Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus and comprising an integral hopper and receptacle, said receptacle being positioned atop said hopper and having separate top inlet and bottom outlet openings disposed one above the other, rotatably mounted mixing means positioned within said receptacle and separate feeding means positioned within said hopper, driving means for each said mixing means and feeding means, and a fluid delivery system including fluid delivery means positioned for simultaneous wetting and feeding such that batch upon entry to the receptacle is wetted therefrom, said fluid system including control means that responds in conjunction with movement of said feeding means to discharge fluid through the delivery means and which upon cessation of feeding means movement terminates said flow of fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus and comprising an integral hopper and receptacle, said receptacle being positioned atop said hopper and having separate top inlet and bottom outlet openings disposed one above the other, rotatably mounted mixing means positioned within said receptacle and separate feeding means positioned within said hopper, driving means for each said mixing means and feeding means, and a fluid delivery system including fluid delivery means positioned for simultaneous wetting and feeding such that batch upon entry to the receptacle is wetted therefrom, said fluid system including control means that responds in conjunction with movement of said feeding means to discharge fluid through the delivery means and which upon cessation of feeding means movement terminates said flow of fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fluid delivery system includes fluid delivery means positioned adjacent said inlet opening and baffle means such that material upon entry to the receptacle is wetted therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said rotatably mounted mixing means is comprised of at least one main rotatable shaft extending transversely of said receptacle and supporting agitating means therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said agitating means includes a plurality pins protruding radially from said main rotatable shaft with paddle members affixed to the terminal ends thereof and wherein said pins and paddle members are so positioned along the shaft such that there is an overlap of areas swept by said paddle members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of said paddle members is angularly positioned at between about 47 and 53 degrees respective to the axis of said main rotatable shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the pins to which said paddles are affixed are symmetrically positioned around the shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the agitation means are positioned axially along said rotatable shaft such that the area swept by each agitation means slightly overlaps that of the agitation means adjacent thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receptacle includes a deflection baffle across said inlet opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said rotatably mounted mixing means includes two main rotatable shafts extending transversely of said receptacle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said rotatable shafts are on opposite sides of and substantially parallel to said deflection baffle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said deflection baffle extends laterally across said inlet opening substantially perpendicular to said rotatable shafts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combined glass furnace batch charging and mixing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said fluid delivery means includes an elongate sparger carried on the underside of said deflection baffle.