Pulping apparatus

Claim 1

An Apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, said cutting means including a substantially horizontally disposed blade having a cutting portion thereon, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein.

Claim 2

An Apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, said cutting means including a substantially horizontally disposed blade having a cutting portion thereon, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein.

Claim 4

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed platelike blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means but spaced inwardly from an outer edge thereof, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed.

Claim 5

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed platelike blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means but spaced inwardly from an outer edge thereof, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed.

Claim 7

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said fixed blade includes an abrasive lower surface.

Claim 8

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said fixed blade includes an abrasive lower surface.

Claim 9

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said cutting member includes a radially outwardly directed cutting element disposed on a radially outermost surface thereof relative to said impeller means.

Claim 10

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said cutting member includes a radially outwardly directed cutting element disposed on a radially outermost surface thereof relative to said impeller means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, said impeller means being generally of disclike configuration and having cutting means thereon, said tank means including a ringlike portion hAving a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein, said ringlike portion being spaced radially outwardly of said impeller means, to provide a running clearance annulus with the outer edge of said impeller means, said annulus being spaced radially inwardly from and directed perpendicular to said fluid outlet openings of said ringlike portion, said impeller means being adapted to impel liquid through said openings, transversely across an adjacent end of said annulus.

Claim 12

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, said impeller means being generally of disclike configuration and having cutting means thereon, said tank means including a ringlike portion hAving a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein, said ringlike portion being spaced radially outwardly of said impeller means, to provide a running clearance annulus with the outer edge of said impeller means, said annulus being spaced radially inwardly from and directed perpendicular to said fluid outlet openings of said ringlike portion, said impeller means being adapted to impel liquid through said openings, transversely across an adjacent end of said annulus.

Claim 13

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and carried at its lower end only on the upper end of said platelike impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and carried at its lower end only on the upper end of said platelike impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means.

Claim 15

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said ramp means comprises a wire member of helixlike configuration, connected to said impeller means at one end thereof.

Claim 16

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said ramp means comprises a wire member of helixlike configuration, connected to said impeller means at one end thereof.

Claim 17

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said ramp means comprises a portion of a cylindrically configured member, the upper edge of which presents a ramp of continuously increasing height relative to said impeller means.

Claim 18

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary platelike impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means disposed within said tank means, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means and sloping upwardly substantially from an upper surface of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said ramp means comprises a portion of a cylindrically configured member, the upper edge of which presents a ramp of continuously increasing height relative to said impeller means.

Claim 19

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein, wherein said cutting means comprises an upstanding member carried by said impeller means and having a leading and a trailing end during rotation of said impeller means, said leading end being sloped at an acute angle relative to an upper surface of said impeller means.

Claim 20

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontally directed fluid outlet openings therein, wherein said cutting means comprises an upstanding member carried by said impeller means and having a leading and a trailing end during rotation of said impeller means, said leading end being sloped at an acute angle relative to an upper surface of said impeller means.

Claim 22

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontAlly directed fluid outlet openings therein, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said cutting member carries first and second cutting edges closely adjacent but spaced radially from each other relative to the center of said impeller means, said fixed blade carrying a cutting element with a third cutting edge, said third cutting edge being adapted to pass between said first and second cutting edges upon rotation of said impeller means.

Claim 23

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said tank means includes a ringlike portion having a substantially upstanding cylindrical sidewall with substantially horizontAlly directed fluid outlet openings therein, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said cutting member carries first and second cutting edges closely adjacent but spaced radially from each other relative to the center of said impeller means, said fixed blade carrying a cutting element with a third cutting edge, said third cutting edge being adapted to pass between said first and second cutting edges upon rotation of said impeller means.

Claim 26

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said impeller means is generally of disclike configuration and having cutting means thereon, said ringlike portion being spaced radially outwardly of said impeller means, to provide a running clearance annulus with the outer edge of said impeller means, said annulus being spaced radially inwardly from and directed perpendicular to said fluid outlet openings of said ringlike portion, said impeller means being adapted to impel liquid through said openings transversely across an adjacent end of said annulus, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said cutting member carries first and second cutting edges closely adjacent but spaced radially from each other relative to the center of said impeller means, said fixed blade carrying a cutting element with a third cutting edge, said third cutting edge being adapted to pass between said first and second cutting edges upon rotation of said impeller means, and with the lower surface of said fixed blade having an abrasive thereon.

Claim 27

An apparatus for use in pulping solids into substantially reduced sizes comprising tank means for receiving solids therein in a liquid medium, rotary impeller means disposed within said tank means, and cutting means carried by each of said tank means and said impeller means for effecting a scissorslike cutting therebetween of solids within said tank means, wherein said cutting means comprises at least one fixed blade carried by said tank means and at least one cooperating cutting member which is rotatably movable with said impeller means, wherein said fixed blade is substantially horizontally disposed and said cutting member extends vertically upwardly from said impeller means toward, but terminating below said fixed blade, with said impeller means also being substantially horizontally disposed, wherein said impeller means is generally of disclike configuration and having cutting means thereon, said ringlike portion being spaced radially outwardly of said impeller means, to provide a running clearance annulus with the outer edge of said impeller means, said annulus being spaced radially inwardly from and directed perpendicular to said fluid outlet openings of said ringlike portion, said impeller means being adapted to impel liquid through said openings transversely across an adjacent end of said annulus, including ramp means located at a central portion of said impeller means, for lifting solids through a liquid medium and away from a lower central portion of said impeller means, during rotation of said impeller means, wherein said cutting member carries first and second cutting edges closely adjacent but spaced radially from each other relative to the center of said impeller means, said fixed blade carrying a cutting element with a third cutting edge, said third cutting edge being adapted to pass between said first and second cutting edges upon rotation of said impeller means, and with the lower surface of said fixed blade having an abrasive thereon.