Patent US3582046A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3582046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Blending and transporting apparatus for discrete materials
Assignee: Whirl-Air-Flow Corp
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Filing: 1969-05-15
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Granted: 1971-06-01
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Expires: 1989-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A closable pressure vessel is shown having a funnel-shaped lower portion with an outlet opening at the small diameter bottom end. Aerator pads are mounted on the inner wall of the lower portion to fluidize material in the vessel. Air jet fittings are also mounted on the inner wall of the lower portion to provide pulsating air jets to blend the fluidized materials in the vessel. A diffuser pad is mounted between said outlet opening and an outlet conduit to aid in fluidizing the materials during blending, and to aid in causing the blended materials to flow from the vessel through the outlet opening into the outlet conduit for transporting to a remote location.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward E Mueller
- 👤 Marvin C Mueller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:46
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01F; B01F33/00; B01F33/40; B01F33/406; B29; B29B; B29B7/00; B29B7/02; B29B7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A combination blender and transporter unit for powdered or granular materials, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a closable material inlet opening therein and a lower portion converging downwardly from said upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. a plurality of aerator pads mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said lower portion; c. means for supplying air to said pads to aerate material carried in said vessel; d. a plurality of air jet nozzles mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said lower portion; e. means for supplying relatively high-pressure air to said jet nozzles at periodic intervals during blending to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and f. means mounted on said vessel at said material outlet opening to aid in blending said material and to subsequently transport said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A combination blender and transporter unit for powdered or granular materials, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a closable material inlet opening therein and a lower portion converging downwardly from said upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. a plurality of aerator pads mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said lower portion; c. means for supplying air to said pads to aerate material carried in said vessel; d. a plurality of air jet nozzles mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said lower portion; e. means for supplying relatively high-pressure air to said jet nozzles at periodic intervals during blending to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and f. means mounted on said vessel at said material outlet opening to aid in blending said material and to subsequently transport said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper portion of said vessel is provided with an air outlet opening, filter means to filter said material from the air passing through said air outlet opening during blending, and valve means to close off said air outlet opening during transporting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lower portion is generally conically shaped, wherein said aerator pads are positioned at generally equal intervals on said interior wall, and wherein said means for supplying air to said pads includes an air supply manifold extending around the outer periphery of said vessel and conduit means connecting said manifold to said pads through openings in the wall of said vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pads are generally rectangular and are positioned in horizontally spaced rings with the pads in at least one of said rings being positioned with the longitudinal axis thereof forming an acute angle with the horizontal, and wherein said air jet nozzles are positioned generally between said pads in said one ring so as to direct air jets generally along said wall surface and at generally said same acute angle with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said air jet nozzles each have an air jet outlet and are positioned at generally equal intervals around said interior wall, said jet nozzles being connected to said vessel for rotation with respect thereto so that the direction of said air jet outlet can be changed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said air jet nozzles are positioned in a generally horizontal ring between adjacent pairs of said aerator pads, and wherein said means for supplying air to said jet nozzles includes an air supply manifold extending around the outer periphery of said vessel and conduit means connecting said manifold to said jet nozzles through openings in the wall of said vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said air jet nozzles are positioned at generally equal intervals around said interior wall and are directed such that the air jets issuing therefrom cause the material to be carried around in said vessel about a generally vertical axis extending through the center thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein diffuser pad means are mounted between said material outlet opening and a material outlet conduit, wherein means are provided to supply air to said diffuser pad means at a relatively low pressure during blending to aid in aerating and blending said material in said vessel, and wherein means are provided to alternately supply air to said diffuser pad means at a higher pressure to transport said blended material from said vessel into said outlet conduit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 8 including valve means mounted in said outlet conduit, means to close said valve means during blending and to open said valve means during transporting, and air booster means mounted in said conduit to aid in transporting said material therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 8 including means for supplying a steady flow of air at a lower pressure to said jet nozzles during blending, and means for supplying a steady flow of air at a still lower pressure to said air nozzles during filling of said vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including an inverted, generally cone-shaped member mounted over said material outlet opening to prevent bridging across the opening, said cone-shaped member being positioned to leave an annular opening between the bottom edge thereof and said wall of said lower portion of said vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
142 words
A blender unit for discrete materials, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a material inlet opening therein and a generally conical lower portion converging downwardly from said upper portion converging downwardly from said upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. a plurality of aerator pads mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said conical lower portion; c. means for supplying a flow of air to said pads to aerate material carried in said vessel; d. a plurality of air jet nozzles mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said conical lower portion; e. means for supplying intermittent high-pressure air to said jet nozzles to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and f. means associated with said material outlet opening to remove said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
142 words
A blender unit for discrete materials, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a material inlet opening therein and a generally conical lower portion converging downwardly from said upper portion converging downwardly from said upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. a plurality of aerator pads mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said conical lower portion; c. means for supplying a flow of air to said pads to aerate material carried in said vessel; d. a plurality of air jet nozzles mounted at predetermined positions on the interior wall of said conical lower portion; e. means for supplying intermittent high-pressure air to said jet nozzles to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and f. means associated with said material outlet opening to remove said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means associated with said outlet opening includes a diffuser pad having air supply means to aid in aerating said material during blending and to remove said material from said vessel during transporting.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 12 including a member mounted in said vessel above said material outlet opening so that an annular opening is provided between said member and said walls, to prevent bridging of said material across said opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
119 words
A combination blender and transporter unit for discrete material, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a material inlet opening therein, and a lower funnel-shaped portion having a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. means for supplying a steady flow of air into said material along the walls of said funnel-shaped portion to aerate said material carried in said vessel; c. means for introducing relatively high-pressure jets of air into said material at periodic intervals during blending to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and d. means mounted on said vessel at said material outlet opening alternately to aid in blending said material and to transport said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
A combination blender and transporter unit for discrete material, comprising: a. a vessel having an upper portion with a material inlet opening therein, and a lower funnel-shaped portion having a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof; b. means for supplying a steady flow of air into said material along the walls of said funnel-shaped portion to aerate said material carried in said vessel; c. means for introducing relatively high-pressure jets of air into said material at periodic intervals during blending to agitate and blend the material in said vessel; and d. means mounted on said vessel at said material outlet opening alternately to aid in blending said material and to transport said blended material from said vessel.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of blending discrete materials in a vessel having an upper portion with a closable material inlet opening therein and a lower portion converging downwardly from the upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof, and subsequently transporting said blended materials from said vessel, comprising: a. filling said vessel with said materials to a predetermined level through said inlet opening; b. closing said material inlet and outlet openings; c. aerating said materials in said vessel by supplying a continuous flow of air to said materials over a wide area thereof, and permitting said air to escape continuously from said vessel; d. agitating and blending said aerated materials by introducing relatively high-pressure jets of air into said material at periodic intervals; and e. opening said material outlet opening after blending is complete, closing all other vessel openings, and subjecting the interior of said vessel to relatively high-air pressure to aerate said material and force the aerated material out through said material outlet opening.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of blending discrete materials in a vessel having an upper portion with a closable material inlet opening therein and a lower portion converging downwardly from the upper portion to a material outlet opening at the bottom end thereof, and subsequently transporting said blended materials from said vessel, comprising: a. filling said vessel with said materials to a predetermined level through said inlet opening; b. closing said material inlet and outlet openings; c. aerating said materials in said vessel by supplying a continuous flow of air to said materials over a wide area thereof, and permitting said air to escape continuously from said vessel; d. agitating and blending said aerated materials by introducing relatively high-pressure jets of air into said material at periodic intervals; and e. opening said material outlet opening after blending is complete, closing all other vessel openings, and subjecting the interior of said vessel to relatively high-air pressure to aerate said material and force the aerated material out through said material outlet opening.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of blending and transporting a batch of discrete materials, comprising: a. fluidizing said batch of materials by supplying a continuous flow of air at a first pressure to said materials over widely distributed areas thereof; b. blending said fluidized materials by subjecting the materials to pulsating high pressure jets of air; and c. discontinuing said pulsating jets after blending is complete and subjecting said blended materials to a static pressure higher than said first pressure while continuing to fluidize said materials to transport the materials to a different location.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of blending and transporting a batch of discrete materials, comprising: a. fluidizing said batch of materials by supplying a continuous flow of air at a first pressure to said materials over widely distributed areas thereof; b. blending said fluidized materials by subjecting the materials to pulsating high pressure jets of air; and c. discontinuing said pulsating jets after blending is complete and subjecting said blended materials to a static pressure higher than said first pressure while continuing to fluidize said materials to transport the materials to a different location.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-31 | 1974-11-30 | 1975-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-31 | 1978-11-30 | 1979-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-31 | 1982-11-30 | 1983-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |