Technique for mixing granular materials

Claim 1

A device for homogeneously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a first conveyor for receiving and conveying a mixture of the first and second materials; second and third conveyors for separately feeding the first and second materials; means for peripherally confining the first and second materials on the second and third conveyors respectively into first and second streams of equal width and complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths; the second and third conveyors being positioned for laterally aligning and delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the first conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the first conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 2

A device for homogeneously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a first conveyor for receiving and conveying a mixture of the first and second materials; second and third conveyors for separately feeding the first and second materials; means for peripherally confining the first and second materials on the second and third conveyors respectively into first and second streams of equal width and complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths; the second and third conveyors being positioned for laterally aligning and delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the first conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the first conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 10

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes wherein the first and second streams provide first and second varying quantities of the first and second materials per linear unit across the stream width and the first and second varying quantities vary at the same rate providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 11

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes wherein the first and second streams provide first and second varying quantities of the first and second materials per linear unit across the stream width and the first and second varying quantities vary at the same rate providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 14

A device for homogeneously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor including a conveyor frame, an endless belt of predetermined width looped about the frame, means for advancing the belt in a direction of travel, sidewalls disposed above the conveyor frame parallel to the direction of travel and spaced closer than the width of the conveyor belt, an air suspension system for raising the belt relative to the conveyor frame including an elongate air outlet gap between the belt and the conveyor frame laterally of the side walls and a wear strip on at least one of the side walls between the one side wall and the center line of the conveyor and extending in the direction of travel, and means for adjusting the position of the wear strip toward and away from the belt; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyors; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 15

A device for homogeneously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor including a conveyor frame, an endless belt of predetermined width looped about the frame, means for advancing the belt in a direction of travel, sidewalls disposed above the conveyor frame parallel to the direction of travel and spaced closer than the width of the conveyor belt, an air suspension system for raising the belt relative to the conveyor frame including an elongate air outlet gap between the belt and the conveyor frame laterally of the side walls and a wear strip on at least one of the side walls between the one side wall and the center line of the conveyor and extending in the direction of travel, and means for adjusting the position of the wear strip toward and away from the belt; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyors; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 16

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor including a flexible conveyor belt and means for driving the belt along a direction of travel; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor; and a mixing device spaced along the conveyor downstream of the mixing means and including an element above the flexible conveyor belt having a plurality of projections thereon spaced from the conveyor belt at the closest approach therebetween, and means for rotating the element about an axis transverse to the conveyor, and wherein the conveyor includes a planar element underneath and juxtaposed to the belt and extending therebeside along the direction of travel on either side of the mixing device, the planar element providing an enlarged depression under the mixing extending on both sides of the axis of element rotation.

Claim 17

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor including a flexible conveyor belt and means for driving the belt along a direction of travel; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor; and a mixing device spaced along the conveyor downstream of the mixing means and including an element above the flexible conveyor belt having a plurality of projections thereon spaced from the conveyor belt at the closest approach therebetween, and means for rotating the element about an axis transverse to the conveyor, and wherein the conveyor includes a planar element underneath and juxtaposed to the belt and extending therebeside along the direction of travel on either side of the mixing device, the planar element providing an enlarged depression under the mixing extending on both sides of the axis of element rotation.

Claim 21

A method of homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising the steps of shaping the first material in a first stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width; delivering the first stream in a first gravity influenced falling path from a first location toward a support; shaping the second material in a second stream of predetermined cross-sectional width and the same predetermined width as the first stream; delivering the second stream in a second gravity influenced falling path from a second location toward the support, the first and second paths being juxtaposed intermediate the locations and the support and being laterally aligned, the predetermined cross-sectional shapes of the first and second streams providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials along the path widths; and intermingling the first and second materials at a third location above the support during falling movement of the material.

Claim 22

A method of homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising the steps of shaping the first material in a first stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width; delivering the first stream in a first gravity influenced falling path from a first location toward a support; shaping the second material in a second stream of predetermined cross-sectional width and the same predetermined width as the first stream; delivering the second stream in a second gravity influenced falling path from a second location toward the support, the first and second paths being juxtaposed intermediate the locations and the support and being laterally aligned, the predetermined cross-sectional shapes of the first and second streams providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials along the path widths; and intermingling the first and second materials at a third location above the support during falling movement of the material.

Claim 24

A device for mixing first and second granular materials comprising means for discharging the first and second materials in a path; a conveyor in the path for receiving and transporting the granular materials including an endless belt and means for driving the belt; a plate beneath the belt and juxtaposed thereto along the upper belt run in the direction of travel; and a mixing device above the belt including an element having a plurality of projections thereon extending away from the element toward the belt; and means for rotating the element about an axis transverse of the belt; the plate providing an enlarged depression under the mixing device extending on both sides of the axis of element rotation.

Claim 25

A device for mixing first and second granular materials comprising means for discharging the first and second materials in a path; a conveyor in the path for receiving and transporting the granular materials including an endless belt and means for driving the belt; a plate beneath the belt and juxtaposed thereto along the upper belt run in the direction of travel; and a mixing device above the belt including an element having a plurality of projections thereon extending away from the element toward the belt; and means for rotating the element about an axis transverse of the belt; the plate providing an enlarged depression under the mixing device extending on both sides of the axis of element rotation.

Claim 29

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the streams widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths comprising substantially parallel path segments extending from a first location downwardly toward a second location; and means for mixing the first and second materials at the second location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor, the mixing means including a rotatable element having an axis of rotation extending transverse to the conveyor and means for rotating the element.

Claim 30

A device for homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising a conveyor; means for shaping the first and second materials in first and second laterally aligned, equal width streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the streams widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths comprising substantially parallel path segments extending from a first location downwardly toward a second location; and means for mixing the first and second materials at the second location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor, the mixing means including a rotatable element having an axis of rotation extending transverse to the conveyor and means for rotating the element.

Claim 32

A method of homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising the steps of delivering the first material in a first gravity influenced falling path of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width from a first location toward a support; delivering the second material in a second gravity influenced falling path of predetermined cross-sectional shape and the same predetermined width as the first path from a second location toward the support, the first and second paths being juxtaposed at a third location intermediate the first and second locations and the support having substantially parallel segments extending from the third location downwardly toward a fourth mixing location and being laterally aligned, the predetermined cross-sectional shapes of the first and second paths providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials along the path widths; and intermingling the first and second materials at the fourth location above the support during falling movement of the material.

Claim 33

A method of homogenously mixing first and second granular materials comprising the steps of delivering the first material in a first gravity influenced falling path of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width from a first location toward a support; delivering the second material in a second gravity influenced falling path of predetermined cross-sectional shape and the same predetermined width as the first path from a second location toward the support, the first and second paths being juxtaposed at a third location intermediate the first and second locations and the support having substantially parallel segments extending from the third location downwardly toward a fourth mixing location and being laterally aligned, the predetermined cross-sectional shapes of the first and second paths providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials along the path widths; and intermingling the first and second materials at the fourth location above the support during falling movement of the material.

Claim 34

A method of mixing first and second granular materials comprising shaping the first material into a stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width; shaping a second material into a stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and the same predetermined width as the first stream; delivering the first and second streams in gravity influenced paths toward a first rotary mixer above a conveyor; rotating the first rotary mixer in the paths and intermingling the materials above the support; conveying the materials by the conveyor from the first rotary mixer to at least one additional rotary mixer; and rotating the additional rotary mixer into the materials about an axis above and transverse to the conveyor for further mixing the materials.

Claim 35

A method of mixing first and second granular materials comprising shaping the first material into a stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and predetermined width; shaping a second material into a stream of predetermined cross-sectional shape and the same predetermined width as the first stream; delivering the first and second streams in gravity influenced paths toward a first rotary mixer above a conveyor; rotating the first rotary mixer in the paths and intermingling the materials above the support; conveying the materials by the conveyor from the first rotary mixer to at least one additional rotary mixer; and rotating the additional rotary mixer into the materials about an axis above and transverse to the conveyor for further mixing the materials.

Claim 38

A device for homogenously mixing first and second grandular materials comprising a conveyor; means for feeding the first and second materials through separate flow-confining shaping means in first and second laterally aligned, equal width, streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.

Claim 39

A device for homogenously mixing first and second grandular materials comprising a conveyor; means for feeding the first and second materials through separate flow-confining shaping means in first and second laterally aligned, equal width, streams of complimentary predetermined cross-sectional shapes providing a substantially constant proportion of the first and second materials at all locations across the stream widths and for delivering the streams in juxtaposed gravity influenced paths toward the conveyor; and means for mixing the first and second materials at a location above the conveyor during falling movement thereof toward the conveyor.