Method and apparatus for producing plaster

Claim 1

A GYPSUM CALCINING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A BASKET, MEANS FOR DELIVERING A LOAD OF RAW GYPSUM ROCK PARTICLES INTO SAID BASKET, A CALCINING KETTLE ADAPTED TO HOLD AN AQUEOUS CALCINING SOLUTION THEREIN, MEANS FOR CARRYING SAID BASKET INTO SAID KETTLE SO AS TO SUBMERGE THE RAW GYPSUM ROCK THEREIN, MEANS FOR HEATING SAID KETTLE THEREBY CAUSING THE CALCINING SOLUTION IN SAID KETTLE TO CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ROCK PARTICLES IN SAID BASKET, A RINSING TANK ADAPTED TO COLLECT A FLUID THEREIN, MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID LOADED BASKET FROM SAID KETTLE AND DEPOSITING SAID BASKET IN SAID RINSING TANK, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID RINSING TANK FOR FEEDING A RINSING FLUID OVER THE CONTENTS OF SAID BASKET, SAID RINSING FLUID BEING COLLECTED IN SAID RINSING TANK, A LEACHING TANK ADAPTED TO HOLD WATER, MEANS FOR HEATING A SUPPLY OF WATER IN SAID LEACHING TANK, MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID LOADED BASKET FROM SAID RINSING TANK AND DEPOSITING SAID BASKET IN SAID LEACHING TANK, MEANS CONNECTING SAID RINSING TANK WITH SAID CALCINING KETTLE FOR REPLENISHING THE CALCINING SOLUTION IN SAID KETTLE FROM THE FLUID IN SAID RINSING TANK, A DRYER MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID BASKET FROM SAID LEACHING TANK AND DEPOSITING THE CONTENTS OF SAID BASKET IN SAID DRYER, MEANS FOR APPLYING HEAT TO SAID DRYER, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID LEACHING TANK AND SAID MEANS FOR FEEDING THE RINSING FLUID OVER SAID BASKET WHEREBY THE RINSING FLUID IS SUPPLIED TO SAID RINSING MEANS FROM SAID LEACHING TANK.