Apparatus for processing fatcontaining solids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING ANIMAL FATS AND SIMILAR MATERIAL COMPRISING A COOKER FOR SUBJECTING THE MATERIAL TO A HEATING MEDIUM TO EFFECT THE SEPARATION OF FAT, MEAL, AND PROTEINACEOUS EXTRACT; MEANS FOR SEPARATELY COLLECTING THE FAT, THE MEAL, AND THE EXTRACT; A DRIER HAVING A PAIR OF ADJACENT SEPARATED INLET OPENINGS AND A DISCHARGE OPENING; A CONVEYOR FOR RECEIVING MEAL FROM THE COOKER AND DISCHARGING IT INTO ONE OF SAID INLET OPENINGS; MEANS FOR RECEIVING SUBSTANTIALLY DRY PRODUCT FROM SAID DRIER; DISTRIBUTING MEANS FOR DIRECTING A QUANTITY OF THE EXTRACT INTO THE DRY PRODUCT TO WET IT; MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE WET PRODUCT INTO SEPARATE SMALL MASSES; MEANS FOR COATING THE MASSES WITH SUBSTANTIALLY DRY PRODUCT TO FORM PELLETS; CONVEYING MEANS FOR DELIVERING THE PELLETS INTO THE OTHER OF SAID OPENINGS; MEANS FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE MEAL AND THE PELLETS FROM SAID INLET OPENINGS TO SAID DISCHARGE OPENING AND MOVING IT THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, AND MEANS FOR DRAWING A STREAM OF HOT GASES THROUGH SAID DRIER TO URGE THE PELLETS AND THE MEAL FROM THE COOKER LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID DRIER TO DRY IT.