Apparatus for pulverizing and dispersing solid material into liquid suspension

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF HYDROCOLS, OLEOSOLS, AND THE LIKE, WHEREIN A SOLID MATERIAL IS PULVERIZED AND SUSPENDED IN A LIQUID PHASE AND IS MAINTAINED IN SUSPENSION OR SOLUTION IN A BODY OF THE LOQUID, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A MILL HOUSING; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID HOUSING IN A FIXED POSITION ON A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN UPPER PULVERIZATION CHAMBER AND A LOWER DISPERSION CHAMBER; AN ACTUATOR SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID HOUSING UPON THE VERTICAL AXIS THEREOF; MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT; A CRUSHER ROTOR MOUNTED ON AND DRIVEN BY SAID SHAFT, SAID ROTOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GROUPS OF HAMMERS ROTATING IN RESPECTIVE PATHS OF ROTATION WHICH ARE VERTICALLY SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND ARE OF PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING DIAMETER AND PERIPHERAL SPEED OF ROTATION FROM THE UPPER TOWARD THE LOWER AREA OF SAID ROTOR; MEANS PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF FIXED TARGET AREAS ON THE INNER WALL OF SAID HOUSING IN HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED RELATION TO THE RESPECTIVE GROUPS OF HAMMERS AND SPACED THEREFROM BY PULVERIZING GAPS OF RESPECTIVELY DECREASING WIDTHS FROM THE UPPER TOWARD THE LOWER AREA OF SAID ROTOR; MEANS AT THE TOP OF SAID HOUSING PROVIDING AN ANNULAR SPRAY OF LIQUID DESCENDING THROUGH SAID GAPS AND MIXING WITH THE PULVERIZING MATERIAL DISCHARGED FROM THE LOWER GAP INTO SAID DISPERSION CHAMBER; AND MEANS FOR DRAWING OFF THE SUSPENSION OF LIQUID AND SOLID PARTICLES FROM THE LOWER AREA OF SAID DISPERSION CHAMBER IN A CONTROLLED MANNER SUCH AS TO MAINTAIN A BODY OF LIQUID FILLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID DISPERSION CHAMBER; SAID SHAFT PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID DISPERSION CHAMBER AND FURTHER INCLUDING AN AGITATOR SECURED TO SAID SHAFT IN A POSITION FOR OPERATION IN SAID BODY OF LIQUID IN THE DISPERSION CHAMBER FOR INHIBITING THE SETTLING OUT OF THE SOLID PARTICLES FROM SAID BODY OF LIQUID.