Drum dryer/mixer
AssigneeBoeing Construction Equipment Company
InventorHerbert Neil Shearer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved rotating drum dryer and/or mixer for drying or mixing materials on a continuous basis is disclosed. The dryer and/or mixer includes a rotatable drum having an inlet end for receiving materials and a forced air burner for directing a stream of heated gases axially through the drum. A heat dispersing means such as an array of spaced deflecting bars is disposed downstream from the source of heated gases. The dispersing means provides the interior of the drum with a more uniform radial temperature distribution and minimizes the central high temperature zone normally associated with such drum dryers and/or mixers. Minimization of the central high temperature zone results in lowered production of smoke and other noxious emissions by an operating dryer or mixer.
Claims7
A mixer for the preparation of a bituminous paving composition or the like comprising:
- a rotatable drum having an inlet end for the reception of aggregate and a discharge end;
- burner means and cooperating blower means for producing and directing radiant energy and a stream of heated gases into the interior of said drum;
- said burner means producing an open flame and being substantially aligned with the central axis of said drum and positioned to direct the radiant energy of its open flame into the interior of said drum;
- heat dispersing means disposed within said drum downstream from said burner means and extending across a portion of the interior cross-section of said drum;
- means for introducing aggregate into said drum at substantially the inlet end thereof;
- means for discharging a bituminous binder onto the aggregate within said drum;
- lifting flight means disposed along the inner wall of said drum for lifting and tumbling said aggregate and said binder through said stream of heated gases within the volume of said drum downstream from said dispersing means;
- said lifting flight means beginning substantially at the position of said dispersing means and extending toward the discharge end of said drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.