Dispersion head for solids-liquids blender

Claim 2

In a solids-liquids blender including a container for receiving material, shaft means for conveying liquid inwardly of said container, a dispersion head mounted on said shaft means inwardly of said container for feeding liquid from said shaft means to said material, and means for relatively rotating said dispersion head and said container to effect agitation of said material, the improvement wherein said dispersion head comprises in combination: hub means, said hub means defining a chamber extending axially of said hub means and liquid discharge openings extending radially outwardly from said chamber; means for mounting said hub means adjacent one end of said chamber coaxially on an end of said shaft means extending inwardly of said container to position said chamber in fluid communication with said shaft means; a liquid feed assembly; and means for mounting said assembly on said hub means concentrically outwardly thereof, said assembly including at least two liquid feed means spaced apart axially of said hub means and defining annularly arranged orifices through which liquid discharged through said openings is fed to said material within said container.

Claim 3

An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said assembly mounting means includes first means to removably fix a first of said feed means for rotation with said hub means adjacent said one end of said chamber and second means to removably fix a second of said feed means for rotation with said hub means adjacent another end of said chamber, and said assembly includes means to fix said second means for rotation with said first feed means.

Claim 4

An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said assembly includes at least three feed means, said assembly mounting means includes first means to removably fix a first of said feed means for rotation with said hub means adjacent said one end of said chamber and second means to removably fix at least one of said second and third said means for rotation with said hub means adjacent another end of said chamber, and said assembly includes means to removably affix said third feed means for rotation with said second feed means and said second feed means for rotation with said first feed means.

Claim 5

An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said hub means includes a hub portion mounted coaxially on said end of said shaft means, an annular flange fixed to and extending radially from said hub portion, a cylindrical portion fixed to said annular flange concentrically of said hub portion and plate means removably affixed to said cylindrical portion remotely of said annular flange, said hub portion, annular flange, cylindrical portion and plate means bounding said chamber, said openings extending radially through said cylindrical portion, and being arranged in groups spaced axially of said cylindrical portion in radial alignment witH said orifices; and said hub mounted means includes a conically shaped through opening arranged axially of said hub portion, a conically shaped surface portion on said end of said shaft means and bolt means for fixing said hub portion onto said shaft means, said conical surfaces being arranged in a friction tight fluid sealed relationship upon tightening of said bolt means.

Claim 6

An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said feed means each include first and second annular mounting flanges removably fixed together, said orifices of each said feed means being arranged intermediate said first and second mounting flanges thereof, said first flange of a first of said feed means being mounted adjacent said one end of said chamber, and said assembly including bridging sleeves extending axially between and fixed to second and first flanges of adjacent feed means.

Claim 7

An improvement according to claim 5, wherein said feed means each additionally include at least one orifice bounding annular spacer plate clampingly secured intermediate said mounting flanges thereof.

Claim 8

In a solids-liquids blender including a container for receiving material, shaft means for conveying liquid inwardly of said container, a dispersion head mounted on said shaft means inwardly of said container for feeding liquid from said shaft means to said material, and means for relatively rotating said dispersion head and said container to effect agitation of said material, the improvement wherein said dispersion head comprises in combination: hub means, said hub means including a hub portion mounted coaxially on an end of said shaft means extending inwardly of said container, an annular flange fixed to and extending radially from said hub portion, a cylindrical portion fixed to said annular flange concentrically of said hub portion and plate means fixed to said cylindrical portion remotely of said annular flange, said hub portion, annular flange, cylindrical portion and plate means bounding said chamber, said cylindrical portion having openings extending radially therethrough; means for mounting said hub portion on said end of said shaft means to position said chamber in fluid communication with said shaft means; a liquid feed assembly including a series of liquid feed means and bridging means, said feed means defining annularly arranged orifices through which liquid discharged through said openings is fed to said material within said container, each said feed means including first and second annular mounting flanges, and at least one orifice bounding annular spacer plate arranged intermediate said mounting flanges, and a first means of said series having a first mounting flange thereof fixed to said annular flange, said bridging means including sleeve members fixed to said second and first mounting flanges of adjacent feed means to space said feed means axially of said cylindrical portion; means to removably clamp said mounting flanges and spacer plate in assembled condition; key means to removably fix at least one other feed means of said series to said cylindrical portion remotely of said annular flange.

Claim 9

In a solids-liquids blender including a container for receiving material, shaft means for conveying liquid inwardly of said container, a dispersion head mounted on said shaft means inwardly of said container for feeding liquid from said shaft means to said material, and means for relatively rotating said dispersion head and said container to effect agitation of said material, the improvement wherein said dispersion head comprises in combination: hub means, said hub means including a hub portion mounted coaxially on an end of said shaft means extending inwardly of said container, an annular flange fixed to and extending radially from said hub portion, a cylindrical portion fixed to said annular flange concentrically of said hub portion and plate means fixed to said cylindrical portion remotely of said annular flange, said hub portion, annular flange, cylindrical portion and plate means bounding said chamber, said cylindrical portion having openings extending radially therethrough; means for mounting said hub portion on said end of said shaft means to position said chamber in fluid communication with said shaft means; a liquid feed assembly including a series of liquid feed means and bridging means, said feed means defining annularly arranged orifices through which liquid discharged through said openings is fed to said material within said container, each said feed means including first and second annular mounting flanges, and at least one orifice bounding annular spacer plate arranged intermediate said mounting flanges, and a first means of said series having a first mounting flange thereof fixed to said annular flange, said bridging means including sleeve members fixed to said second and first mounting flanges of adjacent feed means to space said feed means axially of said cylindrical portion; means to removably clamp said mounting flanges and spacer plate in assembled condition; key means to removably fix at least one other feed means of said series to said cylindrical portion remotely of said annular flange.

Claim 10

An improvement according to claim 7, wherein said key means includes a key bar fixed to the radially outer surface of said cylindrical portion and extending axially thereof and key bar receiving recess formed in said spacer plate of said one other feed means.

Claim 11

An improvement according to claim 7, wherein said second mounting flange of a last feed means of said series is slideably supported by the radially outer surface of said cylindrical portion to form a liquid seal therewith and to cooperate with said first mounting flange of said first feed means to maintain said assembly concentric of said outer surface of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 12

An improvement according to claim 9, wherein said key means includes a key bar fixed to the radially outer surface of said cylindrical portion and extending axially thereof and key bar receiving recesS formed in said spacer plate of said one other feed means; said hub mounting means includes a conically shaped through opening arranged axially of said hub portion, a conically shaped surface portion on said end of said shaft means and bolt means for fixing said hub portion onto said shaft means, said conical surfaces being arranged in a friction tight fluid sealed relationship upon tightening of said bolt means; and said openings being arranged in groups spaced axially of said cylindrical portion in radial alignment with said orifices.