US1760906A

US1760906A - Mixing machine for viscous and granular materials

Info

Publication number: US1760906A
Application number: US294707A
Authority: US
Inventors: John E Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-07-23
Filing date: 1928-07-23
Publication date: 1930-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 1947-06-03

Description

lJune 3 1930. J. E. JOHNSON MIXING /MAGHINE FOR VISCOUS AND GRANULAR MATERIALS l Filed July 25, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 3, 1930. J. E. JOHNSON 1,760,906

' MIXING MACHINE FOR VISCOUS AND GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed July 23, 1928 3 Shee' .s-Sh :erl 2 f4 ngz.

June 3, 1930. J. E. JOHNSON 1,760,906

MIXING MACHINE FOR Viscous AND GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed July 23, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN T00 Jon/v E. rfa/m50. 5f /f/5l fina/MEX;

Patented June 3, 1930 lParri-:N'r OFFICE JOHN E. JOHNSON, OF LITCHFIELD, MINNESOTA MIXING MACHINE FOR VISCOUS AND GRANULAR MATERIAVLS Application led July 23, 1928. Serial No. 294,707.

This invention relates to machines for mixing viscous liquids with granular materials' and it relates particularly to such a machine, Where by molasses can be mixed with gram 5 to be used for feed purposes. f

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel and improved machine for mixing molasses or similar viscous liquid with grain or similar granular material, whereby a thorough and efficient mixture may be cheaply and readily obtained without necessitating the heating of the viscous liquid.

To this end, the invention consists in the novel parts and novel combinations of parts hereinafter defined in the claims, and described in the following specification, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in end elevation of the machine, looking towards-the rear end of the machine;

, Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the maas shown in Fig. 1; certain of the parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is avertical section taken on the line n 3 3 of Fig. 2, as is indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line v4 4 of Fig. 2,.as is indicated by the arrows;l

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, as is indicated by the arrows, certain of the parts being broken away, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, as is indicated by the arrows.'

v tion, and extending transversely between the.

longitudinal bars 9 are a pair of channel bars 10 adjacent thevforward end of the frame, and a pair of cross bars 11 adjacent the rear end of the frame. A substantially horizontally extending cylindrical drum 12 is supchine 'looking at the right side of the machine i ported by suitable brackets 13 on the upper cross bars 8 of the frame, so that the drum extends longitudinally of the frame. The drum 12 carries suitable bearings 14 and 15'at its forward and rear ends respectively, and a square shaft 16 centrally disposed in the drum 12 has rounded portions at its ends which are journaled within the bearings .14 and 15. The shaft 16 projects forwardly from the drum 12 and has a pulley 17 secured to its forwardly projecting portion. The drum 12 at its upper side adjacent its forward end is provided with a substantially square opening 12a and a slotted opening 12". The slotted opening 12b is disposed substantially centrally of the upper side of the drum, asis best shown in Fig. 3, while the opening 12a is disposed at one side 'of the center ofthe upper surface ofthe drum. A casting 18 fits over the openings 12,a and 12b at the rear upper side of the drum 12 and the casting is bolted or'otherwise secured to the drum. A reinforcing rod 19 may also be used for firmly positioning the casting in place and the rod is illustrated as running through 'the casting and through the brackets 13 securing the drum to the frame, The .casting 18 may be -considered as comprising a small cylindrical portion 18a joined to a large casing portion 18b by means of an arcuate web 18 which ts against the central top portion of the drum 12, a small web 18i 'which extends horizontally and a vertical web 18 which forms a portion of the rear wall of. the casting. Thel cylindrical portion 18a has a horizontally disposed 'cylindrical bore therein which extends parallel to the shaft 16 and within this bore is disposed a tube 20 open at both ends, and having an enlargement at. its rear end forming a small chamber 20a. The enlarged por- 9 tion at the rear end of the tube 20 formsshoul- `ders which abut the rear side of the cylindrical portion 18, while the forward end of' the tube 20 is closed by a cap 21 screw threaded on to the tube. A slot 1 8t extends verti- 95 Y cally downwardly through the cylindrical portion 18a and the web 18c to communicate with the slotted opening 12b in the drum 12. The tube 20 has .a slot 20b cut through its lower wall inwardly from the rear end of the casting 18 land this slot 20b is `in alinement with the slots 18 and 12b. A sleeve 22 ts within the bore of the tube 20 and is closed at its forward end by a plug 23 carrying a stud 24 which fits through the cap 21 and acts as a pivot for rotation of the sleeve 22. The stud 24 and plug 23 are held in the sleeve 22 as by means of a short pin 25. Two nuts 26 on the outer end of the stud 24 jam against each other and prevent the removal of the sleeve from the tube 20. The sleeve 22 has a slot 22a cut through its bottom wall and this slot is adapted to be alined with the slot 20". Small holes 22b are cut through the walls of the sleeve 22 to afford communication between the chamber 20a and the interior of the sleeve. A nut 27 screw threaded in the rear end of sleeve 22 forms a packing nut for closingv the rear end of the tube 20 and carries an arm 28 projecting upwardly therefrom, and bent at right angles adjacent its upper end to lit over the top edge of the web 18e. The web 18e is segment-shaped relative to the axis about which` the sleeve 22 mayturn, and has a projecting linger 18g at its left upper end, as viewed in Fig. 1, to limit the movement of the rod 28. The upper edge of the web 18e is notchedto form graduati'ons which will indicate relative alinement between the slots 22a and 20b of the sleeve and the tube respectively.

As is illustrated in Fig. 1, a tank 29 is provided at one Vside of the frame holding the drum 12 and this tank will be used as a supply tank for molasses or other viscous liquid to be used during the operation of the machine, A conduit 30 runs upwardly from the tank 29 and is connected to a rotary pump 31 which, in` turn, discharges to a conduit 32 running upwardly to a molasses meter 33. The meter33 is of standard construction and will register the amount of molasses or other viscous liquid running through the conduit 32. The conduit 32 extends upwardly from the molasses meter. and is connected by a `suitable coupling at its upper end to the enlarged outer portion of the tube 20 so that the liquid carried by the conduit will be admitted to the chamber 2Oa when the pump 31 is in operation. A pressure gauge 34 is interposed in the conduit 32 at a suitable point to indicate the pressure of the'liquid in the conduit. A downward extension 35 projects from the conduit 32 downwardly from adjacent the discharge point of the pump 31 to the top of the tank 29 and the extension 35 is providedwith a control valve 36 which is adapted to open or close the extension.

With the construction thus far described, it will be apparent that when the valve 36 is lclosed and the pump 31 is set in operation,

that molasses or other viscous liquid held within the tank 29 will be forced upwardly through the conduit 30, through the pump 31, through the conduit 32 and molasses meter 33 to -the chamber 20, whereupon wlien the handle 28 is swung so that the slots 22a and 20h are alined, or are in partial alinement, the molasses or lother liquid willNrun through the openings 22h into the interior of the sleeve 22, whereupon the molasses will be discharged.

in a narrow ribbon through the slots 22a and 20h and ldownwardly through the opening 18h secured thereto which is adapted to bedrivenfrom any source of power by means of the `belt'39 lor by other suitable means. A wheel 40 secured to the shaft- 37 works within the cylindrical portion of the casing and is provided with two sides 40a, a cylindrical drum like portion 40b radially'spaced outwardly from the center of the shaft 37 and a plurality of radial wings 40c which extend between the sides 40a outwardly from the cylindrical portion 40h. The win s 40c co-operat-l ing with the sides 40a, and t `e outer surface of the cylindrical portion 40h, will form a series of compartments for picking up and distributing grain or other granular material which may be thrown into the hopper 18h. Grain is adapted to be carried by the said compartments downwardly from the hopper to a passage 1'8k which projects downwardly below the cylindrical portion of the casing portion 18b and communicates with the interior of the drum 12, through the opening 12a adjacent the'forward end thereof. The grain or other material will vthus be charged into the drum at one side of the point where the molasses or similar viscous material is charged into the same. It should be here noted that the length of the Aopenings 12a and 12b longitudinally of the drum 12 are the same.

The square shaft 16 has a plurality of radial rods 41 secured thereto. Each of these rods are screw threaded at their inner ends and project through openings provided inV the shaft 16 and are h'eld thereon by nuts 42, one of wihch is placed at either side of the shaft. The rods 41 are longitudinally spaced 1 in their action on the material held within.l

the drum 12 from the forward end of the drum to the forward end thereof.

At its rear end, the drum 12 is provided with a discharge opening 12c and as is best illustrated in Fig. 4, this opening is formed at the lower left quadrant of the rear end `of the drum. Guides 43 are secured to the rear end of the drum at either side of the -opening 12e, and mounted within these. guides is a plate 44 having secured thereto an operating rod 45, which projects upwardly through a collar 46 secured to the'rear end of the drum above the opening 12. A set screw 47, screw threaded within the collar-'45, is adapted to act on the rod to hold the plate 44 in a desired position projecting upwardly from the bottom of the opening. The discharge port of the drum formed by the opening 12c and plate 44 can, therefore, be controlled by operation of the rod 45 and the set screw 47. A casing 48 secured to the rear end of the drum 12 fits over the discharge port and projects downwardly therefrom, and is connected, in turn, to a second casing 49 which leads into the central portion of a blower casing 50 suitably supported by brackets 51 from the forward cross bars 11. A blower shaft 52 is suitably journaled within the.

blower casing 50 and carries a blower fan 53 within the casing 50. The blower casing 50 4has a tangential discharge port to which a pipe 54 is secured, which pipe may be carried to any point where it is desired to discharge the mixed material, such for example, as a loading platform or elevator, (not illustrated). The fan 53 will act to assist the rods 41 in drawing the mixture of granular material and viscous liquid through the drum 12 and

casings

48 and 49. VTo regulate the pressure exerted by the fan 53, a suitable damper is provided in the casing 48. While this d amper may be variably formed, in the 1llustrated drawings, itis shown as consisting of guide strips 55 mounted on the rear side of the casing 48 at either side of an air admis# sion opening 48a. mounted within the guide strips 55 and has a slot in its central portion through which a stud 57, carrying a. wing nut 58, projects. By loosening wing nut 58 and by raising or lowering the plate 56, the opening 48a may be more or less opened to vary the amount of air that may be admitted through the openings 48a to the casing 48, and to the fan 53. Accordingly, the draft of air caused by the vfan through the drum 12 may be varied by regulation of the damper in the casing 48.

A motor bracket 59 of angular shape and having an arcuate web at one side thereof, is

mounted on the forward cross bars 10 of the frame. Slots are provided in the baseportion of the bracket 59 and nutted bolts 60 extending through the bars 10 project through the slots `in the base. Studs 61 project out- A plate 56 is slidablyl wardly from the corner of the bracket 59 through the vertical flanges of the right longitudinal bar 9, as viewed in Fig. 2, and these studs carry nuts at the outer sides of the bar 10. It will be seen' that by looseningv the nutted bolts and the nuts on the studs 61 that the bracket 59 may be laterally adjusted relative to the frame carrying the drum 12. A motor 62 having arms 63 secured thereto is mounted on vertical bars 64 by means of bolts 65 which project through the arms 63 and the bars 64, and also through vertical slots 59a` cut in the vertical side of motor bracket 59. The bolts 65 are provided with nuts at the outer side of the bracket 59. The bars 64 are bent horizontally at their upper ends and studs 66 extend through the horizontally bent portions of the bars and also through outwardly projecting lugs 59b adjacent the upper end of the vertlcal side of the motor bracket 59. These lugs have openings which are screw threaded to receive studs 66. At either side of the horizontal portions of the bars 64, the studs 66 have nuts 67 whichbear against thel bars. It vwill be seen that by 'loosening the nuts carried on the bolts 65, and by loosening the nuts 67 and by turning the studs 66 that the motor 62 and bars 64 can be raised or lowered respective to the motor bracket 59. The motor, therefore, is capable of adjust-ment vertically and transversely of the frame.

The motor has a motor shaft 68 which projects both forwardly and rearwardly from the motor proper and carries at its forward end a pulley 69, and at its rear end a pulley 70. A belt 71 runs over the

pulleys

69 and 17, while a belt 72 runs over the pulley 7 0 and also over a' pulley 73 secured to the forward end of the blower shaft 52. By proper adjustment of the motor vertically and laterally of the frame, the belts 71 and 72 can be properly tensioned so that both the shaft 16 and the fan shaft 52 may be driven from the motor.

In operation, grain or similar material will be fed into the hopper 18h, while molasses or similar viscous liquid will be fed under pressure through the pipe 32 into the sleeve 22. The molasses or similar viscous material may be charged into the sleeve 22 in cold state if so desired. The quantity of viscous liquid used will be shown by the molasses meter 33, while the pressure under which the viscous liquid is carried upwardly to the sleeve 22 will be indicated by the pressure gauge 34. By manipulation of the rod 28, the valve formed by the tube 20 and the sleeve 22 may be so adjusted that a desired quantity of molasses or similar viscous liquid may be charged into the drum 12 at the same time that a desired quantity of grain or similar granular material is charged into the drum through the hopper 18h and by means of the wheel 40 which will be rotated by means of the power applied to the .belt 39., The molasses will be discharged into the drum in a thin ribbon which is of the same length longitudinally of the drum as the mass of grain charged into the drum through the opening 12a. The shaftJ 16 will berotated in the direction as indicated by the lower arrow Fig. 3, when the motor 62 is in operation and, accordingly, the rods 41 at the forward end of the shaft 16,will'iirst strike the molasses and carry the same downwardly and to the right, as indicated in Fig. 3, into the mass of grain as it is discharged into the drum. The molasses, accordingly, will almost immediately upon its entrance into the drum be mixed with the grain before the molasses has an opportunity to run down wardly to the bottom of the drum, and accumulate there. As the shaft 16 continues to rotate, successive arms `41 rearwardly of the forward end of the shaft will strike the grain and molasses and will more thoroughly admix the same and will at the same time advance the mixture rearwardly to a position where other successive rearward arms 41 will strikathe same. When the machine is first set in operation, the operating rod 45, controlling the movement of the plate 44, will be so set that the opening 12c will be almost entirely closed. Also the plate 56 controlling the opening 48a will be preferably lowered so that a large quantity of air can be supplied to the blower 53 through, the opening 48a, thereby preventing the blower from exerting much force to pull the mixture through the drum 12. When sufficient grain and molasses have been admitted to the drum 12 so that the drum is'approximately half filled with the mixture, the operating rod 45 will 'be lowered to open the'discharge port at the rear'end of the drum and at the same time the plate 56 will be raised to almost completely close the opening 48B. The mixture of grain and molasses will thus be discharged from-the discharge port at the rear end of the drum into the casing 48, whereupon the same will run downwardly through the casing 49, to the blower casing 50 and will there be forced upwardly by the blower to discharge through the conduit 54. The rods 41 on the shaft 16 acting with the blower will force the material from the discharge port. If for any reason the mixture is discharged from the discharge port of the drum before it has been thoroughly admixed, 'the plate 44 can be raised by means of the rod 45 to raise the lower edge of the discharge port and partially close the opening 12, and also the plate 56' can be lowered to permita greater draft intov the blower through the opening 48B, thereby decreasing the force vexerted by the blower in pulling the mixture through the drum. When the desired quantity of molasses and grain or other material has been mixed and it is desired to stop the mixing lat-ing machine, the molasses or similar viscous material maybe drained from the conduit 32, through the extension 35 back into the tank 29 by merely opening the valve 36.

The machine will be used `chieiiy at feed mills or on large farms where it is desired to Inix a largequantity of grain or similar material with molasses or similar material for feed for stock,poultry etc. A For different kinds of stock and poultry, it is desirable to mix different proportions of molasses with the grain. Also at different times of the year, more or less molasses will be mixed with the feed than at other times of the year. With the present machine, any desiredl quantity of molasses or similar viscous material may be mixed with the grain or other feed used and the mixture can be made without heating the molasses or other viscous material.

The machine has been demonstrated in actual practice and has been'found to be very successful for the purposes set forth. The machine is quite simple in its construction and the operation thereof is easily understood.

It will1of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, de-

tails, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for mixing granular material with a viscous liquid, comprising, a substantially horizontally disposed drum, a shaft mounted within said drum, means for rotating said shaft -in one direction, means for charging viscous liquid in a thin ribbon parallel to said shaft into the forward end of said drum, means foir charging granular material into the forward end of said drum ahead of the point where said liquid is charged into the drum relative to the rotation of said shaft, means for reguthe quantity of viscous liquid discharged into the drum during any interval of time, and indicating means to show the quantity of viscous liquid being discharged into the drum.

2. A machine for mixing granular matelar material into the forward end of said drum at one side of the top of the drum, the point of discharge ofthe granular material being spaced .in the direction of rotation of said shaft relative to the point of discharge of the viscous liquid, a plurality of radial arms mounted on said shaft, and means for rotating said shaft so that the arms atthe forward end of the shaft will first move against the ribbon of viscous liquid to carry the same against the granular material before the viscous liquor has fallen to the bottom of the drum, said arms being adapted to mix the liquid with the granular material and to carry the mixture toward the rear end of the drum, said drum haring a discharge port rearward from its forward end.

3.A machine for mixing granular material with a viscous liquid, comprising a substantially horizontally disposed drum. a shaft mounted within said drum, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, means at the top of said drum for charging viscous liquid in a thin ribbon parallel to said shaft, into the forward end'of said drum, means for charging granular material into the forward end of said drum at a point spaced slightly in the direction 0f rotation of said shaft relative to the point of discharge of said viscous material and means on said sha-ft for carrying the liquid as discharged into the granular material before the liquid falls to the bottom of the drum and for mixing the liquid and granular material and for moving the mixture toward the rear end of thesaid drum, the said drum having a discharge port rearwardly from its forward end.

4. A. machine for` mixing granular material with a viscous liquid, comprising a cylindrical drum extending substantially horizontally, means for charging granular' material into the forward end of said drum, a tube mounted adjacent the rear end of .said drum and having aslot therein in communication with the said drum, a sleeve i mounted within said tube and rotatable therein, and having a slot adapted to be brought nmore or less into registry with the slot in said tube, means for supplying viscous liquid to the interior of said sleeve, a shaftin said drum, means for rotating said shaft and means on said shaft adapted to first strike said liquid as it is charged into said drum and to carry the liquid into the granular material charged into-the drum, to mix the two materials together and to carry the same toward the rear end of the drum.

5. A. machine for mixing granularxmateria-l with a` viscous liquid, comprising a cylindrical drum extending substantially horizontally, a casing mounted at the forward end of said drum above the same and having communication with said drum, means in one portion of said casing for receiving and discharging granular material into the forward end of said drum, a' tube mounted in said casing in spaced relationship from said first mentioned portion theresleeve, a shaft mounted in said drum, means for rotating said shaft, means on said shaft adapted to first strike. said liquid as it is discharged into said drum and to carry said liquid into the granular material as it is discharged into the drum to mix the two materials together and to carry the same to the rear end of the drum, a segmental block above said sleeve and an arm secured to said sleeve and working over said segmental block, whereby said sleeve can be rotated respective tosaid tube to vary the alinement of said slots and thereby regulate the supply of viscous liquid into said drum.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN E. JOHNSON.

of, a sleeve mounted within said tube, said