Rake means for use in a grinding mill

Claim 1

A pulverizing mill comprising a closed casing, a grinding ring mounted within the casing for rotation about a central vertical axis, means for supporting and rotating the grinding ring, means for introducing material to be pulverized onto the grinding ring, there being an annular gas passage between the grinding ring and the enclosing wall of the casing, means for forcing gas upwardly through this annular passage to carry away pulverized particles in suspension rake means associated with each grinding element, each rake means positioned on the downstream side of its respective grinding element in the direction of rotation of the grinding ring, each rake means having a plurality of radially spaced teeth extending downwardly toward the upper surface of the grinding ring, the teeth being positioned such that there is a very slight clearance between them and the upper surface of the grinding ring, so that as the grinding ring rotates, the teeth will break up the compacted partially ground material clinging to the upper surface of the grinding ring.