Agglomerating apparatus for powdered food solids or the like

Claim 1

IN AN AGGLOMERATING APPARATUS FOR FEED IN THE FORM OF POWDERED FOOD SOLIDS OR THE LIKE, APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PNEUMATIC FLUID SOLIDS FEED CONVEYOR, AN AGGLOMERATING CHAMBER, MEANS FOR SEPARATING PNEUMATIC FLUID FROM SAID FEED AND DISCHARGING SAID FEED TO FALL IN SAID AGGLOMERATING CHAMBER IN RELATIVELY SHEETLIKE FORM, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING MOISTURE INTO SAID CHAMBER ON EACH SIDE OF SAID FEED FALLING THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM OF A V-SHAPED TROUGH GENERALLY VERTICALLY BISECTED BY SAID FALLING FEED, A JACKET FOR SAID CHAMBER, A CYCLONE INLET TO SAID JACKET FOR PNEUMATIC FLUID, SLOTS IN SAID CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID JACKET TO ADMIT AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING GASEOUS FLUID INTO A LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER, A DOWNWARDLY TAPERING OPENING IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER TO DISCHARGE SAID FEED IN AGGLOMERATED CLUSTER FORM OF PREDETERMINED MOISTURE CONTENT, MEANS FOR HEATING A PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR RETURNING UNDERSIZED SOLIDS TO SAID CONVEYOR.