Apparatus for presoaking lignocellulose material

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR PRESOAKING OF LIGNO-CELLULOSE MATERIAL IN THE PRODUCTION OF PULP WHICH COMPRISES A CLOSED TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A CHEMICAL SOLUTION, A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED FEED HOPPER FOR SAID MATERIAL DISPOSED ABOVE SAID TANK, A METERING DEVICE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE HOPPER AND THE TANK FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF MATERIAL FROM THE HOPPER INTO THE TANK, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM UNDER PRESSURE INTO CONTACT WITH THE MATERIAL IN THE HOPPER, PIPE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE HOPPER AND THE TANK FOR UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTING STEAM TO BOTH THE HOPPER AND TANK, A STACK DISPOSED WITHIN THE TANK WITH THE LOWER END THEREOF COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK TO RECEIVE TREATED MATERIAL, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID STACK EXTENDING THROUGH AND ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID TANK, SAID STACK HAVING AN INT ERMEDIATE FORAMINOUS PORTION BELOW THE TOP OF SAID TANK TO PROVIDE DIRECT DRAINAGE FROM THE STACK INTO THE TANK, A MATERIAL DELIVERY TUBE COMMINUICATING WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF THE STACK OUTSIDE OF SAID TANK, CONVEYING MEANS WITHIN SAID STACK FOR ELEVATING TREATED MATERIAL TO THE DELIVERY TUBE, AND A BAFLE DISPOSED WITHIN THE TANK BETWEEN THE METERING DEVICE AND THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID STACK TO DIRECT THE MATERIAL DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK AND THE LOWER END OF THE STACK.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR PRESOAKING OF LIGNO-CELLULOSE MATERIAL IN THE PRODUCTION OF PULP WHICH COMPRISES A CLOSED TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A CHEMICAL SOLUTION, A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED FEED HOPPER FOR SAID MATERIAL DISPOSED ABOVE SAID TANK, A METERING DEVICE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE HOPPER AND THE TANK FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF MATERIAL FROM THE HOPPER INTO THE TANK, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM UNDER PRESSURE INTO CONTACT WITH THE MATERIAL IN THE HOPPER, PIPE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE HOPPER AND THE TANK FOR UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTING STEAM TO BOTH THE HOPPER AND TANK, A STACK DISPOSED WITHIN THE TANK WITH THE LOWER END THEREOF COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK TO RECEIVE TREATED MATERIAL, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID STACK EXTENDING THROUGH AND ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID TANK, SAID STACK HAVING AN INT ERMEDIATE FORAMINOUS PORTION BELOW THE TOP OF SAID TANK TO PROVIDE DIRECT DRAINAGE FROM THE STACK INTO THE TANK, A MATERIAL DELIVERY TUBE COMMINUICATING WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF THE STACK OUTSIDE OF SAID TANK, CONVEYING MEANS WITHIN SAID STACK FOR ELEVATING TREATED MATERIAL TO THE DELIVERY TUBE, AND A BAFLE DISPOSED WITHIN THE TANK BETWEEN THE METERING DEVICE AND THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID STACK TO DIRECT THE MATERIAL DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK AND THE LOWER END OF THE STACK.