Apparatus for and method of coating particulates

• US 6,179,916 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arnold B. Flower
• Original Assignee: Arnold B. Flower
• Inventors: Flower, Arnold B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOCH, GEORGE R
• Application Number:
  US09/134,532
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 366/147, 366/300, 366/297, 366/162.1, 366/134, 366/160.1, 366/181.4, 118/20, 118/58, 118/417, 118/663, 341/81, 177/70, 177/68, 177/71, 427/445, 427/372.1, 427/242, 427/212
• US Class Current: 118/417
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 3/08 the work and the liquid or other fluent material being agitated together in a container, e.g. tumbled B05C3/05 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and method for creating dry coated particulates from particulates and a liquid. A mixer receives the particulates and liquid and creates a wet mixture which is then subjected to hot air from a hot air generator to dry the mixture and produce the dry coated particulates. In a preferred form the apparatus includes a floating coupling between the mixer and the generator to permit some relative movement, and load cells are used to control the amount of particulates loaded into the mixer. There is similar control of the liquid and a control console is provided to receive data and send instructions to cause the apparatus to cycle through repetitive batch processes in a continuous process. The mixer preferably includes structure to cause the hot air to enter the mixture as it moves downwardly in the mixer for enhanced drying.

Claims

1. Apparatus for creating a dry coating from a liquid source on particulates, the apparatus including;

a mixer for receiving particulates and coating liquid and operable to create a wet mixture;

load cells coupled to the mixer to measure the amount of particulates fed into the mixer;

liquid measuring means coupled to the mixer for controlling the amount of coating liquid to be fed to the mixer for mixing with the particulates;

a hot air generator;

an air duct assembly coupling the mixer to the hot air generator to direct hot air through the mixer for drying said wet mixture, the air duct assembly including a floating coupling to permit limited relative movement between the mixer and the hot air generator caused by temperature changes and movement of the mixer on the load cells due to the introduction of particulates into the mixer without significantly affecting the signal created by the load cells in response to the introduction of the particulates; and

a control station for collecting data and sending signals to conduct a batch process by sequentially filling the mixer, mixing the particulates and liquid to form said wet mixture, drying the mixture and discharging the resulting dry coated particulates.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the control station automatically commences a new batch process on completion of a previous batch process.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the floating coupling includes a thin-walled corrugated tube coupled at the respective ends of the tube to the mixer and the hot air generator.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixer includes feet and in which the load cells are under the feet.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixer includes a housing having parallel side walls, at least one mixing rotor extending horizontally and parallel to the side walls, and a cavity extending along one of the side walls adjacent and above the downward travel of the rotor, the cavity having a bottom opening and being coupled to the air duct assembly to receive hot air and direct said hot air through the bottom opening into said wet mixture to travel downwardly with the mixture and rotor for enhanced drying.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixer includes a housing having parallel side walls, a pair of mixing rotors extending horizontally and parallel to the side walls for rotation in opposite directions such that the downward travel of the rotors is adjacent the respective side walls, a pair of cavities extending along the respective side walls adjacent and above the mixing rotors, and the cavities having bottom openings and being coupled to the air duct assembly to receive hot air and direct said hot air through the bottom openings into said mixture to travel downwardly with the mixture and rotors for enhanced drying.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the floating coupling includes a thin-walled corrugated tube coupled at the respective ends of the tube to the mixer and the hot air generator.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the mixer includes feet and in which the load cells are under the feet.

9. Apparatus for creating a dry coating from a liquid source on particulates, the apparatus including:

a mixer for receiving particulates and liquid and operable to create a wet mixture;

a hot air generator;

an air duct assembly coupling the mixer to the hot air generator to direct hot air through the mixer for drying said wet mixture, the mixer having a housing including parallel side walls, at least one mixing rotor extending horizontally parallel to the side walls, and a cavity extending along one of the side walls adjacent and above downward travel of the rotor, the cavity having a bottom opening and being coupled to the air duct assembly to receive hot air and direct said hot air through the bottom opening into said mixture to travel downwardly with the mixture and rotor for enhanced drying,

said air duct assembly including at least one floating coupling to accommodate relative movement and minor misalignment between the mixer and the hot air generator.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which the floating coupling includes a thin-walled corrugated tube coupled at the respective ends of the tube to the mixer and the hot air generator.

11. Apparatus for creating a dry coating from a liquid source on particulates, the apparatus including:

a mixer for receiving particulates and liquid and operable to create a wet mixture;

a hot air generator;

an air duct assembly connecting the hot air generator to the mixer for transmitting hot air from the generator to the mixer; and

the mixer having a housing including parallel side walls, a pair of mixing rotors extending parallel to the side walls for rotation in opposite directions such that the downward travel of the rotors is adjacent the respective side walls, a pair of cavities extending along the respective side walls adjacent and above the mixing rotors, the cavities having bottom openings and being coupled to the air duct assembly to receive hot air and direct said hot air through the bottom openings into said mixture to travel downwardly with the mixture and rotors for enhanced drying,

said air duct assembly including at least one floating coupling to accommodate relative movement and minor misalignment between the mixer and the hot air generator.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which at least one floating coupling includes a thin-walled corrugated tube coupled at the respective ends of the tube to the mixer and the hot air generator.