Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC SUPPLY, ON DEMAND, OF A MIXTURE IN THE FORM OF A LIQUID, PREPARED IN BATCH FORM FROM PRECISE PROPORTION OF AT LEAST ONE DRY COMPONENT MATERIAL AND AT LEAST ONE LIQUID COMPONENT MATERAL, COMPRISING A FIRST CONTAINER OF A SIZE TO HOLD THE TOTAL OF ALL THE DRY AND LIQUID COMPONENT MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED IN BATCH, A FIRST SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A PREDETERMINED TOTAL QUANTITY OF SAID LIQUID COMPONENT TO SUPPLY FIRST CONTAINER, A SECOND SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A PREDETERMINED TOTAL QUANTITY OF AT LEAST ONE DRY COMPONENT TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, A SECOND CONTAINER FOR THE PREPARED MIXTURE OF SIZE TO HOLD SAID PREDETERMINED QUANTITIES SUPPLIED TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, IN ADDITION THERETO. A PEREDETERMINED MINIMUM QUANTITY OF PREPARED MIXTURE, CONDUIT MEANS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS FORMING A CLOSE PATH IN WHICH SAAID MINIMUM QUANTITY OF PREPARED MIXTURE MAY BE CIRCULATED, MEANS OPERATIVELY DISPOSED IN SAID PATH FOR EFFECTING SUCH CIRCULATION THEREIN, MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID PATH, OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, FOR INTRODUCING THE MIXTURE THEREIN INTO SAID PATH, AND HEATING MEANS OPERATIVELY DISPOSED IN SAID PATH INTERMEDIATE THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF SAID MIXTURE AND THE RETURN POINT OF SAID PATH TO THE FIRST CONTAINER, HEAT TO CAUSE PART OF SAID PATH, OPERATIVE TO SUPPLY SUFFICENT HEAT TO CAUSE BY UNDISSOLVED DRY COMPONENTS IN SAID PATH TO GO COMPLETELY INTO SOLUTION, SAID SECOND CONTAINER HAVING AN OUTLET THEREIN FROM WHICH THE PREPARED MIXTURE THEREIN MAY BE WITHDRAWN FOR ULTIMATE USE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC SUPPLY, ON DEMAND, OF A MIXTURE IN THE FORM OF A LIQUID, PREPARED IN BATCH FORM FROM PRECISE PROPORTION OF AT LEAST ONE DRY COMPONENT MATERIAL AND AT LEAST ONE LIQUID COMPONENT MATERAL, COMPRISING A FIRST CONTAINER OF A SIZE TO HOLD THE TOTAL OF ALL THE DRY AND LIQUID COMPONENT MATERIALS TO BE EMPLOYED IN BATCH, A FIRST SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A PREDETERMINED TOTAL QUANTITY OF SAID LIQUID COMPONENT TO SUPPLY FIRST CONTAINER, A SECOND SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A PREDETERMINED TOTAL QUANTITY OF AT LEAST ONE DRY COMPONENT TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, A SECOND CONTAINER FOR THE PREPARED MIXTURE OF SIZE TO HOLD SAID PREDETERMINED QUANTITIES SUPPLIED TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, IN ADDITION THERETO. A PEREDETERMINED MINIMUM QUANTITY OF PREPARED MIXTURE, CONDUIT MEANS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS FORMING A CLOSE PATH IN WHICH SAAID MINIMUM QUANTITY OF PREPARED MIXTURE MAY BE CIRCULATED, MEANS OPERATIVELY DISPOSED IN SAID PATH FOR EFFECTING SUCH CIRCULATION THEREIN, MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID PATH, OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER, FOR INTRODUCING THE MIXTURE THEREIN INTO SAID PATH, AND HEATING MEANS OPERATIVELY DISPOSED IN SAID PATH INTERMEDIATE THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF SAID MIXTURE AND THE RETURN POINT OF SAID PATH TO THE FIRST CONTAINER, HEAT TO CAUSE PART OF SAID PATH, OPERATIVE TO SUPPLY SUFFICENT HEAT TO CAUSE BY UNDISSOLVED DRY COMPONENTS IN SAID PATH TO GO COMPLETELY INTO SOLUTION, SAID SECOND CONTAINER HAVING AN OUTLET THEREIN FROM WHICH THE PREPARED MIXTURE THEREIN MAY BE WITHDRAWN FOR ULTIMATE USE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first supply means includes a control valve therefor, and means responsive to the material level in said first container for closing said valve upon said level reaching a first predetermined height.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second supply means includes a control valve, and means responsive to material level in said first container for operatively closing said second valve upon the material level reaching a second predetermined height, greater than that of the first level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising in further combination, a third container operatively connected to said second container for receiving the prepared mixture therefrom, and means for preventing transfer of said prepared mixture from said second container while said circulating means and heating means are in operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, comprising in further combination, means for effecting withdrawal of the prepared mixture from said third container, and means associated with said last mentioned means for preventing operation thereof and withdrawal from said third container when the level therein of prepared mixture falls below a predetermined minimum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for introducing the component mixture in said first container into said path comprises a hydraulic eductor operatively connected with said first container for receiving said mixture therefrom, and operable by the circulation flow of liquId in said path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises a heat exchanger forming a part of said flow path, means for controlling the overall cycle of operation of said heat exchanger, and means for controlling the heat output of said exchanger in response to the temperature of component mixture discharged therefrom for maintaining such temperature substantially constant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said heat exchanger is constructed to receive steam as the heating medium, and said temperature controlling means comprising valve means in the steam supply line thereto and temperature sensing means operatively connected to said last mentioned valve means and arranged to respond to the output temperature of said discharge mixture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said cycle-determining means for said heat exchanger comprises valve means independent of said temperature-responsive valve means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first material level responsive means comprises a probe and means actuatable by the contact of material in said hopper with said probe for effecting control of said first component control valve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second material level responsive means comprises a probe in the first container cooperable with means responsive to the engagement of said probe with material in said hopper for effecting actuation of said second feed material valve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first container comprises a generally inverted conical-shaped hopper, at the lower narrow end of which is disposed said means for introducing the mixture therein into said path, and jet means disposed in said hopper adjacent the lower end thereof and operatively connectible to said circulating path to receive liquid therefrom with said jet being oriented to direct such material, under pressure, toward said introducing means for flushing the hopper thereat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising in further combination for supplying a third component material to said first container, and means for controlling the amount of said third component material so supplied.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said control means for said third component material comprises a valve and timing means determining the duration of operation of said valve, said timing means being operatively related to said first and second component-controlling valves whereby said third component material is supplied to said first container during supply of at least one of said other component materials.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
201 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus produces the desired mixture in individual batches, each batch being produced at a rate such that a predetermined continuous supply may be maintained, comprising a first control means for controlling the sequential supply of component materials into said first container in predetermined amounts, means responsive to said first control means for initiating actuation of said circulating means and said heating means when the supply of said component materials is completed, and to actuate the mixture withdrawing means, second control means operatively associated with said second container, responsive to a low liquid level therein to initiate actuation of said first control means to start the production of a batch, and responsive to a higher liquid level therein to effect discontinuance of the operation of said circulating and heating means, a third container operatively connected to said second container for selectively receiving the prepared mixture therefrom, and means for preventing flow from said second container to said third container when said circulating and heating means are in operation, when the mixture level in said second container is below a predetermined height, or the mixture level in said third container is above a predetermined height.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparAtus according to claim 15, comprising in further combination, means for preventing withdrawal of the prepared mixture from said third container when the mixture level therein is below a predetermined height.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first material comprises a liquid and said first supply means includes a control valve therefor, and means responsive to the liquid level in said first container for closing said valve upon the water level reaching a predetermined height.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second material comprises a dry, bulk material and said second supply means includes a feed valve, and means responsive to the liquid level in said first container for operatively closing said second feed valve upon the liquid level reaching a second predetermined height greater than that of the first level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, comprising in further combination, a third container operatively connected to said second container for receiving the prepared mixture therefrom, and means for preventing transfer of said mixture from said second container while said circulating means and heating means are in operation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, comprising in further combination, means for effecting withdrawal of the prepared mixture from said third container, and means associated with said last mentioned means for preventing operation thereof and withdrawal of the prepared mixture from said third container when the mixture level therein falls below a predetermined minimum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means for introducing the component mixture in said first container into said path comprises a hydraulic eductor operatively connected with said first container for receiving said mixture therefrom, and operable by the circulation flow of liquid in said path.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said heating means comprises a heat exchanger forming a part of said flow path, means for controlling the overall cycle of operation of said heat exchanger, and means for controlling the heat output of said schanger in response to the temperature of said component mixture discharged therefrom for maintaining such temperature substantially constant.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said heat exchanger is constructed to receive steam as the heating medium, and said temperature controlling means comprises valve means in the steam supply line thereto and temperature sensing means operatively connected to said last mentioned valve means and arranged to respond to the output temperature of said discharged component mixture.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said liquid level responsive means comprises a probe and means actuatable by the contact of liquid in said hopper with said probe for effecting control of said liquid control valve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said second liquid level responsive means comprises a probe in said first container cooperable with means responsive to the engagement of said probe with liquid in said hopper for effecting actuation of said material feed valve.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first container comprises a generally inverted conical-shaped hopper, at the lower narrow end of which is disposed said means for introducing the mixture therein into said path, and jet means disposed in said hopper adjacent the lower end thereof and operatively connectible to said circulating path to receive liquid therefrom with said jet being oriented to direct such liquid, under pressure, toward said introducing means for flushing the hopper thereat.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 26, comprising in further combination means for supplying a third component material to said hopper, and means for controlling the amount of said third component material so supplied.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said control means for said third comPonent material comprises a valve, and timing means determining the duration of operation of said valve, said timing means being operatively related to said first and second component-controlling valves whereby said third component material is supplied to said hopper during supply of at least one of said other component materials.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
120 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, for the automatic continuous supply, on demand at a predetermined maximum rate, of such a prepared material, comprising in further combination, a third container, arranged to selectively receive liquid from said second container and from which said continuous supply is available, the size of said three containers and that of the batch to be prepared, being so selected that the quantity of prepared material comprising a batch, is greater than the quantity thereof necessary to satisfy said continuous demand, at said predetermined rate, during the time required to process a batch, whereby successive batches will continuously maintain a supply of prepared material for withdrawal from said third container at said predetermined maximum demand rate.