Abstract: A machine for providing a single serving of a cold beverage or a frozen confection is disclosed. The machine includes a cooling system, a first assembly, and a second assembly. The first assembly includes the cooling system and has sidewalls partially defining a recess for receiving a pod containing at least one ingredient for forming the single serving of the cold beverage or frozen confection and at least one internal paddle. The second assembly has a lid and a plunger movably mounted to the lid. The plunger is operable to engage a top of the pod and rotate the at least one internal paddle of the pod to scrape the cold beverage or a frozen confection off a wall of the pod and mix contents of the pod.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and a cam disposed on the rotation shaft. The ice bin may include a kick plate within the storage volume. The cam on the non-vertical auger may actuate the kick plate.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding a composite fluid to a mold for casting a reinforced composite structure, such as a rotor blade for a wind turbine are provided. The system includes a first feeding unit for feeding a first flow of composite fluid to the mold through a first mold inlet, and a second feeding unit for feeding a second flow of composite fluid to the mold through a second mold inlet. The first flow of composite fluid and the second flow of composite fluid are individually controllable.

Abstract: A device is provided with which it is possible to produce poly(methyl methacrylate) bone-cement paste, which is degassed to the greatest extent possible, while avoiding large-volume mixing containers and large cement volumes contained therein. The device includes a tubular hollow body (10) having a first opening (30) on the input side and a second opening (20) on the output side, at least one rotatably-mounted shaft (40) arranged in the axial direction in the tubular hollow body (10), thread turns (50) arranged axially along the outer side of the shaft (40), wherein the shaft (40) has at least one section with thread turns (50) whose pitch decreases in the direction of the second opening (20), at least one stirring blade (60) arranged on the shaft (40), and rigid mixing elements (70) arranged on the inner side of the tubular hollow body (10).

Abstract: A stir-transport member is formed on a circumferential surface of a rotation shaft with a first spiral blade, and a second spiral blade formed to overlap the region of the first spiral blade and is opposite the first spiral blade in phase and having a smaller radial-direction height than the first spiral blade. Sections of the spiral blades along the cross longitudinal direction thereof have trapezoidal shapes. The first spiral blade have a plurality of first swell portions, a part of each corresponding to a bottom of the trapezoidal shape and is more swollen than the other portions. The second spiral blade have a plurality of second swell portions, a part of each corresponding to the bottom of the trapezoidal shape and is more swollen than the other portions. The first spiral blade cross the second spiral blade at least at one of the first swell portions per turn.

Abstract: A gearbox is provided having an integrated breather system. The output shaft of the gearbox has integrated therein a breather bore with a top port in the top end of the output shaft and a bottom end in the side of the output shaft. The top end is in communication with the atmosphere while the bottom end is in communication with the inner oil reservoir of the gearbox. By incorporating the breather directly into the output shaft, air locking is reduced or even prevented. Further, the distance between the maximum and minimum oil fill levels is increased thereby allowing for a reduction in accidental over or under filling of the gearbox. In addition, accidental spillage of oil into the environment is reduced as the top breather port exists on top of the gearbox and may optionally include a breather line extending further upward. The reduction in air locking allows for increased accuracy in oil filling as well as reduced maintenance on the gearbox.

Abstract: A mixer includes a housing having one or more augers therein. The augers are turned so that they lift the material being mixed upwardly. Fixed on the side walls, which include baffles, are one or more deflectors which impart a downward motion on the mixture being mixed so that the mixture is tumbled upwardly by the augers and downwardly by the deflectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a continuous blender having a drive unit assembly with a shell assembly mounting assembly and a shell assembly structured to be removably coupled to the shell assembly mounting assembly by one or more clamps. The drive unit assembly may be coupled to shell assemblies having different lengths and diameters. Thus, by changing the shell assembly coupled to the drive unit assembly, the output of the continuous blender may be dramatically changed.

Abstract: A system for delivering microingredient feed additives into a feed ration includes a storage hopper with a mixer element attached to an agitator shaft that is configured to agitate a high-moisture feed ingredient in the hopper when the agitator shaft is rotated. A micromachine includes storage containers for storing low-inclusion ingredients, and meters and dispenses precise amounts of selected low-inclusion ingredients without using a fluid carrier. A mixing conveyor receives and mixes the high-moisture feed ingredient and the selected low-inclusion ingredients.

Abstract: The clay extruder includes a drum 2 having a screw 4 having a rotary shaft 6, a spiral rotary blade 5 for feeding the clay under pressure while kneading the clay fed into the screw, a pressure raising portion 10 to feed the clay under pressure while kneading the clay, and a rectifying portion 11 provided on the side of an extrusion port 20 in the drum 2 to rectify the clay into a columnar shape. The rectifying portion 11 has a rectifying rotary blade 7 whose intervals being longer than that of the rotary blade; an angle formed between the face on the side of the extrusion port in a sectional shape of the rectifying rotary blade cut along the central line of the rotary shaft 6 and the central line gradually decreases, as the rectifying rotary blade comes close to the extrusion port.

Abstract: A conveyor screw for conveyance of high viscose masses and an apparatus with such a conveyor screw, preferably for production of an ice cream. Said crew having a plurality of screw flights, where at least two screw flights extend from an inlet end part of the conveyor screw and wherein the outer edges of the two screw flights extend in different radial distance from longitudinal axis. Whereby the radially shorter screw flight assists with the conveyance of a part of the mass without affecting the whole mass and especially without affecting the ice layer, which by use of the conveyor screw in a through-flow freezer is created on the inner wall of the freezing cylinder. Cooling the mass to a temperature of ?15° C. or lower as preparation for extrusion of the mass for formation.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing body that partially faces the inside of a developer storing chamber, a first developer carrying member disposed in the chamber together with the body, and a second developer carrying member disposed in the chamber together with the first carrying member. The body is rotatable and bears a developer. The first carrying roller rotates to carry the developer in an axial direction, and the second carrying member rotates to carry the developer in an axial direction. The first carrying member carries the developer from end portions of the chamber toward a center portion of the chamber, and the second carrying member carries the developer from the center portion toward the end portions. An amount of the developer carried by the first carrying member is greater than an amount of the developer carried by the second carrying member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a continuous blender having a drive unit assembly with a shell assembly mounting assembly and a shell assembly structured to be removably coupled to the shell assembly mounting assembly by one or more clamps. The drive unit assembly may be coupled to shell assemblies having different lengths and diameters. Thus, by changing the shell assembly coupled to the drive unit assembly, the output of the continuous blender may be dramatically changed.

Abstract: A concrete batch mixing system and method are disclosed that enable the batch master to measure and control both the water and cementitious ingredient feeds in relation to each other so as to be able to blend the two ingredients in a known, selected, adjustable and repeatable manner, and to agglomerate these ingredients in a counter-rotating twin screw mixing apparatus for use in the preparation of batches of mixed concrete in a concrete batching process.

Abstract: A developer system, including: a developer housing having a sump containing developer material including toner particles; a developer member rotatably mounted in the housing for transferring toner particles to a latent image on the photoreceptive member in a development zone; a pickup auger, positioned in an auger channel, for transporting and delivering developer material to the developer member, along a path adjacent to the developer member, the pickup auger having a first end portion and a second end portion, and the pickup auger includes a plurality of blades extending along the length of thereof, the plurality of blades being adapted and arranged in the auger channel to maintain a constant developer material distance from the developer member along the length the auger channel.

Abstract: A helical-ribbon mixer having a rotation-symmetrical inner mixing vessel wall (2), a motor-driven central agitator axis (3) therein, on which, on lateral agitator arms (5), at least one helical ribbon (4) is held close to the vessel wall downwardly sloping with a circular slope (SZ) in a direction of rotation (D), wherein the helical ribbon (4), vectorially combined circularly and radially, has a helical ribbon angle of slope (SN) relative to the horizontal that is greater than a gliding angle (G) on the helical ribbon (4) of a material (M) to be mixed.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus is disclosed for mixing and discharging livestock feed. The mixer includes a container for the reception of feed, with a floor, and a wall extending away from the floor such that substantially all of the wall is disposed above the floor. The wall and floor define an enclosure for the feed received through the top opening. An auger is disposed within the enclosure, and the auger has an axis of rotation extending substantially vertically through the floor. The auger also includes an upper core which is not concentric with the axis of rotation, so that the flighting and attached knives are closer to the enclosure during one portion of the auger rotation.

Abstract: A truck for shredding and mixing products for zootechnical use, of the type that comprises, on a chassis (11) with wheels (12) that is self-propelled or towed, a container (13) that is substantially shaped like an inverted frustum, is open in an upper region and contains shredding and mixing means (14) which comprise at least two adjacent rotating main screw feeders (15, 16), each having an external profile (17) that lies on a substantially conical imaginary surface and at which shredding cutters are mounted. Contrast cutters (20) substantially shaped like circular sectors are hinged to the internal wall of the container (13) by means of their respective vertices in a vertical arrangement in substantially radial positions and can be inserted and removed through appropriately provided slots. Auxiliary screw feeders (18, 19), suitable to avoid the formation of stagnation regions, are arranged between the main screw feeders (15, 16), in the regions adjacent to the walls of the container (13).

Abstract: A vertical mixer has a mixing chamber with a vertical auger rotatably mounted herein. The mixing chamber has a side wall and a floor. The side wall has an opening therein that is closable by a door. The door is constructed to be opened and closed by hydraulic cylinder connected in parallel to a linkage. The linkage includes two or more elongate members pivotally connected to one another, and the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected between the elongate members.

Abstract: An auger device of a vertical mixer is disclosed for mixing animal feed. The auger device includes a core having a first and a second end and flighting which is secured to the core so that in operation of the mixer, when the auger device rotates, the animal feed is mixed. The flighting includes a first portion which is disposed helically around the core such that the feed is urged by the first portion in a direction from the first towards the second end of the core. Additionally, a second portion is disposed helically around the core such that the feed is urged by the second portion in the direction from the first towards the second end of the core. Also, the second portion is interposed between the first portion.

Abstract: Each mixing rotor for a batch mixer is rotatably insertable into a mixing chamber such that tip clearances are defined between tips of mixing blades and an inner surface of a mixing chamber and is provided on its outer circumferential surface with a plurality of mixing blades for imparting shearing forces to a material to be mixed by causing the material to pass through the tip clearances. The plurality of mixing blades include a nonlinear blade which is substantially nonlinear from a start point to a terminal point in a development of the mixing rotor developed into a plane about its longitudinal axis, and other linear blades which are linear in the development and whose helix angle to the longitudinal axis of the mixing rotor is set at 15 to 35°. An appropriate mixing control capable of realizing both sufficient mixing and sufficient dispersion can be executed by mixing and dispersing the material in a well-balanced manner by means of the mixing rotor.

Abstract: An auger device of a vertical mixer is disclosed for mixing animal feed. The auger device includes a core having a first and a second end and flighting which is secured to the core so that in operation of the mixer, when the auger device rotates, the animal feed is mixed. The flighting includes a first portion which is disposed helically around the core such that the feed is urged by the first portion in a direction from the first towards the second end of the core. Additionally, a second portion is disposed helically around the core such that the feed is urged by the second portion in the direction from the first towards the second end of the core. Also, the second portion is interposed between the first portion.

Abstract: A propeller for stirring solid-in-liquid suspensions inside a treatment tank is disclosed, comprising a generally axial element consisting of at least a blade with helical development and a generally radial element consisting of a plurality of vanes with generally radial development. Said elements belong to a single central shaft defining a longitudinal rotation axis along which said elements are coaxially arranged one after the other.

Abstract: An auger for vertical mixers includes a forward angled leading edge. The leading edge includes an inner portion, which may or may not be aligned with a radial line extending from the axis of rotation of the auger. The leading edge also includes an outer portion adjacent to the inner portion, which is angled forward of the radial line and extends forward of the inner portion.

Abstract: A fodder mixer (1, 20, 30, 40) is described, which comprise a mixing chamber (2) having a fodder discharge opening (6, 26) and a bottom (4, 24, 34). The mixing chamber is provided with at least two vertical screws (7, 37), which are adapted to be rotatingly driven and which are used for mixing the fodder and for moving it in a feed direction (F) to the fodder discharge opening (6, 26), each vertical screw being provided with a pick-up edge (9) which picks up fodder from the bottom and which sweeps over a flight circle projected onto said bottom. In order to optimize such a fodder mixer with respect to its conveying capacity, the present invention suggests that a fodder baffle surface (12, 13, 22, 23, 33) should be provided, which extends upwards from said bottom and which is effective in a direction opposite to the feed direction (F), said fodder baffle surface being associated with the flight circle of the pick-up edge (9) in a transition area (11, 21, 31) between neighbouring vertical screws.

Abstract: An improved twin screw extruder device (14) is provided which is capable of producing a wide variety of high quality extrudates having greatly varying final properties, without the need for extensive machine modifications. The extruder (14) includes a barrel (16) together with a co-rotating twin screw assembly (22). The assembly (22) is made up of a pair of screws (50, 52) having central, tapered shafts (54, 56) equipped with outwardly extending helical flighting (58, 60); the screws (50, 52) are non-parallel and are positioned so that the flighting (58, 60) thereof is intercalated along the length of the screws (50,52). The flighting is of specialized configuration and tapers along the length of the screws (50, 52) preferably at an angle of taper different than that of the shafts (54, 56); moreover, the width of the outer flighting surfaces (70, 72) increases along the length of the shafts (54, 56).

Abstract: An improved twin screw extruder device (14) is provided which is capable of producing a wide variety of high quality extrudates having greatly varying final properties, without the need for extensive machine modifications. The extruder (14) includes a barrel (16) together with a co-rotating twin screw assembly (22). The assembly (22) is made up of a pair of screws (50, 52) having central, tapered shafts (54, 56) equipped with outwardly extending helical flighting (58, 60); the screws (50, 52) are non-parallel and are positioned so that the flighting (58, 60) thereof is intercalated along the length of the screws (50,52). The flighting is of specialized configuration and tapers along the length of the screws (50, 52) preferably at an angle of taper different than that of the shafts (54, 56); moreover, the width of the outer flighting surfaces (70, 72) increases along the length of the shafts (54, 56).

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.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for a concrete extrusion machine has a first spiral conveyor section with a first external diameter. There is a second spiral conveyor section having a second external diameter which is greater than the first diameter. The second section is spaced apart from the second section. A third spiral conveyor section is between the first section and the second section. The first end of the third section is connected to the first section and the second end is adjacent to the second section. The second spiral conveyor section may be mounted on a hollow shaft of the third section. The second section has two longitudinally divided components, each having a recess therein. Connectors interconnect the two components and a locking device is between the hollow shaft and the second section.

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).

Abstract: Polyvinyl alcohol is processed into fiber or pellets for further processing, or directly into water-soluble film, in a screw-and-barrel extruder, which has a slow temperature rise and a mild kneading action achieved by a non-stick coating applied to the screw.

Abstract: A cast polymer integral mixing and vacuum processor system and method for delivering substantially void-free viscous polymer employs a motor connected to a mixing screw. A tube surrounds the mixing screw with one end of the tube being fixedly connected relative to the motor. The mixing screw has a thread thereon having varying pitch zones. In a loading thread pitch zone a relatively wide thread pitch is provided for receiving dry material filler at a filler input and resin at a resin input. At a first mixing and sealing thread pitch zone, a relatively narrow thread pitch is provided so as to form a vacuum seal and provide mixing of the resin with the filler material. At a void removal thread pitch zone a substantially wide thread pitch is provided and at which a vacuum tower is located in which a vacuum is maintained to remove voids formed by gas in mixed material.

Abstract: An improved asphalt paver having a remixing conveyor system that is adapted to substantially or entirely eliminating segregation in hot mix asphalt material delivered to the asphalt paver. The remixing conveying system includes at least one pair of parallelly spaced, oppositely pitched, counter-rotating hydraulically driven feed augers having remixing blades that intermittently displace portions of the hot mix asphalt material generally transversely to the direction that the feed augers convey the hot mix asphalt material from a hopper of the asphalt paver to spreading augers near the rear of the machine. Elongate members over the feed augers provide protection from impact forces and overloading and enhancing lateral extraction of hot mix asphalt material from the hopper. An optional feed screen provides flow control of the hot mix asphalt material in the hopper. A kit is provided for converting existing asphalt paving machines to have desegregating capability.

Abstract: Plasticating apparatus includes a barrel having an inlet for the introduction of resinous material and an outlet for the discharge of plasticated molten extrudate, along with a screw rotatably mounted within the barrel and in communication with the inlet and outlet for receiving resinous material, plasticating the resinous material, and discharging plasticated molten extrudate. The screw includes a helical flight with an outside diameter sized rotatably engaging an inside surface of the barrel and further, a helical valley disposed between flight lands of the helical flight within a transition section includes two root diameters, namely a rear root diameter and a forward root diameter, with the rear root diameter being larger than the forward root diameter proximate the inlet. In addition, a metering section is provided with special infeed and outfeed passages.

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.

Abstract: A vertical feed mixer has a mixing chamber containing a rotatable auger having a generally helical flight that is tapered to converge from bottom to top. The flight has a periphery with several successive substantially straight sections where each straight section has a blade at a trailing end thereof. A curved vertical blade is mounted on the lowermost portion of the flight near the periphery. The mixer requires much less horsepower to mix the same amount of feed as conventional mixers.

Abstract: A method of eliminating gel contained in polymer, by efficiently plasticizing and melting the polymer supplied into a barrel with the stress in a rotor reduced, and next kneading the polymer with a rise in temperature of the polymer suppressed and a residence time of the polymer in the barrel increased. A continuous kneader for realizing this method is also provided. The gel eliminating method includes the first step of plasticizing and melting the polymer by using a first rotor having a given number of wings; and the second step of kneading the polymer after the first step by using a second rotor having a given number of wings fewer than the number of wings of the first rotor, so as to suppress a rise in temperature of the polymer and increase the volume of a kneading chamber to thereby increase a time period of residence of the polymer in the kneading chamber. The continuous kneader includes a rotor having the first rotor and the second rotor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dough transport device having an improved dough pump, an improved manifold for dividing dough, and a rotational cutter for cutting dough into pieces of uniform shape and size. The auger dough pump operates using a auger which is tapered to provide for more efficient control over the transport of the dough. Further, the rotational cutter cooperates with a curved face of each outlet nozzle in the manifold to provide for a curved dough shape upon initial cutting of the extruded dough.

Abstract: A developer mixing and transporting member is provided which has at least two independent spiral-shaped channels extending around the circumference of the member. At least one of the channels is partly blocked by an element which restricts developer transport through the channel so that developer being mixed and transported within each of the channels is transported at different speeds and is thus rapidly mixed.

Abstract: A mixer for delaminating, deagglomerating, mixing, and extruding a mixture of powder and liquid, which contains a mixing chamber, a variable speed rotating shaft disposed within the chamber, a multiplicity of stators extending from the interior wall of the chamber towards the shaft, and a multiplicity of differently configured auger blades connected to the shaft. The device contains a first, second, and third set of auger blades, each of which is connected to the shaft. The first set of augur blades has a pitch which is at least twice as great as the pitch of each of the second and third set of augur blades, and it also has a smaller face area.

Abstract: This invention discloses a mixing tool for an ice cream maker. The mixing tool is substantially helix-shaped and is disposed within the freezing chamber of an ice cream maker. The mixing tool serves a three-fold purpose. First, the mixing tool scrapes frozen ice cream mixture off of the walls of the freezing chamber. Second, the mixing tool is capable of whipping air into the ice cream mixture if the rate of rotation of the mixing tool is high. Third, the mixing tool urges frozen ice cream toward the dispensing valve of the freezing chamber.

Abstract: An agitating unit is provided in an upright fermenting reactor for purposes of carrying garbage from a lower portion toward an upper portion of the fermenting reactor. The horizontal distance between the agitator unit, or a spiral blade thereof, and an inner wall surface of the fermenting reactor is made larger in proportion to the axial position of the agitator unit toward the upper portion of the fermenting reactor. On the other hand, an opening between the spiral blade and its drive shaft may made larger in proportion to the axial position of the agitator unit toward the upper portion of the fermenting reactor. With such an arrangement, a flow from a lower portion toward the upper portion and a flow from the upper portion toward the lower portion are simultaneously formed.

Abstract: An improved conveyer apparatus for processing and degassing a mixture of materials for forming solid surface end products, such as cultured marble and other polymer casting products. The conveyer includes a conveyer housing with an internal passageway having a conically shaped upstream section and a downstream section. A rotatable screw is located in the internal passageway and has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the internal passageway, so that an upstream section of the screw is conically shaped. The upstream section of the passageway has an inlet that connects to a source of materials, such as a mixer, and the downstream section has an outlet that permits the mixture of materials to exit the conveyer apparatus. A vacuum source is connected to the conveyer housing to remove gases from the mixture as it is being conveyed through the conveyer.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a rotary developing device has a developing unit in which a plurality of developing chambers are arranged around an axis of rotation. The developing unit is rotated about the axis to bring one of the chambers to a developing position where an image carrier is located. In each of the chambers, part of a developer removed by a doctor blade is received by a guide and then released from the guide into the chamber. This part of the developer is agitated in the vertical direction and conveyed together with the developer existing in the chamber by the rotation of the device. As a result, the developer is agitated, conveyed and charged in a desirable manner.

Abstract: An improved vertical feed mixer has a mixing chamber defined by a floor, a sidewall, and an open upper end through which feed material, such as hay bales, is loaded into the chamber. A vertically disposed auger with tapered flighting is rotatably mounted within the chamber for cutting, mixing, and discharging the feed material through a discharge opening near the bottom of the chamber. A plurality of grader blades extend outwardly from the auger shaft in close proximity to the bottom wall of the mixing chamber, thereby pushing mixed feed outwardly through the discharge opening a plurality of times during each revolution of the auger, thereby providing increased uniformity of the discharge flow of material into a feed bunk or trough. A primary deflector extends along the perimeter edge of the flighting adjacent the leading edge thereof. The secondary deflectors are spaced along the perimeter edge of the flighting.

Abstract: A method of forming a mixture of powdered material and water includes the step of providing a hopper, a holding tank, a tube intermediate the hopper and the holding tank, and an air-powered auger arranged to feed powdered material from the hopper through the tube to the holding tank. The method proceeds by adding powdered material to the hopper, supplying water to the tube, and operating the auger to feed the powdered material into the tube, to mix it with water in the tube, and then to push the mixture out of the tube to the holding tank. For drywall texturing applications, the mixture may then be delivered from the holding tank under pressure to a spray nozzle. An apparatus for forming a mixture of powdered material and water includes a hopper, a holding tank, a tube intermediate the hopper and the holding tank, and an auger extending from the hopper into the tube.

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.

Abstract: A conical-bottom silo, particularly suitable for small-sized pieces of plastic material with properties of high elasticity, includes a conical screw stirrer inserted axially in the conical bottom of the silo. The conical screw of the stirrer is discontinuous and divided into several sections. The silo has a structure for discharging the material arranged below an outlet port positioned laterally in relation to the stirrer and including two co-operating cylindrical screws. The stirrer can be provided with apertured grill outlets for heated, forced air.

Abstract: A livestock feed mixer includes a power source having a rotational power take-off. A mixer housing forms a mixing chamber for holding the feed ingredients and a rotatable mixing member is mounted within the mixing chamber. A variable speed power transfer mechanism is connected between the power take-off and the rotating mixing member for transferring power from the power source to the mixing member and for rotating the mixing member.

Abstract: An apparatus for extruding material is provided which includes a barrel and a screw. The barrel has an axis and an internal operating surface, the internal operating surface defining a barrel interior and a barrel helical thread portion which includes a plurality of grooves reducing in cross-sectional area from a maximum value to a minimum value in a direction axially opposite to the axial direction of flow of material through the barrel. The screw has an external operating surface and extending into the barrel interior, the external operating surface of the screw forming a screw helical thread portion having at least a first and second groove. Each of the first and second grooves has an upstream end, a downstream end, and a body portion extending between the upstream and downstream ends thereof, the first and second grooves being axially co-incident at at least a transition location and being at least partially axially co-extensive.