Method and apparatus for transfer of contact materials

Claim 1

IN A HYDROCARBON CONVERSION PROCESS WHEREIN A GRANULAR CONTACT MATERIAL IS PASSED CYCLICALLY THROUGH AT LEAST TWO CONTACTING ZONES ONE BEING A REACTION ZONE WHEREIN IT FLOWS DOWNWARDLY AS A SUBSTANTIAL COMPACT COLUMN WHILE CONTACTING A FLUID HYDROCARBON CHARGE TO EFFECT CONVERSION OF SAID CHARGE TO GASIFORM PRODUCTS AND THE OTHER ZONE BEING A RECONDITIONING ZONE WHEREIN THE CONTACT MATERIAL FLOWS DOWNWARDLY AS A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT COLUMN WHILE BEING CONTACTED WITH A SUITABLE GAS TO EFFECT ITS RECONDITIONING FOR REUSE IN SAID CONVERSION ZONE, THE IMPROVED METHOD FOR EFFECTING TRANSFER OF CONTACT MATERIAL FROM ONE OF SAID CONTACTING ZONES TO THE OTHER WHICH COMPRISES: WITHDRAWING CONTACT MATERIAL DOWNWARDLY FROM THE LOWER SECTION OF ONE OF SAID CONTACTING ZONES AS A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT GRAVITATING STREAM OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH AND SUFFICIENTLY RESTRICTED CROSS-SECTION TO PREVENT SUBSTANTIAL ESCAPE OF GAS FROM SAID CONTACTING ZONE; DELIVERING SAID STREAM TO A LOCA-