Sand-mulling apparatus

Claim 2

In a mulling apparatus of the type that embodies a bowl adapted to receive therein a predetermined amount of granular material to be mulled and including a bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical sidewall, a mulling assembly mounted for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis within the bowl and including a hub and a plurality of mulling plow constructions connected fixedly to and disposed outwards of the hub, arranged below the level of the hub and in circumferentially spaced relationship, and adapted for rotation bodily in unison with the hub, each plow construction including a platelike wing structure having an outer side face which opposes the inside face of the cylindrical wall of the bowl adjacent to the lower region of the latter, and having leading and trailing sections with respect to the direction of rotation of the mulling assembly, the leading section of said wing structure being inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the bowl bottom wall and being disposed for the most part at a greater distance from said sidewall than the trailing section to the end that it extends at an obtuse angle with respect to said trailing section, a side plow having its outer end connected to said leading section of the wing structure and its inner end fixedly secured to the hub, said side plow lying close to the bottom wall of the bowl and extending in a direction which is generally tangential with respect to the hub, whereby said side plow functions in the manner of a deflector for urging the granular material radially outwardly of the bowl and into the path of movement of the leading section of said wing structure, and means for rotating said mulling assembly in said one direction.

Claim 3

A mulling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and including, additionally, a lift plow projecting radially outwardly from the lower edge portion of each wing structure, said lift plow being diposed between the wing structure and the sidewall of the bowl, being inclined downwardly in the direction of movement of the associated plow construction, and having a leading edge positioned in close proximity to the bottom wall of the bowl to the end that the lift plow functions as a scoop for elevating the granular material encountered thereby.

Claim 4

A mulling apparatus as set forth in claim 2 and including, additionally, a series of mulling wheels eccentrically mounted on said hub above the level of the latter, there being one mulling wheel for each plow construction, each mulling wheel assuming a trailing position with respect to its associated plow construction and being in the form of a freely rotatable disklike member the periphery of which is designed for cooperation with the bowl sidewall during rotation of the hub for compacting the granular material which is elevated by the lift plow of its associated plow construction against said sidewall.

Claim 5

In a mulling apparatus of the type that embodies a bowl adapted to receive therein a predetermined amount of granular material to be mulled and including a bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical sidewall, a mulling assembly mounted for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis within the bowl and including a hub and a mulling plow construction fixedly connected to and disposed outwards of the hub, arranged below the level of the hub, and adapted for rotation bodily with the hub, said plow construction including a (platelike) plate-like sandscooping lift plow presenting an upper surface which is inclined downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the plow construction and having inner and outer side edges, said outer side edge being disposed in close proximity to said upstanding sidewall of the bowl, a (platelike) plate-like wing structure having an outer side face which opposes the inner face of the cylindrical wall of the bowl adjacent to the lower region of the latter, and embodying leading and trailing sections with respect ot the direction of rotation of the mulling assembly, the trailing section extending upwards from the rear region of the inner edge of the lift plow, the leading section of said wing structure extending upwards from the front region of the inner portion of the (left) lift plow, being inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the bowl bottom, and being disposed for the most part at a greater distance from said sidewall than the trailing section to the end that it extends at an obtuse angle with respect to said training section, a side plow having its outer end connected to the front portion of said leading section of the wing structure and its inner end fixedly secured to the hub, said side plow lying close to the botton wall of the bowl and extending in a direction which is generally tangential with respect to the hub, whereby the side plow functions in the manner of a deflector for urging the granular material radially outwardly of the bowl and into the path of movement of the leading section of said wing structure, and means for rotating said mulling assembly in said one direction.

Claim 6

In a mulling apparatus of the type that embodies a bowl adapted to receive therein a predetermined amount of granular material to be mulled and including a bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical sidewall, a mulling assembly mounted for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis within the bowl and including a hub and a mulling plow construction fixedly connected to and disposed outwards of the hub, arranged below the level of the hub, and adapted for rotation bodily with the hub, said plow construction including a (platelike) plate-like sandscooping lift plow presenting an upper surface which is inclined downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the plow construction and having inner and outer side edges, said outer side edge being disposed in close proximity to said upstanding sidewall of the bowl, a (platelike) plate-like wing structure having an outer side face which opposes the inner face of the cylindrical wall of the bowl adjacent to the lower region of the latter, and embodying leading and trailing sections with respect ot the direction of rotation of the mulling assembly, the trailing section extending upwards from the rear region of the inner edge of the lift plow, the leading section of said wing structure extending upwards from the front region of the inner portion of the (left) lift plow, being inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the bowl bottom, and being disposed for the most part at a greater distance from said sidewall than the trailing section to the end that it extends at an obtuse angle with respect to said training section, a side plow having its outer end connected to the front portion of said leading section of the wing structure and its inner end fixedly secured to the hub, said side plow lying close to the botton wall of the bowl and extending in a direction which is generally tangential with respect to the hub, whereby the side plow functions in the manner of a deflector for urging the granular material radially outwardly of the bowl and into the path of movement of the leading section of said wing structure, and means for rotating said mulling assembly in said one direction.

Claim 7

In a mulling apparatus of the type that embodies a bowl adapted to receive therein a predetermined amount of molding sand to be mulled and including a bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical side wall, a mulling assembly mounted for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis within the bowl and including a hub, and means for rotating said mulling assembly in said one direction, the improvement which comprises: a mulling plow construction provided with means whereby it is fixedly connected to the hub so that it is rotatable bodily with the hub and is disposed outwards and below the level of the hub, forming a part of the mulling assembly and including a plate-like, sand-scooping lift plow presenting an upper surface which is inclined downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the plow construction and has inner and outer side edges, said outer side edge being disposed in close proximity to said upstanding side wall of the bowl, a plate-like wing structure having an outer side face which opposes the inner face of the cylindrical wall of the bowl adjacent to the lower region of the lattEr, and embodying leading and trailing sections with respect to the direction of rotation of the mulling assembly, the trailing section extending upwards from the rear region of the inner edge of the lift plow, the leading section of said wing structure extending upwards from the front region of the inner portion of the lift plow, being inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the bowl bottom, and being disposed for the most part a greater distance from said side wall than the trailing section to the end that it extends at an obtuse angle with respect to said trailing section, a side plow having its outer end connected to the front portion of said leading section of the wing structure and its inner end fixedly secured to the hub through said connecting means, said side plow lying close to the bottom wall of the bowl and extending in a direction which is generally tangential with respect to the hub, whereby the side plow functions in the manner of a deflector for urging the sand radially outwardly of the bowl and into the path of movement of the leading section of said wing structure, said plow construction having its wing structure of such height that the leading section receives the deflected sand from the side plow and deflects it with a funneling action into the space between the trailing section of the wing structure and the bowl side wall, and the trailing section confines substantially throughout its length and smears the sand between it and the bowl side wall and thereby effects a significant mulling action.

Claim 8

In a mulling apparatus of the type that embodies a bowl adapted to receive therein a predetermined amount of molding sand to be mulled and including a bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical side wall, a mulling assembly mounted for rotation in one direction about a vertical axis within the bowl and including a hub, and means for rotating said mulling assembly in said one direction, the improvement which comprises: a mulling plow construction provided with means whereby it is fixedly connected to the hub so that it is rotatable bodily with the hub and is disposed outwards and below the level of the hub, forming a part of the mulling assembly and including a plate-like, sand-scooping lift plow presenting an upper surface which is inclined downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the plow construction and has inner and outer side edges, said outer side edge being disposed in close proximity to said upstanding side wall of the bowl, a plate-like wing structure having an outer side face which opposes the inner face of the cylindrical wall of the bowl adjacent to the lower region of the lattEr, and embodying leading and trailing sections with respect to the direction of rotation of the mulling assembly, the trailing section extending upwards from the rear region of the inner edge of the lift plow, the leading section of said wing structure extending upwards from the front region of the inner portion of the lift plow, being inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the bowl bottom, and being disposed for the most part a greater distance from said side wall than the trailing section to the end that it extends at an obtuse angle with respect to said trailing section, a side plow having its outer end connected to the front portion of said leading section of the wing structure and its inner end fixedly secured to the hub through said connecting means, said side plow lying close to the bottom wall of the bowl and extending in a direction which is generally tangential with respect to the hub, whereby the side plow functions in the manner of a deflector for urging the sand radially outwardly of the bowl and into the path of movement of the leading section of said wing structure, said plow construction having its wing structure of such height that the leading section receives the deflected sand from the side plow and deflects it with a funneling action into the space between the trailing section of the wing structure and the bowl side wall, and the trailing section confines substantially throughout its length and smears the sand between it and the bowl side wall and thereby effects a significant mulling action.

Claim 9

The improvement in a mulling apparatus according to claim 5, in which the trailing section of the wing structure is of substantially uniform height from end to end.

Claim 10

The improvement in a mulling apparatus according to claim 5, in which the trailing portion of the wing structure is of substantially uniform height from end to end and is in rigid relation with the lift plow along the latter''s rear portion of its inner edge.