Claims
- 1. The method of shipping and processing a slurry fluid mass comprised of separable insolubles in a liquid carrier, including the steps of:
- a. providing a container-blender, comprising:
- container means for containing said slurry fluid mass, said container means comprising a horizontally disposed container shell closed at opposite ends, and an interior having an inner wall, a central portion, and a bottom portion, said container shell further comprising a mounting plate situated at one of said ends of said container shell, said container means further comprising a substantially rectilinear protective frame structure fixedly enveloping said container shell;
- an agitator comprising a paddle system within the interior of said container shell, said paddle system comprising first and second pairs of paddles, each pair of paddles comprising first and second paddles disposed in a common plane in directly opposing, lateral fashion from a shaft, the plane in which said second pair of paddles are disposed being oriented at a discrete angle relative to the plane in which the first pair of paddles are disposed, said shaft being rotatable along a central, longitudinal axis of said container shell, each of said paddles having an edge juxtaposed to and sweeping close to the inner wall of said container shell; and
- oscillating means for reversely rotating said agitator through a limited range of angular displacement, said oscillating means further comprising a drive linkage projecting from said container shell in the vicinity of said mounting plate, said drive linkage being connected to said shaft, said oscillating means further comprising a portable drive means configured to removeably connect with said drive linkage and said mounting plate;
- b. charging said container shell with said fluid mass comprised of insolubles in a liquid carrier;
- c. transporting said container shell with said fluid mass therein, comprising the steps of lifting and manipulating said container means via the application of lifting and manipulating force to said rectilinear protective frame structure, and allowing said rectilinear frame structure to support, cradle, and protect said container shell;
- d. oscillating said agitator, comprising the steps of
- coupling said portable drive means to said drive linkage and said mounting plate,
- actuating said portable drive means and providing rotational force to said shaft via said drive linkage;
- reversely rotating the shaft and paddle system through a limited range of angular displacement via said portable drive means and drive linkage, by changing the direction of rotation of said portable drive means at a predetermined interval;
- e. displacing and distributing said fluid mass by reversely rotating said first pair of paddles, lifting and sweeping said first pair of paddle edges near said inner wall of said container shell, circulating said fluid mass away from the interior bottom portion of said container shell, and reversely rotating said second pair of paddles, lifting and sweeping said second pair of paddle edges near said inner wall of said container shell, lifting said fluid mass, and circulating said fluid mass away from the interior bottom portion of said container shell, said circulation of said fluid mass by said second pair of paddles interacting with the circulation of said fluid generated by the lifting and sweeping action of said first pair of paddles thereby generating a through admixing of said fluid mass, and circulating the fluid mass through said central portion of said container shell;
- f. blending the separate insolubles into a substantially homogeneous liquid; and
- g. uncoupling said portable drive means from said drive linkage and said mounting plate.
- 2. The method of shipping and processing a slurry fluid mass comprised of separable insolubles in a liquid carrier, including the steps of:
- a. providing a container-blender, comprising:
- container means for containing said slurry fluid mass, said container means comprising a horizontally disposed container shell closed at opposite ends, and an interior having an inner wall, a central portion, and a bottom portion, said container shell further comprising a mounting plate situated at one of said ends of said container shell, said container means further comprising a substantially rectilinear protective frame structure fixedly enveloping said container shell;
- an agitator comprising a paddle system within the interior of said container shell, said paddle system comprising first and second pairs of paddles, each pair of paddles comprising first and second paddles disposed in a common plane in directly opposing, lateral fashion from a shaft, the plane in which said second pair of paddles are disposed being oriented at a discrete angle relative to the plane in which the first pair of paddles are disposed, said shaft being rotatable along a central, longitudinal axis of said container shell, each of said paddles having an edge juxtaposed to and sweeping close to the inner wall of said container shell; and
- oscillating means for reversely rotating said agitator through a limited range of angular displacement, said oscillating means further comprising a drive linkage projecting from said container shell in the vicinity of said mounting plate, said drive linkage being connected to said shaft, said oscillating means further comprising a portable drive means configured to removeably connect with said drive linkage and said mounting plate, said portable drive means further comprising a housing containing a dual rack and pinion drive comprising first (46) and second (47) racks in generally parallel alignment, and a drive hub (34), said first (46) and second (47) racks being connected to first (41) and second (42) reciprocating pistons, respectively; said first (46) and second (47) racks being engaged with diametrically opposed sides of said drive hub;
- b. charging said container shell with said fluid mass comprised of insolubles in a liquid carrier;
- c. transporting said container shell with said fluid mass therein, comprising the steps of lifting and manipulating said container means via the application of lifting and manipulating force to said rectilinear protective frame structure, and allowing said rectilinear frame structure to support, cradle, and protect said container shell;
- d. oscillating said agitator, comprising the steps of
- removably affixing the housing of said portable drive means to said mounting plate, and coupling the drive hub of said portable drive means to said drive linkage,
- actuating said portable drive means and providing rotational force to said shaft via said drive linkage;
- reversely rotating the shaft and paddle system through a limited range of angular displacement via said portable drive means and drive linkage by alternately actuating said first and second reciprocating pistons, oscillating said first and second racks in opposing directions about said drive hub, and oscillating said drive hub in opposing rotational directions;
- e. displacing and distributing said fluid mass by reversely rotating said first pair of paddles, lifting and sweeping said first pair of paddle edges near said inner wall of said container shell, circulating said fluid mass away from the interior bottom portion of said container shell, and reversely rotating said second pair of paddles, lifting and sweeping said second pair of paddle edges near said inner wall of said container shell, lifting said fluid mass, and circulating said fluid mass away from the interior bottom portion of said container shell, said circulation of said fluid mass by said second pair of paddles interacting with the circulation of said fluid generated by the lifting and sweeping action of said first pair of paddles thereby generating a thorough admixing of said fluid mass, and circulating the fluid mass through said central portion of said container shell;
- f. blending the separate insolubles into a substantially homogeneous liquid; and
- g. uncoupling the drive hub and housing of said portable drive means from said drive linkage and said mounting plate.
STATEMENT OF CONTINUING APPLICATION
The present application is a continuation of an earlier filed application entitled "Container-Blender for Mixing Slurries", having a filing date of Mar. 28, 1991 and Ser. No. 07/676,322 (now abandoned), and listing Walter J. Boasso as the inventor.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
8101249 |
May 1981 |
WOX |
1050731 |
Oct 1983 |
SUX |
965222 |
Jul 1964 |
GBX |
1051692 |
Dec 1966 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
676322 |
Mar 1991 |
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