Intermeshing With Each Other Patents (Class 366/301)
  • Patent number: 6623156
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating a fluid mass or stock, particularly couch stock or the like in paper making. Stock material is fed to a vessel having a mixing arrangement comprising rotatably arranged processing means. At least two processing means are caused to rotate mutually adjacent in opposite directions and substantially horizontally. The stock at the upper surface of the means is conveyed towards a wall potion of the vessel, whereby spirals arranged in an inclined manner at a core of the processing means bring the stock into channels defined by the core, by the spirals, and by the wall portion of the vessel, and further towards a constriction formed by the spiral elements running in an intermeshed manner, while a part of the stock is forced in a direction away from a discharge of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: POM Technology Oy AB
    Inventor: Paul Olof Meinander
  • Publication number: 20030174576
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for mixing bone cement includes a housing, a lid, a handle, and two mixing paddles, a first and a second mixing paddle. The lid is removably attachable to the housing. The handle has a portion that extends through the lid and that is rotatable in a first rotational direction. The first mixing paddle is operatively coupled to the portion of the handle. As a result, the first mixing paddle rotates with the portion of the handle in the first rotational direction. The second mixing paddle is operatively coupled to the first mixing paddle for rotating opposite the portion. As such, when the portion of the handle and the first mixing paddle rotate in the first rotational direction, the second mixing paddle rotates in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: STRYKER INSTRUMENTS
    Inventors: Christopher Matthew Tague, Richard F. Huyser, Jared Paul Coffeen, Christopher Scott Brockman
  • Patent number: 6616320
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28, 30, 204, 206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Patent number: 6588928
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28, 30, 204, 206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Patent number: 6550372
    Abstract: A food processing appliance includes a reservoir to receive water, a heater to produce steam from any water in the reservoir and a food-containing vessel positioned to receive steam from the heater. The vessel has a number of apertures that are sized to allow ingress of the steam to the vessel, yet curtail egress of any pureed food in the vessel therethrough. A carrier is mounted movably with respect to the vessel and a motor causes relative movement between the carrier and the vessel. A beater extends into the vessel from the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Chiaphua Industries Limited
    Inventor: James Henry Sharples
  • Patent number: 6550959
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28, 30, 204, 206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Patent number: 6523988
    Abstract: A device for processing foodstuffs or feedstuffs exhibits a conditioning device (2, 3) encompassing a mixing chamber (3) over a retention chamber (2), which are interconnected. Each chamber has a rotor shaft (4, 6) that extends lengthwise into the chamber, and each rotor (4, 6-8) is equipped with the corresponding tools (7, 8) all around the shaft (4, 6). The retention chamber (2) exhibits a second shaft (5), whose tools (7) intermesh for purposes of joint conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Berdais, Markus Meyer, Stefan Rutishauser
  • Patent number: 6520671
    Abstract: A device for dosing and/or mixing highly viscous and non-flowable materials, especially pigment pastes. The device includes a funnel which revolves about its own axis and a twin screw arranged inside the funnel. The twin screw arranged in a horizontal position in the funnel and contacts the interior wall thereof. This arrangement ensures that all moveable parts of the device mutually strip and clean one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Roland Halter, Achim Sturm, Bernhard Stalder
  • Publication number: 20020181324
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28, 30, 204, 206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Publication number: 20020176319
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28,30,204,206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Publication number: 20020176318
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28,30,204,206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Publication number: 20020075754
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50,52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44,46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length ofthe screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (10) having individual product lines (28, 30) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: WENGER MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Publication number: 20020075755
    Abstract: A continuous mixer (32) is disclosed which can be used for mixing of incoming product streams (22, 24) of different characteristics respectively to yield a final product stream (26) of predetermined, consistent characteristics. The mixer (32) includes an elongated housing (42) having a pair of product input ports (50, 52) and an output (64), with a pair of elongated, axially rotatable, mixing screws (44, 46) located within the housing (42). The screws (44, 46) include a series of outwardly projecting mixing elements (114) preferably of pyramidal design and arrayed in a helical pattern along the length of the screws (44,46). The mixer (32) may be used in a processing system (20,200) having individual product lines (28, 30, 204, 206) coupled to the mixer (32), and is especially useful for processing of incoming meat streams (22,24) of different fat/lean ratios, to give a final comminuted output stream (26) of an intermediate and essentially constant fat/lean ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: WENGER MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Huber, Gerald E. Schmelzle, Timothy R. Hartter, Adrian L. Strahm, Michael J. Strahm
  • Patent number: 6382826
    Abstract: A compact extruder with multiple parallel screws having a variable pitch arrangement, includes an outer casing which has at least two chambers that contain at least two screws which allow material to flow from one chamber to the other chamber through a passage, and that present a feed inlet for the material to be treated and an outlet for the material; each chamber has at least one pair of housings for the corresponding pair of screws which engage with one another, each screw presenting a long-pitch portion and a short-pitch portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Costruzioni Meccaniche Luigi Bandera S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giovanni Della Rossa
  • Patent number: 6323262
    Abstract: In a continuous process for producing filler-containing silicone compositions (P), a silicone composition (E) comprising filler (F1) is mixed with filler (F2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Wacker-Chemie GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Achenbach, Manfred Heisler, Armin Fehn, Christof Wörner
  • Patent number: 6288196
    Abstract: An organopolysiloxane gum is continuously prepared by (I) mixing at least one cyclopolysiloxane with an end capping agent, (II) feeding the mixture to a self-cleaning reactor along with an alkaline polymerization catalyst, and effecting polymerization at a temperature of 100 to 250° C. and under subatmospheric pressure, (III) continuously adding a neutralizing agent to the reaction mixture of step (II), thereby terminating the polymerization reaction, and (IV) continuously removing the cyclopolysiloxane and volatile components from the reaction mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Takahashi, Yutaka Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 6270248
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus which prevents erosion of left and right side walls 12a 12b for a flow path 12 for a molten substance of high temperature M and homogenizes the molten substance of high temperature while occurrence of air bubbles is prevented, wherein there are a plurality of mixing units 11 in the flow path 12; an even number of pairs of mixing units 11 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line in a longitudinal direction of the flow path 12 and the gap s between a left side wall or a right side wall and an outer peripheral edge of a mixing blade 14 is determined to be 0.04-0.1 times as much as the distance W between the left and right side walls 12a, 12b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouzou Yoshida, Yasuhisa Hirabayashi, Ichiro Terao
  • Patent number: 6260995
    Abstract: A description is given of a mixing apparatus for the treatment of viscous substances which comprises a heatable housing 1 with a product inlet 6 on one side of the vessel and a product outlet 8 on the other side of the housing 1 and, if appropriate, an exhaust vapor nozzle 7, which comprises two or more mutually parallel counter-rotating shafts 2, 2′. Located thereupon there are paddles 3, 3′ extending in the circumferential direction and blades 4, 4′, 5, 5′ extending along the axial direction. The apparatus permits the active axial conveyance of the mixed substance, the moving internals fully cleaning themselves kinematically during operation of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinrich Schuchardt
  • Patent number: 6220745
    Abstract: A method of and device for removing a liquid from a resin of high melting point by means of a co-rotating twin extruder and an operation system of a liquid removal molding of a resin of high melting point by which a scaled down, highly effective, high performance and continuous stable operation of the device may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Kobayashi, Junya Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 6214962
    Abstract: An organopolysiloxane gum is continuously prepared by (I) mixing at least one cyclopolysiloxane with an end capping agent, (II) feeding the mixture to a self-cleaning reactor along with a polymerization catalyst of thermal decomposition type, and effecting polymerization at a temperature of 80-130° C., (III) heating the reaction mixture of step (II) at a temperature of 130-200° C. under subatmospheric pressure for deactivating the catalyst, thereby terminating the polymerization reaction, and (IV) continuously removing the cyclopolysiloxane and volatile components from the reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Takahashi, Yutaka Hagiwara, Minoru Igarashi, Keiji Shibata, Kenji Tawara, Yoshio Tomizawa
  • Patent number: 6213629
    Abstract: A device for mixing particulate material and liquid includes a container, an inlet for the introduction of particulate material into the container, a liquid spraying device for spraying liquid over the particulate material in the container, a disc agitator arranged in the container, and an outlet for discharging material mixed with liquid from the container. A fluidization device is provided to fluidize the particulate material in the container during the mixing operation. The inlet is arranged at one lengthwise side wall of the container, so as to extend along that wall. The outlet is arranged in the other lengthwise side wall, so as to extend along the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Fläkt AB
    Inventor: Nils Bringfors
  • Patent number: 6211267
    Abstract: A highly productive method for the continuous production of homogeneous solutions of organopolysiloxane gums is carried out by mixing a solvent and an organopolysiloxane gum. It is characterized by using for mixing, a twin screw compounding extruder which is self-cleaning in which the extruder has at least 2 solvent feed ports downstream from the gum feed port and the internal pressure in the extruder is maintained at a value from 0.00981 to 0.981 MPa during the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Dow Corning Toray Silicone, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumitaka Suto, Hideyuki Mori, Norikatsu Higuchi, Norio Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6177052
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for cleaning flue gas, with a container (31) to which raw gas and an adsorbant/absorbant for cleaning of the raw gas can be supplied via at least one supply opening (33) and from which the cleaned gas can be removed via at least one outlet opening (35), whereby moveable built-in parts (39) are located in the container (31), whereby the moveable built-in parts (39) have flexible swirling elements (43).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: FHW-Brenntechnik, GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Weichs, Andreas Friedl
  • Patent number: 6136246
    Abstract: A screw extruder (10) having a barrel (18) which has a bore (26) defining an inner surface (44) and one or more extruder screws (28), positioned within the bore (26). The extruder screw or screws (28) include a central shaft (34) and one or more screw flights (30). The extruder screw or screws (28) farther including one or more dispersive mixing elements (204), (234), (308), (406), (508), (558), which interact with the inner surface of the barrel (44) to form one or more progressively narrowing passages (46) through which material is forced into multiple regions of high elongational and shear stress (480, (120), (214), (310), (410), (510), (564).A second preferred embodiment is a screw extruder (10) having a barrel (18) having a bore (26) defining an inner surface (44) and one or more extruder screws (600), (701), positioned within the bore (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Rauwendaal Extrusion Engineering
    Inventors: Chris J. Rauwendaal, Paul J. Gramann, Bruce A. Davis, Tim A. Osswald
  • Patent number: 6123446
    Abstract: The apparatus for treating viscous substances described is composed of a heatable vessel with, on one side, an inlet for the materials of the mix and, on the other side, an outlet for the materials of the mix and of two or more corotating shafts to which mixer elements have been attached, characterized in that the mixer elements are composed of two layers of bars, which are arranged crosswise in relation to each other, connected to one another. There are pins running axially attached to the face sides of the bars. These clean the interstices between the bars of the mixer elements of the adjacent shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinrich Schuchardt
  • Patent number: 6095035
    Abstract: A food processing apparatus is disclosed that has a tank with an inlet end and an outlet end. The apparatus has at least two rotary drums received within an interior chamber of the tank, each communicating with the inlet end for urging a food product from the inlet end simultaneously through the drums to the outlet end. A liquid is held at a desired level within the interior chamber. Each of the rotary drums is submerged in the liquid to a predetermined depth. The food processor of the present invention is particularly well suited for increasing the food product volume capacity for particular foods which can only be passed through the drums at a relatively low product level within each drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Lyco Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Zittel, Steven W. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6059442
    Abstract: The mixing appliance comprises a housing (2) with an electromotor (4), two spindles (9) each adapted to receive a mixing implement (11) in such a way that it is secured against turning but releasable, and a drive connection (7, 8) between the electromotor (4) and the spindles (9), the two spindles (9) and their drive connections (7, 8) being designed such that beaters (11) secured in these spindles (9) during operation are mutually counterrotating and provide between them a flow direction, and such that the areas touched by such beaters during operation overlap each other. The appliance comprises at least one additional spindle (15) for simultaneous, releasable receipt of an additional mixing implement (16) of the same type as the abovementioned mixing implements (11) and a further drive connection (17, 18, 20) for driving a mixing implement (16) in a further spindle (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Ole Bodtcher-Hansen A/S
    Inventor: Mads Morch
  • Patent number: 6039469
    Abstract: A kneader mixer comprises at least two axial-parallel rotating shafts, each of the shafts having a plurality of kneading-transporting elements axially spaced on the shaft and separated from each other on the shaft by a tubular section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventor: David Palmer
  • Patent number: 6033103
    Abstract: A mixing device for the treatment of viscous substances is described, which mixing device comprises a heatable container 1 with product inlet 5 on the one side of the container and product outlet 6 on the other side of the container, and where appropriate a vapor connection 7, which mixing device comprises a plurality of shafts 2,2' rotating in the same direction. Annular discs 4 are fitted to a shaft 2 by means of spokes 3; in this case, the annular discs 4 are corrugated in the axial direction, and annular discs 4 and spokes 3, together with the shaft 2 carrying them, kinematically clean the annular discs 4', spokes 3' and the adjacent shaft 2' carrying the latter. At all times, the housing 1 is kinematically cleaned by the annular discs 4,4' and spokes 3,3' in the course of rotation of the shafts 2,2'.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinrich Schuchardt
  • Patent number: 5942170
    Abstract: A continuous method of and system for fabricating thermoset polymer pellets wherein thermosetting polymeric resin material flows axially in a temperature controlled, mixer-extruder barrel while maintaining the material between a melt temperature and a higher thermosetting reaction temperature, and extrudes from the barrel at an extrusion temperature between the melt and reaction temperatures. The extruded material is formed into generally spheroidal pellets which are cooled in a transporting coolant liquid stream and charged to the interior of an open ended, centrifuge basket having a porous circumferential wall and an interior annular pusher plate. The wall is rotated to demoisterize the pellets by centrifugally removing liquid coolant and while reciprocating the pusher plate and basket relatively to displace the pellets axially along and off the basket wall. Pellets are taken from the basket wall without substantially fracturing them and forming an undue percentage of fines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: B&P Process Equipment and Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Peitz
  • Patent number: 5932159
    Abstract: A screw extruder (10), including a barrel (18) having a bore (26) which defines an inner surface (24). At least one extruder screw (28) is positioned within the bore (26), each screw (28) further including a central shaft (34) and at least one screw flight (30). Each screw flight (30) further includes a front pushing face (36) and a rear face (38). The profile (40) of each front pushing face (36) acts with the inner surface (24) of the barrel (18) to form a progressively narrowing passage (46) through which material is forced into multiple regions of high elongational and shear stress (48) which act to break down agglomerates of material and thus dispersively mix the material.Also presented is a screw extruder (100) having a single screw (28) which includes dispersion disks (102) which are rotationally offset from one another and whose design is not constrained by interaction with a second disk, which provides improved distributive and dispersive mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Rauwendaal Extrusion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Chris J. Rauwendaal
  • Patent number: 5918978
    Abstract: The invention refers to a device for mixing chemicals into a pulp suspension, where a high-speed rotor (5) with an open center is mounted inside a mixing chamber (2). It is mainly characterized by at least one further high-speed rotor (5') with open center being provided, the areas covered by these rotors (5, 5') overlapping and the spacing between the axis of the rotors (5, 5') being selected so that the rotor arms (8, 8') extend almost to the center of at least one other rotor (5, 5').
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Andritz-Patentverwaltungs-Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Rudolf Schieg
  • Patent number: 5897206
    Abstract: An agitator for providing uniform and rapid material mixing is provided comprising a first sweep blade mechanically coupled to a second sweep blade. The first sweep blade extends from a first sweep blade origin to a first sweep blade terminus along a first substantially helical path defined about a first helical axis. The second sweep blade extends from a second sweep blade origin to a second sweep blade terminus along a second substantially helical path defined about a second helical axis. The respective orientations of the first sweep blade along the first substantially helical path and the second sweep blade along the second substantially helical path define a first flow direction extending from the first sweep blade origin to the second sweep blade terminus. An agitator assembly is provided comprising a first agitator, a second agitator, a mixing bowl enclosing the first and second agitators, and a driving assembly coupled to the first and second agitators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Peerless Machinery Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Hall
  • Patent number: 5887976
    Abstract: A machine for continuous kneading, having at least one rotating shaft along which paddles are mounted, wherein notched feed adjusting plates are mounted on each shaft. In some embodiments, each feed adjusting plate is a C-shaped plate having a notch of adjustable width. In other embodiments, the machine has two rotating shafts. One of the shafts rotates at relatively low speed; the other rotates at relatively high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Komori, Reiki Murakami, Toshihiko Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 5876115
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fully self-cleaning reactor/mixer having a large freely usable volume, that cleans itself kinematically, consisting of two or more parallel shafts (2, 2') rotating in opposite directions, on which are located spirally arranged, axially offset paddles (3, 3') with scrapers (4, 4', 5, 5') on the front and rear of the paddles, and a surrounding housing (1). Since all the scrapers (4, 4') on the upstream side of the paddles (3, 3') convey the material concerned outwards and all the scrapers (5, 5') on the downstream side of the paddles convey the material inwards, axial conveyance is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Schebesta, Heinrich Schuchardt, Martin Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5863117
    Abstract: Method for continuously mixing polymer materials by means of a continuous mixing machine having a mixing chamber provided with at least one opening for supplying the polymer and at least one mouth for discharging the mixture and having arranged inside it a pair of rotors parallel with one another, the method includes the stages of:supplying the material and any additives to the mixing chamber through the supply mouth; andmixing and feeding the materials towards the outlet, by pre-mixing performed by axial sections of rotors rotating tangentially with respect to one another, and subsequent mixing performed by axial sections of the rotors rotating in a mutually intermeshing manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Pomini S.P.A.
    Inventor: Victor Gheorghita
  • Patent number: 5842782
    Abstract: A screw conveyor type delivering and mixing device is for combinational use on a plastics injection molding machine. The screw conveyor type delivering and mixing device comprises a large central screw rod and two small side screw rods that are housed in a delivering tube having a material feeding opening at one end. The delivering tube has a large central tubular portion for accommodation of the large central screw rod and two small tubular side portions for housing the two small side screw rods. The central tubular portion communicates with the two tubular side portions along the full axial length thereof. All the screw rods have sections alternatively having coarse threads, fine threads and medium threads consecutively with different pitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Wahn-An Machine Produce Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Anderson Lau
  • Patent number: 5806975
    Abstract: A method of continuous emulsification that can emulsify high-viscosity organopolysiloxane gums and is capable of continuous mass production. A compounding extruder is used whose barrel 1 contains at least 2 mixing element-equipped shafts 3 installed in parallel. On each shaft elevations and depressions are formed along the axial direction and the elevations and depressions on respective shafts intermesh. Organopolysiloxane gum, emulsifying agent, and water are continuously supplied as starting materials to this compounding extruder, and an organopolysiloxane-in-water emulsion is produced by mixing and homogenizing the starting materials by subjecting them through rotation of the mixing element-equipped shafts to a shearing action at a shear rate of at least 10/second (i.e. 10 reciprocal seconds).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Dow Corning Toray Silicone Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Hosokawa, Junichi Maeshima, Fumitaka Suto
  • Patent number: 5758962
    Abstract: A continuous kneading machine for doughs comprises a tub-shaped container, open at the top, which contains at least one pair of identical synchronously counterrotating kneading shafts. A series of U-shaped bracket components are attached to each kneading shaft longitudinally. The U-shaped bracket components are angularly offset relative to each other around the shaft circumference, with each bracket component being inclined in the direction of motion, such that the bracket components form a helical profile along the kneading shaft. A "manual" type of kneading is achieved due to the shearing off, pulling apart, and pressing together actions of the inventive shaft and bracket configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Ismar Maschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Theodor Ismar
  • Patent number: 5727876
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus suitable for mixing and conveying solid, particulate, polymeric materials, comprising a barrel that can be heated and cooled, at least two co-rotatable, self-wiping extruder screws located within the bore of the barrel, the screws being connected through a laterally flexible coupling to a dirve means which can reverse the direction of rotation of the screws upon the occurrence of a predetermined event. The apparatus also comprises a closeable feed port and a closeable discharge port, both of which can be made gas-tight, the shafts of the screws being provided with seals capable of withstanding elevated gas pressures inside the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Daniel Gregory Tynan
  • Patent number: 5713209
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for at least partially freezing a food product which is at least partly liquid in a batch mode is disclosed including a double screw extruder (12) including first and second, substantially intermeshing, self-wiping screws (14, 16) rotatably received in a figure 8-shaped barrel (30) with minimal clearance. In the preferred form, the freezing block (20) includes multiple refrigerant channels (36) spaced closely and in the most preferred form spaced approximately 0.32 centimeters from the barrel (30) and from each other. Thus, the refrigeration system can change the barrel surface temperature rapidly and specifically in approximately one second when the food product is introduced into the barrel (30). A ratio between the radius of the flight (40) at the crest (42) to the radius at the root (38) of the screws (14, 16) is in the order of 1.04 to reduce the total amount of product in the barrel (30) at any given time and decreasing the product residence time in the extruder (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Hunchar, Terry G. Reishus, Bernhard Van Lengerich, Jose Tadeo V. de Castro, Kenneth A. Focht, Chaitanya Kanojia, Clifford S. Lansil, Christopher T. Zirps
  • Patent number: 5697704
    Abstract: Clumps of dried fruit are separated into individual fruit pieces with reduced damage to the fruit itself by passing the clumps through an apparatus containing a rotating shaft from which robber-like resilient fingers protrude. As they rotate, the fingers pass between other fingers in the apparatus, and the combination exerts a force on the dried fruit clumps that varies with the degree of deflection of the fingers and hence with the sizes and resistances of the clumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Sun-Maid Growers of California
    Inventor: William E. Coyle
  • Patent number: 5669710
    Abstract: A multi-axis mixer/reactor with a large available useful capacity, which is kinematically self-cleaning, comprising at least one housing one, two or more parallel, contrarotating shafts 2, 2', on which intermeshing groups of gear wheels 3, 3' are disposed in an axially spaced-apart manner. The gear wheels 3, 3' are connected to one another by kneading bars 5, 5', while further kneading bars 4, 4' which are connected in each case only to one gear wheel are likewise disposed on the end faces of the gear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Schebesta, Heinrich Schuchardt, Martin Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5657687
    Abstract: A conche for producing chocolate compound consists of a conche container (10) with a main chamber (12) and subsidiary chambers (13, 14). Mixing vanes (22, 23 and 30, 31) are disposed therein on central shafts (19, 20, 21) in order to intimately mix the components fed in from above. In order to improve the mixing effect, additional mixing tools in the form of mixing worms (37, 38) are disposed in the lower part of the conche container (10), in particular in the main chamber (12). Stripping means (24, 25) moved along a cylindrical container wall (15) are supported solely in the region of a central transverse plane on a main shaft (19) in the main chamber (12). The main shaft (19) is provided with a clear cross-sectional thickening (28) which at the same time fills a dead space in the conche container (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Callebaut N.V.
    Inventors: Frans Callebaut, Rudy Bruyland
  • Patent number: 5658075
    Abstract: A self-cleaning reactor/mixer, in particular a disk reactor, with a large available useful capacity, which cleans itself kinematically, comprising at least two or more parallel shafts rotating in the same direction, on which axially offset, not necessarily circular disks with scrapers distributed on their circumference are situated, and a surrounding housing. The reactor/mixer on account of the special geometry of its rotors, which extensively avoids acute product-side angles, is particularly suitable for processing solids-bearing materials to be mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Schebesta, Heinrich Schuchardt, Martin Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5633296
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing rubber mixtures includes the steps of plasticizing batchwise rubber in a first inner kneader to produce a batch of plasticized rubber and transporting the batch of plasticized rubber, while still hot, into a second inner kneader. In the second kneader nonreactive additives are mixed into the batch of plasticized rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignees: Julius Peter, Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Julius Peter
  • Patent number: 5587298
    Abstract: A bioreactor which and be used with substrates which are difficult to attain sufficient dispersion is made up of a reaction vessel 1 having a reaction chamber 2 surrounded by a water jacket 3 for maintaining a predetermined constant temperature. The reaction chamber 2 is provided in the vicinity of the inner wall surface 2a of the reaction vessel 2 with a plurality of upright screws 6 and 7 in an adjoining relationship to each other, each screw having a screw thread or a helical fin 6b, 7b of reverse turning sense with each other so that the reactor vessel contents are subjected to a convectional flow induced by the rotation of the screws in the reverse sense to each other by a gearing 14, 15. The substrate therein is subjected to a uniform agitation and to a milling and sieving actions in the portion 13 where the fins of the screws face each other, before the reaction product is removed by a screw conveyer 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Director General of National Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    Inventors: Akira Horigane, Ushio Matsukura, Masayoshi Kamio
  • Patent number: 5540900
    Abstract: An apparatus for the physiochemical treatment and reaction of material which includes a pair of conveying screws which convey the material from an inlet to an outlet and wherein the portion of the material is recycled through spaced openings between the screws and wherein the material is introduced from one screw to the other screw in such a manner that an air space is created between the threads of the other screw so that air may be provided to or taken from the material being conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventor: Pierre J. Poncet
  • Patent number: 5520455
    Abstract: A batch type kneader (1) is provided with a chamber (3) having a material supply port (5) which can be closed, a pair of rotors (4A, 4B) which are disposed in the chamber (3) so as to be rotatable in opposite directions, and wings (10) provided over the outer circumferential surfaces (10A) of the rotors (4A, 4B) in such a way that they (10) mesh with each other. In this kneader (1), a ratio S/D of a clearance S between the outer circumferential surfaces (10A) of the wings (10) of the rotors (4A, 4B) and an interior wall surface of the chamber (3) to an inner diameter D of the chamber (3) is set in the range of 0.01-0.02. The lands on the wings of the rotors have chamfers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobeseikosho
    Inventors: Norifumi Yamada, Tatsuya Tanaka, Norihiko Nakamoto, Sumio Hayashida, Katsunobu Hagiwara
  • Patent number: RE36390
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for the cooling of edible foams, where a cooling or freezing system for pre-freezing of the foam is directly outlet-connected to an aeration system, a motor driven extruder device designed as combined deep freezing and transport device is outlet-connected to the cooling and freezing system, in which the pre-frozen foam can be cooled down to storage temperature, and the aeration device, the cooling or freezing system and the extruder device are connected together by means of pipes. The device of the present invention is characterized in that the extruder device has at least one double screw system with two screws positioned parallel to each other with their rotational axes. The lands of the screws of the double screw system scrape against the inner cylinder mantle surface of the housing surrounding it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventors: Ulrich Fels, deceased, by Elisabeth Fels, legal representative, Erich Windhab, Ralf Hoffmann, Peter von Holdt, Lutz Hahn