Method and apparatus for producing regenerated cellulose pellets

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING PELLETS OF REGENERATED CELLULOSE WHEREIN GLOBULES OF VISCOSE ARE DROPPED INTO A COAGULATING BATH, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SUPPLY PIPE FOR CONVEYING VISCOSE UNDER PRESSURE, A PLURALITY OF GLOBULE-FORMING NOZZLES ATTACHED TO AND DEPENDING FROM SAID PIPE, A HOT WATER JACKET SURROUNDING A PORTION OF SAID PIPE FOR CONTINUOUSLY HEATING THE VISCOSE PASSING THROUGH SAID PIPE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE VISCOSE ENTERS SAID NOZZLES, EACH OF SAID NOZZLES HAVING A CONSTRICTED LIQUID FLOW REGION DIRECTLY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUPPLY PIPE, A LESS CONSTRICTED LIQUID FLOW REGION CONTIGUOUS WITH SAID FIRST REGION, AN APERTURE AT THE END OF SAID SECOND REGION DEFINED BY A DROP-FORMING SURFACE FOR GATHERING IN DETACHABLE GLOBULE FORM THE VISCOSE RECEIVED IN SAID SECOND REGION, A GENTLY SLOPING TROUGH HAVING A COAGULATING BATH FOR RECEIVING THE VISCOSE GLOBULES DROPPED FROM SAID NOZZLES AND FOR COVERTING SAID GLOBULES INTO SKIN-ENCASED PELLETS, SAID NOZZLES BEING DISPOSED ABOVE A DROPPING ZONE OF SAID BATH, AND PERFORATED BAFFLES POSITIONED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID TROUGH FOR ADMITTING THE COAGULATING BATH INTO SAID TROUGH AND FOR EFFECTING A QUIESCENT NON-TURBULENT FLOW OF SAID BATH DEVOID OF EDDY CURRENTS IN SAID TROUGH, SAID FLOW OF SAID BATH BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE SAID SKIN-ENCASED PELLETS AWAY FROM SAID DROPPING ZONE AND THROUGH SAID BATH.