Blender

Claim 1

Apparatus for blending a plurality of diverse dry pulverulent materials, comprising a pressure tight container having a plurality of hoppers forming its bottom, and means for injecting fluidized dry pulverulent material into the bottom of each hopper, said plurality of hoppers comprising a central cone having its base substantially at the bottom of the container and means including the cone and the surrouNding will of the container defining a plurality of upwardly diverging fluid passageways having one of said means for injecting material in communication with the lower end of each said passageway.

Claim 7

A method for blending a plurality of diverse dry pulverulent materials in a pressure tight container having a plurality of hoppers forming its bottom, comprising injecting a first fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a first number of said hoppers in the absence of injecting material into a second number of hoppers, injecting said first material into said second number of hoppers in the absence of injecting material into said first number of hoppers. spreading out the first material while it is moving upwardly from said first number of hoppers in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of such material moving upwardly from said second number of hoppers, whereby the first material from the hoppers is intermixed while it is moving upwardly in the container, injecting, after said first material, a second fluidized dry pulverulent material from outside the container into and upwardly from the bottom of said container from said hoppers, so that said second material passes up through at least a portion of the first material, and spreading out the second material, while it is moving upwardly from at least one hopper, in an upwardly diverging path which is intersects the path of second material moving upwardly from another hopper, whereby the second material from different hoppers is intermixed and also mixed with the first material, such mixing occurring both while the materials are moving upwardly in the container and while they are falling downwardly therein.

Claim 8

A method for blending a plurality of diverse dry pulverulent materials in a pressure tight container having a plurality of hoppers forming its bottom, comprising injecting a first fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a first number of said hoppers in the absence of injecting material into a second number of hoppers, injecting said first material into said second number of hoppers in the absence of injecting material into said first number of hoppers. spreading out the first material while it is moving upwardly from said first number of hoppers in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of such material moving upwardly from said second number of hoppers, whereby the first material from the hoppers is intermixed while it is moving upwardly in the container, injecting, after said first material, a second fluidized dry pulverulent material from outside the container into and upwardly from the bottom of said container from said hoppers, so that said second material passes up through at least a portion of the first material, and spreading out the second material, while it is moving upwardly from at least one hopper, in an upwardly diverging path which is intersects the path of second material moving upwardly from another hopper, whereby the second material from different hoppers is intermixed and also mixed with the first material, such mixing occurring both while the materials are moving upwardly in the container and while they are falling downwardly therein.

Claim 9

A method comprising air conveying a first fluidized dry pulverulent material, injecting said first material substantially at the bottom of a container, directing said first material upwardly toward the top of said container, air conveying a second fluidized dry pulverulent material, injecting said second material substantially at the bottom of said container at a plurality of points, directing said second material upwardly toward the top of said container through substantially all of the first material, whereby the first and second materials are caused to be blended. withdrawing the blended material from the bottom of said container at said plurality of points, and combining the withdrawn material.

Claim 10

A method comprising air conveying a first fluidized dry pulverulent material, injecting said first material substantially at the bottom of a container, directing said first material upwardly toward the top of said container, air conveying a second fluidized dry pulverulent material, injecting said second material substantially at the bottom of said container at a plurality of points, directing said second material upwardly toward the top of said container through substantially all of the first material, whereby the first and second materials are caused to be blended. withdrawing the blended material from the bottom of said container at said plurality of points, and combining the withdrawn material.

Claim 13

A method comprising injecting a fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a container at a plurality of dispersed injection points, spreading out the fluidized material from at least one injection point in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of fluidized material from another injection point, whereby material from the two injection points is intermixed, and removing said material from said container at said injection points.

Claim 14

A method comprising injecting a fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a container at a plurality of dispersed injection points, spreading out the fluidized material from at least one injection point in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of fluidized material from another injection point, whereby material from the two injection points is intermixed, and removing said material from said container at said injection points.

Claim 15

A method for blending a plurality of dry pulverulent materials in a bin which comprises injecting a mixture of a first material and a gaseous fluid upwardly into the bin, and then injecting a mixture of a second material and a gaseous fluid upwardly into the bin from a level below substantially all of the material in the bin at a velocity sufficient to cause injected material to flow upwardly through the material above the injection point, the second material being injected into the bin at a plurality of points below the surface of the material already in the bin, and withdrawing material from the bin at said plurality of points and recombining the material.

Claim 16

A method for blending a plurality of dry pulverulent materials in a bin which comprises injecting a mixture of a first material and a gaseous fluid upwardly into the bin, and then injecting a mixture of a second material and a gaseous fluid upwardly into the bin from a level below substantially all of the material in the bin at a velocity sufficient to cause injected material to flow upwardly through the material above the injection point, the second material being injected into the bin at a plurality of points below the surface of the material already in the bin, and withdrawing material from the bin at said plurality of points and recombining the material.

Claim 17

A method comprising injecting a fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a container at a plurality of dispersed injection points, said material being injected substantially horizontally against a wall diverging upwardly and away from the point of injection, and spreading out the fluidized material from at least one injection point in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of fluidized material from another injection point, whereby material from the two injection points is intermixed.

Claim 18

A method comprising injecting a fluidized dry pulverulent material upwardly from the bottom of a container at a plurality of dispersed injection points, said material being injected substantially horizontally against a wall diverging upwardly and away from the point of injection, and spreading out the fluidized material from at least one injection point in an upwardly diverging path which intersects the path of fluidized material from another injection point, whereby material from the two injection points is intermixed.