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US 4,231,926 AGranted
Method and apparatus for hydrolyzing keratinaceous material
OwnerRowland Retruminventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerRowland Retruminventor
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for effecting the continuous conversion of feathers, hair, and other keratinaceous material into usable products; including a first vessel, said first vessel being jacketed and capable of heating the material therein without subjecting it to pressure, and paddles disposed for violently agitating the material within the vessel while gradually traversing it therethrough; a second vessel, a pump interconnected between the two vessels and providing for the transfer of the now fluidized material from the first vessel and into the second vessel while preventing the escape of any second vessel pressure back into the first vessel, the second vessel being jacketed and capable of heating the fluidized and flowable material therein to elevated temperatures while agitating the same to effect its hydrolyzation, and another pump connecting with the outlet side of the second vessel to provide for continuous discharge of the now hydrolyzed material and some pressure while the second vessel continuously hydrolyzes additional incoming material while creating supplemental pressure in order to maintain the desired pressure and temperature therein.
The method of continuously hydrolyzing keratinaceous material comprising continuously delivering generally untreated such material to a vessel, heating the material within the laden vessel without a build-up of pressure to a temperature of not exceeding 212.degree. F., violently agitating by beating the keratinaceous material in the said vessel through the rotation of agitating means to between about 150 to 350 rpm, continuing the violent agitation and heating of said material for a length of time required to beat the material to render it sufficiently wilted and to a flowable and pumpable consistency, continuously pumping the now flowable fluidized material from the said vessel and into a second vessel that is pressurized for hydrolyzation, heating the fluidized material while in the second vessel to a temperature of between about 265.degree. F. to 365.degree. F. and for a length of time to generate vaporization and incident pressure therein up to between about 25 to 150 psig, agitating the material in the second vessel for a period of time until hydrolyzation occurs, and then continuously pumping the hydrolyzed material from the said second vessel for eventual drying.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.