Patent ID: 8376252

Claim:
An improvement in an apparatus for producing a nanometer-range particle dispersion utilizing an immersion mill having a rotor mounted for rotation within a containment wall for processing particle-carrying feedstock within a bed of media contained within the containment wall, the improvement comprising: an auxiliary chamber having a chamber wall surrounding the containment wall such that feedstock will pass from the bed of media, through the containment wall and into the auxiliary chamber while the media is contained within the bed of media; and an external pumping mechanism communicating with the auxiliary chamber for drawing the feedstock from the bed of media, through the containment wall, and out of the auxiliary chamber, the external pumping mechanism being arranged for operation independent of the rotation of the rotor of the immersion mill, whereby the containment wall is unbroken by any direct connection between the rotor and the external pumping mechanism and remains effective in containing the media within the bed of media.