Clay calcining process

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR CALCINING CLAY TYPE MATERIAL IN WHICH PARTICLES OF SUCH MATERIAL ARE TREATED BY MEANS OF FLUIDIZING COMBUSTION SUPPORTING GAS AT A SUITABLE CALCINING TEMPERATURE IN A CALCINATION ZONE, AND CALCINED PARTICLES ARE EMPLOYED TO PREHEAT SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING GAS BY CONTACT THEREWITH IN A FLUID BED OF SUCH PARTICLES WHICH ARE THEREBY COOLED TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERTAURE BELOW THE CALCINATION TEMPERATURE IN A PARTICLE COOLING ZONE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: WITHDRAWING PARTIALLY COOLED CALCINED MATERIAL AT ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID PARTICLE COOLING ZONE AS A HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE DEVELOPING COLUMN OF CALCINED MATERIAL, DISCHARGING THE COLUMN OF CALCINED MATERIAL INTO A CONFINED, ELONGATED TRANSFER ZONE, CONTACTING SAID MATERIAL IMMEDIATELY UPON DISCHARGE WITH LIQUID WATER THEREBY VAPORIZING SAID WATER TO FORM A SUSPENSION OF STEAM AND CALCINED PARTICLES AS A REDUCED TEMPERATURE, AND EMPLOYING THE EXPANSION ENERGY OF THE VAPORIZING WATER TO FLOW SAID SUSPENSION THROUGH SAID TRANSFER ZONE TO A SOLIDS-GAS SEPARATING ZONE WITHOUT SUPPLYING FURTHER ENERGY THERETO.