Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
305 words
A method for effecting, in a mill containing a particulate-containing substance, a reduction in size of said particluate, the steps comprising: placing said substance an a comminuting media into a comminuting vessel having a finite depth and having a centrally disposed shaft therein affixed to said vessel; rotating said vessel and said shaft; centrifically flinging all of said comminuting media radially outwardly in response to said rotating of said vessel and said shaft at a sufficient speed, thereby causing all of said comminuting media to rotate enmasse with said vessel and move into an upright cylindrical column over the full depth of the vessel spaced radially outwardly from said shaft; splitting said column of comminuting media along the full depth of said vessel into a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion by causing the rotating columnar mass of comminuting media to encounter at least one stationary deflector in said vessel that is equidistantly spaced from the wall of said vessel over the full depth of said vessel; deflecting only said radially inner portion of said comminuting media in a radially inwardly direction, and then centrifical flinging said radially inner portion radially outwardly; causing said radially outer portion of said comminuting media to arcuately move past said deflector on a radially outer side thereof; imparting shear and impact forces on said particulate by contacting said particulate with said comminuting media that is moving radially inwardly, radially outwardly, and arcuately and said arcuate movement of said radially outer portion of said commuting media; and controlling the speed of rotation of said comminuting vessel and said shaft to a selected speed, thereby causing said media to exert the requisite amount of said shear and said impact forces on said particulate in said particulate-containing substance, thereby effectively reducing the size of said particulate to a desired size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
305 words
A method for effecting, in a mill containing a particulate-containing substance, a reduction in size of said particluate, the steps comprising: placing said substance an a comminuting media into a comminuting vessel having a finite depth and having a centrally disposed shaft therein affixed to said vessel; rotating said vessel and said shaft; centrifically flinging all of said comminuting media radially outwardly in response to said rotating of said vessel and said shaft at a sufficient speed, thereby causing all of said comminuting media to rotate enmasse with said vessel and move into an upright cylindrical column over the full depth of the vessel spaced radially outwardly from said shaft; splitting said column of comminuting media along the full depth of said vessel into a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion by causing the rotating columnar mass of comminuting media to encounter at least one stationary deflector in said vessel that is equidistantly spaced from the wall of said vessel over the full depth of said vessel; deflecting only said radially inner portion of said comminuting media in a radially inwardly direction, and then centrifical flinging said radially inner portion radially outwardly; causing said radially outer portion of said comminuting media to arcuately move past said deflector on a radially outer side thereof; imparting shear and impact forces on said particulate by contacting said particulate with said comminuting media that is moving radially inwardly, radially outwardly, and arcuately and said arcuate movement of said radially outer portion of said commuting media; and controlling the speed of rotation of said comminuting vessel and said shaft to a selected speed, thereby causing said media to exert the requisite amount of said shear and said impact forces on said particulate in said particulate-containing substance, thereby effectively reducing the size of said particulate to a desired size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said mill is a continuous-type mill, and including introducing into the interior of said vessel at one end and removing said substance from the interior of said vessel at another end, and passing said substance through said column of comminuting media between said ends of said vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method of claim 1, including controlling said shear and impact forces of said media against said particulate by said speed of rotation of said vessel in accordance with the formula ##EQU2## wherein: F=centrifugal force tending to move a single comminuting media outward from the axis of rotation (in pounds); W=weight of the single comminuting media in pounds; V=velocity of center of gravity of the single comminuting media (feet per second); g=acceleration due to gravity (commonly 32.16 feet per second 2 ); R=distance from the axis of rotation to the center of gravity of the single comminuting media (in feet); N=revolutions per minute.