US3380671A

US3380671A - Apparatus for mixing, milling, washing, extracting, and other processes

Info

Publication number: US3380671A
Application number: US572351A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kubodera Hisayoshi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-08-24
Filing date: 1966-08-15
Publication date: 1968-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-30
Also published as: GB1107676A

Description

M 30, 1968 HISAYOSHI KUBODERA 3,330,671

APPARATUS FOR MIXING, MILLING WASHING, EXTRACTING, AND OTHER PR ESSES Filed Aug. 15, 1966 I25 FIG. 3

INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,380,671 APPARATUS FOR MIXING, MILLl'NG, WASHING, EXTRACTKNG, AND OTHER PROCESSES Hisayoshi Kubodera, U410, Z-Chome, Shinbashi, Minato-iru, Tokyo-t0, Japan Filed Aug. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 572,351

Claims priority, application Japan, Aug. 24, 1965,

ail/51,298 11 Claims. (Cl. zap-9s This invention relates to apparatuses for subjecting materials to mixing, milling, washing, extracting, and other processes and more particularly to apparatuses of the socalled tumbler type or rotating vessel type in which material be processed is placed in a vessel closed at both ends which is caused to rotat about a horizontal axis through its longitudinal midpoint.

More specifically, the present invention concerns a new and improved apparatus of the rotating vessel type referred to above which is provided with a rotary vane wheel adapted to rotate within the vessel about the centreline of the vessel at the longitudinal midpoint thereof and driven independently of the rotation of the vessel, the peripheral part of the rotary vane wheel rotating in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the vessel, whereby mixing, milling, washing, extracting, and other processes can be accomplished thoroughly, uniformly, and efiiciently in a short time.

In a cylindrical vessel with closed ends of the tumbler type referred to above, the material at one longitudinal end of the vessel'is caused by gravity to be transferred to the other end as the vessel rotates. While the rotational speed is varied in accordance with the specific gravity of the material, the vessel, in general, is rotated at a speed of the order of from to revolutions per minute.

In a vessel havin a longitudinal centreline perpendicular to the rotational axis, there is only a small degree of intermixing of the particles of the material in the direction of the rotational axis. Accordingly, vessels of obliquely inclined orientation, of V-shaped type, of zigzag form with three obliquely inclined sections, and of other inclined types are used to cause intermixing of the particles also in the direction of the rotational axis. In these obliquely inclined types of vessels, since the material tumbles and slides also in the direction of the rotational axis along the inclined surfaces, the time for descent of the material is longer than that in a perpendicular type vessel. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce also the rotational speed.

In the apparatus according to the present invention, powerful actions such as planar material transfer and agitation due to a rotary vane wheel are applied to the material. Therefore, while excellent process results are obtained even in a vessel of perpendicular type, even better results are obtained in a vessel of inclined type, particularly a vessel of zigzag form with three inclined sections.

Furthermore, in the case of a vessel of inclined type, since the position at which the rotating shaft is fixed to the vessel is offset fron the midpoint thereof, it is possible to position the rotary vane wheel at the midpoint interior of the vessel. However, in the case of a vessel have inclined cylindrical sections in the shape of the letter V, vane wheels are installed in both sections, and, although the vane wheel in each section functions similarly as in the general case, it cannot make up for the maximum deficency of this type of vessel whereby, there is little intermixing between the material in both sections. In the case of a vessel of a general, single-cylinder type, the results are satisfactory in all cases, and, together with the rotary vane wheel, the configuration, rotational speed, and other factors are suitably selected in accordance with the intended use. It is to be understood that according to 3,38%,671 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 ice this invention, mechanical parts such as gears and bearings within the vessel interior are suitably protected from the material being processed although this feature is not specifically mentioned in the description set forth hereinafter.

While the rotational speed of the vessel is low and the action is slow in an apparatus which accomplishes mixing and other functions through the rotation of a vessel, apparatuses of this type are being widely used because of advantages such as simple construction and ease of handling and cleaning.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the rotating vessel type capable of accomplishing mixing, grinding, washing, extracting, and other treatment of materials in a thorough, uniform, and efficient manner in a short time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above stated character which is of relatively simple construction and operation.

According to the present invention, briefly stated, there is provided an apparatus for mixing, grinding, washing, extraction, and other treatment of materials, which apparatus is characterised by the combination of: a vessel for containing and treating therewithin a material to be reated, said vessel having a longitudinal centreline axis and closed ends; a horizontal rotary shaft fixed to said vessel, the rotational axis of said shaft intersecting said eentreline axis of the vessel at the longitudinal midpoint thereof; a rotary vane wheel adapted to rotate Within the vessel about said centreline axis of the vessel at the longitudinal midpoint thereof, the periphery of said rotary vane wheel being rotatable in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the vessel; a first driving device for rotating said horizontal rotary shaft; and a second driving device for rotating said rotary vane wheel.

The nature, principle, and details of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals and characters.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in vertical section showing one example of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line 11-11 in FIG. 1 and shows one example of a rotary vane wheel for use at the midpoint of the vessel of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view in vertical section showing a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the inventions;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view in vertical section with same parts deleted showing a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view in vertical section showing a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view in vertical section illustrating one arrangement of driving means whereby the rotary vane wheel is driven through a universal joint in cases as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 where the longitudinal centreline of the vessel is obliquely orienated with respect to the horizontal rotary shaft;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section illustrating the provision of guide ridges of equal diameter over their entire peripheries on the inner cylindrical wall surface of the vessel above and below a rotary vane wheel disposed therewithin;

FIG. 8 is a view in the axial direction in FIG. 7;

PEG. 9 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section illustrating the provision of crescent-shaped guide ridges in opposed positions on the inner cylindrical wall surface 3 of the vessel above and below the rotary vane wheel in the case of a vessel adapted to rotate in only one direction; and

FIG. 10 is a view in the axial direction in FIG. 9.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the apparatus shown therein has a middle cylinder 1 supported by horizontal

coaxial shafts

2 and 3 extending outwardly from opposite outer sides thereof, the axis of the middle cylinder 1 being obliquely inclined relative to the common axis of the shafts Z and 3 (for example, upwardly toward the left as viewed in FIG. 1).

The open ends of the middle cylinder 1 are provided respectively with end cylinders 4 and 5 having closed outer ends and open ends disconnectably joined to the respective open ends of the middle cylinder 1, the axes of the end cylinders 4 and 5 being obliquely inclined also with respect to the axis of the

shafts

2 and 3 but toward the side opposite that of the axis of the middle cylinder 1 (that is, upwardly toward the right as viewed in FIG. 1). Thus, the middle cylinder 1 and the end cylinders 4 and 5 connected to the ends thereof as described above constitute a vessel of zigzag shape with two bends and three successive inclinations with respect to the horizontal axis of rotation.

One horizontal shaft 2 is used for receiving driving power through a pulley 7 fixed thereto and is rotatably supported by a bearing 6.

The other horizontal shaft 3 is a hollow shaft rotatably supported by a bearing 8 in coaxial alignment with shaft 2. A shaft 11 inserted through the hollow interior of the shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the hollow bore of the shaft 3 and an outer bearing 9 and can be driven through a pulley 1i) fixed to the outer end thereof. To the inner end of the shaft 11 extending into the interior of the middle cylinder 1, there is fixed a bevel gear 12, which is meshed with a bevel gear 13 fixed to a short shaft 15 rototably supported with an axis coincident with the centreline of the middle cylinder 1.

While the shaft 11 can be rotated through the pulley 10, it can also be held stationary in some cases by stopping the pulley and holding the shaft 11 by means of a set screw 14 at the bearing 9. While, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the rotary vessel is supported on two

shafts

2 and 3, it will be apparent that the vessel in some cases may be supported at the end of only one hollow horizontal shaft 3 which is extended and supported on two bearings.

The short shaft 15 is rotatably supported by bearings at the ends of

brackets

16 and 17 secured to the inner wall surface of the middle cylinder 1 and supports the bevel gear 13, through which it is rotated, and a rotary vane wheel 18 comprising a hub and vanes with tips or peripheral parts in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the middle cylinder 17 The vanes have shapes suitable for the intended treatment of the material to be treated, such as mixing and grinding, and for the property, particle size, and other characteristics of the material.

Thus, the short shaft 15 is caused to rotate by the engagement between the bevel gear 13 fixed thereto and the driving bevel gear 12, not only when the bevel gear 12 is rotating but also when it is stopped, in which case the rotation of the vessel causes the bevel gear 12 to rotate relative to the vessel and, therefore, relative to the bevel gear 13, whereby the rotary vane wheel is also rotated.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, instead of the combination of the mutually enmeshed

bevel gears

12 and 13, any of various other devices such as a universal joint, angle coupling, and coil spring universal coupling can be used for transmitting driving power from the shaft 11 to the short shaft 15.

The apparatus of the above described construction and arrangement operates in the following manner. Because of the zigzag shape of the vessel in which the end cylinder 4, central cylinder 1, and end cylinder 5 are disposed with three successively inclined orientations relative to the horizontal axis of rotation, as the vessel rotates through a half revolution, the material being treated in the lower end cylinder is not merely caused to undergo tumbling and sliding motion in the forward and rearward direction or longitudinal direction, but the portion of the material at the left-hand side (as viewed in FIG. 1) flows toward the right-hand side, and the material at the right-hand side flows toward the left-hand side.

During the succeeding half revolution, the left-hand and right-hand material portions are caused to flow in reverse directions. During each half revolution, moreover, the two portions of the material flowing in opposite directions toward the left-hand and right-hand sides mutually collide and undergo thorough mixing and are thereby caused to assume a uniform, homogeneous state.

Furthermore, during each transfer of the material betwcen the end cylinders 4 and 5, all of the material passing by the rotary vane wheel 18 rotating at the midpoint of the middle cylinder 1 is subiected to a powerful mixing and agitating action by the vane wheel 18 irrespective of where (above, below, left, or right) the material is, whereby all of the material is subjected rapidly to very thorough and uniform treatment in a short time.

A feature of the above described first example of the apparatus according to the invention is that the end cylinders 4 and 5 are disconncctably secured to the middle cylinder 1, and the material which has been treated can be removed by merely disconnecting the end cylinder which happens to be in the lower position when the vessel is stopped and removing the end cylinder together with the material contained therein. Then a spare end cylinder containing a new batch of material to be treated is immediately connected to the middle cylinder 1, and the succeeding treatment process can be started.

This feature is highly advantageous in that it affords increased operational efllciency and prevents scattering of powdered material at the time of charging new material and at the time of discharging treated material. Furthermore, this feature facilitates cleaning of the vessel interior and affords simplicity and convenience in disconnecting, replacing, and connecting of parts such as h rotary vane wheel 13 within the middle cylinder 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second example shown therein of an apparatus embodying the invention has a vessel 1111 in the shape of a right-circular cylinder or prism P vided with ports at its two ends, the ports being closed by lids during operation. The vessel 101 is fixedly sup ported by a hollow, horizontal shaft 103 at an obliquely inclined angle relative to the shaft 103. The shaft 103 is rotatably supported on bearings 1% and 198 and supports a driven gear 11? fixed thereto and meshed with a driving gear 123, which is fixed to a driving shaft 122. The shaft 122 is driven in turn through a driven pulley 107 for receiving driving power.

Depending on design conditions such as the size of the vessel 101 and the weight of the material batch to be treated, another shaft (not shown) coaxially aligned with the hollow shaft 183 can be fixed to the outer side of the vessel 101 on the side opposite to that of the shaft 163, as in the example shown in FIG. 1, thereby providing additional support for the vessel 101.

A shaft 111 inserted through the hollow interior of the hollow shaft 1&3 is supported by the hollow bore thereof and by an externally disposed bearing 169 and extends into the interior of the vessel 101 where it supports at its end a bevel gear 112 fixed thereto and meshed with a driven bevel gear 113. The bevel gear 113 is fixed to short shaft 115 which is rotatable about an axis coincident with the centreline of the vessel 101 and is supported on bearings supported in turn by

brackets

116 and 117 fixed to the inner wall surface of the vessel 101.

The shaft 111 is driven by the aforementioned driving shaft 122 through a gear fixed thereto, an idler gear 126, and a gear 124 fixed to the outer part of the shaft 111. The idler gear is adapted to be positionally adjustable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction perpendicular to its axis so as to permit changing of the gear ratio of the gears 124 and 125, thereby to changing the rotational speed of the shaft 111.

The short shaft 115 supports and rotates a rotary vane wheel 113 having blades of shapes suitable for the treatment of the material, the properties of the material, and other operational conditions.

The apparatus described above as a second embodiment of the invention operates in the following manner. Because of the obliquely inclined orientation of the vessel 131 relative to the horizontal hollow shaft 103, as the vessel revolves through a half revolution, the material in the lower part of the vessel is not merely caused to undergo tumblin and sliding motion in the forward and rearward direction, but the portion of the material at the righthand side (as viewed in FIG. 3) is caused to fiow toward the left-hand side, and the portion of the material at the left-hand side is caused to flow toward the right-hand side, whereby the two portions are caused to mix.

Then, during the succeeding half revolution, the portion of the material which has arrived at the left-hand side at the end of the Vessel which has reached the lower position is caused to flow toward the right, and the portion of the material which has arrived at the right-hand side is caused to flow toward the left, whereby these two portions are caused to mix.

Furthermore, during each transfer of the material between the ends of the vessel 101, a powerful mixing and agitating action is imparted by the rotary vane wheel 118 rotating at the middle of the vessel 101 to all of the material passing thereby irrespective of where the material is (above, below, left, or right). Accordingly, all of the material can be subjected rapidly to a very thorough and uniform treatment in a short time.

In a third embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 4, there is provided a vessel 201 having the shape of a right cylinder or prism and having openings at its two ends which are closed by lids. The vessel 201 is supported on horizontal, coaxial shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof, one being a driving shaft 202, and the other being a hollow shaft 203. Alternatively, in some cases, the vessel may be fixed to the end of a single hollow shaft 203 similarly as in the aforedescribed examples. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the centreline of the vessel 201 is perpendicular to the axis of the

shafts

202 and 203.

A shaft 211 driven by outside means (not shown) and inserted through the hollow interior Of the Shaft 203 extends into the interior of the vessel 201 and is provided at its inner end with a bevel gear 212, which is meshed in perpendicular relationship with a driven bevel gear 213. The bevel gear 213 is fixed to a short shaft 215 supported rotatably in alignment with the centreline of the Vessel 201 by bearings supported in turn by

brackets

216 and 217 which are fixed to the interior wall surface of the vessel 2 01. A rotary vane wheel 218 is also fixed to the short shaft at a position as near the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel 201 as possible. Thus, rotation of the shaft 211 causes the vane wheel 21% to rotate.

Because of the construction and arrangement of this third example as described above, in which the treatment vessel 201 is a right cylinder or prism with its centreline disposed perpendicularly to the axis of the horizontal rotational shaft, mere rotation of the vessel causes the material being treated to undergo only tumbling and sliding movement principally in the end-to-end direction of the Vessel 291 as it rotates. However, during this longitudinal movement for each half revolution, the rotary vane wheel 218 imparts, evenly and thoroughly, turbulence, agitation, collisions, and other forceful actions to all particles of the material passing by the vane wheel 218 as they tumble and slide, irrespective of their positions (above, below, left, or right). As a result, all of the material can be subjected rapidly to thorough and uniform treatment in a short time.

In a fourth embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 5, there is provided a vessel 301 in the shape of a right cylinder or prism with openings at its two ends covered by lids. At its longitudinal midpoint, the vessel 301 is supported on horizontal,

coaxial shafts

302 and 303 extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof in directions perpendicular to the centreline of the vessel 301. Alternatively, in some cases, the vessel 301 may be supported at the end of a single shaft 303.

A driven pulley 307 is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 303, whereby the vessel 301 is rotated. The horizontal shaft 303 differs from the

horizontal shafts

3, 103, and 2-33 of the examples described hereinbefore with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, respectively, in that it is a solid shaft.

Coaxially with the horizontal shaft 303 of the vessel 301, there is disposed an internal or annular gear 327, which is fixed to a frame member 329 of the apparatus and is meshed with a pinion 328. The pinion 328 is fixed to the outer end of a short shaft 331 passing through the side wall of the vessel 301 and supported parallelly to the shaft 303 by a bearing 330. To the inner end of the short shaft 331 within the vessel 301, there is fixed a bevel gear 312 meshed with a driven bevel gear 313.

The bevel gear 313 is fixed to a short shaft 315 which is supported in alignment with the centreline of the ves sel 301 by bearings supported respectively by

brackets

316 and 317 fixed to the inner wall surface of the vessel 301 and supports a rotary vane wheel fixed thereto at the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel 301.

The apparatus 'of the above described construction and arrangement operates in the following manner. Whenthe vessel 301 is rotated through the driven pulley 307 by driving means (not shown), the pinion 328 is thereby caused to undergo a planetary revolution around the horizontal shaft 303 and, moreover, is caused to rotate about its own axis because of its engagement with the internal gear 327. Consequently, the short shaft 331,

bevel gears

312 and 313, and short shaft 315 rotate and cause the rotary vane wheel 318 to rotate at the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel 301.

Since the centreline of the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal shaft 303 which causes the vessel to rotate in this fourth example, the rotation of the vessel without the action of the rotary vane wheel 318 would merely cause the material to be treated to tumble and slide principally from end to end within the vessel. How over, during each half revolution of the vessel, the material is caused to pass by the rotary vane- Wheel 318, which imparts evenly powerful actions such as turbulence, agitation, grinding, and collision to the particles of the material. As a result, all of the material is subjected to thorough and uniform treatment in an efficient and rapid manner.

FIG. 6 illustrates one example of the use of a single universal joint 332, instead of bevel gears with obliquely intersecting shaft centrelines, to rotate the

rotary vane wheel

18 or 118 in cases where the c-entreline of the middle part of the vessel is oblique inclined relative tothe horizontal axis of rotation as in the case of the example shown in FIG. 1 or 3. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the driven shaft to which the vane wheel 18 (or 118) is fixed is supported by a bearing supported in turn by a bracket 333 which is .fixed to the inner wall surface of the vessel 1 (or 101). The output side of the universal joint 332 is fixed to the driven shaft, and the input side thereof is fixed to and driven by the driving shaft 11 (or 111) inserted through the horizontal hollow shaft 3 (or 103).

Because of the above described construction and arrangement of the apparatus according to the invention, in which a rotary vane wheel is caused to rotate around the centreline of the vessel at the longitudinal midpoint thereof, with the tips of the vanes or periphery of the vane wheel positioned in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the vessel, there may occur in ances in which the material being treated is caught and squeezed between the periphery of the vane wheel and the inner wall sur face of the vessel because of the properties of the material such as the hardness, particle size, particle shape, and resist-ance to disintegration, thereby giving rise to undesirable results such as excessive resistance to the rotation of the vane wheel and wear thereof.

In cases where there is the possibility of such adverse occurrences, these occurrences can be prevented by guiding the material which is tumbling and sliding toward the vane wheel so that it will fiow past the vanes at parts thereof other than their tips. For this purpose, in the case where the vessel may be rotated in either rotational direction, ring-shaped ridges D and E of the same diameter around their entire peripheries are provided to project inwardly from the inner Wall surface of the vessel on respectively opposite sides in the vessel longitudinal direction of the rotary vane wheel C and in close proximity thereto as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

In the case where the vessel is to be rotated in only one direction, crescent-shaped ridges F and G are provided on diametrically opposite sides of the inner wall surface of the vessel on opposite sides in the vessel longitudinal direction of the vane wheel C and in close proximity thereto as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The ridges F and G are positioned upstream of the vane wheel C with respect to the end-to-end flow of the material along their respective sides of the vessel inner surface caused by the rotation of the vessel in the one direction.

As described above, the apparatus according to present invention has a cylindrical or prismatic vessel for treatign material, which vessel is supported on and rotated by a horizontal rotary shaft, and which is of zigzag shape with three parts obliquely inclined to the horizontal shaft or of straight shape either obliquely inclined or perpendiculary positioned with respect to the shaft. Furthermore, the horizontal siaft may be in two coaxial parts fixed to opposite outer sides of the vessel or in the form of a single shaft fixed to only one outer side of the vessel and may be a hollow shaft or a solid shaft.

That is, the construction and arrangement of the apparatus of the invention may be selected from a wide range to suit various operational conditions such as the characteristics of the material to be treated, the nature of the intended treatment, the quantity of each batch of material, the conditions of the place of installation of the apparatus, and the method of supplying motive power.

Irrespective of the form and construction of the apparatus, however, the apparatus in each case is provided with a vessel having at or very near its longitudinal midpoint a rotary vane wheel whose vane tips or periphery are in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the vessel, and all of the particles of the material moving from end to end within the vessel as it rotates are subjected by the rotation of the rotary vane wheel to various powerful actions in a uniform manner during each end-to-end pass of the material.

The configuration and construction of the rotary vane wheel in each instance is selected to suit the operational conditions such as the characteristics and form of the material to be treated and the nature of the intended treatment. Similarly, the rotational speed of the vane wheel is selected, a low speed being used in cases where the material is merely to be agitated for uniform mixing without damaging the form and state thereof. In other instances, as higher speeds are used, the action of the vane wheel becomes more vigorous, and, by imparting a high centrifugal force to the material and causing the particles thereof to collide violently with the inner wall surface of the vessel and with each other, it is possible to accomplish operations such as milling or grinding. For washing, extraction, and other treatment of materials mixed with liquids, the openings for the moving parts passing from the outside into the interior of the vessel to drive the vane wheel are sealed against leakage of liquid.

Since the axis of the rotary vane wheel is coincident with the centreline of the vessel at its midpoint, it is readily possible to position the vane wheel at the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel as shown in FEGS. 1 and 3 by using a driving mechanism comprising a. shaft insorted through a horizontal hollow shaft of the vessel and bevel gears in the case where the vessel is obliquely inclined relative to the horizontal shaft.

in the case where the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal shaft, however, the use of the aboveientioned driving mechanism necessitates a slight displacement of the vane wheel from the midpoint as indicated in FIG. 4. Consequently, a certain difierence occurs in the action to which the material is subjected in moving in one endto-end direction and moving in the opposite direction, and this difference has no adverse effect in cases.

However, it is preferable that the vane wheel be positioned at the midpoint thereby to impart the same action on the material moving in both directions. For this purinstead of positioning the centreline of the shaft 331 for pose, by using an internal gear as shown in FIG. 5, and, driving the vane wheel 318 from the outside in alignment with the axis of rotation of the vessel 3G1, positioning the centreline of the shaft 331 parallelly with said axis at a suitable distance therefrom, it is possible to position the vane wheel 3E8 at the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel. The vane wheel, of course, can be driven through a universal joint as shown in H6. 6 or some other suitable mechanism instead of gears.

A convenient feature of the apparatus of the invention is that power required for rotating the vessel becomes high principally at the time when the material being treated which has collected at one end of the vessel is raised as the vessel is rotated; and, as the vessel rotatcs further, and the material falls toward the opposite end, the driving power even becomes negative, this part of the operational cycle coinciding with the period when the load on the vane wheel increases, whereby there is a tendency toward leveling of the power required.

Thus, it will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides an apparatus of unique construction and operation which can be modified to suit various operational conditions, which apparatus is thereby applicable to a wide range of operations involving actions such as turbulent motion, mixing, collision, agitation, milling, washing, and extraction, and which apparatus, moreover, is capable of performing these operations in an even, eificient, thorough, and rapid manner.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for mixing, milling, washing, extraction and like treatment of materials comprising, in combination: a vessel for containing and treating therewithin a material to be treated, said vessel having closed ends and a longitudinal centreline axis; a horizontal rotary shaft fixed to the vessel, the rotational axis of said shaft intersecting said centreline axis of the vessel at the longitudinal midpoint of the vessel; a rotary vane wheel adapted to rotate within the vessel about the centreline axis thereof at the longitudinal midpoint thereof, the periphery of said rotary vane wheel being rotatable in close proximity to the inner wall surface of the vessel; a first driving device for rotating said horizontal rotary shaft; and a second driving device for rotating said rotary vane wheel.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to one outer side of the vessel and a solid shaft fixed to the opposite outer side of the vessel in coaxial alignment with the hollow shaft; the centreline axis of the vessel is angularly disposed with an oblique inclination with respect to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to the vessel on only one outer side thereof; the centreline axis of the vessel is angularly disposed with an oblique inclination with respect to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises a middle cylinder having open ends and two end cylinders each having a closed end and an open end joined communicatively to a respective open end of said middle cylinder, said three cylinders being successively joined in zigzag form, each cylinder being obliquely inclined with respect to the horizontal rotary shaft; the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to one outer side of the middle cylinder and a solid shaft fixed to the opposite outer side of the middle cylinder in coaxial alignment with the hollow shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises a middle cylinder having open ends and two end cylinders each having a closed end and an open end joined communicatively to a respective open end of said middle cylinder, said three cylinders being successively joined in zigzag form, each cylinder being obliquely inclined with respect to the horizontal rotary shaft; the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to the middle cylinder on only one outer side thereof; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to one outer side of the vessel and a solid shaft fixed to the opposite outer side of the vessel in coaxial alignment with the hollow shaft; the centreline axis of the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a hollow shaft fixed to the vessel on only one outer side thereof; the centreline axis of the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes a shaft inserted through the hollow interior of said hollow shaft and driven from the outside.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of two solid shafts in coaxial alignment fixed to mutually opposite outer sides of the vessel; the centreline axis of the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes an internal gear fixed in space coaxially with respect to the axis of the horizontal rotary shaft, a drive shaft disposed parallelly to the horizontal rotary shaft and passed through the side Wall of the vessel, and a pinion fixed to the outer end of said drive shaft and meshed with said internal gear, said pinion being caused by the rotation of the vessel to undergo planetary revolution around the interior of the internal gear and, simultaneously, rotation about its own axis thereby to rotate said drive shaft.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal rotary shaft consists of a solid shaft fixed to only one outer side of the vessel; the centreline axis of the vessel is disposed perpendicularly to the horizontal rotary shaft; and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane wheel includes an internal gear fixed in space coaxially with respect to the axis of the horizontal rotary shaft, a drive shaft disposed parallelly to the horizontal rotary shaft and passed through the side wall of the vessel, and a pinion fixed to the outer end of said drive shaft and meshed with said internal gear, said pinion being caused by the rotation of the vessel to undergo planetary revolution around the interior of the internal gear and, simultaneously rotation about its own axis thereby to rotate said drive shaft.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein there is further provided a guide means projecting inwardly from the inner wall surface of the vessel in close proximity to the peripheral part of the rotary vane wheel to guide the material being treated and moving toward the rotary vane wheel away from the gap between the periphery of said wheel and the inner wall surface of the vessel, said guide means consisting, in the case where the vessel is to be rotated in either rotational direction, of two ring-shaped ridges provided on respectively opposite sides in the vessel longitudinal direction of the rotary vane wheel and, in the case where the vessel is to be rotated in only one rotational direction, of crescent-shaped ridges on diametrically opposite sides of the inner wall surface of the vessel on opposite sides in the vessel longitudinal direction of the vane wheel, said crescent-shaped ridges being respectively positioned on the upstream side of the vane wheel with respect to the longitudinal How of the material along their respective sides of the vessel caused by the rotation of the vessel in said one rotational direction.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first driving device for rotating the horizontal rotary shaft and the second driving device for rotating the rotary vane are driven by a common power source.