Machine for mixing particles with a fluid composition

Claim 2

A generally circular slinger useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition, comprising: (a) a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) an underside which slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the topside; (c) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the slinger underside, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition.

Claim 3

A slinger as defined in claim 1 wherein the gas exhaust means comprises at least one channel which slopes upward and outward from corresponding outlet to inlet positions.

Claim 4

A generally circular slinger useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition, comprising: (a) a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) an underside which slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the topside; (c) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the slinger underside, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition.

Claim 5

A generally circular slinger useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition, comprising: (a) a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) an underside which slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the topside; (c) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the slinger underside, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition.

Claim 6

A slinger as defined in claim 3, wherein the slinger topside has a topside surface and at least one blade extending upward and radially outward thereon.

Claim 7

A slinger as defined in claim 4, wherein the topside surface is of toroidal concave configuration.

Claim 8

A slinger as defined in claim 5 wherein the slinger topside has a plurality of blades extending upward and outward on the topside surface.

Claim 9

A slinger as described in claim 5 wherein the gas exhaust means comprises a plurality of channels, each of which slopes upward and outward from corresponding inlet to outlet positions.

Claim 10

A slinger as described in claim 3 wherein the gas exhaust means comprises a plurality of channels, each of which slopes upward and outward from corresponding inlet to outlet positions.

Claim 11

A slinger and impeller apparatus useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition comprising: (a) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside surface of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex below and adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (c) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (d) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition.

Claim 12

A slinger and impeller apparatus useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition comprising: (a) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside surface of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex below and adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (c) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (d) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the slinger diameter is greater than the impeller diameter, and the impeller is connected to the slinger to rotate synchronously therewith, the outer side first slopes inward and downward from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward from the innermost portion to adjacent the underside of the impeller, and wherein each inlet position of the gas exhaust means is disposed at the innermost portion of the outer side.

Claim 14

A slinger and impeller apparatus useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition comprising: (a) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside surface of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex below and adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (c) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (d) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition.

Claim 15

A slinger and impeller apparatus useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition comprising: (a) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (b) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside surface of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex below and adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (c) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (d) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition.

Claim 16

An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the slinger diameter is greater than the impeller diameter, and the impeller is connected to the slinger to rotate synchronously therewith.

Claim 17

An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the outer side first slopes inward and downward from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward from the innermost portion to adjacent the underside of the impeller, and wherein each inlet position of the gas exhaust means is disposed at the innermost portion of the outer side.

Claim 18

An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the slinger topside has a topside surface and at least one blade extending upward and radially outward thereon.

Claim 19

An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the topside surface is of toroidal concave configuration.

Claim 20

An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the slinger topside has a plurality of blades extending upward and outward on the topside surface.

Claim 21

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the outer side slopes inward and downward on the slinger, then slopes outward and downward on the impeller, and wherein the slinger and impeller are axially spaced apart to define a first portion of the gas exhaust means, including each inlet portion.

Claim 22

An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the gas exhaust means additionally comprises a plurality of channels in the slinger, each of which slopes upward and outward from the first portion of the gas exhaust means, to a corresponding outlet position.

Claim 23

A machine as defined in claim 17, wherein the liquid composition inlet is disposed on a lower side of the housing and beneath the center of the impeller, and wherein the exhaust gas outlet is disposed above the center of the slinger.

Claim 24

A machine as defined in claim 19, wherein the apparatus is disposed in a laterally central position within the housing, and wherein the housing exhaust gas outlet and liquid composition inlet are axially aligned with the apparatus.

Claim 25

A machine as defined in claim 20, wherein the housing has an inlet eye in the upper side, which defines the stream inlet and the exhaust gas outlet.

Claim 26

A machine as defined in claim 21, additionally comprising a stream conduit having an outlet disposed directly above the inlet eye so as to define an exterior gas exhaust space between the stream conduit outlet and the inlet eye.

Claim 27

A machine as defined in claim 21, wherein the outer side of the apparatus slopes inward and downward from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward from the innermost position to adjacent the underside of the impeller, and wherein each inlet portion of the gas exhaust means is disposed adjacent the innermost portion of the outer side.

Claim 28

A machine as defined in claim 23, wherein the slinger topside has a topside surface and at least one blade extending upward and radially outward thereon.

Claim 29

A machine as defined in claim 23, wherein the topside surface of the slinger is of toroidal concave configuration.

Claim 30

A machine as defined in claim 25 wherein the slinger topside has a plurality of blades extending upward and radially outward on the topside surface.

Claim 31

A machine as defined in claim 26, wherein the outer side of the apparatus slopes inward and downward on the slinger, then slopes outward and downward on the impeller, and wherein the slinger and impeller are axially spaced apart to define a first portion of the gas exhaust means, including each inlet portion.

Claim 32

A machine as defined in claim 26, wherein the gas exhaust means additionally comprises a plurality of channels in the slinger, each of which slopes upward and outward from the first portion of the air exhaust means, to a corresponding outlet position.

Claim 33

A machine as defined in claim 20, additionally comprising a stream conduit having an outlet disposed to provide the particle containing stream through the housing stream inlet into the housing.

Claim 34

A machine as defined in claim 19, wherein an inside surface of each of the upper and lower side of the housing is substantially flat, and wherein the linear distance between an upper edge of each blade and the nearest opposite point on the inside surface of the upper side of the housing, defines a positive gap between the slinger and the housing which is in the range of about one-half to about twice the depth of each blade, the depth of each blade being defined as the linear distance from an upper edge to the lowest point of the blade.

Claim 35

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream, with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing having: (i) a liquid composition inlet; (ii) a mixture outlet; (iii) a stream inlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (iv) an exhaust gas outlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (b) a slinger and impeller apparatus having: (i) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above, and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (ii) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the impeller having a diameter less than the slinger and being connected thereto to rotate synchronously therewith; (iii) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position, when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition; the apparatus being rotatably mounted within the housing with the slinger extending beneath the stream inlet and exhaust gas outlet, so that during mixing of the liquid composition and the stream, gas entrained within the mixture can be carried out of the mixture through the gas exhaust means of the apparatus and the housing exhaust gas outlet.

Claim 36

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream, with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing having: (i) a liquid composition inlet; (ii) a mixture outlet; (iii) a stream inlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (iv) an exhaust gas outlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (b) a slinger and impeller apparatus having: (i) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above, and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (ii) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the impeller having a diameter less than the slinger and being connected thereto to rotate synchronously therewith; (iii) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position, when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition; the apparatus being rotatably mounted within the housing with the slinger extending beneath the stream inlet and exhaust gas outlet, so that during mixing of the liquid composition and the stream, gas entrained within the mixture can be carried out of the mixture through the gas exhaust means of the apparatus and the housing exhaust gas outlet.

Claim 37

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream, with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing having: (i) a liquid composition inlet; (ii) a mixture outlet; (iii) a stream inlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (iv) an exhaust gas outlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (b) a slinger and impeller apparatus having: (i) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above, and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (ii) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the impeller having a diameter less than the slinger and being connected thereto to rotate synchronously therewith; (iii) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position, when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition; the apparatus being rotatably mounted within the housing with the slinger extending beneath the stream inlet and exhaust gas outlet, so that during mixing of the liquid composition and the stream, gas entrained within the mixture can be carried out of the mixture through the gas exhaust means of the apparatus and the housing exhaust gas outlet.

Claim 38

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream, with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing having: (i) a liquid composition inlet; (ii) a mixture outlet; (iii) a stream inlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (iv) an exhaust gas outlet disposed on an upper side of the housing; (b) a slinger and impeller apparatus having: (i) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above, and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (ii) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the impeller having a diameter less than the slinger and being connected thereto to rotate synchronously therewith; (iii) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside; and (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position, when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition; the apparatus being rotatably mounted within the housing with the slinger extending beneath the stream inlet and exhaust gas outlet, so that during mixing of the liquid composition and the stream, gas entrained within the mixture can be carried out of the mixture through the gas exhaust means of the apparatus and the housing exhaust gas outlet.

Claim 39

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing member having (i) an inlet eye in an upper side, which defines a stream inlet and an exhaust gas outlet; (ii) a liquid composition inlet disposed in a lower side of the housing and axially aligned with the inlet eye; and (iii) a mixture outlet; (b) a generally circular slinger and impeller apparatus axially aligned with the inlet eye and liquid composition inlet, comprising: (i) a circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the topside including a topside surface and a plurality of blades extending upward and radially outward thereon; (ii) a circular impeller of diameter less than the slinger connected to an underside of the slinger to rotate synchronously therewith, the impeller having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (iii) an outer side defined by a portion of the underside of the slinger and a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward to adjacent the underside of the impeller; (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside and at least one inlet position each of which is disposed at the innermost portion of the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition to mix the particles in the stream with the liquid composition; (c) a drive means connected to the slinger and impeller apparatus for rotating the slinger and impeller.

Claim 40

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising: (a) a housing member having (i) an inlet eye in an upper side, which defines a stream inlet and an exhaust gas outlet; (ii) a liquid composition inlet disposed in a lower side of the housing and axially aligned with the inlet eye; and (iii) a mixture outlet; (b) a generally circular slinger and impeller apparatus axially aligned with the inlet eye and liquid composition inlet, comprising: (i) a circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the topside including a topside surface and a plurality of blades extending upward and radially outward thereon; (ii) a circular impeller of diameter less than the slinger connected to an underside of the slinger to rotate synchronously therewith, the impeller having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition; (iii) an outer side defined by a portion of the underside of the slinger and a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward to adjacent the underside of the impeller; (iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside and at least one inlet position each of which is disposed at the innermost portion of the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition to mix the particles in the stream with the liquid composition; (c) a drive means connected to the slinger and impeller apparatus for rotating the slinger and impeller.

Claim 41

A machine as defined in claim 33 wherein the drive means comprises: (a) a drive shaft that extends into the housing through the inlet eye, and is connected to the slinger; and (b) a motor connected to the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft, the slinger, and the impeller.

Claim 42

A machine as fined in claim 33 wherein the slinger and impeller are axially spaced apart to define a first portion of the gas exhaust means, including each inlet position, and wherein the outer side of the apparatus slopes inward and downward on the slinger, then slopes outward and downward on the impeller.

Claim 43

A machine as defined in claim 33, wherein an inside surface of each of the upper and lower side of the housing is substantially flat, and wherein the linear distance between an upper edge of each blade and the nearest opposite point on the inside surface of the upper side of the housing defines a positive gap between the slinger and the housing, which is in the range of about one-half to about twice the depth of each blade, the depth of each blade being defined as the linear distance from an upper edge to the lowest point of the blade.

Claim 44

A machine as defined in claim 33, having a stream conduit in the form of a hopper, which hopper has an outlet disposed directly above the inlet eye and spaced apart therefrom to define an exterior gas exhaust space between the stream conduit outlet and the inlet eye.