end thereof, a cap removably connectable to the open upper end of the container, a mixer connected to the cap for blending the material and a drive assembly having a portion adapted to receive the cap with the container connected thereto and another portion removably engageable with the mixer for driving the mixer to blend the material contained in the container. The drive assembly is adapted to be battery operated and the blender of the present invention includes a recharger for recharging the blender batteries.

Abstract: The phases present in a shear sensitive soap-containing formulation are controlled and may be changed by passing the formulation through shear zones formed by mutually displaceable surfaces. The shear zones are formed within the formulation by entraining it in the surfaces during passage between the surfaces.

Abstract: The mush and/or lather properties of soap-containing material including free fatty acids can be improved by subjecting the material to working. The material is passed through the shear zone(s) formed between two mutually displaceable surfaces between which the material passes.

Abstract: Apparatus for melting and dispensing very high viscosity material, such as butyl. A chamber with heated walls is provided with an internal conveyor and pump near the bottom wall of the chamber. The conveyor has sections which transfer rotational energy to material within the chamber, dragging high viscosity material to a pump inlet hole in the bottom wall of the chamber. Deflection plates mounted within the chamber push material down onto the conveyor, so that pump suction can be maintained. The plates also promote vertical as well as horizontal material mixing, thereby exposing new surfaces of the thermoplastic material to the heated walls of the chamber, increasing the rate of heat transfer from the walls to the material.

Abstract: Apparatus for mixing air with liquid (aerator or oxygenator) comprises a motor or other power drive generally mounted in vertical position on a float or a fixed structure, the motor having a shaft extending downwards through an opening in the center area of the float or fixed structure and bearing on its lower part a propeller located in a cylindrical volute section just underneath the waterlevel. When the apparatus is operating, the waste-water is sucked by means of the propeller from the bottom of the body of liquid on which the apparatus is floating and pushed upwards in order to be diffused by means of a rotating diffusion head in the shape of a paddle-wheel. This feature increases efficiency of the installation, allowing the velocity of the fluid leaving the propeller to be kept as low as possible and the dimensions of intake volute and propeller to be increased.

Abstract: An improved agitating device in a developing apparatus for use in an electrophotocopying machine, wherein the developing apparatus includes a sump for holding a two-component developing material made up of a marking constituent and a magnetic carrier constituent, and a hopper for holding and dispensing the marking constituent to the sump. The improved agitating device agitates the marking constituent held in the hopper, and includes a straight section of wire rotatable through the marking constituent in the hopper, and a compression spring surrounding and hanging on the straight section of wire.

Abstract: A cart for transporting relatively small batches of concrete mixtures, or the like, and having a reservoir for receiving the components of the concrete therein, an agitator assembly mounted in the reservoir and operable for continuously stirring the mixture during transporting thereof from the site of loading of the cart to the site of utilization of the concrete mixture, a pivotal connection between the cart and a wheeled trailer, a hydraulic cylinder operably connected between the trailer and the cart for selectively pivoting the cart in a rearward direction for discharge of the contents from the cart and pivoting the cart to its normal upright transporting position, and the rear of the cart being of a chute-like configuration for facilitating the discharge of the concrete mixture therefrom.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mixing vessel employed in the mixing and agitation of the slurry in the mineral and chemical processing. The mixing vessel of the present invention comprises a cylindrical vessel and one or more propellers rotatably disposed within said cylindrical vessel adjacent to the cylindrical wall wherein the axis of the rotation of said one or more propellers is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of said cylindrical vessel; whereby, the rotation of said one or more propellers generates the thrust substantially tangential to the cylindrical wall of said cylindrical vessel and, thus, creates a rotating motion of the slurry contained in said cylindrical vessel about the central axis of said cylindrical vessel for the mixing and agitation of the slurry. Said rotational mixing vessel provides an advantage in saving the energy consumption required by the mixing vessel as well as the power consumption by the aerating vessel.

Abstract: For the raking and otherwise disaggregation of powdery material in a reservoir chamber, there is provided an agitator unit comprising a laterally extending shaft disposed for rotation in the reservoir on which is mounted a pair of laterally spaced disks with strip lengths or cables stretched between the disks. The cables serve to provide a raking surface which prevents the powdery material from clumping and the agitator unit is rotated in the reservoir. The opposed ends of the cables are connected to the disks by means of clamping devices which are interchangeably disposed in corresponding bores formed along the outer edges of the disks. Each clamping device comprises a bush part having a lateral passage for receiving therethrough a corresponding free end of the cable. The bush is rigidly connected to the free end of the cable by means of a compressed or pinched fit and the bush is secured in the disk bore as the result of suitable stop surface means.

Abstract: An electric drill powered paint stirrer for stirring paint in a conventional paint marketing can of the kind normally closed for sale by a lid. A second lid is substitutable on the can for the marketing lid and has a central opening. A stirring rod assembly is releasably securable in the second lid. The assembly comprises a bushing element having a reduced diameter externally threaded and extending from a shoulder. The bushing has a central through bore. The second lid opening is of diameter to snugly receive the threaded bushing end therethrough but not the shoulder. The assembly further includes a stirring rod having an upstanding shank extending upward through the bushing. The rod has upper and lower radially widened portions closely flanking the upper and lower ends of the bushing for axially locating the shank in the bushing. The rod has a bottom portion depending from the shank and sized to lie close to the can peripheral wall and bottom for stirring paint in the marketing can.

Abstract: An extruder mixer for the extrusion of molten plastics and rubbers. The apparatus comprises a hollow cylindrical stator member and a cylindrical rotor member rotatable within the stator. The facing cylindrical surfaces carry rows of hemispherical cavities extending peripherally around the members so that the rows of one member are axially offset from rows of the other member whereby there is an axial overlap of the cavities and rotor. The cavities in adjacent rows on the rotor and stator are also circumferentially offset.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lid upon which a vessel can be fixed. The lid comprises a pouring spout optionally equipped with a valve device and a handle capable of including control means for said valve device. The lid comprises, moreover, means permitting its mutual fitting upon a support element, a position in which it carries said vessel. The lid according to the invention is especially adapted to be employed in a mixing machine used for the homogenization of a product mixture.

Abstract: In a stirring apparatus for sealed mounting on a vessel, in which apparatus a distance between a mounting flange (15) and drive elements of the stirring shaft (2) is bridged by a load-bearing intermediate housing (also called a lantern) (1+7, 50), at least a portion (1) of said housing, which portion supports the drive elements, is displaceable away from the vessel and toward it again by at least one hydraulic cylinder (3) for rendering possible the easy changing of wearing sealing elements for the stirring shaft (2) by using marketable auxiliary devices which may be attached or built in in a simple manner, standard gears too, and in a simple construction of the whole apparatus.Suitably, special guiding bolts (4) are provided for the movable portion (1) of the intermediate housing. If the latter is divided into a movable portion (1) and a portion (7) fixed to the vessel, the fixed portion (7) is used as the seal housing.

Abstract: A down-flow apparatus for continuous crystallization of zeolites comprises a vertically-positioned reactor having at least one reactor inlet port at the top thereof and at least one product egress port at the bottom thereof. The reactor is equipped with an inside stirrer extending throughout the length of the reactor and with heating means surrounding the reactor. Product and spent liquids are collected into one or more product collectors at the bottom of the reactor wherein spent liquids are decanted from the crystalline product settling to the bottom. The entire assembly is pressurized with an inert gas, e.g., air, nitrogen, helium (He), to prevent water boiling at the reaction temperature.

Abstract: An improved anchor agitator is provided for performing uniform and effective stirring of the fluidized bed zone of a polymerization vessel in a gaseous phase polymerization, especially of olefins such as ethylene and propylene. The anchor agitator includes at least two pairs of arms provided on a rotating shaft in mutually crossing positions. A pair of main blades is provided at opposite outward end portions of one pair of arms and at the opposite outward portions of each remaining pair of arms a pair of subsidiary blades is provided. The main blades and subsidiary blades extend substantially parallel along the axis of the rotating shaft and each pair of blades is located substantially equidistant from the axis of the rotating shaft. The pair of main blades is located farther from the axis of the rotating shaft than the subsidiary blades.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing particulate material and a liquid comprising an inclined screw barrel with a conveying screw, wherein the screw barrel projects beyond the last screw flight and in this region comprises inlets for streams of liquid.

Abstract: A device for preparing a beaten product and including a beater assembly driven rotatively about a generally vertical axis, with the beater assembly including a rotor body having vertically spaced upper and lower portions containing recesses, and a blade unit having upper and lower projections receivable within said recesses to connect the blade unit to the body, and with the blade unit being adapted for connection to the body by insertion of an upper one of the projections into an upper recess followed by swinging movement of the lower portion of the blade unit from a position in which a lower one of the projections is offset horizontally from a corresponding one of the recesses to a position in which the lower projection is above and can be moved downwardly into the lower recess.

Abstract: Kaolin suspension homogenizing and storage tank provided with at least a single mixing device mounted on its side wall. The mixing device includes a propeller or paddle impeller with inclined blades, the diameter of which is 1/15 to 1/30 of the diameter of the tank and the velocity of the blade tips of the impeller range from 6 to 12 m/s. The arrangement includes an alternative circulation pump and at least a single jet.

Abstract: A dyeing washing and/or milling machine particularly useful for dyeing woollen components including an annular working fluid reservoir and rotating paddle members which pass into and out of the reservoir to circulate the fluid therein. The apparatus may further include a heating system and a fluid pump and duct system, to heat and increase the circulation of fluid within the reservoir.

Abstract: A symmetrical, balanced, glass coated, four bladed impeller for use in closed vessels having blades arranged so that the impeller may fit through a relatively small manhole even though the effective diameter of the impeller is substantially larger than the manhole.

Abstract: Driving means for agitators and other devices having vertically disposed driven shafts which includes an intermediate shaft carried by bearings capable of withstanding thrust and radial loads, a coupling connecting the driven shaft to the lower end of said intermediate shaft, a coupling on the upper end of the intermediate shaft and a drive motor having a downwardly extending driven shaft engaging the coupling on the upper end of the intermediate shaft and a mounting for said motor to permit displacement thereof in a plane normal to said intermediate shaft.

Abstract: Equipment is provided for processing of photographic film and paper using roller transport systems which transport the photographic film and paper through a succession of processing tanks with liquids therein for processing and in which the respective liquids are agitated simultaneously with the operation of the transport systems by agitators within the tanks.

Abstract: The present separation apparatus makes it possible at low cost continuously to separate a mixture according to the density of its constituent particles which have been graded to an upper limit of the particle size of any shape, and is particularly suitable for the separation of electrical storage battery waste. A separation medium, consisting preferably of a liquid and a gaseous flow medium, fed into a vertical separator column (1) via a mixing nozzle (10) flows through the column from the bottom upwardly. Above a constriction (7) adjacent a through-flow aperture (9) there is a baffle (15) which is movable transversely relative to the longitudinal axis (4) of separator column (1) to form a flow channel (20) leading to the through-flow aperture (9). The width of the flow channel (20) when the baffle (15) lies against the internal wall (1a) of the separator column (1) is just sufficiently large to let the particles through.

Abstract: A mixing head for mixtures of reactive components, e.g. two-component synthetic-resin systems to be discharged into a mold, in which the orifices for the two components open into a mixing chamber and can be selectively blocked or unblocked by a plunger or piston which serves to drive the mixture out of the chamber. According to the invention a blocking body (baffle barrier) is provided on a connecting rod which extends through the plunger and, in a retracted position of the latter, is located in the path of the jets of the reactive components emanating from the orifices.

Abstract: Lifter blades are mounted for rotation by a rotor assembly within a foraminous housing to centrifugally dry pellets impelled upwardly through the housing by the blades. Accumulation of pellets on the rotor is minimized by elimination of vertical entrapping surfaces in favor of spokes made of vertically positioned flat bars from which blade attachment arms extend at obtuse angles.

Abstract: A one piece enameled agitator is equipped with an impeller that can be wound or threaded through an opening in an associated container or vessel that is smaller than the impeller diameter.

Abstract: A mix for batch mixing a treatment agent and a particulate material comprises a mixing chamber having at least one mixing member rotatably mounted therein. Outlet means is positioned to receive the mixed batch of material from the mixing chamber. The mixing member may be rotated at a first speed of rotation effective to mix materials within the mixing chamber without discharging from the outlet means. The mixing member is also rotatable at a second speed of rotation effective to discharge the charge or batch of material through the outlet means after it has been treated during the initial mixing step. The rotation of the mixing member at a higher rate of speed at the second speed of rotation effects discharge through the outlet means by centrifugal force.

Abstract: A mixing insert of solid material into which intersecting channels are drilled is particularly suitable for use as a static mixer for highly viscous liquids. The insert provides a high quality of mixing while withstanding pressure differences of more than 10.sup.7 Pa along the mixer. If the insert is rotated, static and dynamic mixing properties are superimposed on each other in the mixer. Either forward transport of the materials or return for remixing can be particularly promoted according to the sense of rotation and form of the external channels, which must be partly open.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuous preparation of an acrylonitrilebutadienestyrene copolymer comprises on-stream mounted: a prepolymerization reactor, a polymerization reactor, a reactor for the final polymerization and an apparatus for the removal of the non-polymerized monomers from the reaction mass. The polymerization reactor contains a stirring means which has a tube fixedly mounted coaxially with a shell and a mixing member disposed inside the tube. The stirring member is embodied in the form of a closed cylinder. At least one slot is provided in the tube wall. This slot is extending over the entire length of the tube. In the reactor there is also a partition positioned between the reactor shell wall and the stirring member. The partition is passing through the middle of the slot and intended for division of the reactor shell cavity into a suction zone and a pumping zone.

Abstract: A seal arrangement for the shaft of a high intensity mixer rotor comprises a block housing a plurality of pistons which together urge a collar axially of the shaft into engagement with a sealing surface of the rotor. The pistons are mounted in chambers in the block, and are all connected to a common pressurizable fluid inlet in the block. The block may be U-shaped to facilitate removal of the block from the shaft.

Abstract: A fluid mixing apparatus having means for producing vortex-like motions of the fluids introduced therein, one embodiment of such an apparatus, for example, using two concentrically mounted inner and outer members, preferably cylindrical, moveable relative to each other at rotational speeds such as to produce the desired vortex-like motions of the fluids introduced into the region therebetween. In one embodiment thereof, the vortex-like motions may be obtained at relatively low rotational speeds by the use of V-shaped grooves on the inner member. In addition, suitable means can further be used to generate a de-stabilizing force for the fluids in a direction substantially perpendicular to the velocity streamlines thereof to further enhance the mixing effectiveness and to improve the quality of the mix, such de-stabilizing force in one embodiment, for example, being generated by the application of an electric field across the region between the inner and outer members.

Abstract: A mechanized emulsifier is disclosed for mixing water and hydrocarbon fuels for boilers and internal combustion engines. A rotor is driven in an annular chamber and liquids drawn in at the axis of the rotor are thrown out through narrow radial passages therein to impinge on the outer wall of the annular chamber. This wall is circular for most of its circumference but broadens out into a spiral shaped outlet chamber.A fluid logic circuit for automatic control of the emulsifier is also set forth.

Abstract: Disclosed is improved homogenizer apparatus of the type capable of operating in the range of 60,000 revolutions per minute. A motor is mounted to a motor support frame structure which in turn is mounted to the cabinet of the homogenizer. Two shafts are mounted to the motor mounting frame and extend downwardly essentially parallel to a spindle operably connected to the motor. A lower flask base support and an upper flask clamp are mounted for sliding movement on the two shafts and clamps formed of a cylindrical member fabricated of a metal softer than the shafts to avoid marring or damage to the shafts are utilized to clamp the flask base and flask clamp in any desired position on the shafts. By attaching the shafts directly to the motor support frame, the flask base and flask clamp remain properly oriented and aligned with respect to the spindle irrespective of shipping and operation vibrations and other external forces.

Abstract: A household appliance, to be used in the production of spaghetti, noodles and other farinaceous products, has a housing which contains a generally semicylindrical mixing vessel axially traversed by a horizontal shaft fitted with a set of axially spaced and angularly offset radially extending rods for beating a mass of dough. The rods, inserted into bores of the shaft, can be extracted to facilitate an axial withdrawal of the shaft from the housing whereupon the vessel can also be removed. The dough may be flattened and/or sliced by ancillary attachments powered by the shaft drive. One such attachment, designed to produce maccaroni, comprises an extruder screw at the bottom of the housing into which the dough can be discharged through a normally obstructed bottom slot in the mixing vessel.

Abstract: A mixer means for asphalt materials, particularly Trinidad Lake Asphalt. It has a revolving rotor assembly which carries longitudinally-extending mixer blades, the blades being perforate and thereby providing more thoroughness of the mixing procedure by which the asphalt particulate chips are caused to go into a sort of suspension in the liquid solvent of other asphalts or oils, even though the mixer blades are substantially larger than the particles being mixed. There are heater coil means extending inwardly from the tank ends, the support of the mixer blades being such as to accommodate the heater means without interference from revolving members of the rotor assembly.

Abstract: A mechanical separator having a container providing a chamber for receiving plant material, such as herb plants, spice plants and the like, a motor driven substantially flexible member being rotatably supported for substantially free form random thrashing movement within and about the chamber in juxtarelationship for engaging, fragmenting and separating the intrinsic parts of the plant material as desired for flavoring from the waste portions thereof, a screen being provided across a dischargeway opening from the chamber of the container, such screen being of a mesh size to act to permit the fragmented and separated intrinsic parts of the plant material to be discharged therethrough and to act to retain waste portions of the plant material within the chamber.

Abstract: Machine adapted to be incorporated in a refrigeration chamber of a refrigerator to make ice cream, comprising means for containing an ice cream mix in an agitation vessel and agitating the same, and means for causing an air layer on the outer surface of the agitation vessel to move. The provision of the air layer moving means is effective to promote heat exchange between the outer surface of the agitation vessel and the cold air in the refrigeration chamber by forcedly moving the air layer which might otherwise interfere with the exchange of heat between the outer surface of the agitation vessel and the cold air in the refrigeration chamber.