Apparatus for treating thermoplastic material to improve flowability thereof

Claim 1

APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR THE TREATMENT OF THERMOPLASTIC RESIN IN FINELY DIVIDED FORM TO IMPROVE THE FLOWABILITY THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) DISPERSING MEANS FOR DISPERSING FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES AS A FALLING DISPERSION THEREOF IN THE FORM OF A SHEET; (B) HOT GAS DISPENSING MEANS DISPOSED BELOW SAID SUPPLY MEANS FOR DELIVERING A STREAM OF HOT GAS FOR PASSAGE TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE PLANE OF SAID SHEET TO SIMULTANEOUSLY HEAT AND EXPAND THE DISPERSION OF PARTICLES, SAID HOT GAS DISPENSING MEANS COMPRISING A NATURAL DRAFT HEATER INCLUDING A HEATING CHAMBER, A HEATER WITHIN SAID HEATING CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING FOR PASSAGE OF GAS INTO SAID CHAMBER FOR THE HEATING THEREOF AND CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE HEATING CHAMBER AND HAVING A HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED OUTLET DISPOSED FOR DELIVERY OF HOT GAS OVER THE WIDTH OF SAID SHEET FOR SAID PASSAGE THROUGH THE BODY OF FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES; (C) COLLECTING MEANS FOR COLLECTING THE FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES TOGETHER INTO A MASS THEREOF, SAID COLLECTING MEANS HAVING AN OPEN TOP FOR PASSAGE OF THE PARTICLES THEREINTO, AND BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY BELOW AND SPACED FROM THE LOCUS OF PASSAGE OF GAS THROUGH THE DISPERSION OF FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES.