Apparatus for the devolatilization of foamable viscous solutions

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR DEVOLATILIZING FOAMABLE VISCOUS SOLUTIONS COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID HOUSING HAVING A FEED INLET, A PRODUCT OUTLET AND A VAPOR OUTLET THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; A GEAR TRAIN MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER HAVING AT LEAST TWO CLOSELY INTERMESHED ROTATABLE PUMPING GEARS AND ADATPED TO PROVIDE, WHEN ROTATED, A DISCHARGE ZONE TO DISCHARGE SOLUTION THROUGH SAID PRODUCT OUTLET AND AT LEAST ONE FEEDING GEAR ADAPTED TO INTERMESH WITH ONE OF SAID PUMPING GEARS WITH EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF CONTACTING TEETH THEREOF TO PROVIDE AN OPEN BITE BETWEEN AND PUMPING AND FEEDING GEARS, SAID FEEDING GEAR BEING SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVED FROM THE INTERMESHING DISCHARGE ZONE OF SAID PUMPING GEARS, SAID FEEDING BEING PARTIALLY SHROUDED BY SAID HOUSING AND EXPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER IN THEIR REMAINING PORTIONS, THE PUMPING GEARS BEING ALSO EXPOSED IN THE REGIONS OF THE PRODUCT OUTLET; SAID FEED INLET RECEIVING FOAMABLE VISCOUS SOLUTION MAINTAINED AT SELECTED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AND DIRECTING SAID SOLUTION TO THE PEIPHERY OF SAID FEEDING GEAR; SAID VAPOR OUTLET COMMUNICATING WITH EVACUATING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE CHAMBER AT A PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN SAID SELECTED PRESSURE AND BELOW THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE SOLUTION AT SAID SELECTED TEMPERATURE AND AT LEAST ONE GEAR BEING DRIVEN FOR ROTATING ALL THE GEAR OF THE GEAR TRAIN SO THAT THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE INTERMESHING TEETH OF SAID PUMPING GEARS IS AWAY FROM AT LEAST THE INNER PORTION OF SAID PRODUCT OUTLET TO DISCHARGE THE PRODUCT SOLUTION THERETHROUGH.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR DEVOLATILIZING FOAMABLE VISCOUS SOLUTIONS COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID HOUSING HAVING A FEED INLET, A PRODUCT OUTLET AND A VAPOR OUTLET THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; A GEAR TRAIN MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER HAVING AT LEAST TWO CLOSELY INTERMESHED ROTATABLE PUMPING GEARS AND ADATPED TO PROVIDE, WHEN ROTATED, A DISCHARGE ZONE TO DISCHARGE SOLUTION THROUGH SAID PRODUCT OUTLET AND AT LEAST ONE FEEDING GEAR ADAPTED TO INTERMESH WITH ONE OF SAID PUMPING GEARS WITH EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF CONTACTING TEETH THEREOF TO PROVIDE AN OPEN BITE BETWEEN AND PUMPING AND FEEDING GEARS, SAID FEEDING GEAR BEING SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVED FROM THE INTERMESHING DISCHARGE ZONE OF SAID PUMPING GEARS, SAID FEEDING BEING PARTIALLY SHROUDED BY SAID HOUSING AND EXPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER IN THEIR REMAINING PORTIONS, THE PUMPING GEARS BEING ALSO EXPOSED IN THE REGIONS OF THE PRODUCT OUTLET; SAID FEED INLET RECEIVING FOAMABLE VISCOUS SOLUTION MAINTAINED AT SELECTED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AND DIRECTING SAID SOLUTION TO THE PEIPHERY OF SAID FEEDING GEAR; SAID VAPOR OUTLET COMMUNICATING WITH EVACUATING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE CHAMBER AT A PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN SAID SELECTED PRESSURE AND BELOW THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE SOLUTION AT SAID SELECTED TEMPERATURE AND AT LEAST ONE GEAR BEING DRIVEN FOR ROTATING ALL THE GEAR OF THE GEAR TRAIN SO THAT THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE INTERMESHING TEETH OF SAID PUMPING GEARS IS AWAY FROM AT LEAST THE INNER PORTION OF SAID PRODUCT OUTLET TO DISCHARGE THE PRODUCT SOLUTION THERETHROUGH.