Apparatus and method for processing vegetable fibers

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE CONTINUOUS ALKALINE TREATMENT OF COTTON LINTERS IN THE PREPARATION OF CELLULOSE, A CLOSED SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED, GENERALLY HORIZONTAL COOKING CASINGS AFFORDING A SUCCESSION OF ALKALINE TREATMENT ZONES, EACH CASING HAVING AN INLET PASSAGE AND A REMOTELY LOCATED OUTLET PASSAGE, A CONVEYOR IN EACH CASING FOR CAUSING A SUSPENSION OF LINTERS IN AN ALKALINE LIQUID AGENT TO FLOW CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH EACH OF SAID CASTINGS IN SUCCESSION FROM THE INLET TO THE OUTLET PASSAGE THEREOF, A COOKING TANK AFFORDING A FINAL ALKALINE TREATMENT ZONE, HAVING AN INLET PASSAGE AND A REMOTELY LOCATED OUTLET PASSAGE, A SQUEEZER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OUTLET PASSAGE FOR RECEIVING AND CONTINUOUSLY COMPRESSING DISCHARGED LINTERS TO EXPEL MOST OF THE LIQUID THEREFROM, EACH SQUEEZER SAVE THAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE COOKING TANK COMMUNICATING WITH THE INLET PASSAGE OF THE SUCCEEDING CASING TO DELIVER THERETO COMPRESSED LINTERS, CONDUITS CONTINUOUSLY DELIVERING EXPRESSED LIQUID FROM EACH SEQEEZER SAVE THAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST CASING TO THE INLET PASSAGE OF A PRECEDING CASING, A CONDUIT CONTINUOUSLY DELIVERING TO THE INLET PASSAGE OF THE COOKING TANK A FRESH ALKALINE LIQUID AGENT, WHEREBY THE LINTERS ARE TREATED IN THE SUCCESSIVE CASINGS AND COOKING TANK WITH A LIQUID AGENT OF PROGESSIVELY INCREASING FRESHNESS, AND STEAM PIPES INTRODUCING IN EACH OF SAID CASTINGS AND SAID COOKING TANK STEAM AT A PRESSURE OF FROM 60 TO 200 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, SAID COOKING TANK HAVING A CAPACITY SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THAT OF THE PRECEDING CASTINGS, WHEREBY THE TREATMENT TIME IN SAID COOKING TANK IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER.