US2483453A - Mixer and grinder - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1947 INV`ENTOR JAA/5S /4 50m.;- v

ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1949. J. M. BoYLE MIXER AND GRINDER Filed Feb. 6, 1947 4 Sheets-f-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MM5-5 /i/ff 5on5 'ATTORN EY Oct. 4, 1949. J. M. BOYLE 2,483,453

MIXER AND GRINDER Filed Feb. 6, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 4 l 3l Z9 28 6 4 Z2 INVEN-roR JQMES /I/f. Bons ATTORNEY Oei. 4, i949 J, M.` BOY-LE MIXER AND GRINDER INVENTOR ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 filed Feb. 6, 1947 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES-TENT OFFICE MIXER AND GRINDER James M. Boyle, New York, N. Y.

Application February 6, 1947, Serial No. 726,875

4 Claims.

rihe present invention relates to an improvement in mixing and grinding machines.

Known types of apparatus for mixing and grinding reveal various defects or inadequacies which in some measure tend to limit their usefulness. In certain wet grinding and mixing operations, for example, continuous throughput has advantages over batch treatment. Known apparatus for this purpose is unduly cumbersome, occupies more space than it should, and lacks flexibility or range in the time or degree of treatment available and in respect to the variety of materials treatable in a given installation.

An object of the present invention has been to provide apparatus for wet grinding and mixing which will have a large throughput capacity in relation to its size and cost and which can be supplied in cooperating units or sections to produce any desired extent or time of treatment. Other advantages and beneficial results in operation of such apparatus will in part be apparent and in part more particularly pointed out in the appended specification and drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is an end elevation;

Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig, 3, a longitudinal vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary View on enlarged scale in longitudinal horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5, a fragmentary View on enlarged scale in longitudinal vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Apparatus for treating, as in mixing, dispersing, and/or grinding materials in wet condition according to the present invention comprises in general a set of end pieces, one or more Work assemblies or units mounted between said end pieces, means for actuating moving portions of said assemblies, means for feeding in the wet material to be mixed, dispersed and/or ground, and means for withdrawing or discharging the treated material; and may advantageously include devices for controlling temperature of the material in process of treatment, supplemental means for feeding in controlled quantities of substances, as ilavoring or coloring matter, for

example, and means for taking out samples of the material under treatment without interrupting the treating operation.

As seen more clearly in Fig. 3, an 'inlet end piece I and an outlet end piece 2 are provided with bearings for a main shaft 3 which may be driven by any suitable means. One or more Work units may be removably and replaceably assembled between said end pieces. One form of such a unit, as shown in Fig. 3, embodies a rotatable assembly and a fixed member comprising a housingor wall, as a ring ll adapted to provide a material treating or work chamber in the form of a groove 5 having an annular opening and shown as approximately semi-circular in cross-sectional contour, and adapted to receive and cooperate with portions of said rotatable assembly. Sets of dowel pins 6 are arranged with end portions extending into correspondingly shaped opposed recesses located apart in face portions of said end pieces I and 2, and of said housings or rings 4. Said end pieces and one or more of said rings 4 and associated parts are held together by tie rods l. Windows 8 of glass or other suitable transparent material are removably mounted in said end pieces l and 2.

Between each two adjacent rings 4, in case two or more work units are combined in a single machine, and between a ring 4 and the outlet end piece 2, a frame 9 of spider form provides support for a lixed gear I il. Said frame 9 is held in assembled position by said pins 6 which extend through holes therein and have their ends projecting into the 120 angularly spaced recesses in face portions of rings 4 previously mentioned.

Each ring 4 is provided with external grooves I I and I2, or with other suitable conformation, arranged and adapted to receive temperature control fluid conducting pipes, as I3 and I4, respectively.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, the iluid material to be treated is fed through a port i6 initially into a slot 55 formed in a bottom portion of the peripheral flange or inlet end piece l. An inlet passageway or slot I5 extends diagonaldy from said slot 55 into work chamber or groove 5 through a portion of the wall of ring 4 at one side of said groove 5. Ring 4 also has a material discharging outlet passageway, as a slot Il, extending diagonally outward from work groove 5 through a portion of the wall at the opposite side thereof and which, when the parts are operatively assembled, registers with a connecting passageway, as a slot I8, in the spider Iframe 9. Where the machine includes another work unit assembled next in series with the first, and with said interposed frame 9, said connecting slot I3 registers with an inlet slot I5 of ring 4 of said unit following next in the series. Otherwise, fluid material passing through said slot I8 discharges therefrom toward a material discharge port `54. A sampling or drain port I9 opening into work chamber or groove 5 between the adjacent inner ends of the inlet slot I5 and the outlet slot I'I is controlled by a petcock 20. A supplemental material inlet port 2I opening into said work groove 5 through an upper portion of the ring d is controlled by a petcock 22. A cover strip 23 encircles mid-peripheral portions of ring li in position to close the temperature controlling .fluid pipe receiving grooves II and I2.

As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, one embodiment of temperature control apparatus whereby heat may conveniently be added to or taken from material in process of treatment in workchamber or groove 5 includes a hot uid, as water orlsteam, supply pipe 24 and a cold liquid supply pipe 25, both connected to pipe I3 which lies in groove Il, Fig. 2. Valves 26 and 21 control the amounts of hot and cold fluids, respectively, thus supplied to said pipe I3. The upper end of pipe I3 opens into-a chamber 28 atthe inlet sideof a dam 29 which extends transversely across the interior of said chamber 23 dividing it into an inlet portion and an outlet portion communicating therewith i above said dam 29. A thermometer is arranged Ywit-hits heatisensitiveportion 30 exposed in the vinlet portion of chamber 28 at a level below the top edge of dam 29 "and with its indicating porvtion, as 3l, conveniently visible.

The upper end of pipe I4 opens into said outlet portion of chamber 28. The lower end of said pipe I leads into a manifold 32 which in turn is connected by a pipe '33 to the lower end of a Yvertically adjustable riser tube 34, Fig. 1, the

overflow end of which is at a higher level than the upper edge of dam 29. Said riser tube 34 is `vertically adjustable in a standpipe 35 which drains into a waste pipe 35 through a connecting pipe 3l. It will be understood that the above described circulatory system for temperature controlling fluid, or any suitable modification thereof, may be employed to effect temperature -control of any desired number of work units combined in a single machine, veither to maintain uniform temperature or Ato provide different Ytemperature conditions fordifferent .units in the group.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3,'the moving portions ofeach of said work units include a hub 38 secured on main drive shaft 3. Said hub 38 carries .equi-spaced brackets or arms each of whic'h has a bifurcated portion 39 which provides bearings for a cross shaft Q0, Figure 3, and a radially extending shaft lll. Cross shaft 40 carries at one end a pinion 42 which meshes withy and is actuated by said ixed gear I0. Said cross shaft also carries abevel gear '43 which meshes with-.and drives a bevel gear 44 secured at the Ainner end of radial shaft 4l. Another bevel gear 45 secured -at the outer end of said radial shaft el, Fig. 2, meshes with -and `drives a -bevel gear l5 secured on aspinner shaft-41 which is journaled in outer `end .portions of spaced terminal arms 68 extending 'outwardly from a .cross bar SS and with said -outer end portions projecting -into said work chamber-5 through the annular Aopening inthe wall thereof.

results desired. Thus, when main shaft 3 is rotated, for example, in the direction of the arrow a, or clockwise as seen in Fig. 2, the above described train of gears, pinions and shafts operated from xed gear I0 serve to rotate the spinners 5D in work chamber or groove 5 in a clockwise direction, as seen at the bottom of Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5, while said spinners are at the same time Ymoved endwise in a circular path through said workchamber or groove 5.

Each end of each of said cross bars 49, Fig. 2, is connected to support an end of a dash plate or trough 5I of generally circular longitudinal sectional contour disposed in an arc and with inner surface portions opposite the greater part of the length of one of said spinners 50, so that Voperative portions of said spinner are in effect disposed between a wall portion of the chamber or groove 5 and said trough 5I.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, the spinners '50 are arranged to operate in the work groove 5 of ring and said troughs 5I are arranged asymmetrically 'in relation to said work groove 5 and their respective spinners to the extent that the outer edge of flange 52 thereof is disposed close to and overlying a portion of the inner 'surface of ring 4 adjacent to the annular opening of work groove 5; whereas the outer edge of the other ange 53 of trough 5| overlies portions of said opening and the spinner and is spaced inwardly therefrom.

In operation of Vthe illustrated embodiment, the material or materials in liquid form or carried in a liquid medium may be fed in a continuous stream, if desired, into the work chamber 5 through inlet port IB. The volume thus supplied to said work chamber is preferably such as to be moved freely through the inlet slots or passageways 55 and I5 into the circular path of movement of the agitators or spinners 5D and discharged through the outlet passageway or slot Il without overflow into adjacent confined spaces. Said spinners operate in said work chambers 5 with a combined liquid advancing effect coupled with an active cross agitation produced by rotation-of the spinners about their axes during their endwise or liquid advancing movement.

'I'he speed Awith which said spinners travel in chamber 5 is determined by the Aspeed of main `shaft 3 and, at the minimum, is preferably suffi- `are forcedby said dash plate back into `the stream '0f material moving in a Vcircular -path through said chamber.

It 'is contemplated that where only a single work chamber 5 is employed, the-degree or extent .of treatment of any -given material therein may be varied by varying the speed of rotation of shaft, or of the spinner memberaor both.

Where the apparatus can be set up to employ -two or more work-chambers connected in series, fthe degree or extent of treatment of a given material may -be varied by passing it through more or fewer of said work chambers before discharge, as well yas by the .speed changes rst above suggested.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that physical conditions 0r characteristics of various materials'will in large measure determine whether such materials can be advantageously treated at all in the apparatus above described and, if so, at what speeds and for how long to produce desired results.

In general, apparatus according to the present invention produces at low labor and power cost, effective intimate mixing or blending of different liquids; suspension or dispersion of certain solids in liquids or of one kind of liquid in another, as water in oil, or vice versa; and reduction in particle size of relatively friable or easily divided solid particles in a liquid medium. These functions indicate usefulness of said apparatus and advantages of its continuous flow mode of operation in the manufacture or processing of products such as pharmaceuticals, candies, cosmetics, foods, cellulose, plastics, paints, chemicals and others wherein known types of mixing, dispersing and grinding devices of the batch type, for example, are inadequate in operation or involve excessive labor and operation costs.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for treating, as in mixing, dispersing and/or grinding materials in wet condition, the combination of a work chamber having an annular opening, a main shaft coaxial with said annular opening, means arranged and adapted to feed material into said chamber, angularly spaced radially extending brackets mounted on said main shaft, a xed gear mounted coaxially with said main shaft, agitating means supported between said brackets and movable endwise in a circular path through said work chamber with rotation of said main shaft, means mounted on said brackets and cooperating with said fixed gear for rotating said agitating means While the latter is moving endwise in said circular path through said work chamber, and means arranged and adapted to discharge material from said work chamber.

2. Apparatus for treating materials, as in mixing, dispersing and/or grinding in wet condition, the combination of a work chamber, a material inlet thereto, a material outlet therefrom, a main shaft concentric with said work chamber, a material agitator, means for moving said agitator through said work chamber endwise in a circular path concentric with said main shaft, and means for rotating said agitator including a cross shaft and cross shaft actuating means operatively interposed between said cross shaft and said main shaft.

3. Apparatus for treating materials, as in mixing, dispersing and/or grinding in wet condition, the combination of a work chamber, a material inlet thereto, a material outlet therefrom, a fixed gear, a main shaft concentric with said work chamber, angularly spaced radially extending brackets mounted on said Vmain shaft and having journals at their outer ends, a flexible agitating member having end portions supported in said journals, said member being movable in a circular path and endwise through said chamber with rotation of said main shaft, and means for rotating said member on its own axis simultaneously with said circular movement thereof, including a fixed gear, and driving means operatively connecting said end portions of the flexible agitating member with said fixed gear.

4. Material treating apparatus comprising in combination a casing, a spider mounted therein, a gear secured to said spider and arranged concentrically in the casing, a main shaft concentric with the casing and with said gear, radially extending angularly spaced brackets mounted on said main shaft, pinions journalled on said brackets and engaging said gear, an agitating member having end portions journalled in end portions of said brackets, and means operatively interposed between said end portions of the agitating member and said pinions and arranged and adapted to rotate said agitator member around its longitudinal axis during rotation of said main shaft.

JAMES M. BOYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,217 Miller Oct. 22, 1901 1,956,141 Vogt Apr. 24, 1934 2,020,878 Doering Nov. 12, 1935 2,345,063 Nauta Mar. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 458,079 Germany Mar. 29, 1928

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