Apparatus for mixing salvaged asphalt material

In mixing apparatus for reclaimed asphalt paving (RAP) material with virgin paving material comprising an elongated drum (5) that is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and has a side wall (9) concentric to said axis, and which drum (5) has an inlet (7) at a rear end thereof and an outlet (8) at its opposite forward end, charging means (23, 26, 29) by which RAP material can be fed into the drum through its side wall at a charging zone (21) between its ends to be mixed with virgin material moving through the drum (5) from said inlet (7) to said outlet (8), said charging means being characterized by:

• a hopper (23) spaced above a side wall (9) of the drum (5), said hopper (23) being located and arranged to discharge said RAP material downwardly towards each of a plurality of ports (22) in said side wall (9) that are circumferentially spaced from one another around said zone (21);
• a plurality of chutes (26), one for each port (22), fixed on the interior of said side wall (9) of the drum (5) to be moved orbitally by rotation of the drum, said chutes (26) projecting radially outwardly from said side wall (9),
• each of said chutes (26) being arranged to open upwardly towards the hopper (23) when the chute is in an upper portion of its orbit, each chute being operable to direct the RAP material downwardly and forwardly towards the discharge end without crossing through the axial flow path of hot gases, and
• each chute (26) having a wall portion (28) which extends obliquely upwardly and radially outwardly from said side wall (9) when the chute (26) is in said portion of its orbit and by which material that falls from the hopper (23) is caught and deflected through its port (22) radially toward the interior of the drum (5) to mix with virgin material in the bed load,
• a plurality of spouts (29), one for each port (22), fixed on said side wall (9) of the drum (5) to be moved orbitally by drum rotation, each of said spouts (29) projecting into the interior of the drum (5) from said side wall (9);
• and
• being in communication through its associated port (22) with the chute (26) for that port,
• each of said spouts having an outlet (129) which opens substantially toward said forward discharge end of the drum and which is located at the front of said charging zone (21);
• and,
• having a wall portion (30) which extends obliquely forwardly and downwardly when its chute (26) is in said upper portion of its orbit and which extends to said outlet (129), whereby material deflected through the port (22) by the chute (26) is further deflected forwardly toward the discharge end to leave said outlet (129) with a forward momentum by which the material is carried forward of the outlets (129) of spouts (29) therebeneath, whereby the RAP material is mixed with virgin material without showering across the hot gas stream so as to materially reduce charring of fine asphalt material particles in the hot gas stream to reduce blue smoke emission.