Rotary drop former with electrical inductive heater
AssigneeSantrade Ltd.
InventorsReinhard Froeschke, Stefan Gehrmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drop former includes an outer rotary steel body having circumferentially spaced openings which successively reach a lower discharge position to enable viscous material to drop onto a cooling conveyor from within the outer body. An inner steel body, which can be stationary or rotating, is situated within the outer body to direct viscous material to the openings as the openings reach the discharge portion. An electrical inductive heating coil is situated adjacent one or both of the bodies to inductively heat the body, avoiding excessive heating of the viscous material.
Claims20
Apparatus for forming drops of a flowable viscous material, comprising:
- a tubular outer body rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation and having circumferentially spaced openings which successively reach a discharge position during rotation of said outer body, for admitting a downward flow of said material from within said outer body;
- an inner body disposed within said outer body and arranged to direct said material to said openings at said discharge position;
- at least one of said bodies comprising an electrical inductively heatable material;
- and
- electrical inductive heating means arranged adjacent to one of said bodies for inductively heating said one body, said electrical inductive heating means comprising a helical electrical coil defining a longitudinal axis arranged parallel to said axis of rotation, and a tube for conducting a cooling fluid, said coil being wound around said tube.
Apparatus according to claim l, wherein said outer body constitutes said one body, and said electrical inductive heating means is disposed adjacent said outer body.
Apparatus for forming drops of a flowable viscous material, comprising:
- a tubular outer body rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation and having circumferentially spaced openings which successively reach a discharge position during rotation of said outer body, for admitting a downward flow of said material from within said outer body;
- said outer body including an inner surface having circumferentially spaced, radially inwardly projecting outer slats which extend parallel to said axis of rotation, said circumferentially spaced openings being arranged in respective recesses defined between successive ones of said outer slats;
- an inner body disposed within said outer body and arranged to direct said material to said openings at said discharge position, said inner body being mounted for rotation about an additional axis of rotation oriented parallel to and offset from said axis of rotation of said outer body, said inner body including circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly projecting inner slats which extend parallel to said axes of rotation, said inner slats arranged to enter said recesses and push viscous material through said openings;
- each of said bodies comprising an electrical inductively heatable material;
- and
- first and second electrical inductive heating means arranged adjacent to said inner and outer bodies, respectively, for inductively heating said inner and outer bodies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.