US2108502A - Blending machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb.-15, 1938. F. J. MUENCH BLENDING MACHINE Filed July HD1936 2 Shets-Sheet l INVENTOR w W XRTTORN;

Feb. 15, 1938. F. J. MUENCH BLENDING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gul /W g ATTORNE 1111/11111111111111111111111 nl "mun Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in blending apparatus and has particular reference to improvements in blenders of materials such as wet or dry pigments, and to apparatus in which the containers of the material are being constantly turned over and the container material tumbled.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means whereby the tumbled material is in small quantities being continuously subjected to a further grinding and abrading process so that the'blending is more effective and the degree of perfection in blending is increased.

Further and more specific objects, features,

' and advantages have to do with an apparatus in which the improvements are incorporated at minimum expense and with minimum variation in the construction and operation of the device previously employed and while maintaining a simple strong durable construction.

Further and more specific objects. features, and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafter especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and which illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume.

The invention generally considered has to do with a turnable or rotatable casing or drum in which the various ingredients to be blended are placed and which may assume the form of a double cone shape turnable in a vertical plane with a line drawn through the vase of the cone as a horizontal axis of rotation. Within the casing or drum are disposed closely adjacent plates or disks having grinding and abrading surfaces facing each other at distances which may be regulated by any suitable means. These plates or disks are rotated relatively at different speeds .by desired means and one of them is provided on one side with suitable bucket means or ears which pick up some of the material within the drum as the buckets and the drum are turned and pass the material through suitable openings or passages to the narrow space between the grinding disks wherein the material is then further rubbed and ground together.

The material is thus treated in relatively small quantities to a finer division and abrasion while being in the larger mass turned and tumbled over in the main drum or casing.

It has been found that a much higher degree of perfection in blending is thus achieved and that spreading the blended powder even ever so smoothly and thin with a flat blade on a smooth surface underconsiderable pressure will not disclose any separate color specks.

The preferred present form which the invention may assume is shown in the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with a portion of the rotatable drum broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one of the grinding disks;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the opposite side of said disk;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of said disk;

Fig. 5 is a cross section through said disk on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the other disk;

Fig. '7 is an end elevation of the opposite side of said other disk; and,

Fig. 8 is a cross section through this other disk taken on the line 8 -8 of Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawings, the invention is applied to an apparatus for blending materials which comprises a double cone drum or casing such as Ill. The general construction and operation of this apparatus is set forth in Patent No. 2,018,082, Oct. 22, 1935.

As the drum is rotated to the position shown in the drawings, the material to be blended may be dropped from hopper ll into the neck l2 of the drum in which a valve is then open. This valve is operated by means of shaft I3, gear I4, chain l5, gear 16 and handle I! from the floor of the plant, altho it can also be operated by hand wheel l8 direct if desired. Thus the valve to discharge and introduce material may be operated from the floor whether the drum is in one position or another.

After the charge of material is in the drum it is then rotated at suitable speeds by means of a motor 28 mounted on the frame and driving shaft 29 to the other end of which a gear 25 is connected. A chain 24 connects gear 25 to gear 23 connected to a gear or reducing box 22 connected to gear 2! connected by chain 20 to gear IS on a hollow sleeve-like shaft 26 and to the drum itself. The inner end of the sleeve 26 supports one of the grinding disks'2'l. The speed of this disk is the same as the speed of the drum.

The motor 28 is driven at high speed and its shaft 29 supports another grinding disk 30 closely adjacent the disk 21 above mentioned. The disk 30 is shown in detail in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive and has thereon a series of outwardly flaring buckets or ears such as II which open by means of passages 32 into the inner face or the disk 30 which is closely adjacent the adjacent face of the disk 21. The grinding or rubbing surface of the disk 30 is constituted by the outer ring-like portion numbered 30, by arms 33 and by edges grooves 300. These disks maybe made of any suitable material such as steel suilicient to give the proper rubbing and grinding action. The arms 33 also help to throw the material outwardly toward the narrow grinding surfaces of the disks. As the disk 30 is rotated while the drum and the disk 21 are slowly rotated it will be seen that small quantities of the contained material will be caught in the buckets 3i and will then be passed to the interior grinding space between the two disks at which time it will be thrown outwardly from the center by the arms 33. As it reaches the periphery of the disks it will be caught between the two grinding surfaces and be subjected to an additional grinding and rubbing which will insure the further fine division and blending of the various pigments constituting the blend.

The other grinding disk is shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive and comprises an outer grinding ring 21 connected to a hub 34 on sleeve 26 by means of a flexible disk 35 of suitable Inaterial such as thin flexible steel. The grinding disk ring 21 on its inner face is provided with a series of grooves such as 36 which are suitably tapered and which facilitate the grinding and permit the ground and rubbed material to be sprayed out in a peripheral stream after it has been ground or rubbed.

The two grinding disks are thus closely spaced together and the one is provided with flexible means whereby an even pressure is substantially maintained on the material being ground therebetween. The material is taken in at the center by means of the buckets and after being ground is spewed out at high speed toward the walls of the drum. This action is repeated continuously as the drum turns over and over and thus the tumbling action of the drumis accompanied in a short space or time with the additional rubbing and grinding of the entire batch giving the additional fineness to the blend above mentioned.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to a present preferred form which the invention may assume, it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope oi! the invention in its broadest aspects.

Hence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:--

A rotatable blender casing, a drive motor, a grinding disk within the casing and connected to the motor to be driven at motor speed, connections between the motor and the casing to drive the casing at reduced speed, a second grinding disk within the casing adjacent the first disk and connected to and moving at the same speed as the casing, one of said disks having flared buckets thereon to catch material and throw it between the disks to be ground.

FRANK J. MUENCH.

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