Electrostatic processing system

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROSTATIC PROCESSING MACHINE COMPRISING A SELECTIVELY VARIABLE ELECTRICAL POWER SOURCE, AN ELECTROSTATIC FIELD CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A GROUNDED PLATE, AN ELECTRON ACCUMULATOR CONNECTED WITH SAID POWER SOURCE AND SPACED FROM THE GROUNDED PLATE, SAID ACCUMULATOR HAVING AN ELECTRODE PROVIDED WITH A SURFACE FACING SAID PLATE AND A DIELECTRIC ELEMENT OF SELECTED DIELECTRIC STRENGTH DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ELECTRODE ON SAID SURFACE FACING SAID PLATE, SAID PLATE AND ACCUMULATOR BEING SPACED TO PROVIDE AN AIR GAP, MEANS SELECTIVELY ADJUSTING SAID PLATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID ACCUMULATOR AND OPERABLE DURING OPERATION OF SAID MACHINE TO VARY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID PLATE AND SAID ACCUMULATOR, WHEREBY TO PRODUCE A SLOWLY RISING CONTROLLED ELECTROSTATIC FLUX FIELD, MEANS MOVING A MATERIAL TO BE PROCESSED THROUGH SAID AIR GAP NEAR SAID ACCUMULATOR, MEANS SELECTIVELY VARYING THE VOLUME OF SAID MATERIAL MOVED INTO SAID AIR GAP AND THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT THEREIN WHEREBY TO PROVIDE FOR SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM IONIZATION OF SAID MATERIAL TO PERMIT THE ELECTROSTATIC FIELD TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF SAID MATERIAL TOWARD SAID GROUNDED PLATE IN VOLUME RELATIVE TO DEGREE OF POWER, SPACING OF ACCUMULATOR AND PLATE, SPEED OF MOVEMENT THROUGH THE GAP, AND DIMENSIONS OF SAID FIELD, SAID ELECTRODE HAVING A SHAPE OPERABLE TO CONCENTRATE AND PRODUCE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRONS ON THAT SIDE FACING THE AIR GAP BETWEEN SAID ACCUMULATOR AND SAID GROUNDED PLATE.