Process for the preparation of greases gelled with non-soap gelling agents

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF A GREASE COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES: (1) FORMING A LIQUID HYDROSOL OF A SUBSTANTIALLY GRITFREE CLAY; (2) FORMING A LIQUID BODY OF A CATIONIC HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT; (3) CONTINUOUSLY INTIMATELY COMMINGLING THE HYDROSOL AND LIQUID BODY; (4) CONTINUOUSLY AND INTIMATELY COMMINGLING THE MIXTURE SO FORMED WITH A MAJOR PROPORTION OF A MINERAL LUBRICATING OIL IN A RESTRICTED PIPE SECTION AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 150*F. AND ABOUT 250*F. FOR A RESIDENCE PERIOD OF BETWEEN ABOUT 0.05 AND 5 SECONDS WHEREBY WATER SEPARATES FROM OILY CURDS IN WHICH A GREASE-FORMING PROPORTION OF TE CLAY AND 40-100% BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE CLAY OF SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT ARE SUSPENDED TOGETHER WITH LESS THAN ABOUT 30% BY WEIGHT OF WATER; (5) CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE MIXTURE SO OBTAINED OVER A ROTATING SOLID SURFACE WHEREBY THE CURDS SHAPED INTO A ROPY MASS, PASSING THE LATTER MASS TOGETHER WITH THE SEPARATED WATER OVER A ROTATING PERFORATED SURFACE WHEREBY WATER SO SEPARATED IS REMOVED FROM THE OILY CURDS; (6) CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE OILY CURDS OVER A SURFACE HAVING A SKIN TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 320*F. AND ABOUT 370*F. FOR A TIME BETWEEN ABOUT 1 SECOND AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS IN THE FORM OF A FILM BETWEEN ABOUT 0.005 AND ABOUT 0.03 INCH IN THICKNESS BY MEANS OF BLADES ROTATING AT A RATE OF 1000-2500 EVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE, BELOW ABOUT 0.1% BY WEIGHT, WHEREBY A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS GREASE STRUCTURE IS FORMED.