Abstract: An agitator for mixing food or other materials in a kettle either with or without heating of the materials, the invention allows gentle and thorough mixing of materials ranging from liquids to semi-solids. The present agitator is especially useful for mixing and blending of substantially liquid mixtures having suspended solids, the solids being uniformly suspended within the mixture without damage to the solids. The agitator preferably takes the form of a rotary shaft horizontally disposed within a kettle having a substantially hemispherical bottom portion, each end of the shaft having a substantially arcuate element of particular contour attached thereto. The arcuate elements lie in planes which are perpendicular to each other and are the same general shape.

Abstract: A slaker includes a substantially straight, circular sidewall, a substantially flat bottom, and a top. A solid and a liquid feed inlet are disposed at the top of the vessel and an outlet is disposed at the bottom of the vessel. Apparatus is provided for mixing the solid and the liquid within the vessel at high speed and separate apparatus is provided for sweeping the bottom and sidewall of the vessel at low speed. The mixing apparatus and the sweeping apparatus apply substantially only horizontal forces to the solid and the liquid being mixed within the vessel. The slaker further includes apparatus for recirculating at least a portion of the solid and the liquid being mixed within the vessel which flows through the outlet and apparatus for discharging the resultant mixed solid and liquid from the slaker.

Abstract: A mixing and kneading apparatus with a kneading shaft bearingly supported in a cylindrical housing, a plurality of disk elements mounted perpendicularly and axially spaced apart on the kneading shaft. The disk elements carry scraper edges arranged essentially transversely to the plane of the disk elements and facing the housing wall at a slight distance. The housing wall, the kneading shaft, and the disk elements are optionally heatable or and coolable. In order to obtain an intensive intermixing and a uniform retention time of all of the product particle present in the toroidal reaction space, at least one mixer arm connected to the housing or the kneading shaft projects into the toroidal space to a distance at least in the vicinity of the axial and radial center of the toroidal cross section between two axially adjacent disk elements. The mixing arm applies a mixing and/or transport action onto the goods or products present between the inner wall of the housing and the kneading shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for metering and mixing two different materials that are pasty or of low to high viscosity, includes a device for simultaneously delivering the materials from storage vessels to a mixing chamber, and a member for mixing the two materials in the mixing chamber, the mixing member and the mixing chamber, if necessary, being constructed as disposable items. The apparatus permits such materials to be mixed and metered with precision and has relatively few moving mechanical components, is of simple design, and even enables materials that react with each other to be mixed at room temperature without excessive heating during the mixing process. The device for delivering and metering the two mate includes screws mounted on a common drive shaft, provided with opposed stators and located in separate casings.

Abstract: A conditioning device for an extruder includes two juxtaposed, frustocylindrical, intercommunicated chambers, one chamber of which has a greater cross sectional area than the other chamber. A mixing shaft centrally located within the small chamber carries a number of radially extending beaters which rotate at a speed twice that of the rotational speed of paddles mounted on a second mixing shaft located in the large chamber and material introduced into the vessel is passed from side-to-side between the two chambers while being advanced along the length of the vessel. The use of relatively fast moving beaters within a small mixing chamber in combination with relatively slow moving paddles in a larger mixing chamber enables flour-like materials to be properly blended with water with both sufficient agitation and proper retention times within the vessel.

Abstract: In a copending application Ser. No. 298,065 filed Aug. 31, 1981 modular mixing apparatus has been disclosed combined with a barrel and main power driven extruder screw and the mixing apparatus is necessarily required to be at the same speed as the main power driven extruder screw and operates through a common barrel member.In the present invention improved modular mixing apparatus has been constructed and arranged to operate with independent drive means for rotation in a separate stationary sleeve member and extruded material leaving the main extruder screw and barrel is introduced into the mixing module. The mixing apparatus may, in this form, be driven at variable speeds which are independent of the speed of the main extruder screw.The improved modular mixing apparatus of this invention also includes a newly devised shearing lug module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a screw for apparatuses for ice-cream production with a vertical whipping vessel. The screw comprises at least one supporting metal blade, fixed to a rotating hub and carrying clutches for removably and substitutably fixing thereon a scraping vane. The screw may further comprise at least a mixture spreading vane acting in cooperation with said scraping vane.

Abstract: A helically moving fluid body leaving an extruder screw and brought into contact with rotating shearing means, undergoes laminar displacement, is then guided through a stationary sleeve along undulating linear paths of travel of relatively short axial length, and thereafter undergoes further laminar displacement and discharges into a die.During movement of the fluid mixture along the undulating linear paths of travel subdivision and blending of substantially all of the material in the fluid body, which is not in a fluid state, takes place. Thereupon the blended mixture is advanced to a die member at a desired fluidity and temperature in response to die requirements. Heating of the barrel is significantly reduced and energy conservation of an appreciable nature is achieved.In carrying out mixing as noted above there is employed a modular mixing apparatus constructed with multiple processing means suitable for shearing, kneading, flow diverting, dispersing, blending and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ice-cream machine for family use, comprising a whipping vessel wherein a stirring element is rotatively actuated by a motor, said stirring element comprising a sleeve and one or more blades. In order to improve the stirring operational features, at least one blade is mounted on the sleeve by means of a removable coupling allowing both small torsional and axial motions of the blade with reference to an axis perpendicular to the sleeve axis.

Abstract: A flavored liquid mixture to be converted into ice cream is prepared at ambient temperature and is then frozen for an indefinite period. When needed, the frozen mixture is placed in a vessel for vigorous agitation, again at ambient temperature, by a stirrer with two or more blades disposed at different levels and angularly offset from one another. The top and bottom blades are inclined toward each other in order to roll the mass over for thorough homogenization; in an initial stage, designed primarily for the breakup of ice crystals, the stirrer may be operated at a higher speed or in a pulsating mode.

Abstract: A stationary horizontal cylindrical reactor for the production of lead oxide comprises a series of horizontal rotating blades to promote and maintain the oxidation reaction, to provide a particle size reduction and to effect centrifugal classification of the lead oxide produced in the reaction. The reactor includes a chamber supplied with raw lead, air and water, and by the use of the entire reactor chamber-blade interface as a reaction zone results in a highly energy efficient and high rate production apparatus. The apparatus is extremely versatile and can be used to produce low free lead (less than 1%) litharge (PbO) and high free lead or leady litharge on a consistent high volume basis.

Abstract: An apparatus for uniformly spreading and mixing coating ingredients deposited on a traffic surface, such as a road, includes a maneuverable, wheeled support carriage, a frame and a power driven finishing assembly. The finishing assembly is provided with a plurality of working tools which are rotated about a central axis to bring the tools sequentially into contact with a traffic surface area being treated to efficiently spread and apply a surface treatment composition. Radially extending arms connect with the working tools and with a central support disc. The arms independently urge the tools toward the traffic surface to maintain the tools in contact with the surface despite surface variations. Adjustable couplings connect the tools to the arms to enable the tools to assume a range of operating angles relative to the arms to further enhance the maintenance of good tool-to-surface contact.

Abstract: A mixing and agitating device having an elongated container for holding liquid chemicals to be thoroughly mixed and dispensed has a pair of access holes for permitting entrance thereto, and a baffle structure midway within the container for separating same into two equal compartments. The baffle structure is provided with a plurality of six elongated apertures or slots, the upper three having the central one vertically mounted and the other two spaced on either side thereof at an angle of preferably 45.degree. from the vertical. The lower three slots have the central one mounted horizontally and the other two on either side thereof at an angle of approximately 45.degree. from the vertical. A modified embodiment is provided wherein the lower angled pair of slots are at an angle of 30.degree. from the vertical. However, the range of slot angles can be from 25.degree. to 55.degree. from the vertical.

Abstract: An automatic roux maker including a pot for heating and agitating (mixing and moving) the roux during the cooking process, in which a motor-driven agitator is included and suspended within the pot for mixing the roux during cooking and for preventing scorching of the roux. At the bottom of the centrally located agitator shaft is included, for example, two diametrically opposed, paddle arms which ride and sweep on the bottom of the pot and are pivotally connected to a slotted support which is capable of floating up-and-down with respect to the agitator shaft. The flexible sweeping of the bottom of the pot prevents any of the roux from remaining on the bottom of the pot for any significant period of time, preventing scorching of the roux.

Abstract: A mixing agitator for use in a kettle wherein food is mixed either with or without cooking of the food, the invention allows gentle mixing of substantially liquid mixtures to suspend solids uniformly therein without damage to the solids. The agitator preferably takes the form of a rotary shaft horizontally disposed within a kettle having a substantially hemispherical bottom portion, the shaft having contoured blade-like elements attached thereto which act on rotation of the shaft to lift material from the bottom of the kettle to the top of the body of the food and thus produce a uniform dispersion of liquid and solid materials during a cooking/mixing processing phase, a mixing only phase, or a subsequent phase of dispensing the uniformly mixed material from the kettle.

Abstract: In this stirrer, the stirrer arms (3, 3a) are arranged radially on the drive shaft (2) and are provided with plates (4, 4a). On these plates, stirring elements (5, 6) are arranged at a distance and inclined relative to one another, in such a way that their shadow areas overlap in the direction of revolution or at least are almost contiguous.

Abstract: A device for making ice cream, particularly designed for household use, comprises a motor inside a housing driving two vertical shafts projecting from the bottom of two recesses within the housing. One recess, shallower and smaller than the other, forms a seat for a blender whose agitator is driven by the corresponding shaft. The other, deeper and wider recess has a mount adapted to support a freezing vessel having a hub which fits around a tubular boss surrounding the second shaft. The latter shaft carries a stirrer with one or more paddles. In one embodiment, in which the freezing vessel resting on the mount is an outer cup supporting a smaller inner cup to facilitate the simultaneous preparation of two loads of ice cream of different flavors, at least one paddle of the stirrer reaches around the rim of the inner cup to enter the outer cup.

Abstract: Soft-ice mixture, consisting of water or milk and commercially available powder, is frozen solid in a cylindrical container, then presented to a machine whereby the container is pressurized and which has an agitator that engages the surface of the solid to exert force along a narrow zone, whereby the material is locally melted. The momentarily melted material is immediately whipped by the agitator, before it refreezes. The agitator rotates at high speed (2,000 rpm) but advances into the material very slowly. For such action the agitator shaft is surrounded by an outer driver confined to rotation in one direction, with which the shaft has a splined connection, and the shaft in turn surrounds a threaded inner driver, with which the shaft has a threaded connection. For driving the agitator downward the inner driver is rotated in said direction, but slower than the outer driver; for driving it upward the inner driver is also rotated in said direction, but faster than the outer driver.

Abstract: An ice-making machine comprises an evaporator structure submerged in suitable ice-forming liquid in a holding tank. The evaporator structure comprises a cylindrical single-tube evaporator disposed vertically on a support frame on the base of the tank and connected to refrigeration plant externally of the tank. A rotary scraper assembly having a scraper blade for scraping ice continuously off the outer cylindrical surface of the evaporator is mounted in the tank, so that the ice floats to the top of the liquid for pumped removal from the tank if required. The scraper assembly is rotated by a motor mounted above the tank. The evaporator and scraper structure form a unit which can be used in different liquid holding tanks.

Abstract: A device for the removal of substances on the inner walls of agitated reaction vessels includes scrapers. The scrapers are adjustable angularly or displaceable toward and away from the walls of the vessel and supported from an agitator shaft to scrape off material accumulating on the walls of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A plate-type dryer or like heat-treatment apparatus has a plurality of annular horizontal plates upon which material is treated while a shaft surrounded by these plates carries a plurality of generally radial arms from which scraper blades are suspended. According to the invention, each blade is carried by a hanger which is pivotally mounted on the arm and reaches rearwardly to support the blade, another pivot providing a further degree of freedom ensuring full line contact of the lower edge of the blade with the plate.

Abstract: The apparatus serves for the continuous mixing and suspending of material to be extracted, particularly seed material, such as soy material, with solvent or extractant, particularly hexane and other suitable hydrocarbons, provision being made for preventing the influence of atmospheric oxygen on the extraction material as well as the formation of solvent vapors throughout the entire plant.

Abstract: This case is drawn towards an apparatus which mixes dry building materials. The building materials are mixed with air and water in a continuously flowing manner. The apparatus has a mixing tube with a rotating shaft. The materials are fed into the tube in its upward portion, moves downward passing a series of supporting plates which are attached to the sides of the tube in the conical shaft alternatively in a conically sloping manner.

Abstract: A new and improved mixer apparatus is especially adapted for use in a program controlled system for making foundry molds and includes a mixing device for dispensing a mixture of molding sand and binder onto a mold forming pattern in a flask. The device includes a mixing chamber having an inlet for receiving sand adjacent an upper level and a discharge outlet for dispensing a mixture adjacent a lower level. A rotor is mounted on a central axis of the chamber and includes an elongated shaft extending between the inlet and outlet. A flow metering unit divides the chamber into upper and lower sections and is operable for controlling the flow rate of material toward the discharge outlet. The rotor includes upper and lower sets of blades pivotally mounted on axes parallel and spaced radially outwardly of the central axis of the chamber.

Abstract: A slurry storage tank comprises a central vertical column arranged therein. A drive mechanism is mounted on the upper portion of the column. A plurality of rake arms with rake elements are arranged within the tank adjacent to its bottom. The rake arms are slowly rotated about the column by the drive mechanism to direct the lower portion of the slurry toward the side wall of the tank. The slurry is withdrawn from the lower portion of the tank by a pumping means and delivered through a pipe means to a plurality of vertical guide pipes supported by the top wall of the tank and extending into the tank. The withdrawn slurry is distributed over the entire surface of the slurry in the tank through the guide pipes to thereby maintain the slurry in the tank in a homogeneous state.

Abstract: A hand operated snow thrower has an impeller with blade mounts that allow the blades to be easily removed, yet effectively retained with the blade mount. The impeller includes a rigid rotor that is rotatably driven by the snow thrower. The rotor has three blade mounts, each blade mount having a blade supporting surface. The blade supporting surface has an inner edge and an outer edge. A retainer extends over the inner edge of the supporting surface to define a channel. A slot extends from the supporting surface rearwardly into the rotor. The flexible blade that is mounted to the impeller has a flange that is received within the slot. The blade has an inner edge that is received within the channel.

Abstract: A system of apparatus for filling bags with dry powdered material and separating foreign matter therefrom includes a vacuum chamber for receiving a bag for filling with dry powder and a novel classifier for removing particulate foreign matter from the powder. The system includes a tank which is evacuated by a small vacuum pump and is connected to the enclosure where the bags are filled with powder and also is connected to a classifier which is provided for separating particulate foreign matter from the powder being bagged. The classifier is a rotary screen separator which discharges dry powder through the screen into a hopper connected to the bag filling enclosure. The classifier is connected to be maintained under vacuum on the outlet side during operation and is arranged to be connected to vacuum on the inlet side for back flushing to remove and recover particulate matter collected therein.

Abstract: A scraped-surface heat exchanger comprises a stator surrounding a rotor, the stator having annular projections extending inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the rotor. Scrapers on the rotor scrape both blanks of each projection as the rotor rotates. The two blanks of each projection could be planar, the planes being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotor. Instead, at least one of the flanks could be sloping with respect to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A mixing and agitating device specifically designed to mix a dry solid particle material such as cement with a liquid such as water in a high energy manner so as to provide a predetermined degree of hydration above that normally required in the formation of concrete or like cementitious material. A casing defining a container has on the interior thereof a plurality of agitating assemblies rotatably connected within the container and specifically structured and configured to provide a direction of material flow which is concurrently rotational about the axis of rotation of the agitating assemblies as well as along the substantial length of the container between the various spaced apart agitating assemblies so as to define a shear flow of the material resulting in a substantially constant and consistent viscosity and a predetermined degree of hydration, of the initially dry solid particles.

Abstract: A processing vessel for mixing a liquid containing solid pieces comprises a container having a top opening and a hemispherical bottom portion, a horizontal or inclined agitator drive shaft extending into the container and a substantially circular agitator mounted on the drive shaft for rotation therewith. The agitator comprises a pair of substantially annular semicircular blades, each formed with an internal segment-shaped web and carrying at its outer periphery a plurality of scrapers which are shaped to conform to the shape of the hemispherical bottom portion of the container and are attached to the blade so as to be capable of limited pivotal movement. First and second coaxial agitator drive shafts may be provided, each shaft carrying a respective part of a two-part agitator.

Abstract: A plow for use in a sand mulling machine having a vertically axised bowl formed with a bottom wall and a cylindrical peripheral wall, and a rotatable hub upon which the vertically axised mulling rollers are mounted for mulling material against the peripheral wall. The plow comprises an elongated generally flat plate secured to the hub for rotation therewith, and located adjacent the bowl peripheral wall at a sloped angle relative to the bowl bottom wall. One narrow end of the plow forms a leading edge arranged closely adjacent to the bowl bottom wall and the opposite end of the plow forms a rear or trailing edge which is spaced from the bottom wall. The rear or trailing portion of the plow is formed with a number of elongated, spaced apart, narrow, fingers providing a comb-like structure wherein material to be mulled is picked up along the plow leading edge and moves upwardly along the plow body and upon and through the comb-like structure formed on the trailing edge portion of the plow.

Abstract: The mixer shaft is provided with radial arms supporting the ends of a set of scraping blades into scraping engagement with the wall of the freezing barrel. The ends of the scraping blades are fastened to supporting plates which in turn are secured to the supporting arms in a radially adjustable manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for the temperature control of flowable chocolate, such apparatus comprising a rotor rotating in a temperature-controlled housing and having means which bear resiliently against the housing and which wipe the chocolate away from the housing during rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A dasher assembly is provided for use within the cylindrical freezer chamber of a continuous ice cream freezer or the like. The dasher assembly includes an elongated imperforate first section which coacts with a portion of the chamber interior surface to form an elongated annular narrow passage through which a product entering the chamber is caused to initially flow at a predetermined rate so that the product upon leaving the passage has attained a predetermined temperature and viscosity whereby air, or similar fluid, mixed with the product will not migrate through the chamber and cause the product dispensed from the chamber to have uneven overrun. Affixed to and extending longitudinally from the first section is an elongated skeletal second section. The first and second sections are power driven to rotate as a unit.

Abstract: This invention is a cooker - mixer apparatus utilized with a stove type heater element to cook and mix food products simultaneously. More particularly, the cooker - mixer apparatus includes a cooker means having an electrically driven mixer means connected thereto. The cooker means can resemble a conventional pressure cooker structure with a lid assembly releasably connected to a main container member. The mixer means includes a power assembly operable to drive a mixer assembly through a connector shaft assembly. The mixer assembly lies against a bottom wall and lower sidewall area of the main container member and includes a main hub member with four (4) equally spaced paddle assemblies connected thereto. Each paddle assembly includes a spoke member integral on an outer end with a flexible wiper end member. The spoke member is provided with cut-out, material flow channels to aid in mixing of the food product therein.

Abstract: An improved worm mixer for use in containers having pivotally mounted wires attached to the superficies of the worm and being parallel to the axis of the worm so as to prevent residue from forming on the walls of the container.

Abstract: A mixer is described having at least one mixing element which rotates relative to a mixing container axis. The mixing element comprises a plurality of vertical rods held by a revolving plate. The velocity and the direction of rotation of the mixing element about the container axis and the rotation of the element about its own axis are such that particles of mix material contacting the mixing element have at all points the same contact velocity.

Abstract: An agitator construction is provided for use with a dasher assembly rotatably mounted within an elongated cylindrical chamber through which a viscous product is caused to flow. The dasher assembly includes an elongated skeletal section having the periphery thereof in scraping engagement with the chamber interior surface. The agitator construction includes an elongated imperforate cylindrical support unit fixedly mounted within the skeletal section and having the central longitudinal axis of the unit offset with respect to the rotary axis of the dasher assembly. An elongated cagelike member is mounted in encompassing relation on the exterior of the support unit for rotation independently thereof about the central axis of the support unit in response to the rotation of the dasher assembly and the product flowing through the chamber.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus for continuously coagulating the polymer of an aqueous latex and consolidating as a paste coagulum comprising a barrel, a rotor positioned therein and being coaxial therewith, said rotor having attached opposed rows of forward angled tab blades and opposed wiping blades axially aligned therewith, said barrel having first and second feed ports at a first end section and a discharge port at the second end section thereof, a closure means and a journal means attached to said rotor at the feed section thereof, the relationship between the elements of said apparatus being such that during operation of said apparatus, said paste coagulum can output from said discharge port when said latex is input to said first port means and a coagulant is input to said second port means.

Abstract: A portable mixer includes a generally cylindrical housing open at one end thereof, and a mixer blade disposed to rotate within the housing. Located at the other end of the housing is a driven pulley coupled by a belt to a drive pulley mounted on a motor. The driven pulley is coupled through the end of the housing to the mixer blade so that when the driven pulley is rotated, the mixer blade is caused to rotate. The mixer blade includes an elongate, generally flat member which is disposed to rotate in a plane defined by the opening in the housing so that when the housing is placed upon a flat surface, the elongate member rotates just above the surface.

Abstract: A scraper for the interior surface of a vessel having an inner shaft positioned within the vessel. A plurality of arms are disposed radially with respect to the inner shaft in parallel pairs. At least two arms of one pair of arms oppositely radially disposed on the inner shaft are substantially parallel with respect to another two arms similarly disposed. Peripheral shafts span the end portions of the parallel arms. Further parallel arms and corresponding peripheral shafts may locate ninety degrees about the inner shaft with respect to adjacent pairs of arms. Scraping means for scraping the interior surface of the vessel mount to the plurality of peripheral shafts. The scraping means includes a lever having two pivotal arms, one pivotal arm encompassing a blade and the other pivotal arm having a spring means for urging contact between the blade and the inner surface of the vessel. The inner shaft may be constructed with sufficient flexibility to generally coincide with the deflected axis of imperfect vessels.

Abstract: A stationary cylinder is jacketed to provide a first passage for a first heat exchange medium and forms a chamber for throughflow of a product to be heated or cooled. The cylinder contains a coaxial rotor comprising a shaft having a cylindrical outer surface and forming a second passage for a second heat exchange medium, whereby said stationary cylinder and said shaft surface are heated or cooled by said media. Each of a plurality of tubes has its opposite ends secured to the shaft and has an intermediate portion extending outside the shaft in spaced relation to its cylindrical outer surface. The second heat exchange medium is fed through one end portion of the shaft to adjacent ends of said second passage and said tubes and is discharged from the opposite ends thereof through the other end portion of the shaft. Scraper means protrude from the rotor between adjacent tubes and are operable to sweep the inner surface of the jacketed cylinder.