Process and device for continuous preparation of emulsions

Claim 2

The process of claim 2 wherein at least one of the further components is delivered into the rising current at multiple points arranged in sequence one above the other.

Claim 3

The process of claim 3 wherein the cross-current flow is through a circular slot which opens variably in its rotationally symmetric cross-section by means of the pressure of the particular further component overcoming the spring pretension which otherwise urges the slot to a closed position.

Claim 4

The process of claim 4 wherein the pulsating cross-current is accomplished by utilizing a dosing pump for building up the pressure of the particular further component to an amount which is sufficient to overcome the spring pretension to permit a volume of the further component to emerge from the slot, the slot then closing by adjustment of the pressure produced by the dosing pump, and the slot again opening by subsequent pressure build up with the opening and closing taking place in quick succession.

Claim 5

The process of claim 4 wherein the emulsions are suspensions containing silver halide, and wherein control devices are utilized for regulating the amount of individual components delivered to the inlet points and the temperature of heating means for the tubular member by means of conductivity sensing elements for actuating the control devices.

Claim 6

The process of claim 6 including utilizing mixing elements for providing additional mixing to the rising current between respective inlet points.

Claim 8

The device of claim 8 wherein said tubular member is formed by a plurality of pipe sections interconnected by said mixing nozzle valves.

Claim 9

The device of claim 9 wherein each of said mixing nozzle valves comprises a valve body having an annular U-shaped cross-section with an annular hollow inner leg and an annular outer leg, the inlet point for said valve being an inlet opening in said outer leg, said outer leg also acting as a sleeve which receives a respective pipe section, said inner leg being generally disposed in said direction of conveyance, said inner leg terminating in an inclined annular frontal surface, said frontal surface comprising one wall of a circular slot outlet communicatable with the hollow interior of said inner leg, a resilient ring shaped valve disk disposed adjacent said frontal surface and comprising the other wall of said slot outlet, and deformable mounting means creating a spring pretension in said disk to urge said disk against said frontal surface whereby said slot outlet is biassed to a closed position to prevent flow from said inlet opening to said pipe sections.

Claim 10

The device of claim 9 wherein each of said mixing nozzle valves comprises a valve body connecting a pair of adjacent hollow pipe sections to each other, its inlet point being an inlet opening in said valve body, said valve body having a flow opening between said pair of pipe sections and of approximately the same cross-sectional area as the cross-sectional open area of said pipe sections, and annular recess in said valve body between said inlet opening and said flow opening, a resilient annular valve disk disposed in and filling said annular recess, said valve disk having an inside diameter of approximately the same size as said flow opening, said valve body having an annular inclined frontal surface adjacent said valve disk, an annular canal in said valve body between said inlet opening and said frontal surface whereby said inlet opening is in flow communication with said flow opening when said valve disk is spaced from said frontal surface, said frontal surface comprising one wall of a circular slot outlet and said valve disk comprising the other wall, and spring pretension means urging said valve disk against said frontal surface. 12 The device of claim 11 including means for adjusting the heighth of said annular recess for controlling the amount of said spring pretension means.

Claim 11

The device of claim 12 wherein said valve body comprises a pair of body members having grooves facing each other to form said annular recess, and adjustable connecting means securing said body members together for selective movement toward and away from each other to control said heighth of said recess to comprise said heighth adjusting means.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 wherein mixing means are disposed in said tubular member between the inlet points of at least one pair of said inlet points, said mixing means including a mixing disk disposed substantially perpendicular to said direction of conveyance, a plurality of nearly concentric borinGs through said mixing disk, a rod disposed along the axis of said tubular member in said direction of conveyance, said mixing disk being mounted on said rod, said rod being connected to said tubular body by a flexible member, and an oscillator connected to said rod.

Claim 13

The device of claim 14 wherein said disk borings are conically shaped along said direction of conveyance.