Mixer-refiner

Abstract

A high viscosity material mixer-refiner having a cylindrical stator shell and rotor has improved refining surfaces on the rotor and stator. These are formed of interchangeable blocks held in place on the rotor and the stator with the blocks having teeth oriented in different aspects to the relative motion between the rotor and the stator. The teeth are preferably raised bars with orientations for advancing or retarding material. The blocks are arranged in desired patterns to accomplish optimum mixing and refining.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a mixer-refiner having a generally cylindrical stator and a coaxial internal rotor with confronting surfaces of said rotor and said stator configured for mixing and refining high-viscosity material, the improvement comprising: a. said confronting surfaces of said rotor and said stator each having discrete raised bars arranged and spaced to allow said material to move between said raised bars without plugging between said raised bars;   b. a plurality of said raised bars on said rotor and said stator .[.being.]. .Iadd.having leading working surfaces .Iaddend.inclined relative to .[.the motion between said rotor and stator.]. .Iadd.a plane perpendicular to the axis of said mixer-refiner.Iaddend., some of said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.being oriented to feed said material and some of said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.being oriented to retard said material;   c. said .[.inclined.]. bars on said stator having a net .[.feed.]. orientation .Iadd.of said working surfaces .Iaddend..[.relative.]. to .Iadd.feed .Iaddend.said material;   d. said .[.inclined bars on.]. .Iadd.working surfaces of .Iaddend.said rotor .Iadd.bars .Iaddend.having a net orientation .Iadd.that is approximately neutral .Iaddend.relative to feed of said material .[.ranging from neutral to a feed orientation substantially less than said feed orientation of said inclined bars on said stator.]., and   e. said .[.raised bars on.]. .Iadd.working surfaces of .Iaddend.said rotor .Iadd.bars .Iaddend.being configured .[.so that before any localized volume between said rotor and said stator completely fills with said material, said rotor bars engage.]. .Iadd.for engaging .Iaddend.said material with sufficient force .[.to move.]. .Iadd.for moving .Iaddend.said material through said stator bars .Iadd.before any localized volume between said rotor and said stator becomes filled with said material in response to input of said material.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein .Iadd.at least portions of .Iaddend.said .[.raised bars have sloping leading edges.]. .Iadd.working surfaces are sloped.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       3. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.angle of inclination of said .[.inclined bars relative to the motion between said rotor and said stator.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.is approximately 10° - 15°. 
     
     
       4. The mixer-refiner of claim 3 wherein said inclination of said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.on said stator is approximately 10°, and said inclination of said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.on said rotor is approximately 15°. 
     
     
       5. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein the tops of said .[.inclined.]. rotor bars are inclined downward toward .[.the leading edges of said inclined rotor bars.]. .Iadd.said working surfaces.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       6. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said raised bars on said rotor and said stator each lie in a .[.plane.]. .Iadd.cylindrical locus.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       7. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.on said rotor are inclined more than said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.on said stator. 
     
     
       8. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said raised bars on said rotor are raised to a greater height than said raised bars on said stator. 
     
     
       9. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said raised bars on said rotor are shorter than said raised bars on said stator. 
     
     
       10. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said raised bars on said rotor and said stator have sloping side edges. 
     
     
       11. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said raised bars on said rotor and said stator are arranged in groups that are spaced apart. 
     
     
       12. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein .[.said raised bars have sloping leading edges.]. .Iadd.at least portions of said working surfaces are sloped.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       13. The mixer-refiner of claim 12 wherein .Iadd.the tops of .Iaddend.said raised bars on said rotor and said stator each lie in a .[.plane.]. .Iadd.cylindrical locus.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       14. The mixer-refiner of claim 13 wherein said .[.inclined bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.on said rotor are inclined more than said inclined bars on said stator. 
     
     
       15. The mixer-refiner of claim 14 wherein said raised bars on said rotor are raised to a greater height than said raised bars on said stator. 
     
     
       16. The mixer-refiner of claim 15 wherein the tops of said .[.inclined.]. rotor bars are inclined downward toward .[.the leading edges of said inclined rotor bars.]. .Iadd.said working surfaces.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       17. The mixer-refiner of claim 13 wherein said raised bars on said rotor are shorter than said raised bars on said stator. 
     
     
       18. The mixer-refiner of claim 14 wherein said raised bars on said rotor and said stator have sloping side edges. 
     
     
       19. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein said spaces between said bar groups are generally clear and smooth to allow free movement of said material in said spaces. 
     
     
       20. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein said raised bars in any one of said bar groups are parallel. 
     
     
       21. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.inclination of said .[.bars.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.of said rotor changes for rotationally successive ones of said rotor bar groups. 
     
     
       22. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein said groups of said raised bars are formed respectively on a plurality of removable blocks. 
     
     
       23. The mixer-refiner of claim 22 including clamp bars for holding said removable blocks in place. 
     
     
       24. The mixer-refiner of claim 23 wherein said blocks are arranged in axial rows. 
     
     
       25. The mixer-refiner of claim 24 including spacers arranged in said rows to stagger said rows of blocks from each other. 
     
     
       26. The mixer-refiner of claim 25 including means for fixing one of said clamp bars in place at the trailing edge of each of said rows of blocks and means for adjustably tightening another one of said clamp bars on the leading edge of each of said rows of blocks. 
     
     
       27. The mixer-refiner of claim 23 wherein said rotor and said stator have longitudinal slots for receiving said clamp bars, and including screw means for tightening said clamp bars in said slots. 
     
     
       28. The mixer-refiner of claim 23 wherein said clamp bars provide generally smooth surfaces between said groups of said raised bars. 
     
     
       29. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein said rotor has an equal number of said bar groups inclined to retard said material and to feed said material. 
     
     
       30. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 including groups of said bars generally aligned with the direction of relative motion between said rotor and said stator. 
     
     
       31. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein an input region of said mixer-refiner includes more of said .[.bar groups.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.oriented to feed said material than to retard said material. 
     
     
       32. The mixer-refiner of claim 11 wherein an output region of said mixer-refiner has more of said .[.bar groups.]. .Iadd.working surfaces .Iaddend.oriented to retard said material than to feed said material. .Iadd. 33. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said working surfaces of said rotor bars have a net orientation for a slight feed of said material substantially less than said feed orientation of said stator working surfaces. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 34. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said rotor working surfaces inclined to feed said material equal said rotor working surfaces inclined to retard said material. .Iaddend..Iadd. 35. The mixer-refiner of claim 1 wherein said working surfaces of said rotor bars have a net orientation for a slight hold of said material. .Iaddend.