Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2~ 99 1 78
WO ~'7/0~0~ P~T/ES9~/00144
- UNI~ERSAL MI~ER
-j E S C R I P T I O N
SU~CT ~' TI~. IN~EN~ION
The pr~sent invention rel~tes ~o a ~ixing devi~e
whi~h i9 ~peci~lly de~i~ned ~or stirring various
g~anular, pulverul~nt and~or liquid product~ with a v~ew
t~ obS~i~in~ a homo~eneou~ m~xture thereo~.
llh~ object of t~le invention is to ~ke it po~-
~i~le t~ ach.ieve æaid ho~o~e~leity of ~he mi~t~re wi~
minim~ erer~y ~unS~pti~n and ~ ~ignif ic~n~ly shc~rt
~irrin~ time, i . e . a high output.
The ~ xer whic~ is a~lvocated may be u~ed ~ot~h
indu~tri~lly arld ~y iIldividu~ls anywh~:re i~ i~ necessary
to ~hi~ve a m~xture of two or more su~tance~.
BACK~ROUh~ OF THE TNVENTION
~ ixer~ ~hat have b~en k~lown hit~erto have ~he
qo~mon de~4~in~0r of incorporating a ~ody of revolution
whiCh ifi able to rotate on its ow~ ~ometr~l axiS such
that the ma~erial~ to be mixed ~re stirred by mean~ of a
combill~tion o~ the ~ctu~ rotary ~lovement o~ th~ body,
the centri~u~l force yenera~d i~ ~ai~ rota~ mavement
arld the force of ~ravity, ~id rotary axi~ ge~erally
being located in a ~kewed positio~ wi.th re~pec~ to the
te~e~rial ver~ic~l. ~ series of ~ddition~l paddle~
fa-ilitate the upward ent.rainment of the m~terial~.
Thi~ me~ns tha~ sai~ mate~ ~si~ally ~eceive
two movem~nt~, o~e tr~nsver~e or rat~ry and ~he other
~ertical, i.e. the ~as~ mo~e~ prackic~lly a~cording to
two of ~he a~eA of a Car~.~sian coor~inate ~ em.
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Mi~ r~y wc~uld o~:~vi~usl~ e more rapicl and ~ore
ho~logeIle~u23 if stirri~ w~re to take pl~ e ~acording to
the thr~e axe~ o~ ~ ~arte~3ian coordin~te system, whi~h,
t~o dat~, ha~ not been ac~hie~ed by ~ny type of mi5cer.
VESCI~IPTION OF THE IN~E~TION
The univer~;al mixer wh:L~h ~he inve~tion proposeg
wa~3 de~igned sp~fi~lly t~ make thi~ thi~d ~l;me~ion
a~ sæible, i . e . to achiev~ ~o~ple~e stirrinSr accord~Ilg
t:o the thr~ axes of a C~rte~ian coordin~e sy~tem which/
~ h~s ~ust; been ~tated, me~ns tha~ homo~eniz~tio~ csf the
mixture i~ ~chieved in ~ consid~rahly ~horter ti~e and,
con~:qu~ntly, ~ th improve~ energy ~onsump~ion, leading
t;o a con~iclerable inc~e~s~ in k~roductivity and also a
con~iderable r~3du~tion in co~t~ o~rer c~nven~o~l mixers.
To thi~ end ~nd more ~pec~ifically~ ~ fu~d~me~t;a~
characteri~ti~ of t~le mixer which i2 ~dvoc~a~ecl i!3 the
f~ ha~ its cont~iner ~o~ly i~ p;cuvided with a rota-
t.ianal 3haf~ which forms an acu~e ~le with its
geo~etri~al ~xis ~o th~t, ill ~he cl~sical rot~}ry ;move-
m~llt of the container b~dy, a longitlld; n~l ~oc~kin~
movement :i.s ~lso achieved, wh~c}~ impart~ an alternating
axi~1 di~plac~tent to She mass, c~bviously ~s ~ supple~ent
ta th~ c~la:3si~1 vertical ~d ~rall!Y~e~e dif;pl~qemel~t~.
As a ~uppleme.nt to th~2 ~;tructure desc~ribed, ~ai~l
~o~tainer body, either on one of its end wall~ or in the
zone of i t~ l~te~l wall clo~e to one of sai~ kn~l w~lls,
will in~rpora~e the ~orre~E~ondin~ fi~ s3/emptyin~ mouth
whi~h, ln thi~ ca~e, ~nd ~wing to the speçi~l m~bllity of
the container ~od~, should be assisted })y a sealed
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~1O~Ure
On the ~a~is of t;his ~a~.ic ~.OI1StrUC~iOn, ~e
c~nt~iner ~dy ma~ be equipped wi~h intern~l s~-irring
~la~e~ a.ssocia~ed with it~ ac~ual i~ner w~ll, a~sociated
w~th it~ ~ha~, or may e~en lack ~uch blades.
The sh~t of th~ ~ixer ~ay ~e a~t~ated by an-y
type oE conventional drive unit or may eve~ b~ a~tuated
~a~lually when it~ ca~a~lty and px~ti~al ~pplication s~
adv.i~e.
Tn ~c~cordance with a furt~er embodLnlent of the
in~e~i~n, ~aid in~ernal ~tirring blade~ ~ay ~e ~i~en
~heir own m~ement, i.e. instead of ~eing mount~d ei~her
o~ the inner wall ~f the ~ontainer or on the latter's
rc~ary ~haft, ~hey will ~e moun~ed on an independe~t
sha~l: whi~h is preferably co~xial with ~he ~haft ~f the
con~ er and eyuipped wi~h i~ own ~uatin~ m~an~ ~hich
e~le the ~iciency of the bl~e~ to be enhan~ed.
~ other o~ the im~rovement.~ ~dvocat~ consist~ in
~id blade~ ~dopting the confil3uration v~ a ~rew pro-
eller, ~lthou~h with the ~peci~l fe,~ure that s~id s~ew~ropeLler will h~e pairs o~ blades of opposin~ pitch so
t.hat, when operated, a~ alternating effect i~ pro~u~d in
p~rallel ~i~h thç ~ltern~ting ~iæ~ace~ent of the ma~
p~ovide~ innide the c~ntain~r ~dy
This is eEpe~ially ~dvantageous in that, when a
~peed of 100 rpm i~ exceeded, the eff~ o~ gravity
~is~ppear~ a~d the produ~t m~ is no lonyer displ~ed
in~ide the container since the effe~ of ce~trifuyal
f~r~R c~ncels out the yr~vi~ational effect, the incor-
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WO g7/02~ CT/~S~6/00144poratlon ~n~ m~bll..i~y of the~e bl~des of oppo~ing pitch
a~hievin~ the sou~h~-aft~r and nece~ y di~pl~ce~ent of
~h~ produ~t frvm the C~Ilte~' of the container to it~
walls.
F~na~ly, and in ~ccordance with another of ~he
mpro~e~ent~ of the ~ ntion, provi~ion has bee~i made
~or 5ai~ hlade~ to hav~ the form of knives which, i~
ad~ition to acting ~ stixring ele~en~-s, al~o a~t as
cut~er~s, whi~ giv~s the ~ixer a novel ope~ating dimen-
sion, speci~lly that o~ a cru~her/mixer.
O~RIPT~ON ~F THE D~AWIN~S
To su~plement ~h~ ~e~Criptlon bei~ly gi~en and
with a view to ~æsisting b~tter ~4mprehen~ion of the
~h~r~teri~tics ~ the i~lven~c~ on~ ~che pr~sent sp~cifica-
on i~ ~ccom~ani~d, as an integr~l part thereof, by a~et of drawings which, with ~n illu~r~ive and non-
iny ch~r~cter, ~how the ~ollowin~:
Fiyure 1 sh~w3 a diagrammatic repr~e~t~tio~ in
p,3r~ec~tive of a universal ~ixer constr~ucted according to
~he sub~ ~c t of ~he pre~ent inven~ion .
Figure 2 ~hows a urther diagramm~tic repxesent~-
ti o~ of the s;~me mixer, in later~l ele~ratio~, in ~hich
~rok~n line~ show ~he element8 ir~side ~he contain~:r body,
~he latter beirly in ~he filling position.
Fi~ure 3 sh4w~ ~ representatioll similar to that
o~ the previou~ fiyure, b~t i.~ which ~he mixer adop~;s th~
~m~7tyir~ po~ iorm
Fi~ure 4 show~: ~ persp~ctive view similar to t~t
of Figure 1, ~orresp~rl~lin~ to the vari~nt e~nbo~limen~ in
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whlch the blsdas are ~iv~n ~heir own mo~ement independen~
o~ ~h~ move~ent of the cont~iner, the latter ~ei~y par-
tially cut away to ~how its internal ~truq~ure.
Fi~re 5 shows a di~ran~atic repre~nt~tio~ in
la~el~al ele~aticn of th~ url~t shown in the precedin~
figure in which th~ ~wo drive elem~t~, th~t o~ the
cont~ er a~d that ~f the internal ~lade~, ~re ~l~o ~hown
~ncorE~rate~ .
Fiyure 6, finally, al~o 3how3, a~c~rding to a
dia~ammat~c ~epresen~tio~ he ~et of 3tirrin~ blade~
when th~se h~ve the pax~llel config~ration of cutt~ng
kni~s.
PREFERRE~ EMBODIM~NT OF THE I~v~ ION
OI~ ex~i n; ng ~hese fiyures an~, more spe~
c~lly, Figure~ 1 to 3, i~ ~an be s~en how the mixer
advoa~t~d ~on~i~t~ of ~ hollow eyli~dri~al body ~1) base~
o~ any suita~e ma~erial, ~hich may ~e sk~el/ pl~t~,
gl~s~, etc., ~ependi~ orl the ~ype o~ ~ater~als to be
mi~ed and the capacity the mixer h~s to offe~ ai~
cy~ dri~al body (1) havin~ one of i~s basen (~) totally
cl~sed wllile, in ~t~ other ~se, th~re i~ a ~losed ~e~tor
(3) and an ~pen ~ector (4) determi~ filling/~mp~ying
~perture, this mouth (4) hein~ as~i~ted hy a lid (5)
which, in the p~tical illu~tr~ti~e embodimen~ repre-
s~nted in the fiyure~, is ~ whi~h rock~ by mean~ of
~ hing~ (~) ~ut whi¢h may be equ~pped wi.th ~ny other
clo~u~e me~ns provi~ed the mo~th (4) ca~ be closed in a
lea~tight m~nner to pr~v~nt disc~arge ~u the out~i~e of
the liquid praduct~ wh~h may be in the mixtur~ during
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n~rm~l ~perat;ion of the Inixer.
The body (1) thuæ ~o~tituted i~ tra~rer~3ed by a
~h~f t (7), t;he spec-ial i~e~ture of saic~ ~haft k~eing th~t
` t ad4p~s ~ m~rkedly ~kewed poæitiuI~ with re~pect to the
g~omet~ical axiæ o~ the cylindric~l bo~Ly ~1) æu~h that it
emerges vi~ ~ne of its ~a~e~3 ~3~ in a markedly off-~enter
position oppo~ he mouth (4) while ~ ~ emerye~ fro~ it~
other b~se ~2) also with the same de~ree o~ lac3c of
centering, l~u~ oppo~ite, ~ h tha~ the m~ dpoint of the
sector of th~ shaft (7) h~u~ed i~side the mi~ g cham}~er
int~r~ec~ts the ~eometri~l axi~3 of t~e cyl~ndri~l boc~r
(1) at ~h~ midpoint of said axix.
The ~ha~t (7) rçS~, via it~ ends, by me~ns of
~earin~s or other ~ui ~able a~t~friction eleInent~; (not
i3h~WIl in 'che f igure~ on ~upport~ ( 8 ) shown ~ ram-
matically in Fi~ur~ 1 ~nd which ~n prac~tice w~ 11 be
integ~ated iIlto a æingle ~uppvrti~y frame.
This sh~ft (7) is rigidly joined to the l:~a~3e~3 (2)
~nd (3) c~ ~he ~ontAinçr l~ody (1~ ællch that, in i~s
r~ary movement, it entr~ R said body, it bein~ pos~ible
~or this ~o~ry movement to ~e geslerated, wi~hout di~
~inc~ion, to the riyht o~ to the lef ~, a~ ~hown by ~he
arrows i}l Figure 1~ ~d whos~ ~ctuat~o~, a~ stated
e~rlier/ m~y be ef~ected by ~ny type of electric;a~,
pneumatic, etc., drive unit, and even mamlally.
~ rhe s~ructure cle~3cribed i3 ~upple~nented with
serie~ of in~ernal ~l~de6 (9) which may kle sec:ur~d to t~e
shaft (7~, as in ~he praatiaal illu:~tra'cive em~oc1i~hent
~;hown i~ ~he fig4re~, ~ut which m~y iiL180 b~ sec~recl t~
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the in~r ~ac~ o~ the co~'c~iner hody (13, wi~h the
co~f i~uration of the f i~ure~ or wi ~h any other
~o~$igura~ion de~med appropri~te, an~i wh~ch may even be
e~t,
In any C~se, a~ sta~e.d p~riou-~ly an~ as may be
a~cer~.airled fr~m an ex~m;n~tion of Figure l, t~e in~en-
tion i8 th~t the -~ha~ (7) should ~Ld~p~ a horizon'cal
po5i.~ion such th~t, in i~s rot~Lry ~ovemen~, the çontainer
~od~ ~1) is able to adopt th63 po~ition repre~en~d in
Figure ~, ill w~ich its mou~h (4) adop~ a~ upper extrern~
po~ition, c~orr~polldiny ~o filliny, pre~era~ly as ~r as
the le~e~ yiv~n the referen~e rlum}~er (1(7) i~ Figure ~, in
whic:h ~he mi~cture of materials i~ repreæented by me~ns of
~lots; in ~his posi.t.iC~n and after sealed closure of ~he
lid ~5), a8~is'ce~ by lo~kiny ~ean~ (nc)t ~;hown), whiçh
~uarantees eompleLe stability of ~he ~id in sllçh a
~losure po~ition, ~he rotary mo~eme~ of the ~h~ft (7)
a~d ~onæ~quentl~ o~ the a~tual container (1) prod~es a
~obiliz~tion of the m~æ ~hi~h is di~placed trans~erse~y,
i~ ~ifted, ~n~rained by the b~ade~ t and whi~h is alEo
pl~ced longi~u~in~lly from one end to the other of the
cantai~er ho~y, as may ~e ascert~ined from the g~aphic
co~p~ri.~n of ~gures ~ and 3, or, amounti~$ to the same
tl~ g, ~he mo~ilization of Raid ~ pr~duced ac~ord-
in~ to th~ tl~ree ~xeæ o~ ~ C~rtesia~ coordina~e ~y~e~,
i.e. unde~ opti~um condition~ for th~ ~ixture to a~hieve
co~plete homogeneity over ~ ~in;m~lm ti~e pe~iod ~nd with
con~u~p~ion o~ e~ergy ~hich is also ~i ~
E'inallyr ~nd ~s m~ also ~e ascerta7ned from ~n
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ex~m;n;~tion of Figur~ he mixer 3hould be ~opped ~uch
~hat i~s m~uth ~4) is in the lowe~ limi~ positio~ in
whi~h openin~ of the lid ~5) ~ive~ ri~e t~ ~otal and
~utom~ti~ clischar~e o~ i~S corltents.
In a~a~rdance with the vari~rlt ~mbo~;me~t o~
~igure~ 4 and 5, ~he abovemèntioned stirring blades ~ave
the ~G~m 0~ a s~rew prop~ller ~11), pre~erably with four
~l~des, ~u~h ~hat ~wo of t~e ~lade3 of ~aid s~rew pro-
peller ha~e a pitch whi~h i~ opposite to th~ of the
oth~r two, as may be ~een specially in ~igu~e 4. The
special co~figuration of the3e blAde ~11) means t~atr
when the mi.x~ure i8 tr~n3ferred un~er ~ra~i~y ~rom one
~Se to t~e other of ~he c~ der (1), ~ai~ blad~s will
tend to ~ispl~ce the mi~ture in the opposite direc~ion,
~her~by improving ~he ~tirring condition~,
These bl~des may op~ionally form a ~ingle -~crew
pro~eller (11), a~ in the practi~al illu~rati~e embodi-
mer~t repre~ented in Fi~ure 4, or may form ~arious ~crew
prop~llers conveniently ~istrihuted a}on~ the shAft (7).
In ~ddition, ~he scre~ prope~l~r (11) or, a~
~ppropr.iate, the various ~rew pr~pellers ~ontained
in~j.d~ the ~ntainer body (1), are phy~ lly independen~
of the sh~ft ~7) such that, ~hile the cylindri~l con-
~iner (1) re~eives ~he movement from ~h~ corresponding
~ri~e unit (12) by mean~ of said ~h~ft (7), the scre~
propell~r ~r ~et o~ sqrew prop~llers (11) recei~eQ the
mo~ement il~dependently ~ro~ a ~cond drive unit ~13 ), for
which purpo~ a~ s represented diagr~mati~lly in
F igure 5, ~he ~3cr~ propeller (11) may be ~ounted o~ a
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hollo~ sha~ 4), c~xial with the sh~ft (7) but inde-
p~Ildent ther~o~, ~on~ecte~ ~o i~, for ex~mple, ~ me~n~
uf he~rinys. In thi~ w~, if the movemen~ o~ the screw
~ropeller or propellers- ~11) is no~ depe~ent upo~ the
movement of the container ~ody (l), a ~ubst~ntial
imp~ovement in ~h~ stirrin~ c~ndi~ions of the prodù~t
cor-tained in saifl container tl) ~s feasible.
FinA'ly, another of the i~provements of the
~nv~ntion cent~rs upon the f~Ct th~t the ~lades ha~e bee~
prv~ided wi~h a cutting ~Lect in su~h a ma~ner that this
is achieved, ei~her retainin~ ~he ~crew-propeller- ~on-
;tigur~tivn ~or said blades de~cri~e~ hi~herto ~n~ simply
~har-peniny the ed~es of ~ blade~ in an appro~ri~e
m~n~er, or by means of the use of ~ctual kni~es ~15~,
such as tho~ repr~ented in Fiyure ~ ed on high-
~tre~th steelr whi~h ~a~ be 3ecured radially to the
~haft ~7~ if they mov~ toyether with ~he a~tual c~n~ner
(1), or moun~e~ o~ the auxiliary, i~dependent sha~t (14~
~e~cri~ed above, when the l~tter' 8 a~tuation ~s al30
independen~ of ~hat of the ~ontainer body ~l).
In ~his wayr oll the one hdnd improved ~tirring
conditiGns are achie~ed for ~he produ~t cont~ined in the
contai~er (1), i.~. improved perfo~L~ce level~ in term~
of the mi~er, by ~i.r~ue of the ~pe~ial scre~-~rop~ller
coniguration of the ~lade~ a~d ~y virtue of the
ind~pelldent movement o~ the bl~des, and, on the vther
hand, the po~sibility o~ eonverti~g ~aid mixer into a
mixer/Gru3h~ hieved by converting the s~irri~
~lade~ (ll) into cutting knives ~15).
