MIXING APPARATUS, HAVING A DISCHARGE FLAP PROVIDED WITH A SEALING GASKET

Abstract: Mixing apparatus for powders, having a plate shaped discharge flap valve, having a sealing gasket around its cir­ cumference. This gasket has a plate shaped edge projecting beyond the plate edge and cooperating with a perpendicular edge of the discharge aperture. When the flap is closed, the gasket edge is folded, so that powder sticking to its chips off, ensuring always perfect sealing of the valve.

Description: Mixing apparatus, having a discharge flap provided with a sealing gasket. The invention relates to a mixing apparatus, particularly for mixing of powdery material, comprising a container within which a helix rotor is drivably mounted, the container having one or more discharge apertures, each discharge aperture being closable by a plate shaped flap, which is pivotably mounted to the container and carries at its edge a sealing gasket extending along the complete flap circumference. Such mixing apparatus are known. Therewith it is inevitable that powder settles on the gasket and coagulates there. If this occurs in irregular distribution along the flap circumference, the flap when closed will leak. Even if a powder cake of equal thickness would be present along the complete circumference, part thereof will chip off so that also therewith a leak will be generated. The invention aims at removing this disadvantage. This is achieved by the invention in simple manner if the gasket is a plate shaped elastic strip, part of which projects beyond the flap circumference parallel to the plane of the flap plate when the flap is in open condition, the discharge aperture having an edge projecting outwardly substantially perpendicular to the container wall, the inner circumference of which substantially coincides with the flap circumference. The portion of the gasket strip projecting beyond the flap circumference is folded by the perpendicular edge of the aperture when the flap is closed. Powder, which has entered through the gap between the discharge aperture and the flap circumference,that has settled on the gasket, chips off in that when the flap is opened, said projecting portion springs back to its flat condition due to the elasticity of the material. Even if powder would have remained on the gasket, this is wiped off when the projecting gasket portion slides along the perpendicular aperture edge which acts as a wiper when the flap is again closed. In order to have folding of the gasket portion end the flap is closed take place gradually, whereby less wear of the gasket occurs, preferably the edge of the discharge aperture projecting outwardly perpendicular to the container wall is provided with a lead-in bevel or radius for the flap. The gasket may easily be replaced if the plate shaped elastic gasket strip is clamped between the flap proper and a clamping plate or clamping strip secured thereto by means of screw bolts. The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the drawing showing an embodiment of a mixing apparatus, having a discharge flap according to the invention. Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a horizontal mixing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the mixing apparatus according to figure 1. Fig. 3 shows on an enlarged scale a bottom view of one of the flaps-of the mixing apparatus. Fig. 4 shows a section through a flap with which the device for actuating said flap is shown. Fig. 5 shows the cross-section of the valve according to figure 4 on an enlarged scale. The mixing apparatus as shown is a helical nixer of the horizontal type, comprising a container 1, which is stationary mounted and within which two ribbon shaped helixes 2, 3 are mounted on a shaft 4. The shaft is mounted in both end covers of the container through journals 5 and may be driven by an electromotor 6. The mixer has two supply openings 7 at the upper side, as well as a man hole 8 and a spraying device 9 for, if desired, supplying water or a different liquid to the powdery product which has to be mixed. The mixing apparatus has discharge flaps 10 in the bottom, in this case three flaps. In figure 2 a bottom view of the mixing apparatus with its flaps is shown. As appears in more detail from figure 3 to each flap 10 two arms 11 are connected, the free end of which is journalled on a common drive shaft 12 for the flaps. This shaft is rotatable in a manner not further shown by hand or by means of a piston cylinder device, whereby the flaps may be moved between the closed position as shown and an open position. In the open position the powder that has been mixed in the mixing apparatus may leave the container through the flap apertures. It is shown in figure 4 that the shaft 12 is provided with a lever arm 13 to which the piston rod 14 of a piston cylinder device 15 is pivotably connected. By retracting the rod 14 within the cylinder 15 the flaps 10 are opened. As appears in more detail from figure 5 each flap 10 comprises a plate which has a curvature corresponding to that of the cylinder wall of the mixing apparatus 1. Along the edge thereof a gasket 19 is clamped to the edge of the flap by means of a second plate 16 and of threaded rods 17 welded adjacent to the edge of the flap to the plate 10,and of the cap nuts 18. Said gasket 19 comprises a plate shaped strip which, when the flap is free from the flap aperture, projects with a terminal edge beyond the flap parallel to the plane of the flap, such as is shown in phantom in figure 5. The flap aperture is defined by an edge 20 projecting outwardly perpendicular to the container wall, the inner circumference of said edge substantially coinciding with the flap circumference. The gasket is manufactured from a material with such elasticity that it always returns to the position parallel to the flap plane when the flap is opened. Said material may be rubber or an elastic synthetic material, ir necessary reinforced by spring metal strips, which are embedded in the material in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strip. Preferably the perpendicular edge 20 at the side of the flap aperture is provided with a bevel 21 or radius whereby the gasket is gradually moved from its position parallel to the flap to the position perpendicular to the flap when the flap is closed, as far as related to the projecting portion thereof, whereby said portion engages the inner side of the edge 20 and seals therewith. Any powder which has entered the gap between the flap and the container wall, which may stick to the gasket, again chips off therefrom when the flap is opened in that this portion returns to its stretched position. It will be clear that the gasket may be connected to the flap, if not by the plate 16, by means of a strip like edge which follows the flap circumference and likewise is secured by the bolts or rods as shown. According to figure 4 the actuating lever 13 for the flap is provided with a eye 22. This may cooperate with a pin which is mounted slidable in its longitudinal direction in the wall of the mixing container 1, said pin engaging in the eye 22 when it is extended, e.g. by a piston cylinder device not shown and thereby locks the flaps 10 in their closed position. The actuation of the piston cylinder devices 14, 15 may be coupled to the piston cylinder device for said locking pin. It will be clear that similar flaps as shown in the drawing, also may be provided on other types of mixing apparatus, e.g., conical mixing apparatus, in which likewise the sealing gasket according to the invention may be applied.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A mixing apparatus, par ticularly for mixing 0 poJdery naterial, comprising a container within which a helix rotor is drivably mounted, said container having one or more discharge apertures, each discharge aperture being closable by a plate shaped flap which is pivotably provided on the container, said flap having at its edge a sealing gasket extending along the complete flap circumference, characterized in that the gasket(l9)is a plate shaped elastic strip, a portion of which projects parallel to the plane of the flap plate beyond the flap circumference when the flap (10) is in open position, the discharge aperture having an outwardly projecting edge(20) extending substantially perpendicular to the container wall(1), the inner circumference of said edge substantially coinciding with the flap circumference. 2. A mixing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge (20) of the discharge aperture projecting outwardly perpendicular to the container wall (1) is provided with a lead-in bevel (21) or a radius for the flap (10). 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plate shaped elastic gasket strip (19) is clamped between the flap (10) proper and a clamping plate (16) or clamping strip secured thereto by means of bolts (17, 18).

Inventors: DE VRIES, JAN WILLEM
Applicants: ISEM B.V.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B01F15
IPC codes: B01F15, F16J15