Rotary separating and extracting devices

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating organic content from bituminous-inorganic material, which comprises: a rotatable inclined washer vessel; means rotatably mounting said vessel and means for rotating said vessel about an inclined axis; means for introducing bituminous-inorganic material wetted with solvent for the organic content thereof, into the washer vessel whilst the washer vessel rotates; solvent introduction means for introducing additional solvent for the organic content of the bituminous-inorganic material into the washer vessel at a location downstream of the location of introduction of the bituminous-inorganic material with respect to the direction of flow of solid material within said washer vessel, whilst the washer vessel rotates; an open centered helical conveyor within the inclined washer vessel and rotatable therewith, the helical conveyor being adapted to convey solid material in the upwardly inclined direction within the washer vessel; the conveyor having apertures extending through the individual flights of the conveyor at the radially outer portions of said flights, said apertures being disposed at an inclined angle with respect to the rotational axis of the washer vessel so as to present crooked pathways for liquid flow therethrough in a direction upstream with respect to the direction of flow of solid material within the washer vessel; means for removing liquid organic solution from the washer vessel upstream of said means for introducing the bituminous-inorganic material with respect to the direction of flow of solid material within the washer vessel; and means for recovering residual solvent from the solid material separated from liquid solution of organic material.