Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
In a mill for processing flowable material to be milled having a mill stator, a rotor within the stator in spaced relation thereto to form a central milling gap, milling media for flowing through said gap with the material to be milled at a certain rate, said milling media being distributed in the material to be milled, a rotor drive for driving the rotor at selected speeds, an inlet and an outlet for the material to be milled connected to the milling gap, a separator to separate the milling media from the material milled, and a milling media return for returning separated milling media to the milling gap, the improvement wherein the separator is upstream of the outlet and the milling media return comprises: a separate centrifugal pump having an impeller centrally disposed between the stator and the rotor and rotatably mounted with respect to the stator and the rotor; impeller drive means for driving said impeller at selected speeds; and means for controlling the speed of said impeller drive means to selectively rotate said impeller at a speed different from the speed of the rotor to control the distribution of the milling media within the material being milled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
In a mill for processing flowable material to be milled having a mill stator, a rotor within the stator in spaced relation thereto to form a central milling gap, milling media for flowing through said gap with the material to be milled at a certain rate, said milling media being distributed in the material to be milled, a rotor drive for driving the rotor at selected speeds, an inlet and an outlet for the material to be milled connected to the milling gap, a separator to separate the milling media from the material milled, and a milling media return for returning separated milling media to the milling gap, the improvement wherein the separator is upstream of the outlet and the milling media return comprises: a separate centrifugal pump having an impeller centrally disposed between the stator and the rotor and rotatably mounted with respect to the stator and the rotor; impeller drive means for driving said impeller at selected speeds; and means for controlling the speed of said impeller drive means to selectively rotate said impeller at a speed different from the speed of the rotor to control the distribution of the milling media within the material being milled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The mill as claimed in claim 1 wherein said impeller drive means is separate from said rotor drive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mill as claimed in claim 1 wherein said impeller drive means comprises: a speed changing transmission operatively connected to said impeller and to the rotor drive so that the speed of the impeller can be varied with respect to the speed of the rotor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A mill as claimed in claim 1 wherein; said impeller drive means is steplessly adjustable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A mill as claimed in claim 1 wherein said milling media have a cross-sectional size, and said centrifugal pump further comprises: separate conveying ducts in said impeller, said conveying ducts having a cross-sectional size slightly greater than one-to-two times the cross-sectional size of the milling media.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
165 words
A mill as claimed in claim 1 wherein said milling media flow through said milling media return at a rate, said material to be milled flows at a pressure, said mill has a central axis, said rotor rotates about the central axis, said control means is adapted to produce a positive change in the rate of return of the milling media in relation to the pressure of the material to be milled; and further comprising: bearing means rotatably supporting said impeller in said stator for rotation about the central axis of the mill; seal means to seal said impeller between the rotor and stator; a face on said stator through which the material inlet extends; and an outlet in said impeller for the milling media, said outlet being positioned in a face of said impeller and substantially aligned in the direction parallel to said central axis with said face on the stator through which the material inlet extends and axially adjacent to said material inlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mill as claimed in claim 6 wherein said impeller drive means comprises: a drive means separate from said rotor drive and disposed on a side of said stator substantially opposite from said rotor drive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mill as claimed in claim 6 and further comprising: a milling means upstream of the material inlet and between said impeller and stator for milling material to be milled flowing to the material inlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A mill as claimed in claim 6 wherein the material inlet further comprises: an annular gap between the impeller and the stator adapted to produce a nozzle function; and cooperating milling faces on the stator and said impeller communicating with said annular gap and being disposed radially inwardly thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A mill as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of said milling faces comprises a toothed structure so that the milling faces function as a toothed colloid mill.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A mill as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising: a clearance width formed by said annular gap; means for adjusting said clearance width of said annular gap and the milling gap between the milling faces by axial movement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A mill as claimed in claim 11 and further comprising: a common milling ring mounted between the stator and said impeller for axial adjustment; and wherein said means for adjusting the clearance width comprise said common milling ring.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A mill as claimed in claim 6 wherein said material to be milled has measurable properties, and said means for controlling the speed of said impeller drive means comprises: a control system having a sensing means to sense one of the properties of the material to be milled and an operating parameter of the mill.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
A mill as claimed in claim 13 wherein said sensing means senses one of the power output of said rotor drive, rotational speed of the rotor drive, torque on the rotor drive, pressure ratio between points in the mill through which the material to be milled flows; and supply rate of the material to be milled.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A mill as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of said properties of the material is viscosity and said sensing means comprises at least one means for sensing said viscosity of the material to be milled.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A mill as claimed in claim 13 wherein said control system comprises: a plurality of said sensing means; and an average value computing unit operatively connected to said sensing means to produce a resultant control signal therefrom based on a given algorithm.