Apparatus for treating materials at high temperatures

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, COMPRISING; A SUPPORT; A CHAMBER MOUNTED IN SAID SUPPORT SO AS TO BE ROTATABLE ABOUT THE CHAMBER LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND ROTATING MEANS TO ROTATE SAID CHAMBER; SAID CHAMBER HAVING A HOLLOW CENTRAL REGION FOR RECEIVING A MASS OF MATERIAL WHICH UNDER HEAT PRODUCES A MELT CONDUCTIVE OF THE ELECTRICITY AND PARTLY IONIZED VAPORS; AND AT LEAST ONE AXIAL INLET OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CENTRAL REGION; AND MATERIAL HEATING MEANS DISPOSED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID OPENING; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID CHAMBER IS DIVIDED INTO AT LEAST TWO ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS WHICH ARE LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACED WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, AND AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICALLY INSULATING PORTION RIGIDLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS SO AS TO INSULATE THEM FROM ONE ANOTHER; AND WHEREIN SAID APPARATUS FURTHER COMPRISES A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS SO AS TO CREATE A POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE THEREBETWEEN WHICH PERMITS THE PRODUCTION OF AN ELECTRIC HEATING CURRENT WHICH EXTENDS BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS AND THROUGH SAID CENTRAL REGION OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID CURRENT FLOWING ALONG A PATH IN SAID REGION CONSTITUTED BY THE IONIZED VAPORS AND THE MELT FORMED, UNDER THE ACTION OF SAID ROTATING MEANS IN MOLTEN LAYERS OF THE MATERIAL BEING TREATED CREATED IN SAID REGION BY THE HEAT INITIALLY PRODUCED BY SAID MATERIAL HEATING MEANS.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, COMPRISING; A SUPPORT; A CHAMBER MOUNTED IN SAID SUPPORT SO AS TO BE ROTATABLE ABOUT THE CHAMBER LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND ROTATING MEANS TO ROTATE SAID CHAMBER; SAID CHAMBER HAVING A HOLLOW CENTRAL REGION FOR RECEIVING A MASS OF MATERIAL WHICH UNDER HEAT PRODUCES A MELT CONDUCTIVE OF THE ELECTRICITY AND PARTLY IONIZED VAPORS; AND AT LEAST ONE AXIAL INLET OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CENTRAL REGION; AND MATERIAL HEATING MEANS DISPOSED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID OPENING; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID CHAMBER IS DIVIDED INTO AT LEAST TWO ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS WHICH ARE LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACED WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, AND AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICALLY INSULATING PORTION RIGIDLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS SO AS TO INSULATE THEM FROM ONE ANOTHER; AND WHEREIN SAID APPARATUS FURTHER COMPRISES A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS SO AS TO CREATE A POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE THEREBETWEEN WHICH PERMITS THE PRODUCTION OF AN ELECTRIC HEATING CURRENT WHICH EXTENDS BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS AND THROUGH SAID CENTRAL REGION OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID CURRENT FLOWING ALONG A PATH IN SAID REGION CONSTITUTED BY THE IONIZED VAPORS AND THE MELT FORMED, UNDER THE ACTION OF SAID ROTATING MEANS IN MOLTEN LAYERS OF THE MATERIAL BEING TREATED CREATED IN SAID REGION BY THE HEAT INITIALLY PRODUCED BY SAID MATERIAL HEATING MEANS.