Washer mixer apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MIXING LIQUIDS WITH FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIALS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A CONTAINER FOR THE PRODUCTS TO BE MIXED; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINER FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS INCLINED TO THE VERTICAL; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONTAINER ABOUT SAID INCLINED AXIS; AT LEAST ONE PARTITION MEMBER MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND DIVIDING SAID CONTAINER INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS, SAID PARTITION MEMBER CONTACTING THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER; AT LEAST ONE OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PARTITION ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID PARTITION FORMING A PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID COMPARTMENTS, SAID OPENING BEING SO SMALL THAT THE MOVEMENT IMPARTED TO THE CONTAINER ABOUT SAID INCLINED AXIS PRODUCES DIFFERENCES IN LIQUID LEVEL BETWEEN THE COMPARTMENTS, SAID OPENING BEING LARGE ENOUGH SO THAT LIQUID CIRCULATES ALTERNATELY FROM ONE COMPARTMENT TO THE OTHER DURING SAID MOVEMENT WHEREBY THE CIRCULATION OF SAID LIQUID BETWEEN THE COMPARTMENTS CAUSES THE LIQUID TO TRANSVERSE THE ENTIRE THICKNESS OF THE FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS TO BE TREATED CAUSING A THOROUGH MIXING OF THE LIQUID AND THE FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS.