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US 4,148,100 AGranted
Apparatus and method for mixing fluffy and rigid plastics materials
AssigneeHydreclaim Corporation
InventorRichard W. Moller
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHydreclaim Corporation
InventorRichard W. Moller
Estimating the term…
Apparatus and methods for mixing fluffy scrap and rigid plastics materials for subsequent discharge of the mixture to an extruder comprises an upright mixing chamber to which rigid, fluent plastics pellets are fed by gravity and into which fluffy, ground scrap plastics material is fed by positive drive means from a hopper. Delivery of an adequate quantity of scrap material to the mixing chamber is assured by the provision in the scrap hopper of an agitating mechanism which is interposed between the top and the bottom of the hopper and which is operable to permit scrap material to pass downwardly to the bottom of the hopper for engagement by a feeding auger, but which prevents subjecting such scrap material to the weight of additional scrap in the hopper, thereby preventing bridging of the scrap at the lower end of the hopper. Feeding of the base and scrap materials from the mixing chamber to the extruder is achieved by a rotary auger having an interrupted vane which provides for alternate compaction and expansion of the scrap material with consequent facilitation of the entry of base material to the mixing chamber.
In apparatus for mixing ground fluffy scrap and rigid base material and feeding such mixture to an extruder or the like, and wherein such apparatus includes a scrap hopper having a bottom, means for introducing ground fluffy scrap into said scrap hopper for movement of said ground scrap along a path leading toward the bottom of said hopper, rigid base material supply means, a mixing chamber, means for delivering ground scrap from adjacent the bottom of said scrap hopper and base material from said supply means into said mixing chamber, and means for feeding a mixture of ground scrap and base materials from said chamber to an extruder or the like, the improvement comprising agitating means in said scrap hopper in the path of movement of ground scrap toward the bottom of said scrap hopper for agitating and periodically interrupting such downward movement of said ground scrap.
In apparatus for blending fluffy scrap material and fluent rigid base material for subsequent discharge to an extruder or the like and wherein said apparatus comprises an upright mixing chamber having an outlet at its lower end, first conduit means in communication with said chamber at a level above that of said lower end for delivering scrap material into said chamber, and second conduit means in communication with said chamber above the level of said lower end for delivering by gravity base material into said chamber, the improvement comprising positive drive means in said first conduit means for driving scrap material therethrough into said chamber in such quantity as to restrict the quantity of base material that may enter said chamber;
A method of conditioning ground fluffy material for subsequent discharge from a hopper, said method comprising introducing ground fluffy material into a hopper at a level such that said material may flow downwardly along a path leading to the bottom of the hopper;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.