Fine particle classifier

Claim 1

A VERTICAL CLASSIFIER APPARATUS FOR DRY PULVERULENT MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A PERIPHERAL INLET-AXIAL OUTLET CENTRIPETAL EXTRACTION CLASSIFIER ROTOR JOURNALED FOR ROTATION ON A VERTICAL AXIS WITHIN A ROTOR HOUSING, SAID ROTOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL BLADES BETWEEN THE DISCS AND A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL BLADES BETWEEN THE DISCS, (B) AN ANNULAR AXIAL DISCHARGE DUCT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ROTOR, (C) A MATERIAL FEED INLET AT THE TOP OF SAID HOUSING, (D) MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF FEED FOR GRAVITATIONAL FLOW ABOUT THE CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTOR, (E) AN AIR INLET TO SAID ROTOR HOUSING, (F) A FAN HOUSING AND FINE PRODUCT DISCHARGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE AXIAL DISCHARGE DUCT OF SAID ROTOR, (G) FAN MEANS ON SAID ROTOR WITHIN SAID FAN HOUSING, (H) AN ANNULAR COARSE PARTICLES DISCHARGE CHAMBER DISPOSED ABOUT SAID ROTOR BETWEEN THE BOTTOMMOST OF SAID ANNULAR DISCS AND SAID FAN HOUSING AND IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE ANNULAR SPACE SURROUNDING THE CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERY OF THE ROTOR, (I) A VERTICALLY BLADED HORIZONTAL RING EXTENDING FROM SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATION IN SAID COARSE DISCHARGE CHAMBER, (J) AT LEAST ONE COARSE PARTICLE DISCHARGE DUCT IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER, (K) AN ANNULAR PNEUMATIC SEAL CHAMBER DISPOSED AROUND SAID ROTOR BETWEEN SAID COARSE PARTICLE DISCHARGE CHAMBER AND SAID FAN HOUSING, (L) AN AIR INLET TO SAID PNEUMATIC SEAL CHAMBER, AND (M) A HORIZONTAL BARRIER DISC EXTENDING FROM SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATION IN SAID PNEUMATIC SEAL CHAMBER, SAID DISC DIVIDING SAID CHAMBER INTO A TOP PORTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LAST NAMED AIR INLET AND SAID COARSE PARTICLE DISCHARGE CHAMBER AND A BOTTOM PORTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID AIR INLET AND SAID FAN HOUSING, WHEREBY PASSAGE OF PARTICLES FROM SAID COARSE PARTICLE DISCHARGE CHAMBER TO SAID FAN HOUSING IS EFFECTIVELY PREVENTED.