Intermeshing With Each Other Patents (Class 366/301)
  • Patent number: 5505536
    Abstract: A multiple-shaft mixer/reactor with a large free usable volume which cleans itself kinematically consists of two or more parallel shafts (1) rotating in opposite directions, on which are mounted, helically offset, feed blades (2) which are connected to one other by axially extended kneading bars (3), and a surrounding casing (4) as well as optionally an inlet (5) and an outlet (6) for the material to be mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinrich Schuchardt
  • Patent number: 5505591
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing materials, such as mixing or homogenizing fluids or dispersing a fluid in a viscous material, comprises a housing having bores and at least one inlet port and an outlet port disposed in the housing and in fluid communication with the bores. A pressure mechanism is disposed outside the housing and is in communication with the inlet port for introducing the materials under pressure to the bore and for forcing the materials through the bores to the outlet port. A rotor is disposed in each bore. The rotors do not contact each other. Each rotor has teeth, and the teeth of one rotor mesh with the teeth of an adjacent rotor so that the materials are squeezed in the space between two adjacent teeth of one rotor and the meshing tooth of the other rotor to impart stretching flow to the materials and to expel the materials from the interstices between the teeth of the one rotor and the other rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Inventor: Daniel G. Tynan
  • Patent number: 5505542
    Abstract: A conching machine having at least two rotors (6, 7, 10, 10') respectively arranged in a trough compartment (3, 4, 5) of a conching trough (1), with the trough walls (2, 15, 115) of the conching trough (1) of each rotor (6, 7, 10, 10') being arranged as closely surrounding each other. Of the rotors (6, 7, 10, 10') at least one rotor (6, 7) is designed with radially extending blades (8) and at least one further rotor as a cutter rotor (10, 10') with at least one cutting edge (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Willy Braeker, Werner Kuster
  • Patent number: 5460448
    Abstract: A device for conditioning feed materials such as flours, soy products, and the like has an elongated receptacle forming side-by-side intercommunicated cylindrical chambers of substantially equal diameter. Each chamber has a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally therethrough. Each shaft has a plurality of beaters extending radially from the shaft. A motor and gear assembly coupled to the shafts co-rotate the shafts. Upon co-rotation of the shafts, the beaters intermesh for mixing materials that have been introduced through an inlet of the preconditioner. In one embodiment, the beaters are oriented on the shafts such that selected beaters on one shaft sweeping feed materials in one direction (e.g., upwardly) advance the material substantially into selected beaters, located on the other shaft, sweeping feed materials in substantially the opposite direction (e.g., downwardly). This beater relationship provides a high degree of product shear and interference and product retention within the preconditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Inventor: Rick L. Woolsey
  • Patent number: 5450786
    Abstract: A conching device comprising at least one rotor shaft (4) having conching tools (5) is subdivided by partition walls (10, 11, 12) into compartments (13-16), so that in these compartments (13-16) different formulations can be conched simultaneously. The through holes for the rotor shaft (17) across the partition walls (10, 11, 12) between the compartments (13-16) are sealed by means of Belleville spring washers (18) such that no transport of chocolate paste can take place from one compartment (13-16) to another. Since the conching device comprises only one driving mechanism 8 and only two bearing units (6, 7) for each rotor shaft (4), there results a cost- and space-saving device, which can be employed in a manifold way. Thus, different formulations can be conched in the different compartments, which formulations can be processed parallely or at different times, by way of example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Richard Frisse GmbH Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Kurt Muntener
  • Patent number: 5439286
    Abstract: A method of constructing or reconstituting a shaft and paddle assembly for mixers and processors wherein radially aligned paddles on parallel shafts revolving at the same speed in the same direction of rotation both co-wipe and completely wipe the interior of the barrel of the mixer or processor which has a mixer chamber comprising interconnecting cylindrical bores. The co-wiping paddles are formed with paddle bores of a configuration comprising alternating lobular projections and root recesses, and arcuate corner portions on the lobular projections and root recesses. The arcuate corner portions of the projections are tangential to the arcuate corner portions of the root recesses. The shafts are formed with intermeshing matching projections and root recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: APV Chemical Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Kowalczyk, Bernard A. Loomans
  • Patent number: 5417492
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously mixing and heating flowable materials comprises an inclined housing, at least two rotatable screws within the housing with each screw having a rotatably mounted shaft and a screw flight. The screws are arranged in parallel juxtaposition with their respective flights of opposite hand intermeshing. The shafts are driven in opposite rotation to each other and each shaft is hollow and is provided with electric heaters within the shaft for heating the flowable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Christian Engineering
    Inventors: Robert F. Christian, Emil Z. Barish, Mikhail D. Mazur, Manuel M. Almojuela, Noland F. Nicdao
  • Patent number: 5411330
    Abstract: An accessory for a mixer having a first Moebius shaped mixing blade mounted to a shaft and having a second, mirror image, Moebius shaped mixing blade mounted to a second shaft, the second shaft being oriented parallel to the first shaft, and wherein the individual mixing blades, as viewed from the plane normal to each shaft axis, form the FIG. 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Novecon Technologies, L.P.
    Inventors: Yury A. Arutyunov (born Rjabokoni'), Lyudmila A. Gorislavskaya (born Ryabokoni)
  • Patent number: 5407266
    Abstract: In a mixing kneader for carrying out mechanical, chemical and/or thermal processes, having at least two rotating shafts (5, 6) with their axes parallel, disk surfaces (21) with kneading bars (25) fitted to their periphery are to be provided at least on the one shaft designated as the main shaft (5). These kneading bars will be swept by a cleaning and/or kneading and transporting elements (7) which are fitted to the other shaft designated as a stripping shaft (6). In this arrangement, the kneading bars (25) of two neighboring disk surfaces (21) on the main shaft (5) maintain a mutual spacing (a), through which passes the cleaning and/or kneading and transporting element on the stripping shaft (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventors: Winfried Dotsch, Walther Schwenk, Alfred Kunz
  • Patent number: 5403087
    Abstract: Mixing method and apparatus using two shafts which rotate in a reverse direction with respect to each other, having mixing pins branched in a V shape or Y shape and a mixing bath arranged in such manner that fibrous and powder materials are input to one end, and mixed while being moved along the length of the shafts with the obtained mixture being discharged at the other end. A mixing appratus and mixing method allows for uniformly mixing fibrous material, particularly semi-wetted fibrous material with powder material with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignees: Ask Corporation, Sanshin Thermal Insulation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichiro Irie, Motonobu Abe, Norihito Akiyama
  • Patent number: 5399012
    Abstract: The invention relates to disc reactors with a large free usable volume which are kinematically self-cleaning, consisting of two or more parallel counterrotating shafts, on which toothed discs with scrapers, which are distributed over their circumference, are disposed, and a surrounding housing. The toothed discs are arranged perpendicularly to the axes of rotation in planes which are echeloned one behind the other such that they mesh with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich Schuchardt, Martin Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5393140
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously processing viscous liquids and masses has axially parallel satellite shafts (23) disposed in a ring within a housing (4) which bear meshing processing means (24) and are driven by a central shaft (17) via pinions (28, 29) on the inlet side to perform a common revolving motion about the central shaft (17). The pinions (28, 29) have associated therewith a distributing plate (60) which is provided with through bores (61) for the satellite shafts (23) and has an annular groove (63) opening toward the inlet side, from which channels (64) lead into the area of the processing means (24) on the satellite shafts which is located on the thick-layer side of the satellite shafts (23) facing away from the enveloping housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: Josef A. Blach
  • Patent number: 5381730
    Abstract: A juice extractor for extracting juice from raw juice containing materials includes a raw material supply hopper of a housing engaged with a main body. The juice extractor includes a pair of squeezing rollers engaged with each other and mounted in the housing. Each of the rollers includes a helical gear and a screw at its leading end portion. A filter surrounds the leading end portions of the squeezing rollers and a discharge section plate is mounted at the leading end portion of the housing and has a discharge pressure adjusting device. Ring gears made of synthetic resins are mounted at both sides of the helical gear of one of the squeezing rollers whereby an interval between the helical gears of squeezing rollers is maintained. Grooves are formed at both sides of the threads of the helical gears of each of the squeezing rollers at a location beneath the raw juice material supply hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Inventor: Jong Gill Kim
  • Patent number: 5372418
    Abstract: A back mix, drag-flow apparatus that provides both radial and axial mixing of materials comprising at least two worms in screw form and parallel and tangential to one another that are of opposite hands and are rotatable only in the same direction or are of the same hand and are rotatable only in opposite directions; and a barrel casing completely enclosing said worms and containing a feed inlet and a product outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Polymer Processing Institute
    Inventors: Joseph A. Biesenberger, David B. Todd
  • Patent number: 5368383
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing rubber mixtures, including a ram kneader for the master batch, and disposed therebelow a ram-less kneader that operates in a batch process and to which the master batch is supplied without intermediate storage thereof. To rapidly cool the master batch in the ram-less kneader and to be able to reliably and rapidly carry out the finish mixing process, only a portion of the active surface of the rotor of the ram-less kneader is provided with a surface wear protection layer. This layer is preferably provided only in the region of the active edges of the raised portions of the rotor, while the remaining portion of the active surface is free of such a wear protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignees: Julius Peter, Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Julius Peter, Gunter Weckerle
  • Patent number: 5362149
    Abstract: A mud mixing system 10 includes a cylindrical hopper 12 having at least one upper conduit 14 with adjustable means 18 controlling a jet 16 into a vortex chamber defined between cylinders 62 and 64. At least one second conduit 20 with adjustable means 24 controlling a jet 22 emanating therefrom which is used to fill tank 12 from the bottom portion up with fresh water and/or drilling mud to shear means 30 which include a pair of vertical shafts 32 and 34, each having attached thereto at their lower portion generally horizontally extending pin shear members 36 and 38 vertically spaced apart a distance D to obtain effective shear. A table 40 to hold mud additives includes a fence 42, and a cylindrical spout 44 is used to add mud additives to hopper 12. Shafts 32 and 34 extend through chamber 66 and bearing assemblies 50 and 52 and are driven by a suitable power source 54 which may be an electric motor or combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Inventor: Richard J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5353696
    Abstract: In a conching device (1), a covering hood (7) is arranged above the opening (6) of the trough (2), which prevents the chocolate paste from being thrown out of the opening (6) during the conching process. The bottom side of the covering hood (7) is continuously cleaned by a wiper (15) by means of a periodic forward and backward movement. An electric motor (18) or a fluidic swivel drive (18) is used for driving the wiper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Buhler AG
    Inventors: Max Stadelmann, Hans-Joachim Konig
  • Patent number: 5351609
    Abstract: A continuously operating conching machine (1) according to the invention is divided into a plurality of compartments (10-12) divided by at least one partition wall (8), transfer of the material from one compartment (10-12) to the next being effected via at least one opening (e.g. 16) in the particular partition wall. However, with a conching machine continuously processing the chocolate paste, it is possible expediently to carry out a method according to the invention, in which additives are added only batchwise to the essentially continuously processed chocolate paste, in order to permit more accurate metering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Richard Frisse GmbH Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Kurt Muntener
  • Patent number: 5350231
    Abstract: A double worm extruder has the ribs of its screws of trapezoidal cross section between divergent flanks to minimize wear of the housing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Friedrich Theysohn GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Eigruber
  • Patent number: 5345781
    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: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Inventors: Ulrich Fels, Erich Windhab, Ralf Hoffmann, Peter von Holdt, Lutz Hahn
  • Patent number: 5344230
    Abstract: A mixer or compounder with an elongate barrel having a processing chamber of the configuration of two or more intersecting cylinders receives material at one end and discharges it at the other. Parallel co-rotating mixer shafts extend axially in the chamber and have co-wiping, angularly oriented, mixing members on each shaft, which also wipe the chamber walls. Multiple rotary hydraulic motors, driven synchronously in parallel by the same hydraulic pump system, drive intermediate shafts parallel with the barrel shafts, and a gear driving each mixer shaft is driven by gear mechanisms on the intermediate shafts so that each mixer shaft is driven in the same direction of rotation by both hydraulic motors and imparts an increased equal torque to the mixer shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: APV Chemical Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Kowalczyk, Bernard A. Loomans
  • Patent number: 5334358
    Abstract: Disc reactors with large free useful volume which clean themselves kinematically, consisting of two or more parallel shafts, rotating in the same or opposite directions, on which are located axially staggered, circular discs with scrapers distributed over their periphery, and an enclosing casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich Schuchardt, Martin Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5333556
    Abstract: A double-screw press for separating a liquid from a two-phase solid-liquid material includes a hollow barrel and two screws disposed in the barrel. The barrel comprises a plurality of detachable barrel plates and a plurality of spacers disposed between the barrel plates and cooperating with the barrel plates in defining slits. The screws are arranged side by side with a gap defined therebetween, and are rotated by a motor to move a material, which has been charged into the barrel, efficiently from an upstream end to a downstream end of the barrel. The barrel plates and the screws have respective passages connected to cooling water sources, which supply cooling water to keep the temperature in the screws and the barrel at a desired level. The charged material is crushed and mixed in the gap between the screws, and oil is expressed from the material when it is compressed in the barrel. The expressed oil is discharged through the slits and collected in a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Director of National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
    Inventors: Seiichiro Isobe, Akinori Noguchi, Kunihiko Uemura
  • Patent number: 5304000
    Abstract: A method of constructing or reconstituting a shaft and paddle assembly for mixers and processors wherein radially aligned paddles on parallel shafts revolving at the same speed in the same direction of rotation both co-wipe and completely wipe the interior of the barrel of the mixer or processor which has a mixer chamber comprising interconnecting cylindrical bores. The co-wiping paddles are formed with paddle bores of a configuration comprising alternating lobular projections and root recesses, and arcuate corner portions on the lobular projections and root recesses. The arcuate corner portions of the projections are tangential to the arcuate corner portions of the root recesses. The shafts are formed with intermeshing matching projections and root recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: APV Chemical Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Kowalczyk, Bernard A. Loomans
  • Patent number: 5292186
    Abstract: A continuous kneading machine capable of achieving selfcleaning, improvement in kneading efficiency, and reduction in abrasion of paddles is provided. This continuous kneading machine is characterized in that sectional shape of one paddle in a section perpendicular to a rotation shaft is formed of n (where n is an integer, and n.gtoreq.2) pairs of major radius parts and minor radius parts which are alternately arranged with equal angle and formed by a gentle curve, and that sectional shape of another paddle is formed of m (where m is an integer, m.gtoreq.2, and n.noteq.m) pairs of major radius parts and minor radius parts which are formed by an escribed envelope curve drawn by rotation in cooperation with the one paddle, and in which rotation of another paddle is performed in a direction different from the one paddle at a different ratio of rotation frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Kurimoto, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohji Kubo, Takashi Kobayashi, Akira Toyomi, Yoshiyuki Otake
  • Patent number: 5267788
    Abstract: Multi-screw, continuous mixing and kneading machine for plasticizable compounds with screws, which rotate in a housing and which penetrate the cylindrical housing section, enclosing the screw concerned, and exhibit feed and discharge zones and intermediate melting, mixing and kneading zones, where the feed and discharge zones are formed by intermeshing screws that rotate in the same direction, and kneading elements are disposed in the melting, mixing and kneading zones. The kneading elements comprise axially extended polygons, whose surfaces are approximately flat and whose edges travel by one another with small clearance relative to the envelopes of the respective other polygon so as not to intermesh while rotating, where the edges of the housing section enveloping them maintain a distance that is significantly greater than the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Farrel Corporation
    Inventor: Siegward Rockstedt
  • Patent number: 5265955
    Abstract: A machine for manufacturing thermoplastic polymers including a plurality of coaxial components adjacent to and made integral with one another, the components forming a longitudinal chamber receiving a pair of interacting shafts having portions correspondingly differentiated to provide sections for feeding and premixing the compound, thus forming a single assembly with coaxial components capable for carrying out full processing of the compound from the raw material to extrusion, without discontinuity of sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Pomini Farrel S.p.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Guggiari
  • Patent number: 5255973
    Abstract: A plastifier extruder of the double-screw type has a slide plate shiftable toward and away from the screws at an acute angle to the axes thereof in a chamber having a trapezoidal axial cross section between extreme positions in which a surface of the plate parallel to the axes lies along one long side of the trapezoid and another limiting position in which the surface lies along the other long side of the trapezoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Friedrich Theysohn GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Nogossek
  • Patent number: 5236738
    Abstract: A magnetic layer is overlaid on the front surface of a substrate, and a backing layer is overlaid on the back surface of the substrate. The backing layer is formed by the application of a coating composition, which contains inorganic grains and a binder, to the back surface of the substrate. The coating composition is prepared from the steps of kneading a mixture of the inorganic grains and the binder, in which the weight ratio of the inorganic grains to the binder falls within the range of 100:10 to 100:30, in a two-shaft continuous kneading and mixing machine. A dilution kneading process is then carried out on a mixture of the kneaded mixture, which results from the kneading process, and an organic solvent in a two-shaft continuous kneading and mixing machine. Thereafter a dispersion process is carried out on the diluted mixture, which results from the dilution kneading process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ishikuro, Haruo Masuda
  • Patent number: 5230562
    Abstract: A viscous liquid processor includes a low-speed shaft and a high-speed shaft extending in parallel within a casing, and a plurality of agitator blades fixed on each of the shafts and spaced along its axial direction so that the blades on one shaft enter the spaces between the blades on the other shaft. Each of the agitator blades is generally formed in a thick disk-like configuration having a plurality of thick blade members, such a thick blade member having a parallelogrammic cross section. With this simple arrangement, delivery and shearing of highly viscous liquid can be performed to improve the agitation and stirring effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruyuki Nishimi, Mamoru Mishima, Shoji Morinaga
  • Patent number: 5228775
    Abstract: Improved methods of operating batch or continuous blenders 10 having tub (11) and two agitators (17 and 18) extending parallel to each other, each agitator having horizontal shaft (19) and agitator ribbon (21) wound helically around the shaft. For batch-blending, the two agitator ribbons are wound in the same direction around the shafts, and the shafts are rotated in opposite directions for folding the product into the middle of the tub for mixing. The agitators are periodically reversed in direction of operation to prevent the build-up of product at end corners (36 and 37) of the tub and the consequent mechanical breakdown of ingredients which has occurred with previous blenders. For continuous blending to be carried out in a tub with twin agitators, the agitator ribbons are wound in opposite directions on their shafts. The agitators are rotated in opposite directions to fold the product into the center of the tub for mixing, with both agitators moving the product in the same direction lengthwise in the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Blentech Corporation
    Inventors: Darrell C. Horn, John M. Lennox, III
  • Patent number: 5178060
    Abstract: A food processing vat having an outer shell and an inner vessel to contain a food product with a chamber therebetween includes a contoured bottom having a high point and a low point wherein the food product naturally gravitates toward the low point which a drain may be connected for draining the food product from the vessel. Agitation means in the vessel include a lower blade assembly which is adapted to conform substantially to the contoured bottom of the vessel. Heating means disposed in the chamber between the vessel and the outer shell provide for uniform heating of the vessel and the food product contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Damrow Company
    Inventors: Gerald A. Rusch, Villy S. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 5156872
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting juice from raw juice containing material is disclosed. The apparatus includes a supporting housing, a pair of meshing helical gears (2,3) for crushing the raw juice containing material to initially extract juice therefrom and with each helical gear terminating in a tapered screw. A sieve (4) is operatively positioned around the helical gears and each of the tapered screws with the sieve being branched (47,48) with each branch housing at least a portion of one of the tapered screws, respectively. Each branch of the sieve has a terminal end with a discharge outlet formed thereat to enable each of the screws to further extract juice from the crushed raw juice containing material by compressingly moving the crushed juice containing material along one of the branch portions of the sieve and toward one of the discharge outlets formed in the sieve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Inventor: Moon H. Lee
  • Patent number: 5151739
    Abstract: A dual augar development apparatus for use in an electrostatographic reproduction machine such as copier or printer, includes a pair of identical single piece auger devices mounted therein and each having a shaft and a plurality of integrally formed blade members so as to require no blade-member-to-shaft-assembly. A last blade member includes a cross-transfer member connected thereto and integrally formed therewith. The blade members are semi-elliptical and form a single straight row of such members on the shaft. The row is aligned circumferentially so as to result in intermittent augering of developer material in the development apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Edwin A. Hediger
  • Patent number: 5135310
    Abstract: A starch based adhesive is made in an agitator tank which has a first rotatable propeller shaft with a plurality of propellers distributed along the length thereof. Each of at least some of the propellers is surrounded by an apertured shroud, which could be made of expanded metal or the like, for example. Above the propeller shaft is a second rotatable shaft having a plurality of high speed shearing blades affixed thereon. The two shafts are preferably driven by separate motors, the shearing blades being driven by a motor having approximately 4-5 times the power of the motor driving the propeller shaft in order to impart a comparably larger amount of energy to the slurry via the shearing blades as compared to the energy imparted by the propellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: The Ringwood Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Nodus, Steven C. Petrila, Robert F. Lantz, III
  • Patent number: 5048971
    Abstract: With reference to FIG. 1, a continuous mixer 1 comprises a housing 2 formed with intersecting cylindrical chambers 3 and 4, and a pair of substantially parallel shafts 5 and 6, mounted for rotation within the housing. Paddle members 10 and 11 are mounted on the shafts 5 and 6 so that when the shafts are rotated, each in the same direction, the peripheral parts of the paddle members on one shaft are wiped by the cooperating parts of the paddle members on the other shaft, and vice versa. As shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the end faces of each paddle member are formed with lobes, the number of lobes at one end face of the member being different to that at the opposite end face. The arrangement results in continuous distribution, re-orientation and dispersal of material flowing through the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Inventors: David Wall, Thomas Hall
  • Patent number: 5028141
    Abstract: An upright mixing machine has one or more rotary vertical mixing tools having blades beneath a gear case for transmissions which orbit and/or rotate the tools. The gear case has an upper section which is rotatably installed in a housing, and a lower section which can be separated from the upper section to be thereupon lowered by an elevator for the purpose of convenient inspection of bearings, seals, gears and/or other parts which necessitate frequent inspection, cleaning, other maintenance or replacement. The elevator also serves to raise and lower a vessel for batches of material or materials to be mixed by the mixing tool or tools. At least one section of the gear case has one or more observation windows which are accessible for observation and manipulation of parts within the respective section not later than upon detachment of the lower section from and its lowering beneath the upper section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Ika-Maschinenbau Janke & Kunkel GmbH & Co. KG.
    Inventor: Rene Stiegelmann
  • Patent number: 5025287
    Abstract: A development apparatus in an electrostatographic copier or printer includes a housing having two parallel, cylindrical side-by-side recessed sump sections partially forming and overlapping segment therebetween, and a pair of rotatable mixers having radially extending paddles that interleaf within the overlapping segment of the sump sections. The development apparatus as such is particularly capable of producing chopping, folding, end-to-end and side-to-side mixing and charging movement of developer material therein, in order to provide high and reliable quality image development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Thomas K. Hilbert
  • Patent number: 5020916
    Abstract: Apparatus for the continuous processing, such as mixing, homogenizing, gassing and degassing, polymerizing of liquids, emulsions, suspensions, viscous substances and similar materials, is designed with several shafts (1) arranged vertically in ring fashion, with parallel axes and driven in equal direction. Each shaft carries a number of disk-shaped processing elements (13-15) arranged axially staggered in parallel planes, meshing with elements on adjacent shafts, and enclosing together with the shafts at least one central cavity or chamber (16) in whose area the processing elements are arranged in such a way that their circumferential surfaces are exposed. The material is efficiently mixed and homogenized while being handled gently and evenly, and local shearing stress leading to temperature peaks in the material is avoided by leaving the surfaces (130, 140) of the processing elements exposed on the outside, i.e. on the side facing away from the chamber (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Rudolf P. Fritsch
  • Patent number: 4989504
    Abstract: An enclosed food processing vat is provided having two or more generally horizontally-oriented partial cylindrical inner wall sections, each inner wall section conforming to a first portion of an swept volume created by the rotation of an agitator means about a horizontal shaft, the distance between the shafts being slightly greater than the radius of the swept volume so that a second portion of the swept volume for each shaft intersects and overlaps the swept volume of adjacent shafts. Each shaft is provided with a series of combined cutting and stirring paddles comprising a series of blades arranged both perpendicular to the shaft and parallel to the shaft that are sharpened on one side only and fixed so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction cutting will take place; whereas, when the shaft is rotated in the other direction stirring will take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Sherping Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Jay
  • Patent number: 4952064
    Abstract: A single two-shaft continuous kneading and mixing machine, which is provided with a pair of shafts having blade members secured thereto, and a barrel accommodating the shafts such that they can be rotated, carries out kneading of a mixture of magnetic grains and a solution, which contains a binder in an organic solvent, in a normal kneading region and thereafter carries out dilution kneading of the mixture, which resulted after kneading in the normal kneading region was carried out, and an organic solvent in a dilution kneading region. The solids concentration in the mixture subjected to kneading in the normal kneading region is adjusted so that it falls within the range of 65 to 95 wt %. The solids concentration in the mixture subjected to dilution kneading is adjusted so that it falls within the range of 30 to 60 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Ono, Chiaki Mizuno, Yasuo Tamai, Hiroshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4950081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-spindle kneading mixer with at least two axis-parallel agitator shafts engaging into one another, one of which is designed as a disk shaft, into which kneading elements of a kneading shaft engage, wherein these kneading elements scrape the product off from the disk surfaces and press it by means of corresponding diverting surfaces into a kneading gap formed on the one hand by the kneading element and on the other hand by the opposite disk surface, the product being moved axially to and from between the disk surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: List AG
    Inventor: Heinz List, deceased
  • Patent number: 4941132
    Abstract: Improved methods of operating batch or continuous blenders (10) having a tub (11) and twin agitators (17,18) extending parallel to each other, each agitator having a horizontal shaft (19) and an agitator ribbon (12) wound helically around the shaft. For batch blending, the two agitator ribbons are wound in the same direction around the shafts, and the shafts are rotated in opposite directions for folding the product into the middle of the tube for mixing. The agitators are periodically reversed in direction of operation to prevent the build-up of product at the end corners (36,37) of the tub and the consequent mechanical breakdown of ingredients which has occurred with previous blenders. For continuous blending to be carried out in a tub with twin agitators, the agitator ribbons are wound in opposite directions on their shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Blentech Corporation
    Inventors: Darrell C. Horn, John M. Lennox, III
  • Patent number: 4911558
    Abstract: The screw conveyor has at least one feed and mixing screw having a plurality of vanes extending radially from a shaft arranged in at least one series like a coil or spiral. In particular, the screw conveyor can have at least two substantially equal motorized feed and mixing screws rotating in opposite rotational directions and positioned substantially parallel with each other in a common trough. The screws are located beside each other spaced so that the vanes of one screw engage in the gaps between the vanes of the neighboring screw. To maintain at least as thorough a mixing of bulk materials as was the case heretofore while achieving a reduction in the structural length of the screw conveyor the screws are each provided with more than one helical flight of vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Inventor: Lothar Teske
  • Patent number: 4911557
    Abstract: A dual-spindle blender includes a container having two intersecting lobes forming a figure-eight cross section with a cutter blade assembly disposed centered in each lobe. The bottom of one of the lobes is lower than that of the other lobe so that, when small quantities of material are treated, it preferentially falls into the lower bottom to produce a deeper pool which can be operated on by the associated cutter blade assembly. In one embodiment of the invention, the cutter blade assemblies are at the same height and are spaced with their planes of rotation non-intersecting. In another embodiment of the invention, the cutter blade assemblies are displaced in height, whereby the blades are offset from each other. In this embodiment the offset of the blade heights optionally permits their planes of rotation to intersect without suffering blade strikes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventors: Franklyn C. Dormer, Paul J. Lerner
  • Patent number: 4893554
    Abstract: With the use of a distributor unit, which is reciprocable over and along an oblong prepressing vat for cheese production, it has already been proposed that a uniform distribution of the whey/coagulum mixture can be achieved by a horizontal wing rotors in a transverse distributor container, such rotor or rotors being rotated to lift the mixture up to an overflowing edge of the container while isolating the mixture from the turbulent mixture receiving area of the container. However, it is experienced that coagulum lumps may build up on the overflowing edge and thus disturb an even overflow. To avoid this problem two interengaging wing rotors are mounted at the bottom of the container so as to sluice down the mixture along opposite, correspondingly arched bottom/side portions to a central lowermost outlet slot, whereby the risk of lump formations is practically eliminted without compromising the desired uniform distribution of the coagulum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Gadan Maskinfabrik A/S
    Inventor: Knud Gasbjerg
  • Patent number: 4889430
    Abstract: A planetary gear extruder for the compounding and extrusion of thermoplastic materials, in which an annular groove is formed in the metallic stop ring to receive a ceramic body which is engageable by the forward ends of the planetary spindles in order to reduce friction. A ceramic body may additionally also be arranged in a recess in the end face of each of the planetary spindles, aligned with and adapted to engage the ceramic body mounted in the stop ring. As a result, the coefficients of friction between the stop ring and the end faces of the spindles are reduced considerably, consequently reducing the wear on the planetary spindles themselves and the central spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Hermann Berstorff Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Mueller
  • Patent number: 4883361
    Abstract: A dough developer is provided having an elongated chamber and a pair of dough conditioning rotors extending axially of the chamber. An inlet and an outlet are provided at respective opposite ends of the chamber to permit dough to be pumped through the chamber. A plurality of conditioning bars are mounted on a respective shaft of each rotor and extend radially outward therefrom with these bars axially disposed as between the two rotors so that bars revolve in overlapping planes. Each of the conditioning bars is of a U-shaped configuration formed from a cylindrical rod with the conditioning bars disposed in planes extending substantially axially relative to the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: B-V Dough Handling Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Valentino, David E. Betts, Edward A. Alesch
  • Patent number: 4871259
    Abstract: In a rubber-like material kneading apparatus having a pair of rotors with radially outwardly extended long vanes in a chamber, each of the rotors has at least three long vanes which are arranged around a rotary shaft at equal angular intervals in such a manner that the cutting angle formed by the rear surfaces of the long vanes and the tangential lines at the outermost ends of the long vanes is larger than 40.degree., whereby the rubber-like material can be kneaded with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Jumei Harada, Kazuhisa Nishigai
  • Patent number: 4826323
    Abstract: A mixing machine barrel has parallel interconnected bores of a first diameter with axially parallel shafts driven at the same speed and in the same direction of rotation extending therein. Mixer members on the shafts are shaped to co-wipe and also wipe the interior of the barrel. A barrel section communicates with the barrel and has interconnected bores of greater diameter which include interconnected transition bores of progressively changing diameter. Blades extend at an angle from the shafts through the transition bores and are configured to wipe one another over their length, and the interconnected bores of the barrel section over their length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: APV Chemical Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard A. Loomans, James E. Kowalczyk