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A continuous mixer is provided for combining bulk materials metered at a relatively slow rate into a liquid stream and is particularly useful for preparing an innoculant solution for treating feed pellets, seed or the like. The mixer has a vertical separation tube extending between a screw feeder an

A continuous mixer is provided for combining bulk materials metered at a relatively slow rate into a liquid stream and is particularly useful for preparing an innoculant solution for treating feed pellets, seed or the like. The mixer has a vertical separation tube extending between a screw feeder and a mixing zone in a liquid conduit therebelow, and the tube is independently pressurized with air to substantially preclude ascent of liquids within the tube to ensure that all of the mixing occurs within the liquid line and to prevent the liquid from rising to a level sufficient for wetting the innoculants stored within a hopper adjacent the screw feeder. Air pressure within the tube is selectively adjustable in order to vary the spray produced by a nozzle at the end of the fluid conduit from a liquid stream essentially free of air to a finely dispersed fog which includes substantial quantities of air.

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Apparatus for mixing precise quantities of bulk materials with a stream of liquid comprising: means defining a hopper presenting an enclosed chamber for receiving bulk materials, said enclosed chamber having a lower outlet and being pressurizable to a value above atmospheric pressure; means for pres

Apparatus for mixing precise quantities of bulk materials with a stream of liquid comprising: means defining a hopper presenting an enclosed chamber for receiving bulk materials, said enclosed chamber having a lower outlet and being pressurizable to a value above atmospheric pressure; means for pressurizing said chamber to a first, certain pressure; an elongated, axially rotatable screw feeder extending through said outlet of said chamber for carrying away metered portions of said bulk materials from said chamber, said screw feeder presenting a discharge end portion remote from said outlet of said chamber; a vessel for receiving and storing liquid; conduit means coupled to said vessel and having an outlet opening remote from the latter; means for pumping liquid from said vessel and along the length of said conduit means under pressure for discharge through said outlet opening, said conduit means including structure defining a mixing zone having an upwardly facing inlet opening; an upright separation tube having an upper section for receiving bulk materials discharged from said end portion of said screw feeder, said tube including a lower section directly connected to said structure defining said mixing zone of said conduit means in surrounding relationship to said inlet opening; and air conveying means for accelerating bulk materials along substantially the length of said upright separation tube in cooperation with the effects of gravity and for directing said bulk materials through said inlet opening and into said mixing zone, said conveying means including means for pressurizing the tube at a pressure equal to or less than the pressure of said chamber and at a pressure which is greater than the pressure of said liquid passing through said mixing zone of said conduit means in order to substantially preclude ascent of said liquid through said inlet opening adjacent said mixing zone and into said upright tube, said means for pressurizing said tube including structure defining an air inlet disposed adjacent said discharge end portion of said screw in order to facilitate acceleration and descent of bulk materials along said separation tube.