Solvent extraction apparatus

A continuous solvent extracting apparatus, comprising:

• a vertically extending stationary cylindrical housing;
• a plurality of vertically disposed radially extending stationary walls within said housing and abutting internal walls of said housing to form a plurality of open bottom baskets in a circular pattern with the lower edges of said radially extending walls being in a common plane;
• a screen mounted for rotation beneath said lower edges of said radially extending walls and closely adjacent thereto for forming a bottom closure on said baskets and having a single pie-shaped opening defined therein generally co-extensive with the bottom of at least one of said baskets when in registry therewith for passing processed material out of said baskets in succession as said screen is rotated;
• a miscella collecting pan disposed beneath said screen and mounted for rotation therewith and having a hopper defined therein in registry with said pie-shaped opening in said screen for allowing processed material to pass therethrough;
• means below said pan for collecting said processed material passed from said baskets;
• means for supplying solvent to an upper portion of said baskets so as to pass through the material being processed and produce miscella;
• means for receiving miscella in said pan after it has passed through the material being processed and for distributing the miscella at a remote location;
• and
• means for simultaneously rotating said screen and pan.