Abstract Two or more materials, at least one of which is fibrous are mixed together by supplying the materials onto a dish-shaped circular surface which is free of projections, closely surrounding the edge of the circular surface with a wall which extends upwards from the surface and rotating the surface with the materials upon it and thus flinging the materials outwards centrifugally and causing them by the dished shape of the surface to be deflected upwards over the face of the wall which slows down the rotation applied to the materials by the rotating surface and directs the materials inwards again towards the centre of the surface whence they are flung centrifugally outwards so that the materials form a toroidally shaped mass around the edge of the surface and the materials circulate around the toroid following a helical path.
A method of mixing together at least two materials, at least one of which is fibrous, said method comprising the steps of supplying said materials to a circular dish-shaped surface, which is substantially free of projections and has its edge surrounded by a wall surface extending upwardly from said edge, and rotating said dish-shaped surface about a vertical central axis and thereby imparting a rotation to said materials and flinging said materials centrifugally outwards and upwards against said wall surface, contact with said wall surface retarding the rotation of said materials and directing said materials inwards towards said axis whence they fall downwards again onto said dish-shaped surface, whereby said materials form a toroidally shaped mass around said dish-shaped surface and said materials circulate along a helical path around said toroidally shaped mass.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of mixing together at least two materials, at least one of which is fibrous, said method comprising the steps of supplying said materials to a circular dish-shaped surface, which is substantially free of projections and has its edge surrounded by a wall surface extending upwardly from said edge, and rotating said dish-shaped surface about a vertical central axis and thereby imparting a rotation to said materials and flinging said materials centrifugally outwards and upwards against said wall surface, contact with said wall surface retarding the rotation of said materials and directing said materials inwards towards said axis whence they fall downwards again onto said dish-shaped surface, whereby said materials form a toroidally shaped mass around said dish-shaped surface and said materials circulate along a helical path around said toroidally shaped mass.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of holding said wall surface stationary.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said materials include glass fibre staple and powdered plastics material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said materials include cement, granular aggregate, water and steel wire staple which, after mixing, form concrete.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, in which said aggregate includes expanded clay or other brittle material.