Appeal No. 2002-0139 Page 2
Application No. 08/991,572
a supply input and discharge output as well as lateral opening(s)
therein to allow for the escape of a first agent, at least one
screw with helical spaces between adjacent screw threads and
having counter-threads located downstream of the lateral
opening(s), means for rotating the screw, a metering device for
introducing feed materials composed of solids and a first and a
second agent thereto, and a controller for controlling the volume
rates of the above-noted materials introduced via the metering
device and for controlling the speed of rotation of the screw so
as to fill only part of the helical spaces of the screw with the
above-noted feed materials. A further understanding of the
invention can be derived from a reading of claim 17, the sole
independent claim on appeal, which is reproduced below.
17. An apparatus useful for changing the wetting
agent of pigment solids from a first agent that is an
aqueous phase to a second agent that is an oily phase,
comprising
an extruder including:
an extruder barrel having a supply input and a
discharge output,
at least one screw which has screw threads over
its length, and
helical spaces between adjacent screw threads,
said at least one screw being arranged within said
extruder barrel;
at least one metering device for introducing said
solids and said first and second agents into said
extruder at predetermined volume rates;
means for rotating said at least one screw at a
predetermined speed;
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