Koppers Company, Inc.

Sprout-Bauer, Inc.

Swm Corporation

Glenn H Falck

James R Boose

A pellet cooler (10) includes an endless traveling grate conveyor (30), drive apparatus (34,36,40) operatively associated with the conveyor (30) for moving the conveyor in continuous travel about a continuous path, and a plurality of non-perforated material support trays (32) mounted to the conveyor in juxtaposed overlapping relationship to form a substantially continuous surface about the continuous path defined by the conveyor. Each of the material support trays comprises an elongated, laterally extending bi-lobed plate (50) having a first laterally extending outwardly projecting arcuate larger radius lobe (60) along one lateral extend thereof, a second laterally extending outwardly projecting arcuate smaller radius lobe (70) along the other lateral extent thereof, and a substantially flat laterally extending mid-portion (56) interconnecting the first lobe and the second lobe. The juxtaposed material support trays (32) are mounted to the conveyor with the first lobe (60) of one tray extending in overlapping spaced relationship concentrically over the second lobe (70) of the other of the juxtaposed material support trays thereby defining an air flow gap (80) therebetween.

Horizontal pellet cooler with improved support tray

A seal and discharge assembly for use in the processing of farinaceous material is disclosed in which the dry food mix is introduced into a continuous pressure cooker assembly without undue pressure loss and while maintaining a regulated flow of material into the continuous pressure cooker assembly. The seal and discharge assembly comprises an extension of the root of the pressure feeder screw upon which is mounted a compacting ring for plug sealing and flinger paddles for breaking-up the plug seal and positively conveying the farinaceous material making up the plug seal into the continuous pressure cooker assembly. The root extension and the radially mounted flinger paddles are housed in a discharge chamber between a pressure feeder screw barrel and the continuous pressure cooker assembly.

Seal former and flinger discharge assembly for use with apparatus for

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for removing the fines that fall through the load run and accumulate on the return run of a foraminous, endless conveyor. In accordance with the invention, the fines are collected on the return run, conveyed on the load run to the discharge end of the conveyor and then passed through the conveyor at its discharge end.

Fines removal in horizontal coolers

A seal plate drive assembly for use with apparatus for pressure cooking a farinaceous product is disclosed, in which said apparatus includes a pressure feeder assembly, a seal plate and seal plate drive assembly for compacting and regulating the flow of product mix in a terminal portion of the pressure feeder assembly and a pressure cooker assembly. The seal plate drive assembly is comprised of a rotatable and axially translatable seal plate shaft that enters into a feeder housing providing communication between the pressure feeder assembly and the pressure cooker assembly and supports the seal plate therein, a circumscribing tubular drive shaft telescopically receiving the seal plate drive shaft and arranged to be mounted externally of the feeder housing, bearings to support the tubular drive shaft, a coupling interconnecting the two shafts to permit co-rotation while allowing axial translation of the seal plate shaft, means to drive the tubular drive shaft in rotation and means to impart axial translation to the seal plate shaft. Also included are a first seal means disposed between the seal plate shaft and the tubular drive shaft at a location adjacent the feeder housing to prevent ingress of product mix and superatmospheric steam between the shafts and a second seal means cooperatively associated with the feeder housing and the tubular drive shaft to prevent egress of product mix and superatmospheric steam from the feeder housing and along the outer periphery of the tubular drive shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Montgomery, PA, United States of America

Glenn H Falck