Processing kettle

Claim 1

An improved processing kettle comprising, in combination, an inner hemispherical plate defining an inner lining for the processing kettle, an outer hemispherical shell at least partially surrounding said inner plate and forming a jacket space therebetween, means through said outer shell providing entrance and egress of a heat exchange medium to and from said jacket, and wherein at least a portion of the surface of said inner plate communicating with said jacket is a polished surface defining means to condense said heat exchange medium within said jacket in droplets on said surface whereby heat transfer between said jacket and the processing kettle through said inner plate is facilitated, said kettle further including a substantially hollow agitator means disposed inside the kettle for stirring a product to be processed therewithin, said hollow agitator means comprising an elongated hollow vertical shaft and a hollow arcuate mixing member attached thereto and substantially following the contours of the inner lining of the kettle with the interior of said hollow mixing member communicating with the interior of said hollow vertical shaft, an elongated hollow tube disposed within said hollow shaft and extending downwardly into said hollow mixing member at the region of its attachment to said hollow vertical shaft, said tube having an opening at its lowermost end such that the interior of said tube communicates with the interior of said hollow mixing member at said attachment region, said kettle further including means coupled to a respective one of said hollow shaft and said hollow tube for providing entrance and egress of a heat exchange medium into said hollow agitator means whereby said agitator means defines an additional heat exchange source for the processing kettle with heat being transferred to a product within the processing kettle from the external jacket and with heat exchange further being effected by the internal agitator means.