Apparatus and Method for Coating Particulate Material

1 . An apparatus for coating a particulate material comprising:

a mixer having a defined mixing chamber;

means for directing a quantity of particulate material into the mixing chamber;

an agitator provided in the mixing chamber, the agitator having

a shaft mounted for rotation within the mixing chamber,

a plurality of arms projecting radially outward from the shaft, and

a plurality of paddle blades, one of the blades positioned on the ends of each of the projecting arms; the blades formed such that during rotation of the shaft the particulate material in the mixing chamber is directed in a rotational direction, a radially inward direction and an axial direction within the mixing chamber;

a material feed system communicating with the mixing chamber, the feed system having

a coating feed for delivery of a first coating material into the mixing chamber during rotation of the agitator and mixing by the rotating paddle blades;

a polymer feed for delivery of a polymer material into the mixing chamber during rotation of the agitator and mixing of the coated particulate material;

a reaction feed for delivering a reaction material for causing a chemical drying reaction between the colorant feed and the polymer feed creating an encapsulated particulate material; and

means for discharging the encapsulated particulate material from the mixing chamber.

2 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the coating feed and the reaction fee are combined so as to deliver the first coating material and the reaction material in to the mixing chamber for mixing with the particulate material.

3 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of agitator blades are directed at varying angles with respect to the agitator shaft.

4 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the agitator blades are positioned at multiple radial positions relative to the agitator shaft.

5 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the polymer feed material comprises polyurethane pre-polymer.

6 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the reaction material comprises a catalyst for reacting with the polymer material to create the chemical drying.

7 . An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber is defined by a elongated mixer bowl having a longitudinal axis and at least a portion of an inside surface if the bowl defining a cylindrical surface surrounding the axis.

8 . An apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein the shaft of the agitator is aligned along the axis of the bowl.

9 . An apparatus as in claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the blades are positioned adjacent the inside surface of the bowl and are rotated in a closely spaced relationship with the inside bowl wall.

10 . A method of coating a particulate material comprising the steps of:

providing a mixing chamber;

feeding a particulate material into the mixing chamber;

agitating the particulate material within the mixing chamber;

mixing a first coating material with the particulate feed material in the mixing chamber to create a first coating on the particulate material;

mixing a reaction catalyst with the coated particulate material;

mixing a pre-polymer material with the first coating and the coated particulate material, the catalyst and pre-polymer reacting to create a chemical drying of the mixed first coating, catalyst and pre-polymer; and

forming a polyurethane coating encapsulating the particulate material.

11 . A method as in claim 10 , wherein step of mixing the reaction catalyst with the first coating material occurs prior to the mixing of the first coating material with the particulate material.

12 . A method as in claim 11 , further comprising the step of mixing an additional reaction catalyst while mixing the pre-polymer material with the coated particulate material.

13 . A method as in claim 10 , wherein the agitating of the particulate material and the mixing of the first coating material with the particulate material are performed by a plurality of agitator blades rotating within the mixing chamber.

14 . A method as in claim 13 , wherein the agitator blades are directed at varying angles with respect to a rotating agitator shaft.

15 . A method as in claim 14 , wherein the agitator blades are positioned at multiple radial positions relative to the agitator shaft.

16 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein the mixing chamber is defined by a elongated mixer bowl having a longitudinal axis and at least a portion of an inside surface if the bowl defining a cylindrical surface surrounding the axis.

17 . A method as in claim 16 , wherein the shaft of the agitator is aligned along the axis of the mixer bowl.

18 . A method as in claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the blades are positioned adjacent the inside surface of the bowl and are rotated in a closely spaced relationship with the inside bowl wall.