Multistage internal mixer-settler extraction apparatus

Claim 1

AN INTERNAL MIXER-SETTLER COUNTERFLOW EXTRACTOR APPARATUS COMPRISING A VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL VESSEL, HAVING AN ACCESS PORT IN ONE HEAD THEREOF, SAID VESSEL BEING DIVIDED INTO TERMINAL SETTLING CHAMBERS WITH ALTERNATE MIXING AND SETTLING CHAMBERS THEREBETWEEN BY HORIZONTAL PLATES THEREIN, EACH WITH A CIRCULAR COAXIAL OPENING THERETHROUGH OF A DIAMETER NO LARGER THAN THAT OF SAID ACCESS PORT; A COVERPLATE FOR SAID ACCESS PORT, SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF DISKS OF DIAMETER JUST LESS THAN THAT OF THE OPENINGS IN SAID PLATES AND SPACED APART SO THAT ONE SUCH DISK LIES IN THE PLANE OF EACH OF SAID PLATES WHEN THE ACCESS PORT IS CLOSED WITH THE COVERPLATE; A ROTOR SHAFT COAXIAL WITH THE CYLINDER AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE COVERPLATE AND THROUGH THE SAID DISKS; ALL OF THE AFORESAID DISKS HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING TO ALLOW FREE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROTOR SHAFT AND FOR FLOW OF LIQUID FROM ONE FACE OF SAID DISKS TO THE OTHER; VERTICALLY DISPOSED RADIAL IMPELLER BLADES, IN EACH OF THE MIXING CHAMBERS AND MOUNTED ON THE CENTRAL SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED PASSAGEWAYS NEAR THE PERIPHERY OF EACH OF SAID PLATES FOR MOVEMENT OF LIQUIDS FROM ONE CHAMBER TO ANOTHER; MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID PASSAGEWAYS IN EACH OF THE SETTLING CHAMBERS TO DIVERT LIQUID FLOW TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CLYINDER; AN INLET FOR LIQUID FEED TO ONE OF THE TWO UPPERMOST CHAMBERS; A SIMILAR INLET TO ONE OF THE TWO LOWERMOST CHAMBERS; OUTLETS FROM EACH OF THE TWO END CHAMBERS; AND MEANS FOR DRIVING THE ROTOR SHAFT AND ITS ATTACHED IMPELLERS.