US2076163A - Mixer - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1937. w. M. RYAN ET AL. 2,075,163

' MIXER Filed May 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FgzA April 6, 1937. w. M. RYAN ET Al. 2,076,163

Patented Apr. 6, 1937 'UNTE STTES dilif PATENT MIXER New York, N.

Y., a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1933, Serial No. 669,694

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to mixing machinesof the rotary drum or barrel types, into which the products may be fed in one end of the drum and issued -at its other end.

While many developments and designs of a practical nature of this particular art are already known, it nevertheless has not been possible to devise a mixer that would comprise a combination of desirable features, which not alone will renw der its operation more eicient, but will also make the machine more suitable for the manipulation of certain types of products, such as foodstuffs, for instance.

In mixing products, which require careful handling and vigilant attention, as for instance coffee, nuts, grain, seeds and other perishable goods, it is found desirable to. protect the same as much as possible, and to eliminate all chances of having undesirable or detrimental elements and inuences come in contact with these products.

It is also found desirable to provide a machine which would furnish a means whereby it is possible to pass the products into and out of the mixing mechanism without causing the same to stop its operation during their passage.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mixer for foodstuffs which will entirely cover and enclose these products, while they pass into and out of the machine, and while they are subjected to the process of mixing as Well.

It is another object to provide a mixer into which the covered and enclosed products may enter as well as pass therefrom while the drum is rotating.

It is also an object to continuously feed into, as well as continuously discharge products from the mixer automatically, while a definite quantity thereof remainsl in the drum and is being mixed.

It is a further object to cause the discharge of products from the mixing drum by means of an overflow.

It is another object to provide a drum of which its mixing blades are located in such a manner to throw the product from side to side during rotation, so as to give a good mixture.

It is a further object of this invention to not alone rotate the drum, but to also provide means to tilt the same during rotation for either a partial or a complete removal of the productsV in the drum.

It is another object to locate the power drive for the drum on the tilting mounting frame, allowing this drive to move with the drum when being tilted, thereby simplifying the operative features of the machine.

It is also an object of this invention to locate the apertures through which the material is passing in independent relation to the circular openings of the drum.

It is a further object to locate these apertures in stationary mountings positioned at each end of the drum.

It is another object to provide a machine which embodies certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be referred to in the description to follow and pointed out more specifically in the subjoined claims.

We attain these various objects by the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a preferred construction of the mixer.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a partial sectional View of a modified design of the drum on a reduced scale.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the mixer on a reduced scale.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate sectional views of the respective outflow and inflow heads of the drum, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a detail view of an device on line 1 1, Figure 4. u Referring to the drawings, the mounting frame or support IU, preferably made of structural steel and welded or riveted together, comprises in the main, two uprights I I and I2 of triangular formation, joined by a cross beam I9, each having at their top surfaces a fulcrum in form of bearing blocks I5. These sustain by means of bearing pins I4 supporting members I6 of a diamond shaped tilting frame I1. To the latter is mounted a drum 20, having the formation of either a double cone as shown, or anv oval barrel-like construction,

At the farthest ends of frame I1 are securely mounted thereto, drum supports 2l, 22, which serve the purpose to sustain drum 2! by means of a stationary shaft 25, which is fast in said supports.

Secured to each end of drum 2t are circular, wheel- like carriers 21, 23, rotatable on shaft Z5, possessing angular displaced spokes 29, to permit a better transmission of the products during a rotation of the drum. Carriers 21, 28, are preferably rotated on antifriction bearings 26, held within a suitable dust-proof housing or adjustable spring mounting 24, positioned by flanges 23, secured to shaft 25.

To carrier 28 is fastened a sprocket wheel 36, connected with a chain 3| to an electric motor 32 which is suspended from frame I1 by means of inclined straps 33, rigidly connecting the motor with this movable frame.

The electric outlet box 34, connecting the wiring o-f the motor with the outside source of the current, may preferably be located near one of the bearing blocks I5 of the frame to give the least amount of swinging motion to the incoming wires.

Against carriers 21, 28 at the openings of the drum are pressed, in an axial direction, two respective covering heads or caps 35, 36. These caps are slidable on shaft 25 and pressed against respective carriers 21, 28, by means of helical springs 31 seated at their outer ends in brackets 38 forming part with frame I1, Fig. 7. The other ends of springs 31 are positioned on threaded supports 38 adjustably held in caps 35, 36.

The hubs of the caps are provided with a packing 39 of asbestos or similar material to provide an elastic alignment.

The outer contact surfaces of caps 35, 36, facing the rotating end surfaces of respective carriers 21, 28, are provided with a partial face lining 4I made of asbestos or similar material.

These various packings and linings in caps 35, 36 do not alone serve the purpose to align as well as smoothen the contact surfaces, but they also furnish an excellent means of enclosing all possible openings in the pathways towards and away from the rotating drum. Both caps are provided with a guide sleeve 5I protruding to within the carriers 21, 28.

Caps 35, 36 are prevented from rotating by means of plates 49, which are mounted to the upper surface of frame I1 and overlap protruding parts of said caps. The inflow cap 36 has at its top surface an opening 42 into which is entered the end part 43 of a flexible feeding chute 44, mounted independent of the mixer. Said chute is formed by two pipes or tubes 45, 46 of which the latter fits over the other and is slidable thereon. Tube 45 is flexibly connected to a hopper (not shown) while tube 46 is flexibly joined with end part 43 by means of a globular joint 41. Within this joint is located a butterfly valve 48, to regulate or stop the flow of the material passing through chute 44.

Outflow cap 35 is provided with an extension 55 having a globular formation at its outer end, to be joined with a tube 56 slidable in another tube 51. The latter is flexibly held in a joint 58 forming a part of an outlet 59. The flow of material through tubes 56, 51, which comprise a chute 60, may be stopped in an emergency by means of a butterfly valve 64 in extension 55.

The product fed into the drum at chute 44 will be drawn towards the centre of the drum by gravity as well as by the mixing blades or vanes 50 located at the inner surfaces of the drum. They are arranged in such a manner as to partly lift the product during rotation and let it slide as well as drop in a direction towards the centre of the drum.

The drum will be filled to a certain height above the lower inner surface level of cap 35 so that thereby the mixed product can automatically leave the mixing machine through chute 6U.

If desired the drum and its frame I1 may be slightly tilted and lowered at its output end, by means of an adjustable tilt control 65, comprising two blades 66, fastened to the sides o-f frame I1 and above the bearing blocks I5. Each blade is provided with a circular slot 61, through which passes a screw 68 held in respective uprights Il and I2. Screws 68, pressing against blades 66, will positively locate the tilted frame at any angle desirable within the limits of the slot.

In order to facilitate as well as more readily I control the operation of tilting the drum, a crank shaft 1I is provided, which is supported on frame I8 vin a bearing 12. A gear 13, forming a part with the crank shaft, engages teeth 14 on the circular edge of one of the blades 66.

The advantage of providing a tilt-control consists in feeding and drawing out the product faster, without requiring an increase in speed of the drum. The latter would be essential if, for instance, the product would move into the drum at a rate of speed to impede the iiow of the product through the entrance wheel 28. If the drum moves faster and at a rate of speed which will be in definite relation with the speed of the incoming product, a clogging can not take place. It, therefore, is quite evident that if the drum is tilted instead of accelerated, the same result, to move the products quicker, will take place accordingly.

Frame I1 may be reenforced by a bridge member 63, welded to or fastened in some other convenient manner to the middle of the frame above both bearing blocks, I5.

Suspension rods 6I, 62, bent into a V shape, are supported at their bend at the top of the bridge member and fastened by means of threaded members or other convenient elements to the tilting frame near to each end thereof.

The drum is provided with a suitable manhole cover 16, screwed to the outer surface of the drum. This manhole serves the purpose to make the interior of the drum accessible for cleaning purposes.

After the full quantity of the products coming through chute 44, has been fed into the drum and the mixing operation is to cease, it is generally required to empty the drum completely. This is done by tilting the drum, as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 1, suiciently far to cause an outflow of all the products. During this period the drum will be rotated by the motor, which is moved with the raising part of the frame and drum.

With this mixer it will not alone be possible to feed and mix, as well as discharge perishable products while they are entirely enclosed and under cover, but the feeding and discharging may be performed while the mixer is rotating. Furthermore the discharge is caused by an overow in the drum, thereby rendering the operations required for the products entirely automatic and continuous in flow, eliminating the time and labor consuming process of operating the products in batches or charges.

When mixing products, it is the tendency of the larger and heavier pieces to keep separated from the lighter pieces, which generally remain at the top of the bulk of the product.

In the mixer of the present disclosure the arrangement of the vanes or blades and the formation of the drum is fashioned in such a manner that the different size pieces of the product are thrown against each other. A volume of small pieces is pounded into one of larger pieces and vice versa, so that both kinds are bound to mix and furnish the desired result, which is complete uniformity of output.

The mixing operation of the rotating drum may be enhanced, if so desired, by providing the stationary shaft 25 with suitable ns or propellers l5, which may be fastened in any suitable manner, Fig. 3.

While these and other advantages of our invention may be attained by the mechanism disclosed and described, We desire to have it understood, that We may make such alterations and l modications which require no more than mechanical skill and which will not place in jeopardy the spirit of our invention.

What We claim by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules l which comprises a rotating drum having an axially positioned granule inlet at one end and an axially positioned granule outlet at the opposite end, means to support said drum to tilt on an axis to its axis of rotation, mixing blades Within said drum, a non-rotating inlet and a non-rotating overflow outlet sealed against said inlet and outlet openings respectively and telescoping inlet and outlet chutes leading to said inlets and outlets respectively to permit tilting of said drum 25 without disconnection from said chutes.

2. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules Which comprises a shaft supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported at its ends on said spiders and having an inlet open. ing about said shaft at one end and an outlet opening about said shaft at the opposite ends and an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outlet openings respectively and resilient means for pressing said inlet and said outlet members against said openings respective'ly.

3. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaft supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported at 40 its ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening about saidv shaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft at the opposite ends and an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outlet 45 openings respectively, said shaft having mixing.

blades mounted thereon.

4. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaft supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supporto0 ed at its ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening about said shaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft at the opposite ends and an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outlet openings respectively, and a framework supporting said drum and tiltable about an axis at right angles to the axis of said drum.

5. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaft supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported at its ends on said spiders and having a granule inlet opening about said shaft at one end and a granule outlet opening about said shaft at the opposite ends an an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outlet openings respectively and mixing blades mounted on and spaced from the inner surface of said drum.

6. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a rotating drum, means to continuously feed granules into the agitated mass of granules Within said drum for mixing, an outlet in said drum to continuously discharge mixed granules from sai-d drum and further means to change, in axial direction, the location of the point of arrival of the incoming granules at the mass in the drum.

'7. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a rotating drum having inlet and outlet openings for said granules positioned axially at opposite ends, said drum increasing in diameter from said inlet and decreasing toward said outlet, mixing blades mounted on the inner surface of said drum and extending spirally in one direction and blades mounted on said blades and extending spirally in a direction at an angle to said first-mentioned blades, a stationary shaft through said drum and stationary blades mounted on said shaft.

8. Apparatus for continuously mixing granules which comprises a shaft, supporting spiders rotatably mounted on said shaft, a drum supported at its ends on said spiders and having an inlet opening about said sha-ft at one end and an outlet opening about said shaft at the other end, an inlet member and an outlet member sealed against said inlet and outlet openings respectively, mixing blades mounted spirally in the inner surfaces and said drum, mixing blades mounted on said first-mentioned blades and extending transversely thereof and mixing blades mounted on said shaft.

W. MILES RYAN. JOHN W. BOLD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,076, 163. April 6, 1957.

WILLIAM MILES RYAN, ET AL.

first column, line 19, claim l, before "to" insert the Word transverse' and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lst day of June, A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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