Apparatus for mixing and granulating bulk materials

An apparatus for mixing and granulating bulk materials, comprising:

• a framework;
• a bowl mounted on said framework for rotation about a vertical axis;
• a peripheral wall for said bowl, adjacent to which a material to be treated can be charged into said bowl;
• a bottom for said bowl having a discharge opening at the center thereof;
• a portion of said framework, said portion overlying said bowl;
• a first group of vanes, in which each vane has one end thereof adjoining the discharge opening of said bowl, the vane curving arcuately in longitudinal and transverse directions and having a side thereof, which is convex in the longitudinal direction and concave in the transverse direction, facing in a direction which is opposite to that of rotation of said bowl, the vane being mounted on said portion of said framework, overlying said bowl;
• a second group of vanes, in which each vane has one end thereof adjoining the peripheral wall of said bowl, the vane being defined by at least two steps curving arcuately in the transverse direction and arranged in a horizontal direction, the vane having a side thereof, which is concave in the transverse direction, facing in a direction which is opposite to that of rotation of said bowl, the vane being inclined in the direction of rotation of said bowl so that it provides an acute angle with a radius extending from the center of said bowl to the end of this stepping vane, adjoining the peripheral wall of said bowl, the vane being mounted on said portion of said framework, overlying said bowl;
• a discharge blade spanning jointly with such one of said stepping vanes, which is the most remote in succession in the direction of rotation of said bowl;
• the space between the peripheral wall of said bowl and the discharge opening in said bowl, said discharge blade being mounted on said portion of said framework, overlying said bowl;
• each said vane of said first group being arranged so that said vanes set as guides directing the material being treated toward the corresponding vanes of said second group, with the vanes of said second group, in turn, being arranged so that they act as guides directing the material being treated onto the successive ones of said vanes of said first group;
• a device for feeding a liquid binding agent into said bowl, said feeding device being mounted on said portion of said framework, overlying said bowl;
• and a drive to effect rotation of said bowl about the vertical axis thereof.