Countercurrent extractor bowl

Claim 1

A CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE FOR MIXING AND SEPARATING TWO LIQUIDS HAVING DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES, WHICH COMPRISES A STATIONARY HOLLOW SHELL FORMING AN ENCLOSED CAVITY, A ROTOR MOUNTED TO REVOLVE IN THE CAVITY RELATIVE TO THE SHELL, BAFFLES ON THE ROTOR SPACED AXIALLY THEREALONG AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY IN THE CAVITY WITH THEIR OUTER EDGES IN PROXIMITY TO BUT SPACED FROM THE SHELL THE BAFFLES FORMING A TORTUOUS PATH FOR THE LIGHTER LIQUID WINDING ALTERNATELY INWARD AND OUTWARD RELATIVE TO THE ROTOR AXIS AND SUBSTANTIALLY REVERSING ITS DIRECTION AT SAID OUTER EDGES, THE ENDS OF SAID PATH BEING SPACED APART AXIALLY OF THE ROTOR AND FORMING, RESPECTIVELY, AN INLET AND AN OUTLET FOR THE LIGHTER LIQUID, AND DUCTS FORMING AN INLET AND OUTLET FOR THE HEAVY LIQUID LEADING TO AND FROM THE CAVITY OUTSIDE SAID PATH AT POINTS SPACED APART AXIALLY OF THE ROTOR, THE STATIONARY SHELL DEFINING AT THE OUTER PORTION OF THE CAVITY A GENERALLY ANNULAR SPACE EXTENDING AROUND THE BAFFLES AND FORMING BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET FOR THE HEAVY LIQUID A PASSAGE BY-PASS ING THE SPACES BETWEEN THE BAFFLES, WHEREBY THE HEAVY LIQUID MOVING FROM ITS INLET TO ITS OUTLET FORMS AN ANNULUS AGAINST THE SHELL AROUND SAID PATH UNDER THE ACTION OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE DUE TO THE REVOLVING BAFFLES, AND TURBULENT FLOW WITH SUBSTANTIAL INTERMIXING AND CONTACT BETWEEN THE LIQUIDS OCCURS IN THE REGIONS OF SAID OUTER EDGES.