Apparatus for continuously extracting products from solid materials

• US 3,243,264 A
• Filed: 06/05/1964
• Issued: 03/29/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1960
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank D. Hickey
• Original Assignee: Frank D. Hickey
• Inventors: Hickey, Frank D.
• Application Number:
  US04/372,997
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• US Class Current: 422/273
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/265 the solid substances are transported through the apparatus during the extraction cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0207 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0226 with the general transport direction of the solids parallel to the rotation axis of the conveyor, e.g. worm
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2011/002 Counter-current extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C09H 3/00 Isolation of glue or gelatine from raw materials, e.g. by extracting, by heating gelatine for foodstuffs A23J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/102 in counter-current; utilisation of an equipment wherein the material is conveyed by a screw
• CPC Class Codes: C13B 10/102 having rotatable means for agitation or transportation

Claims

1. AN APPPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING AN EXTRACT FROM A SOLID WHICH COMPRISES AN INCLINED PRESSURE VESSEL, FEED MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID VESSEL FOR FEEDING THE SOLIDS FROM WHICH EXTRACT IS TO BE WITHDRAWN INTO SAID VESSEL WITH A MINIMUM LOSS OF PRESSURE FROM SAID VESSEL, A CONTINUOUSLY DRIVEN SCREW CONVEYOR IN SAID VESSEL FOR AGITATING AND ELEVATING THE MATERIAL THEREIN, SAID CONVEYOR HAVING A TUBULAR SHAFT, DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID VESEL FOR DISCHARGING THE EXTRACTED SOLIDS FROM SAID VESSEL WITH A MINIMUM OF LOSS OF PRESSURE FROM SAID VESSEL, MEANS FOR DIRECTION STEAM INTO SAID VESSEL TO MAINTAIN AN ATMOSPHERE THEREIN AT APPROXIMATELY 100 P.S.I., A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED SPRAY NOZZLED DISPOSED AT INTERVALS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY ON SAID TUBULAR SHAFT, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TUBULAR SHAFT FOR SUPPLYING HOT SOLVENT TO SAID TUBULAR SHAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 150 P.S.I. ONLY WHEN SAID SPRAY NOZZLES ARE DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE SOLIDS, SAID SOLVENT SUPPLY MEANS COMPRISING AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VALVE HAVING AN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITION RESPECTIVELY BLOCKING AND ALLOWING PASSAGE OF LLLIQUID INTO SAID TUBULAR SHAFT, A CAM OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VALVE TO ACTUATE SAID VALVE, AND A CAM MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR SHAFT AND INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SWITCH DURING ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID VALVE, A PISTON SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID TUBULAR SHAFT, A CONTROL ROD CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON AND PROJECTING OUT OF ONE END OF SAID SHAFT, SAID ROD BEING OPERABLE TO SLIDE SAID PISTON LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID TUBULAR SHAFT TO SELECTED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID NOZZLES WHEREBY ONLY THOSE NOZZLES WHICH ARE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND SAID HOT SOLVENT DISCHARGE MEANS WILL SPRAY SOLVENT INTO SAID VESSEL, AND MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING THE SOLUTION OF CONCENTRATE AND EXTRACT FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID VESSEL.