Method and apparatus for blending discrete materials

Claim 1

A METHOD OF BLENDING A MIXTURE OF DISCRETE MATERIALS, COMPRISING INTRODUCING A CHARGE OF SAID MATERIALS IN A CLOSED ELONGATED TROUGH SHAPED CONTAINER, THE CHARGE BEING LESS THAN THE CAPACITY OF THE CONTAINER TO NORMALLY PROVIDE THEREIN A LOWER ZONE OF SAID MATERIALS AND AN UPPER ZONE DEVOID OF SAID MATERIALS, IMPARTING A ROTATING AGITATING MOTION TO THE MASS OF MATERIALS ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CONTAINER FOR MIXING THE SAME AND ELEVATING SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE MATERIALS ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID HORIZONTAL AXIS INTO AND AT ONE SIDE OF THE UPPER ZONE NORMALLY DEVOID OF MATERIALS, AND THEN FURTHER MIXING AND BLENDING SAID MATERIALS BY VIOLENTLY PROPELLING SAID SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF ELEVATED MATERIALS THROUGH SAID UPPER ZONE IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE SAID HORIZONTAL AXIS FROM SAID ONE SIDE TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID UPPER ZONE OVER THE MASS OF MATERIALS MIXED IN SAID LOWER ZONE IN AN AIR BORNE DISPERSED CONDITION OF TEMPORARY FREE FLOTATION FOR DEPOSITION ON AND INCORPORATION INTO THE MASS OF MATERIAL BEING MIXED IN SAID LOWER ZONE.