Pressure milling equipment that is easy to clean and maintain.

Abstract

A milling apparatus is disclosed that uses a pneumatic zone to grind a material into smaller components while still being easy to clean and maintain. The pressure zone is formed by a lobe-lined chamber defined within a housing that includes a rotating plate with vanes attached. As material is fed into the chamber through the inlet, the rotation of the vanes pushes the material from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, grinding the product into smaller components before it exits the chamber through the outlet. The housing defining the chamber includes separable parts mounted on a system that allows for simple and rapid assembly and disassembly of the housing for cleaning and maintenance. Furthermore, the inclusion of pressure ports and valves makes it possible to clean the mill without opening or disassembling it. Combining these features, a self-cleaning cycle can be created to maintain the hygiene of the mill without labor-intensive disassembly work.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Priority This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 512,958, filed on July 11, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus for grinding or milling substances into particles and powders, and a method of using such an apparatus.

Background Art

[0003] Background of the Invention and Technical Problems Raised by the Prior Art In the field of material processing, it is often necessary to convert organic or inorganic raw materials (hereinafter referred to as "materials") into a powder or granular form for use and consumption. The most common form of this grinding process is contact grinding, where the material being ground is subjected to a large amount of frictional or impact force by a hard material, usually metal, rock, or ceramic, whereby the material is ground into smaller particle components. However, contact grinding often involves many negative side effects and drawbacks such as inefficiency of the product and microbial contamination. The use of a pressure mill addresses these drawbacks of contact grinding by using air pressure to grind the material being processed. This pneumatic system sterilizes and reduces the inefficiency of grinding associated with production.

[0004] When grinding different materials using a pressure mill, the equipment must be cleaned between grinding cycles to maintain the purity of the material. In the prior art, there are two separate suboptimal methods for cleaning a pressure mill. The first of these methods simply involves running water through the mill to the mill inlet and then draining the water through the mill outlet. While this procedure is relatively simple and inexpensive, its effectiveness is limited; such a water bath removes loosened debris and dirt from the mill, but lacks sufficient force or cleaning power to remove compressed or accumulated debris adhering to the mill's lobes and rotor plates. Furthermore, this method often leaves water accumulating at the bottom of the mill because it is difficult to completely dry the mill after rinsing the inside. This residual water can negatively impact the mill's next operating cycle for materials or products that need to be kept moisture-free.

[0005] A second suboptimal method for cleaning a pressure mill, as disclosed in the prior art, is to disassemble the housing to expose the inside of the mill. While this disassembly process allows the user complete access to clean the internal components of the mill, it is neither an easy nor economical process. Because the mill housing is large and heavy, the disassembly work requires considerable time and effort. This long disassembly time prolongs the time required to clean a conventional pressure mill and thus reduces the amount of time the mill operates daily for the grinding process. Furthermore, each time a conventional pressure mill is opened, expensive seals effective in maintaining the airtightness of the housing plates must be replaced with new seals to prevent leakage, further increasing the cost and complexity of the disassembly cleaning method of the prior art.

[0006] Despite producing superior finely ground end products, the same difficulty in cleaning conventional pressure mills also makes their maintenance and repair difficult. Because pressure mills must withstand powerful pressure shocks and large kinetic energies, the plates forming the pressure mill housing are heavy, bulky, unwieldy, and difficult to separate or open. Furthermore, the bearings and blades that enable the pressure shocks require regular maintenance and replacement to maintain optimal function. The inability to easily and inexpensively open conventional pressure mills means that users of conventional pressure mills are reluctant to regularly clean and maintain them, resulting in higher rates of wear and failure. These increased maintenance / cleaning costs and failure rates can often make conventional pressure grinding a difficult, expensive, and time-consuming process. The grinding industry has long attempted to solve these maintenance and cleaning problems associated with pressure mills, but to date, a suitable solution has not been developed that would enable the widespread commercial use of pressure mills. [Overview of the project]

[0007] The present invention addresses one or more of the disadvantages previously discussed of conventional pressure mills by enabling easy and regular access, cleaning, and maintenance of the internal components of the mill while it is in both the open and closed positions. The inventors of the present invention have discovered a method to provide an improved milling apparatus and operating method that includes novel preferred features not previously taught or intended by the prior art and can be adapted to designs having one or more of the aforementioned advantages or features.

[0008] According to a broad aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, the invention described in the claims is an improved pressure milling apparatus for grinding wet or dry materials into relatively small components, the apparatus being easy to clean and maintain.

[0009] The apparatus defines a closed chamber having at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber. Inside the chamber, at least one lobe is arranged circumferentially, extending inward from the chamber wall toward the center of the chamber. The apparatus includes a rotatable shaft traversing the chamber from one side to the other and at least one rotor assembly coupled to the rotor shaft, the rotor assembly including one plate or a series of plates. Each plate has a series of vanes extending across the plate, each terminating at a vane tip located adjacent to a lobe in the chamber wall. The apparatus includes a motor operably connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the rotor assembly.

[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chamber comprises several housing pieces or housing components (collectively referred to herein as “components”) that are separated from one another by sliding on rails mounted on a frame that slides on another set of rails. This combination of the sliding frame and rails allows each housing component to move two-dimensionally away from the center of the pressure mill, and the user of the mill can easily access the inside of the mill for thorough cleaning and maintenance while the housing components are in the open position.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing chamber includes one or more high-pressure and low-pressure ports for supplying a fluid substance, such as water or a cleaning solution, to the pressure mill. These ports, in combination with valves above the mill's inlet and outlet, allow the pressure mill operator to lightly clean the mill between uses without disassembling it while it is in the closed position. The low-pressure ports can also be used to precisely control the moisture content inside the mill during material processing to produce a better quality final ground product.

[0012] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the high-pressure port and the low-pressure port can be managed by a controller programmed to automatically clean the pressure mill. The controller is programmed with various pre-set cleaning cycles to efficiently clean the device without disassembling the mill housing, and each setting is tuned to different conditions by controlling a specific revolutions per minute ("RPM"), temperature, water content, water volume, and cleaning fluid composition.

[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, the device includes a grate positioned below the housing and covering the liquid discharge means.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the device includes at least one safety sensor that transmits a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents the separation means of a separable component of a housing from opening when at least one plate of at least one rotor assembly is moving. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the device includes at least one safety sensor that transmits a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents at least one rotor plate of at least one rotor assembly from rotating unless the separable component of the housing is in the closed position. Preferably, the separable component of the housing has mounting means that lock each of the separable components together.

[0015] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the separable components of the housing are connected to one another by pneumatic locking pins that align the separable components of the housing in a closed position.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device includes at least one seal that fits between separable parts of the housing.

[0017] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first rail and the second rail may be in the form of a track, beam, rod, slider, chain, tube, spindle, or shaft. Preferably, the first rail and the second rail are perpendicular to each other.

[0018] In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus includes at least one port which may be either a low-pressure port or a high-pressure port. In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one port is arranged such that a fluid material injected into the chamber through the at least one port obstructs the vanes of at least one plate. Preferably, at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the chamber are each covered by a valve.

[0019] According to one broad aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, the invention described in the claims is a method for cleaning a pressure mill apparatus for grinding wet or dry material into relatively small components, the method comprising: obtaining the pressure mill apparatus; obtaining a fluid material; operating a means for separating separable parts of the housing of the apparatus in a first direction; operating the means for separating separable parts of the housing in a second direction transverse to the first direction to expose at least one rotor assembly; applying the fluid material to the exposed rotor assembly and housing; and drying the inside of the housing.

[0020] According to another broad aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, the invention described in the claims is a method for cleaning a pressure mill apparatus for grinding wet or dry material into relatively small components, the method comprising: acquiring the pressure mill apparatus; acquiring a fluid material; closing at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the housing; injecting the fluid material into the housing through at least one port; rotating a rotatable shaft with a motor of the apparatus; opening at least one inlet and at least one outlet of the housing; removing the fluid material from the housing; and drying the inside of the housing.

[0021] It should be understood that the present invention can include any or all of the foregoing features, and can include only one of the foregoing features, two or more of the foregoing features, and any combination of the foregoing features. Further, other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the entire specification, including the appended claims and drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] In the accompanying drawings that form a part of this specification, like numbers are used to indicate like parts. [Figure 1] It is an isometric view from above of one embodiment of a milling apparatus according to the present invention, shown in a closed position or configuration. [Figure 2] It is a top view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a front view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a left side view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is an isometric view from above of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1 in a partial or semi-open position or configuration. [Figure 6] It is a top view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a front view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is an isometric view from above of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1 in a fully open position or configuration. [Figure 9] It is a top view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a left side view of the milling apparatus of FIG. 8. [Figure 11] It is an enlarged fragmentary front view of a part of the housing of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 12] It is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a part of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the bottom lock system of the frame. [Figure 13] It is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of a part of the housing of the milling apparatus of FIG. 1, showing a positioning block for parts of the housing. [Figure 14] Figure 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary front view of a portion of the housing of the milling apparatus, showing the pneumatic locking mechanism that locks the housing components into a closed configuration. [Figure 15] Figure 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the pneumatic locking mechanism. [Figure 16] This is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view of a portion of a pneumatic lock slide. [Figure 17] Figure 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the housing of the milling apparatus, showing the upper locking system for the housing components. [Figure 18] Figure 1 is a plan view of only the drainage trial system of the milling apparatus. [Figure 19] Figure 18 is a rear view of the drainage trial system. [Figure 20] Figure 18 is an isometric view of the drainage trial system, seen from above. [Figure 21] Figure 18 is a left side view of the drainage trial system. [Figure 22] Figure 1 is an enlarged, top-down, fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the milling apparatus, showing the exit section of the housing. [Figure 23] Figure 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary front view of a portion of the housing of the milling apparatus, showing the housing in a closed and locked configuration. [Figure 24] Figure 1 is a fragmentary isometric cross-sectional view of a part of the milling apparatus, showing the first (Y-axis) rail set or pair in more detail. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figures 1 to 24, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are in the form of an improved pressure mill or apparatus 40 (hereinafter referred to as the "Easy Clean" mill) that is easier to clean and maintain than pressure mills existing in the prior art. The invention described in the claims can be easily cleaned while in its partially open configuration (e.g., Figures 5 to 7), its fully open configuration (e.g., Figures 8 to 10), or its closed configuration (e.g., Figures 1 to 4).

[0024] A pressure mill 40 is a device that uses pneumatic pressure to grind a material into smaller pieces by moving the material between high-pressure and low-pressure areas within a chamber. The mill 40 includes the following six basic or central components: a housing 44 consisting of separable parts or components that collectively define an internal cavity or closed chamber 46 when assembled into a closed configuration; an inlet 48 on the inlet side of the housing 44 of the mill; an outlet 50 on the outlet side of the housing 44 of the mill; at least one lobe 54 on the inner circumference of the chamber (visible in Figure 8) (two or more lobes are preferable); a rotor plate 60 having vanes or vane blades 64 attached to a rotating shaft 70 passing through the center of the chamber (collectively known as a rotor assembly 74); and a motor 80 for rotating the rotor assembly 74 relative to the lobe 54. The housing 44 preferably consists of pieces or components that are stacked or assembled to close the mill. Spaces between the parts or components of the housing 44 have seals 82 used to help keep the pressure mill chamber walls airtight or watertight. The pressure mill operates when the rotor plate 60 rotates at approximately 2,500 RPM to 15,000 RPM, which creates a relatively high-pressure zone in front of the rotor plate 60 near the inlet 48 and a relatively low-pressure zone behind the rotor plate 60 near the outlet 50. The motor 80 that rotates the rotor plate 60 can vary the rotational speed of the plate to match the desired RPM of the mill operator. The rotor vanes 64 of the rotor plate 60 should extend radially from the center of the plate toward the edge of the plate. The vanes 64 may extend linearly or helically, and the choice affects efficiency depending on the material being ground. The vanes 64 should terminate at the radial edge or end of the plate, although in other embodiments of the invention, the vanes may terminate near the edge of the plate or hang down from the edge of the plate.

[0025] When raw material is placed in or supplied into the pressure mill 40, the difference in pressure zones within the chamber of the mill 40 creates a suction effect that pulls the material from the front to the rear of the mill 40. As the material is pulled from the front to the rear of the mill 40 by the suction effect, the rotor plate vanes 64 reorient the material flow toward the chamber wall. This reorientation causes the material being processed to swirl around the inner surface of the chamber wall, while simultaneously being drawn toward the rear of the mill 40 by the suction of the pressure zone. The airflow from the front to the rear of the mill 40 is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and can be varied to alter the properties of the final ground product exiting the mill 40.

[0026] As the vanes 64 move the material around the chamber boundary defined by the housing 44, the material periodically collides with lobes 54 that extend from or are embedded in the inner surface of the periphery of the chamber. These lobes 54 project inward from the wall of the housing 44, with the apex of each lobe 54 being at a height adjacent to (but not in contact with) the outer circumference of the tip of the rotating vane 64 of the rotor plate 60, which is further from the center of the chamber. Conversely, the base of the lobe 54 (on the surface of the chamber wall itself) should be at a relatively long distance from the edge of the vane tip 64.

[0027] The lobes 54 should be sufficiently high such that the apex of each lobe 54 is at least 1 / 1000 of an inch above the tip of the rotating vane 64 or the outer circumference of the rotating plate 60, but the apex of each lobe 54 should not be so low as to be more than 1 inch above the outer circumference of the rotating vane 64 or the rotating plate 60. If the lobes 54 are outside these height limits, the mill 40 will not grind the material efficiently.

[0028] Similarly, the base of the lobe 54 (located on the inner diameter of the chamber wall) should be at a distance from the center of the chamber such that the base is at least 1 / 4 inch from the tip of the outer circumference defined by the rotating vane 64 or the outer circumference of the rotating plate 60, but not lower than 15 inches from the tip of the outer circumference defined by the rotating vane 64 or the outer circumference of the rotating plate 60.

[0029] The lobes 54 of the mil 40 should have a height of 1 / 4 inch to 15 inches from the base of the lobe (the inner surface of the housing wall defining the chamber) to the top of the lobe 54. This lobe height should be selected such that the top of each lobe 54 is within a distance of at least 1 / 1000 of an inch and no more than 1 inch from the outer circumference of the rotating vane 64 or the tip of the outer circumference defined by the rotating plate 60.

[0030] The lobe 54 serves a dual purpose. Firstly, the short distance between the lobe 54 and the vane tip ensures that a shock wave is always generated as the vane 64 passes through the lobe 54. As the material swirls along the chamber wall and enters this space between the lobe 54 and the rotor assembly 74, the resulting shock wave shatters the material into relatively small pieces.

[0031] Secondly, the angled shape of the lobe 54 reorients the material being ground towards the center of the mill 40. This reorientation forces the material back into the vane 64, which redistributes the material back onto the surface of the chamber wall, where it is ground again by more shock waves in the lobe 54.

[0032] Finally, after repeated grinding, the material reaches a sufficiently fine grind state, where the suction effect of the mill 40 is sufficient to drag the material beyond the rotor assembly 74 toward the rear of the chamber within the housing 44 of the mill 40 (away from the motor 80 toward the outlet 50). Once the ground material reaches the rear of the chamber, the suction effect of the mill pushes it out of the rear outlet 50 of the housing 44. This discharged material can then be optionally introduced into a subsequent pressure mill chamber for further grinding.

[0033] Importantly, although the illustrated embodiment of the present invention shows a single chamber defined by housing 44, it will be understood that there is no limit to the number of pressure mill chambers or housings that can be used in succession, as each chamber increases the suction effect of the preceding chamber and increases the consistency of the granule size of the mill's final output.

[0034] In a preferred illustrated embodiment of the invention described in the claims, the apparatus or mill 40 has a first track or rail set 100 (hereinafter referred to as “rails”) arranged parallel to each other on a surface such as a floor or platform 104. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to this first track set will be referred to as the “y-axis” of the invention described in the claims. In a preferred embodiment of the invention described in the claims, the first rail set 100 is arranged parallel to each other, but those skilled in the art will recognize that similar results can be achieved with alternative non-parallel rail configurations and are included in the invention described in the claims.

[0035] On the first rail set 100 is a frame set or pair 108 that is movablely mounted so as to be able to slide or roll along the entire length of the y-axis of the first rail set 100. Between each of the frame sets 108 is a second rail set 112 that is positioned horizontally with respect to the ground and perpendicular or perpendicular to the first rail set 100. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to this second rail set 112 will be referred to as the “x-axis” of the invention as described in the claims. The shaft 70 and motor 80 of the rotor assembly 74 are typically parallel to the x-axis. The parts or components of the housing 44 are movablely mounted on the second rail set 112 so that the parts of the mill housing 44 can move separately and freely in the x-axis direction along the second rail set 112. In a preferred embodiment of the invention as described in the claims, both rail sets 100 and 112 are arranged perpendicular to each other; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that similar results can be achieved with alternative non-perpendicular rail configurations, which fall within the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

[0036] The rotating shaft 70, rotor plate 60, and motor 80 (collectively referred to herein as the “central assembly” of the mill 40) are mounted on the floor or platform 104 between the first y-axis rail set 100. Unlike conventional pressure mills, the central assembly is not connected to the housing 44 of the mill 40. Instead, the housing 44 of the mill 40 is suspended from the frame 108 and the second x-axis rail set 112 to surround and enclose the central assembly of the mill 40 in a closed configuration or closed position, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0037] The housing 44 of the mill 40 consists of several individual parts or components held together around a central assembly by bolts, alignment pins, and housing alignment chamfers or other fastening means 81. If additional alignment is desired, pneumatic alignment pins 83 can be used to assist in automating the alignment and fastening process. Reusable seals 82 may be used between the housing components to ensure that chamber leakage is prevented. When the housing 44 is properly closed and fastened around the central assembly, the invention described in the claims is in a “closed” position or configuration and can operate to grind and mill raw materials. However, when the aforementioned bolts and pins are removed from the mill 40, the housing components can be separated from each other by sliding them on the aforementioned rail sets 100 and 112.

[0038] This separation process of the housing 44 is straightforward. First, the aforementioned alignment pins and bolts are removed from the housing 44 of the mill. The aforementioned frameset 108 is then slid, rotated, or otherwise moved away from each other along the first railset 100, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, and the chamber is divided into two halves, each separated from the central assembly along the y-axis of the apparatus 40. Second, the two individual halves of the housing 44 are pulled apart into further sections via the second railset 112 along the x-axis of the apparatus 40. Once the housing 44 is opened and extended through the two railsets 100 and 112, the mill is in the “fully open” position, as shown in Figures 8 to 10.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the invention as described in the claims, the final separated state of the housing 44 is such that the six housing components are separated from the central assembly of the mill 40 and suspended from the x-axis rail 112. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that any number, configuration, or combination of housing components may be used to achieve the invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, while in a preferred embodiment of the apparatus 40 all components of the housing 44 are suspended along the rail system, the apparatus as described in the claims includes alternative embodiments in which at least one component or part of the housing 44 is not attached to the rail and is instead removed from the housing 44 via alternative means. Examples of these alternative means for removing the housing 44 components include (but are not limited to) manual removal by the mill operator, a lift, crane, slide, ramp, or at least one mechanical arm or automated mechanical moving mechanism.

[0040] This two-dimensional division of the chamber housing 44 along the y and x axes separates the components of the housing, allowing the mill operator easy access to both the central assembly and the chamber components for easy cleaning. The separation of the mill also has the additional advantage of making mill maintenance much easier and saving time than the prior art. In the invention described in the claims, the central assembly is fully exposed so that the mill operator can easily access any of the internal components of the mill 40 for repair, maintenance, or cleaning. The two rail sets 100 and 112 can be replaced with any similar components that allow the components of the housing to move relative to each other. Examples of components for replacement of rails 100 and 112 include, but are not limited to, racks, beams, sliders, chains, tubes, spindles, bearings, motorized screws, linear actuators, and shafts, any of which may or may not be motorized. The term “rail” in the claims should be interpreted broadly to include these mechanical and electromechanical equivalents that result in the movement of the components of the housing relative to each other.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one or more safety sensors detect whether the housing 44 of the mill 40 is in an open position (e.g., partially or fully open) or a closed position, and whether the rotor plate 60 is rotating. If the rotor plate 60 is rotating, the sensors signal a locking mechanism that prevents the user of the mill 40 from separating the housing components (thus keeping the user safe from accidental collisions with the potentially moving rotor plate 60 when disassembling the housing 44). Similarly, if the sensors determine that the housing is in an open position, the sensors signal a locking mechanism that prevents the rotor 60 from beginning to rotate. These locking mechanisms may be any type of device that stops the movement of the housing components or the central rotor, and include (but are not limited to) electromagnets, physical stoppers, brake pads on pistons, or pneumatic clamps.

[0042] To return the mill 40 to an operational state, the user reverses the steps taken to open the mill 40 as described above. The housing components are pushed or driven together along the x-axis rail 112 until the housing components are reassembled into the two halves of the housing 44. The frame 108 is then pushed back along the y-axis rail 100 to close the central assembly of the pressure mill 40. Once the bolts and alignment pins are reinserted and the housing components are properly aligned to define the internal chamber of the mill 40, the mill is ready for another grinding operation. These bolts and alignment pins can be used as alternatives to any combination of components that mount the housings together. Examples of these housing mounting options include (but are not limited to) latches, screws, pins, pneumatic pins, pneumatic bolts, clamps, and locking mechanisms.

[0043] The aforementioned opening device is useful when the pressure mill 40 requires thorough cleaning to prevent cross-contamination between products (or, alternatively, when maintenance is required on the internal components or chamber walls of the mill 40).

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of the invention as described in the claims, the surface or platform 104 on which the apparatus is placed includes a grid 116 or mesh surface. The grid 116 allows water or liquid associated with cleaning the open mill 40 to be discharged from the machine. In this embodiment, the surface of the grid 116 covers means 120 for discharging liquid. This means can be achieved by a variety of methods including (but not limited to) trays, water pipes, buckets, or other storage containers that collect liquid and can be removed for disposal when full, and drainage piping that can drain the liquid into a waste system.

[0045] In another preferred embodiment of the invention as described in the claims, high-pressure and low-pressure ports 124 (Figure 11) are located within the housing 44 of the mill 40, while valves are located across the inlet 48 and outlet 50 to the chamber interior. Any commercially available or dedicated valves, such as gate valves, plug valves, ball valves, flow control valves, or butterfly valves, may be used to temporarily close the inlet 48 and outlet 50 during the cleaning cycle. The valves may be opened and closed manually or automatically by pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical control by the operator of the mill 40. Port 124 penetrates the housing 44 and is connected to an external source of a fluid substance such as cleaning fluid, water, or gas. The operator of the mill 40 may use port 124 to inject water, cleaning agent, or chemical into the mill 40 before or during operation.

[0046] The high-pressure port 124 is preferably positioned on the apparatus housing 40 such that the flow of liquid or gas introduced into the interior from the port 124 comes into direct contact with the rotor blades or vanes 164. This rotor-targeted positioning allows for a more rapid dispersion of the fluid material injected throughout the chamber within the housing 44 while simultaneously cleaning debris from the rotor blades 64. The low-pressure port 124 is preferably positioned on the top and sides of the housing 44 to provide precise amounts of water and chemicals into the mill 40 for cleaning.

[0047] The inventors have found that port 124 has an unexpected secondary benefit: it assists the production capacity of mill 40. Grinding organic materials often requires careful control of the internal humidity within the chamber of housing 44. If the humidity drops too low during the pressure grinding process, the organic material being ground by mill 40 will be converted into a final product with undesirable consistency and particle size. Port 120 can address this problem by controlling the humidity level within mill 40 by injecting a precise amount of water or chemical into it during grinding. Port 120 in the chamber wall may have in the form of any number of means for injecting water, liquid, and / or gas into the interior of housing 44. These means may be (but not limited to) jets, valves, hoses, plugs, flaps, gates, faucets, spouts, outlets, vents, and nozzles.

[0048] The port 120 of the mill 40 of the invention described in the claims is particularly desirable because it dramatically reduces the amount of work required to clean the mill 40 compared to conventional pressure mills. When the mill 40 requires only light cleaning (compared to heavy cleaning associated with disassembling the mill 40), the mill operator can use the pressure port 120 to perform a cleaning cycle through the mill 40 and clean the internal housing 44 and plate 60 without disassembling the separable parts of the housing 44 as described above.

[0049] When water or other fluid is injected into the mill 40 in the closed position using both the high-pressure port and the low-pressure port 120, and the mill is operated at a predetermined RPM and internal temperature, the mill 40 may, surprisingly and unexpectedly, self-clean itself, removing excess debris from inside the mill 40. This self-cleaning capability allows the operator of the mill 40 to lightly clean the mill without requiring the lengthy labor associated with disassembling the mill 40.

[0050] Preferably, the mill 40 described in the claims can be connected to an electronic controller that is pre-programmed with a cleaning cycle that activates the mill 40 upon selection of a single input, such as a button, and injects water and a cleaning solution into the mill 40.

[0051] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the high-pressure port and the low-pressure port 120 can be controlled by a controller programmed to automatically clean the pressure mill 40. The controller is programmed with various cleaning cycles that automatically operate the mill at specific RPM, temperature, water content, and cleaning fluid composition adjusted to clean the apparatus most efficiently without disassembling the mill housing 44. The controller can optionally be programmed to initiate a cleaning cycle when a single button is pressed or when the mill operator selects an input.

Claims

1. A device for grinding wet or dry materials into relatively small components, A housing defining a closed chamber, the housing comprising separable components and attached to a separation means for the separable components, the chamber having at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber, and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber, the interior of the chamber having at least one lobe arranged circumferentially, extending inward from the chamber wall toward the center of the chamber, A rotatable shaft that crosses the chamber from one side to the other, At least one rotor assembly coupled to the rotor shaft, comprising at least one plate, the at least one plate having a series of mounted vanes extending across the plate and terminating at the vane tips, A motor operably connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the at least one rotor assembly, A device equipped with the following features.

2. A device for grinding wet or dry materials into relatively small components, A housing defining a closed chamber, the chamber having at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber, and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber, wherein at least one lobe is arranged circumferentially inside the chamber, extending inward from the chamber wall toward the center of the chamber, and at least one of the chamber walls has at least one port configured for injecting a fluid material into the interior of the chamber, A rotatable shaft that crosses the chamber from one side to the other, At least one rotor assembly coupled to the rotor shaft, comprising at least one plate, the at least one plate having a series of vanes attached to it that extend across the at least one plate and terminate at the vane tips, A motor operably connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the rotor assembly, A device equipped with the following features.

3. The means for separation is, The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rail has a first pair of frames configured to slide relative to one another along the first rail, and each of the first pair of frames has a second rail that spans each of the first pair of frames.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first frame pair is a first frame pair and a second frame pair, the second rail is a second rail pair running between the first frame pair and a second rail pair running between the second frame pair, and the housing comprises i) a plurality of separable parts enclosed in one of the second rail pairs and ii) a plurality of separable parts enclosed in the other of the second rail pair.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the separable parts of the housing is detachably attached to either the first rail or the second rail.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a grid positioned below the housing and covering a means for discharging liquid.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one safety sensor that transmits a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents the separation means of the separable part of the housing from opening when the at least one plate of the at least one rotor assembly is moving.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one safety sensor that transmits a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents the at least one rotating plate of the at least one rotor assembly from rotating unless the separable component of the housing is in the closed position.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separable parts of the housing have mounting means for locking each of the separable parts together.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separable parts of the housing are connected to each other by pneumatic locking pins that align the separable parts of the housing in a closed position.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one seal that fits between the separable parts of the housing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first rail and the second rail are in the form of a track, beam, rod, slider, chain, tube, spindle, or shaft.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first rail and the second rail are perpendicular to each other.

14. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one port is a low-voltage port or a high-voltage port.

15. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one port is arranged such that a fluid material injected into the chamber through the at least one port obstructs the vanes of the at least one plate.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the chamber are each covered by a valve.

17. A method for cleaning a device in the form of a pressure mill, To obtain the apparatus described in claim 2, To obtain a fluid substance, Closing the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing, Injecting the fluid material into the housing through at least one of the ports, The motor of the device rotates the rotatable shaft, To open the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing, To remove the aforementioned fluid substance from the housing, To dry the inside of the housing, A method that includes this.

18. A method for cleaning a device in the form of a pressure mill, To obtain the apparatus described in claim 1, To obtain a fluid substance, To move the separation means of the separable component of the housing in a first direction, The separation means of the separable component of the housing is moved in a second direction transverse to the first direction to expose the at least one rotor assembly, The fluid substance is applied to the exposed rotor assembly and the housing, To dry the inside of the housing, A method that includes this.

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