Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which the material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove consisting of ridges and channels on its peripheral surface extending lengthwise thereof, said worm being supported in concentric relation to the chamber for rotation therein about the longitudinal center line of the chamber with a gap between the peripheral surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber; characterized in that the peripheral surface of the ridges of the worm contains in addition to the helical groove constituting the worm diametrically disposed parallel flattenings over an axial portion of said ridges in the surface such that the gap between the surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber at the places of such flattenings is different than at the places where there are no such flattenings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which the material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove consisting of ridges and channels on its peripheral surface extending lengthwise thereof, said worm being supported in concentric relation to the chamber for rotation therein about the longitudinal center line of the chamber with a gap between the peripheral surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber; characterized in that the peripheral surface of the ridges of the worm contains in addition to the helical groove constituting the worm diametrically disposed parallel flattenings over an axial portion of said ridges in the surface such that the gap between the surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber at the places of such flattenings is different than at the places where there are no such flattenings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the worm is supported in the chamber for axial movement therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are two diametrically disposed flattened areas in the mixing zone in which the depth of the helical groove in said flattened areas is less than in the portions of the periphery intermediate the flattened areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flattened areas comprise an arcuate part extending peripherally of the worm at a lesser distance from the axis of the worm than the peripheral surface thereof and flat rectilinear parts extending from the ends of the arcuate part to the peripheral surface of the worm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, said chamber embodying axially situated zones comprising a conveyor zone and a mixing zone, said conveyor zone containing said opening, and a worm having a helically arranged groove consisting of ridges and channels on its peripheral surface supported in concentric relation to the axis of the chamber for rotation therein; characterized in that in the region of the mixing zone the worm has in addition to the helical groove therein diametrically disposed parallel flattenings over an axial portion of said ridges in the surface such that the gap between the surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber in the mixing zone at the place of said flattenings is different from that at the place where there are no such flattings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, said chamber embodying axially situated zones comprising a conveyor zone and a mixing zone, said conveyor zone containing said opening, and a worm having a helically arranged groove consisting of ridges and channels on its peripheral surface supported in concentric relation to the axis of the chamber for rotation therein; characterized in that in the region of the mixing zone the worm has in addition to the helical groove therein diametrically disposed parallel flattenings over an axial portion of said ridges in the surface such that the gap between the surface of the worm and the interior of the chamber in the mixing zone at the place of said flattenings is different from that at the place where there are no such flattings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the chamber beyond the mixing zone in the direction of movement of the material through the chamber is conical and that part of the worm in the conical portion of the chamber is correspondingly conical, and wherein the flattened portions extend along the worm into the conical portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber and a worm having a helical groove consisting of ridges and channels in its peripheral surface supported in concentric relation to the chamber for rotation about its longitudinal axis; said chamber having conveying and mixing zones, and said conveying zone containing said opening characterized in that in the mixing zone the worm has an axial procession of depressions of predetermined arcuate length in the tops of successive ridges providing a continuous gap between the interior of the chamber and the surface of the worm at the place of the depression which is greater than that where there are no such depressions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber and a worm having a helical groove consisting of ridges and channels in its peripheral surface supported in concentric relation to the chamber for rotation about its longitudinal axis; said chamber having conveying and mixing zones, and said conveying zone containing said opening characterized in that in the mixing zone the worm has an axial procession of depressions of predetermined arcuate length in the tops of successive ridges providing a continuous gap between the interior of the chamber and the surface of the worm at the place of the depression which is greater than that where there are no such depressions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber and embodying axially situated zones comprising a conveyor zone and a mixing zone, said conveyor zone containing said openings and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth lengthwise thereof consisting of ridges and channels on the peripheral surface of the worm, said worm being supported in the chamber in concentric relation to the longitudinal axis of the chamber with a clearance gap between the surface of the worm and the wall of the chamber for rotation about its longitudinal axis characterized in that successive ridges along that portion of the worm situated in the mixing zone contain arcuate depressions of predetermined length located at corresponding peripheral portions of the worm such that they collectively define a continuous gap of predetermined arcuate and axial length between the interior of the chamber and the worm which is greater than that between the chamber and the worm where there are no such depressions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber and embodying axially situated zones comprising a conveyor zone and a mixing zone, said conveyor zone containing said openings and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth lengthwise thereof consisting of ridges and channels on the peripheral surface of the worm, said worm being supported in the chamber in concentric relation to the longitudinal axis of the chamber with a clearance gap between the surface of the worm and the wall of the chamber for rotation about its longitudinal axis characterized in that successive ridges along that portion of the worm situated in the mixing zone contain arcuate depressions of predetermined length located at corresponding peripheral portions of the worm such that they collectively define a continuous gap of predetermined arcuate and axial length between the interior of the chamber and the worm which is greater than that between the chamber and the worm where there are no such depressions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
171 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth supported in the chamber in concentric relation to the axis of the chamber with a clearance between the surface of the worm and the interior wall of the chamber for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the chamber, said helical grooves consisting of ridges and channels; characterized in that the ridges contain arcuate depressions of equal arcuate length located at corresponding peripheral portions on the worm such that the depth of the channel within the area of the depressions and the gap between the interior of the chamber and the tops of the ridges in said area are greater than the gaps between the interior of the chamber and the bottoms of the channels and the tops of the ridges where the ridges contain no such depressions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth supported in the chamber in concentric relation to the axis of the chamber with a clearance between the surface of the worm and the interior wall of the chamber for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the chamber, said helical grooves consisting of ridges and channels; characterized in that the ridges contain arcuate depressions of equal arcuate length located at corresponding peripheral portions on the worm such that the depth of the channel within the area of the depressions and the gap between the interior of the chamber and the tops of the ridges in said area are greater than the gaps between the interior of the chamber and the bottoms of the channels and the tops of the ridges where the ridges contain no such depressions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth extending lengthwise thereof, said worm being supported in the chamber in concentric relation thereto for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the chamber, said chamber comprising a conveying zone and a mixing zone and said conveying zone containing an opening, characterized in that the portion of the worm in the mixing zone contains symmetrically located depressed areas of predetermined arcuate and axial lengths providing continuous gaps in said areas between the interior of the chamber and the worm which are greater than the gaps between the interior of the chamber and the surface of the worm where there are no such depressions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for mixing and conveying material delivered thereto comprising a housing containing an elongate chamber of circular cross-section, said housing having near one end an opening through which material is introduced into the chamber, and a worm having a helical groove of uniform depth extending lengthwise thereof, said worm being supported in the chamber in concentric relation thereto for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the chamber, said chamber comprising a conveying zone and a mixing zone and said conveying zone containing an opening, characterized in that the portion of the worm in the mixing zone contains symmetrically located depressed areas of predetermined arcuate and axial lengths providing continuous gaps in said areas between the interior of the chamber and the worm which are greater than the gaps between the interior of the chamber and the surface of the worm where there are no such depressions.