US3881871A — Mixer for continuous mixing of foam materials

Claim 1

Independent Claim 211 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of polyurethane by mixing of components comprising: a housing having a hollow interior and a lower discharge nozzle, a whipper assembly disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation relative to said housing, the interior of said housing and said whipper assembly defining therebetween a continuous flow path along the length of said housing, first inlet means in the upper end of said housing for supplying a polyfunctional hydroxyl material to said flow path, second inlet means disposed circumferentially and longitudinally below first inlet means for supplying to said flow path additional chemical components for preblending with said polyfunctional hydroxyl material, means for transversely shearing said polyfunctional hydroxy material and mixing said additional chemical components into said polyfunctional hydroxyl material by transverse shearing along a length of flow path coextensive with said second inlet means, to provide a preblended polyfunctional hydroxyl mixture. third inlet means for supplying an isocyanate to said preblended mixture in said flow path, said third inlet means being located below said second inlet means, means for transversely shearing and mixing said preblended hydroxyl mixture aNd isocyanate along a length of said flow path, and means provided between said second and third inlet means for restricting the flow of liquids along said flow path.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 211 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of polyurethane by mixing of components comprising: a housing having a hollow interior and a lower discharge nozzle, a whipper assembly disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation relative to said housing, the interior of said housing and said whipper assembly defining therebetween a continuous flow path along the length of said housing, first inlet means in the upper end of said housing for supplying a polyfunctional hydroxyl material to said flow path, second inlet means disposed circumferentially and longitudinally below first inlet means for supplying to said flow path additional chemical components for preblending with said polyfunctional hydroxyl material, means for transversely shearing said polyfunctional hydroxy material and mixing said additional chemical components into said polyfunctional hydroxyl material by transverse shearing along a length of flow path coextensive with said second inlet means, to provide a preblended polyfunctional hydroxyl mixture. third inlet means for supplying an isocyanate to said preblended mixture in said flow path, said third inlet means being located below said second inlet means, means for transversely shearing and mixing said preblended hydroxyl mixture aNd isocyanate along a length of said flow path, and means provided between said second and third inlet means for restricting the flow of liquids along said flow path.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said restricting means also includes means for defining an expanding cross-sectional area for said flow path and said third inlet means opens into said area.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle includes valve means for restricting the flow of liquids therethrough.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said restricting means comprise valve means to vary the degree of restriction.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is provided means for rotatably supporting said whipper assembly at its lower end in said nozzle including equidistantly spaced support arms with the axis through the major dimension of said arms aligned with the swirl angle of the liquid.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said support arms are connected to a central fairing member, said fairing member having a portion thereof rotatably mounted within the end of said whipper means, and means for sealing said fairing member portion relative to said whipper means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said support arms are connected to a central fairing member, said fairing member having an outer ogive configuration.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said discharge nozzle has an outwardly flared section terminating along a plane arranged to parallel the plane of deposit of the mixed polyurethane components.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said flared section has a closure member comprised of a supporting mesh and filter means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 201 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of urethane by continuous mixing of liquid components comprising a mixer assembly having a hollow housing a lower discharge nozzle, and an interior, rotatably supported whipper assembly, said whipper assembly and housing defining therebetween a flow passage, said flow passage having sequentially arranged cross-sections along its length which respectively are expanding, constant, contracting, expanding, constant and contracting, means for supplying a polyfunctional hydroxyl liquid material to said above, first-mentioned expanding cross-section, means for supplying additional chemical components to said above, second-mentioned constant cross-section, means for supplying an isocyanate to said above, fourth-mentioned expanding cross-section, and means disposed in said flow path and on said housing and whipper assembly for transversely shearing liquids along said flow path, said shearing means in said flow path for said polyfunctional hydroxyl material and additional chemical components being constructed for increasing the turbulence of the mixing along said flow path, said shearing means in said flow path for said isocyanate and mixture of polyfunctional hydroxyl material and additional chemical components being constructed for, sequentially along the flow path, increasing the turbulence, decreasing the turbulence and increasing the turbulence between said above mentioned fourth expanding area and said above sixth mentioned contracting area.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 201 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of urethane by continuous mixing of liquid components comprising a mixer assembly having a hollow housing a lower discharge nozzle, and an interior, rotatably supported whipper assembly, said whipper assembly and housing defining therebetween a flow passage, said flow passage having sequentially arranged cross-sections along its length which respectively are expanding, constant, contracting, expanding, constant and contracting, means for supplying a polyfunctional hydroxyl liquid material to said above, first-mentioned expanding cross-section, means for supplying additional chemical components to said above, second-mentioned constant cross-section, means for supplying an isocyanate to said above, fourth-mentioned expanding cross-section, and means disposed in said flow path and on said housing and whipper assembly for transversely shearing liquids along said flow path, said shearing means in said flow path for said polyfunctional hydroxyl material and additional chemical components being constructed for increasing the turbulence of the mixing along said flow path, said shearing means in said flow path for said isocyanate and mixture of polyfunctional hydroxyl material and additional chemical components being constructed for, sequentially along the flow path, increasing the turbulence, decreasing the turbulence and increasing the turbulence between said above mentioned fourth expanding area and said above sixth mentioned contracting area.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said shearing means in said flow path for said polyfunctional material and additional chemical components includes, in descending order, cylindrically shaped pins, square shaped pins with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of the whipper assembly, and square shaped pins with sides arranged parallel to the axis of the whipper assembly.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 65 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said shearing means in said flow path for said isocyanate and mixture of polyfunctional hydroxyl material and additional chemical components includes, in descending order, inclined blade members, cylindrically shaped pins, square shaped pins with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of the whipper assembly and square shaped pins with sides arranged parallel to the axis of the whipper assembly.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said blade members are in longitudinally spaced rows and wherein the angle of inclination of adjacent blades is alternated.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 232 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of urethane by continuous mixing of liquid components comprising mixer means having a hollow housing, a lower discharge nozzle and an interior, rotatably supported whipper means, said whipper means and said housing defining a longitudinally extending flow passage, said flow passage having a first section of increasing cross-sectional area, a second section of constant cross-sectional area, a third section of decreasing cross-sectional area, a fourth section of increasing cross-sectional area, a fifth section of constant cross-sectional area and a sixth section of decreasing cross-sectional area, pin means alternating along the length of said flow passage between positions on said housing and said whipper means, said first section including pins having a cylindrical cross-section, said second section including pins having a square shape with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of said whipper means and pins having a square shape with sides parallel to the axis of said whipper means, said fifth section including pins having a parallelogram cross-section, cylindrically shaped pins, square shaped pins with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of said whipper means and pins having square shape with sides parallel to the axis of said whipper means, inlet means for supplying a chemical component to said first section, inlet means for supplying different chemical components at different circumferential locations to said second section, and inlet means for supplying another chemical component to said fourth section.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 232 words

Apparatus for continuous manufacture of urethane by continuous mixing of liquid components comprising mixer means having a hollow housing, a lower discharge nozzle and an interior, rotatably supported whipper means, said whipper means and said housing defining a longitudinally extending flow passage, said flow passage having a first section of increasing cross-sectional area, a second section of constant cross-sectional area, a third section of decreasing cross-sectional area, a fourth section of increasing cross-sectional area, a fifth section of constant cross-sectional area and a sixth section of decreasing cross-sectional area, pin means alternating along the length of said flow passage between positions on said housing and said whipper means, said first section including pins having a cylindrical cross-section, said second section including pins having a square shape with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of said whipper means and pins having a square shape with sides parallel to the axis of said whipper means, said fifth section including pins having a parallelogram cross-section, cylindrically shaped pins, square shaped pins with diagonals arranged parallel to the axis of said whipper means and pins having square shape with sides parallel to the axis of said whipper means, inlet means for supplying a chemical component to said first section, inlet means for supplying different chemical components at different circumferential locations to said second section, and inlet means for supplying another chemical component to said fourth section.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 72 words

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said flow passage includes an annular passage preceding said first section and port means to said annular passage, said first section being defined by a conical taper on the inner wall of said housing having an angle with respect to the vertical between 15* and 20* and a conical taper on said whipper means having an angle with respect to the vertical between 13.5* and 19*.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said fourth and sixth sections having conical tapers within the ranges specified in claim 15.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 137 words

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF POLYURETHANE BY MIXING OF COMPONENTS COMPRISING ELONGATED MIXER MEANS HAVING A CONTINUOUS FLOW PASSAGE AND LOWER DISCHARGE NOZZLE, SAID MIXER MEANS BEING COMPRISED OF UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSSSECTION, MEANS COUPLING SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING A FLOW PATH THERETHROUGH OF A REDUCED CROSS-SECTION RELATIVE TO THAT OF SAID PATH IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, TRANSVERSE AGITATING MEANS ALONG THE MAJOR PORTIONS OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE FOR TRANSVERSELY SHEARING LIQUID PASSING THERETHROUGH, AND INLET MEANS FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID REACTION COMPONENTS TO SAID FLOW PASSAGES AT AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS IN THE UPPER SECTION OF SAID MIXER MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE LOCATION IN THE LOWER SECTION OF SAID MIXER MEANS.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 137 words

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF POLYURETHANE BY MIXING OF COMPONENTS COMPRISING ELONGATED MIXER MEANS HAVING A CONTINUOUS FLOW PASSAGE AND LOWER DISCHARGE NOZZLE, SAID MIXER MEANS BEING COMPRISED OF UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSSSECTION, MEANS COUPLING SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING A FLOW PATH THERETHROUGH OF A REDUCED CROSS-SECTION RELATIVE TO THAT OF SAID PATH IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, TRANSVERSE AGITATING MEANS ALONG THE MAJOR PORTIONS OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE FOR TRANSVERSELY SHEARING LIQUID PASSING THERETHROUGH, AND INLET MEANS FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID REACTION COMPONENTS TO SAID FLOW PASSAGES AT AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS IN THE UPPER SECTION OF SAID MIXER MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE LOCATION IN THE LOWER SECTION OF SAID MIXER MEANS.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said mixer means includes a central whipper shaft defining a part of said flow passage and carrying a part of said agitating means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-05	1978-11-04	1979-05-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-05	1982-11-04	1983-05-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-05	1986-11-04	1987-05-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mixer for continuous mixing of foam materials

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