Apparatus for introducing particulate material into a container

Claim 2

Apparatus for preparing a mixture of particles in a liquid without human handling comprising a container adapted to contain a dispersion of finely divided particles in a liquid which after settling of the dispersion in the container segregates so there is a first level of a mixture of finely divided particles and said liquid and above said first level a second level of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles; sensing means associated with said container for movement into said liquid to indicate each of said levels, said sensing means being adapted to sense the different specific gravities of said mixture and said liquid at said first and second levels and to provide information to a remote location outside of and away from said container; decanting pipe means including control means associated with said container to remove excess essentially particle-free liquid therefrom and having an inlet movable in a generally upright path in the liquid in said container to remove said excess liquid from said container from only between said first and second levels; means controllable from a remote location outside and away from said container for removing excess liquid from said container through said decanting pipe to provide a desired proportion of total liquid to total particles in said container; means for mixing said liquid and said particles in said proportion in said container to form a mixture in which said particles are dispersed in said liquid; means controllable from a remote location outside of and away from said container for removing predetermined amounts of said last named mixture out of said container; and means controllable from a remote location outside of and away from said container for moving said decanting pipe inlet out of said liquid in said container to permit said mixing of said liquid and said liquid and said particles in said container.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means for passing from said first mentioned container into a second container an essentially predetermined amount of said last-named mixture containing said predetermined proportion of liquid and finely divided particles.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means for weighing said second container after said last named mixture has been introduced into said second container from said first-mentioned container.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means for weighing said second container before said last-named mixture is introduced into said second container from said first mentioned container.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for passing said last-named mixture from said first mentioned container into said second container comprises metering pump means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a shield wall adapted to be demountably mounted in a wall of a chamber in which are located both said containers and said means for passing said mixture into said second container, said first mentioned container and said means for passing said last-named mixture into said second container being mounted on one side of said shield wall, and means located on the other side of said shield wall for operating and controlling said means for removing excess liquid from said first mentioned container and said level sensing means, said shield wall and said first-mentioned container and said level sensing means being removable as a unit.

Claim 8

Apparatus for preparing a mixture of particles in a liquid without human handling comprising a container adapted to contain a dispersion of finely divided particles in a liquid which after settling of the dispersion in the container segregates so that there is a first level of a mixture of finely divided particles and said liquid and above said first level a second level of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles; sensing means associated with said container for movement into said liquid to indicate each of said levels, said sensing means being adapted to sense the different specific gravities of said mixture and said liquid at said first and second levels and to transmit signals to a remote location outside of said container to indicate said first and second levels; decanting pipe means including control means associated with said container to remove excess liquid of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles and having an inlet movable into said liquid in said container, said decanting pipe being mounted to move its inlet in a generally upright path, means being provided to position said inlet between said first and second levels; first pump means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for removing said excess liquid from said container through said inlet of said decanting pipe and said decanting pipe to provide a desired proportion of total liquid to total particles in said container determined on the basis of the information provided by said signals; means for mixing said liquid and said particles in said proportion in said container to form a mixture in which said particles are dispersed in said liquid; second pump means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for pumping an essentially predetermined amount of said last named mixture out of said container; and means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for lifting said sensing means above said second level and out of said liquid in said container to permit said mixing of said liquid and said particles in said container.

Claim 9

Apparatus for preparing a mixture of particles in a liquid without human handling comprising a container adapted to contain a dispersion of finely divided particles in a liquid which after settling of the dispersion in the container segregates so that there is a first level of a mixture of finely divided particles and said liquid and above said first level a second level of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles; sensing means associated with said container for movement into said liquid to indicate each of said levels, said sensing means being adapted to sense the different specific gravities of said mixture and said liquid at said first and second levels and to transmit signals to a remote location outside of said container to indicate said first and second levels; decanting pipe means including control means associated with said container to remove excess liquid of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles and having an inlet movable into said liquid in said container, said decanting pipe being mounted to move its inlet in a generally upright path, means being provided to position said inlet between said first and second levels; first pump means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for removing said excess liquid from said container through said inlet of said decanting pipe and said decanting pipe to provide a desired proportion of total liquid to total particles in said container determined on the basis of the information provided by said signals; means for mixing said liquid and said particles in said proportion in said container to form a mixture in which said particles are dispersed in said liquid; second pump means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for pumping an essentially predetermined amount of said last named mixture out of said container; and means controllable from said remote location outside of said container for lifting said sensing means above said second level and out of said liquid in said container to permit said mixing of said liquid and said particles in said container.

Claim 10

Apparatus for preparing a mixture of particles in a liquid without human handling comprising a container adapted to contain a dispersion of finely divided particles in a liquid which after settling of the dispersion in the container segregates so that there is a first level of a mixture of finely divided particles and said liquid and above said first level a second level of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles; sensing means associated with said container for movement into said liquid to indicate each of said levels, said sensing means being adapted to sense the different specific gravities of said mixture and said liquid at said first and second levels and to provide information to a remote location outside of said container to indicate said first and second levels; decanting pipe means including control means associated with said container to remove excess liquid of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles and having an inlet movable into the liquid in said container, said decanting pipe being mounted to move its inlet in a generally upright path, means being provided to position said inlet between said first and second levels; means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for removing said excess liquid from said container through said inlet of said decanting pipe and said decanting pipe to provide a desired proportion of total liquid to total particles in said container determined on the basis of said information; means for mixing said liquid and said particles in said proportion in said container to form a mixture in which said particles are dispersed in said liquid; means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for removing predetermined amounts of said last named mixture out of said container; and means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for moving said sensing means out of said liquid in said container to permit said mixing of said liquid and said particles in said container.

Claim 11

Apparatus for preparing a mixture of particles in a liquid without human handling comprising a container adapted to contain a dispersion of finely divided particles in a liquid which after settling of the dispersion in the container segregates so that there is a first level of a mixture of finely divided particles and said liquid and above said first level a second level of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles; sensing means associated with said container for movement into said liquid to indicate each of said levels, said sensing means being adapted to sense the different specific gravities of said mixture and said liquid at said first and second levels and to provide information to a remote location outside of said container to indicate said first and second levels; decanting pipe means including control means associated with said container to remove excess liquid of said liquid that is essentially free of said particles and having an inlet movable into the liquid in said container, said decanting pipe being mounted to move its inlet in a generally upright path, means being provided to position said inlet between said first and second levels; means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for removing said excess liquid from said container through said inlet of said decanting pipe and said decanting pipe to provide a desired proportion of total liquid to total particles in said container determined on the basis of said information; means for mixing said liquid and said particles in said proportion in said container to form a mixture in which said particles are dispersed in said liquid; means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for removing predetermined amounts of said last named mixture out of said container; and means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for moving said sensing means out of said liquid in said container to permit said mixing of said liquid and said particles in said container.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 in which said sensing means comprises first float means having a specific gravity such that it will not float in said liquid that is essentially free of said particles but will float at said first level and a second float means having a specific gravity such that it will float at said second level.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 comprising a shield wall, and in which apparatus said container, said sensing means, and said decanting pipe are mounted at one side of said shield wall, said apparatus includes means for transmitting said information from said sensing means to the other side of said shield wall, and which apparatus also includes means for controlling from said other side of said shield wall operation of said sensing means and said means for removing said excess liquid.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 in which said float means is removable from the side of said shield wall opposite the side at which said container is located.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8 comprising means controllable from a remote location outside of said container for moving said inlet of said decanting pipe out of said liquid in said container to permit mixing of said liquid and said particles in said container.