Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween; (b) closing means connecting the opposite ends of said inner and outer shells; (c) longitudinally extending partitions extending between said inner and outer shells and forming a plurality of longitudinally extending compartments within said flow space; (d) longitudinally extending baffles extending between said inner and outer shells for a portion of the length of said compartments, so that an approximately U-shaped flow path is formed within each of said compartments, said approximately U-shaped flow paths each including only two legs consisting of an entrance leg and an exit leg, said legs being circumferentially arranged with respect to each other; (e) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; (f) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths..]. .[.2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means..]. .[.3. The apparatus of claim 2 including dividing means within said central feed
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
passage, for separating said feed means from said return means..]. .[.4. The apparatus of claim 2 including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing means..]. .[.5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said closing means comprises transverse end walls..]. .[.6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said transverse end walls extend
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
246 words
from said central feed passage to said outer shell..]. 7. .[.The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said return means includes:.]. .Iadd.Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween; (b) closing means connecting the opposite ends of said inner and outer shells; (c) longitudinally extending partitions extending between said inner and outer shells and forming a plurality of longitudinally extending compartments within said flow space; (d) longitudinally extending baffles extending between said inner and outer shells for a portion of the length of said compartments, so that an approximately U-shaped flow path is formed within said compartments, said approximately U-shaped flow paths including an entrance leg and an exit leg; (e) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; (f) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; (g) a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means; (h) said return means including:.Iaddend. .[.(a).]. an annular return plenum .[.disposed beneath.]. .Iadd.extending about the inner circumference of .Iaddend.said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and .[.(b).]. at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum for
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said annular return plenum communicates with
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner shell. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 including a plurality of said exit apertures disposed
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
in a circular path along the surface of said inner shell. 10. The apparatus of claim 7 including at least one return orifice communicating with said radially extending return channel and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 7 including a plurality of said radially
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
extending return channels. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said radially extending return channels are disposed at approximately 90° with respect to each other. .[.13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said return means includes: (a) an annular return plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and (b) at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum for removing
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum..]. 14. The apparatus of claim .[.2.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.wherein said feed means includes: (a) an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and (b) at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 including a plurality of radial feed distributors connecting said annular feed plenum to said entrance legs of each of said approximately
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
U-shaped flow paths. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
apertures in said inner shells. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 including a plurality of said entrance apertures disposed in a circular path along the
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
surface of said inner shell. 18. The apparatus of claim 14 including a
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
plurality of said radially extending feed channels. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said radially extending feed channels are disposed at
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
approximately 90° with respect to each other. 20. The apparatus of
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
approximately 90° with respect to each other. 20. The apparatus of
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
claim 14 wherein said closing means comprises transverse end walls. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said transverse end walls extend
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
from said central feed passage to said outer shell. 22. The apparatus of claim 14 including dividing means within said central feed passage, for
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
separating said feed means from said return means. 23. The apparatus of claim 14 including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing means. .[.24. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said feed means includes: (a) an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and (b) at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum..]. 25. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said annular return plenum is
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
disposed between said annular feed plenum and said inner shell. 26. The apparatus of claim 25 including a plurality of radial feed distributors connecting said annular feed plenum to said entrance legs of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths, said radial feed distributors passing
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
through said annular return plenum. 27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance apertures in said inner shell, and said annular return plenum communicates with said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
shell. 28. The apparatus of claim 27 including a plurality of alternating entrance apertures and exit apertures, disposed in a circular path along
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
the surface of said inner shell. 29. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.including a plurality of said radially extending feed
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
channels, and a plurality of said radially extending return channels. 30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said radially extending feed channels are disposed at approximately 90° with respect to each other, and wherein said radially extending return channels are disposed at
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
approximately 90° with respect to each other. 31. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.including dividing means within said central feed passage, for separating said feed means from said return
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
means. 32. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
200 words
means. 33. Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween; (b) closing means communicating with said inner and outer shells; (c) barrier means positioned within said annular flow space for establishing a plurality of flow paths having entrance and exit legs; (d) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance legs; (e) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit legs; (f) a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connnected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means; (g) said feed means includes an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs, and at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum; and (h) said return means includes an annular return plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs, and at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
200 words
means. 33. Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween; (b) closing means communicating with said inner and outer shells; (c) barrier means positioned within said annular flow space for establishing a plurality of flow paths having entrance and exit legs; (d) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance legs; (e) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit legs; (f) a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connnected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means; (g) said feed means includes an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs, and at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum; and (h) said return means includes an annular return plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs, and at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
fluid from said annular return plenum. 34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said closing means comprises end walls extending from said central
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
feed passage to said outer shell. 35. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said annular return plenum is disposed between said annular feed plenum
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
and said inner shell. 36. The apparatus of claim 33 including a plurality
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
of said radially extending feed channels. 37. The apparatus of claim 33
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
including a plurality of said radially extending return channels. 38. The apparatus of claim 33 including at least one return orifice communicating with said radially extending return channel and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 33 including a plurality of radial feed distributors communicating with said entrance legs and with said annular
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
feed plenum, for supplying heat-transfer fluid to said entrance legs. 40. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said annular return plenum communicates with said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
26 words
shell. 41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance apertures in said inner shell.