Apparatus for wood chip digestion

Claim 1

A CHIP-DIGESTING SYSTEM, COMPRISING MEANS FOR DIGESTING CHIPS WHILE SUBMERGENCE; MEANS FOR FEEDING CHIPS THERETO; MEANS FOR DRAINING CHIPS RECEIVED FROM THE DIGESTER THAT INCLUDES A MAIN ENCLOSING INCLINED STEAMTIGHT CYLINDRICAL TANK HAVING AT ITS LOWER END A BOTTOM DRAINED-LIQUOR DISCHARGE OUTLET AND A CHIP-RECEIVING STEAM DOME RISING FROM ITS UPPER END, A CYLINDRICAL DRAINER ECCENTRICALLY DISPOSED IN THE TANK HAVING A PERFORATED BOTTOM SECTION THROUGH WHICH LIQUOR FROM THE CHIPS DRAINS FROM THE DRAINER INTO THE TANK, AN OPEN-ENDED STACK INTO WHICH CHIPS CASCADE FROM THE DOME RISING FROM THE STEAM OF THE LOWER END OF THE DRAINER TO AND INTO THE STEAM DOME WHILE PROVIDING AN ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN IT AND THE DOME, AN ANNULAR FLOOR SURROUNDING THE STACK CLOSING OFF THE BOTTOM OF THAT SPACE, A MOTIVATED SCREW CONVEYOR MOUNTED LONGITUDINALLY AND CONCENTRICALLY IN THE DRAINER WHILE ECCENTRICALLY JOURNALLED IN THE ENDS OF THE TANK FOR MOVING CHIPS FROM THE STACK ALONG THE DRAINER, AND A CHIP DISCHARGE OUTLET RECEIVING CHIPS FROM THE CONVEYORR LEADING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HIGHER END OF THE DRAINER AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE TANK BOTTOM TO THE OUTSIDE THEREOF, AND CHIP DELIVERY MEANS FOR FORCIBLY FEEDING A SUPPLY OF CHIPS IMMERSED IN COOKING LIQUOR TANGENTIALLY INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STACK AND THE DOME AT AN ELEVATION FROM WHICH THEY SWIRLINGLY AND FLOATINGLY SURGE UPWARDLY TO SPILL OVER THE OPEN TOP OF THE STACK.