Patent ID: 6405952
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B02C

Abstract:
A high-energy/superfine milling apparatus comprising:a milling vessel having a side wall centered on a vessel axis, defining a closed compartment, having a pair of end walls, and formed with a closable fill/empty port; an agitator rotatable about the vessel axis in the compartment and having a shaft extending through one of the end walls and a plurality of arms projecting generally radially from the shaft; means including a drive motor adjacent and fixed to the vessel and connected to the shaft for rotating the agitator in the vessel about the vessel axis, the vessel, agitator, and drive motor having a center of mass; a stationary frame; bearing means supporting the vessel, agitator, and drive motor on the frame for pivoting on the frame jointly about a frame axis transverse to the vessel axis and passing generally through the center of mass between an upright position with the vessel axis generally vertical and a horizontal position with the vessel axis generally horizontal, and between a pair of oppositely offset angled positions offset by about 45Â° to opposite sides of the vertical position; and drive means connected to the vessel for oscillating the vessel, agitator, and drive motor between the offset angled positions.