Improvements in Agitating or Mixing Apparatus, Applicable for Mixing Solid Substances with Liquids and other like Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Agitating or Mixing Apparatus, Applicable for
Mixing Solid Substances with Liquids and other like Purposes.
I, CAMILLE EMILE DESIRE WINSSINGER of 64 rue Hôtel des monnaies, Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement
The object of the invention is partly,
1st. To obtain rapidly and economically a perfectly homogeneous mixture of a mud,
or of a pounded solid substance with a liquid..
2nd. To agitate the mixture of a solid, and of a liquid, so as to favour, either the
dissolution of the solid substance, or its chemical reaction with the liquid by a con-
tinuous renewal of the surfaces of contact.
Apparatus of this kind made hitherto, are generally provided with a stirring device
consisting of a shaft having arms variously shaped and revolving in a stationary
vessel, for the purpose of stirring and mixing together the ingredients of the mixture.
As the arms of the stirrer cannot rub against the inner sides of the vessel or penetrate
into its innermost recesses some of the muddy deposits are not submitted to the
action of the stirrer. Moreover, the action of the stirring arms imparts a gyratory
motion to the liquid mass, so that these stirring arms strike the mass with a velocity
which is equal only to the difference between their own velocity and that of the
liquid. Lastly, when a quantity of solid matter is introduced in the vessel, the arms
meet with such a resistance to their motion from the same, that they are often broken.
In order to remedy the last disadvantage, it becomes necessary (as in certain apparatus
used in the preparation of lime milk in sugar manufactures) to also impart to the
stirring arms a vertical lifting motion in the direction of their axis, so as to prevent
them penetrating too deeply into the still too resisting mud.
DESCRIPTION AND MODE OF WORKING.
The invention relates to an improved mixing machine, the construction of which is
contrived so as to avoid the beforementioned disadvantages. (See drawing.)
A vat A is provided, composed of oak staves, bound together by suitable hoops. It
can, however, be made of any material according to the use for which it is intended.
The bottom of the vat is provided with an inverted truncated cone B made of cast iron
or other suitable substance, and resting along one of its generating lines on a
horizontal smooth and resisting bed plate C, C.
D

page_text: The truncated cone is provided with a conical pivot D, which maintains itselt in a
cylindrical hole with the inner surface of which it is only in contact along a common
generating line.
The truncated cone B can, therefore, roll upon the surface of the bed plate Û with-
out risk of shifting laterally.
Instead of being a plane, the surface of the bed plate C, C, may also be conical.
The plane surface chosen in my specimen is in reality but a particular case of the
conical surface, that in which the angle of two opposite generating lines is equal to
180 degrees.
The vat is provided with a lid made of the same substance as the staves, and held
in position by means of screw clamps holding the lid down on the horizontal flange
of the angle iron forming the upper hoop of the vat.
Thus if wood is the material to be solely employed in the construction of the vat,
and metals are to be excluded, it will be seen that the liquid mass inside the vat is
only in contact with wood, and with no metallic part whatever.
The conical rolling motion of the vat is communicated to it, either by means of a
central ball crank pin G fixed on a stirrup L, L, above the vat, or by a ball crank
pin H at the end of a shaft forming the extension of the aforesaid conical pivot, or
by any other means. To the ball crank pin & is imparted a circular motion G, G.
To the ball crank pin II is imparted a circular motion H, H'.
The vat has the shape of a truncated cone, the angle of its sides may bu̟ con-
veniently chosen, so that in any one of the successive positions the vat ocenpies on
the bed plate, one of its generating lines (such as E, F) is perpendicular to the
latter.
With respect to the inclination of the bottom of the vat, on the horizontal plane, it
varies according to the kind of solid substance to be stirred.
The vat may, at its lower part, be provided with several emptying apertures closed
by plugs of the same substance as that of which the vat is made.
The lid of the vat may he provided with holes for the introduction of the substances
to be treated. These holes may be covered by lids.
At the bottom of the vat and perpendicular to it, is a partition K made of the same
substance as the vat. The height of this partition is not uniform, it decreases from
one end e, f, of the vat to the opposite one g.
This partition which is made of the same material as the inner part of the vat can,
if the choice of the material is to be taken into consideration, receive a shape other
than the one shown above described and shown on the annexed drawing. Thus it could be
inclined, not pass through the centre of the vat's bottom, and be of any section, for it
will be seen that it simply constitutes an obstacle to the gyration of the liquid. It
is only useful to observe that one end of the partition must be lower than the
other e, f.
The mode of action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Let it be first supposed that the aforesaid partition K does not exist, and let the
apparatus be filled with liquid and revolved by causing the ball crank-pin G to
describe a circumference G, G.
Whatever the weight of the liquid may be, no other power is required but that
necessary to overcome the rolling friction, and the friction of the liquid on the inner
walls and bottom of the vat.
Let it be supposed on the contrary, that partition K is re-established; the liquid
circulates no longer freely, it impinges against the partition at the moment when
the latter occupies the position shown on the drawing; a wave is formed and a
part of the liquid is projected rapidly over the partition. But the rotation of the
vat continues, the part e, f, rises again, and the bottom of the vat occupies a position
the same as that shown in the drawing, so that the liquid or muddy mass, which has
not been projected over the partition, slides on the bottom from to
and comes
in collision in with the liquid which was projected over the partition, and has singe
then run over half a circumference.

page_text: The simple circular motion imparted to the extremity of the axis of the vat pro-
duces an energetic stirring of the fluid mass, in all its parts without exception; the
solid parts which are not yet diluted slide on the bottom and along the partition,
and collide violently with the liquid rushing in the reverse direction.
As a characteristic example it may be mentioned that in an apparatus of this
kind, a paste of lime of such a consistency as to be capable of being cut with a
shovel is, after a few revolutions of the vat, transformed into a perfectly homogeneous
lime milk.
The most striking feature of this apparatus, at once so simple and so efficient, is
In fact it may be
the manner in which it utilises the power transmitted to it.
remarked, that the rolling motion of the apparatus does not modify the form of the
liquid mass, if we consider velocities small enough to render the influence of centri-
fugal power inappreciable; therefore under a moderate velocity the upper level of the
liquid in the vat is constant, and no work is spent in raising the liquid. The mud
alone rises and sinks alternately once in each revolution so long as it occupies the
bottom of the vat before dilution takes place.
As regards the shocks which take place inside the apparatus, they are of two
kinds :-
those which occur between two fluid masses thrown against each other, and of
which one part only is transmitted to the ball crank-pin.
b those which take place against the partition and use up a part of the power
transmitted to the apparatus.
But it must be noticed that all these shocks occur at a comparatively short distance
from the pivot, and that the apparatus and its contents represent a great mass, the
centre of gravity of which is very near the place where the shocks take place.
The mechanism of the apparatus is not therefore subjected to abnormal strains.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a mixing apparatus intended for diluting rapidly, a powder or a mud in a liquid,
or for favouring the dissolution of a solid body into a liquid or its chemical reaction
with this liquid.
1. The employment of a closed vat not provided with any internal movable part,
and of which the whole inner walls and parts can be made of the same substance
such as wood or metal, substantially as described and shown by way of example on
the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with the vat the pivoted cone A serving as support to the
vat, and imparting to it the necessary conical motion when it is caused to roll on
the flat or conical surface of the bed plates.
3. The manner of imparting to the cone A the required rolling motion by driving
either the cone A at its lower part by means of a rod, the extremity of which forms
a ball crank pin, to which is imparted a circular motion; or the vat itself by means
of a stirrup bolted on the top thereof, and provided in its centre with a ball crank pin
to which is imparted a circular motion.
4. The mixing apparatus without stirring arms as a whole, and its several details
in which the bottom of the vat is provided with a fixed partition, the height of which
decreases gradually or assumes another convenient shape, substantially as described
and shown, and for the purposes specified.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Filing Agents for the Applicant.