Abstract:
A system for coating tablets and other small articles is provided. The system is comprised of an elongate housing containing a drum journalled for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum has two open ends that receive and discharge a supply of tablets respectively. The drum is rotated about the axis by a drive means to tumble the tablets and advance the tablets through the drum. The system also includes a system for delivering a selected amount of coating to the tablets while they are being tumbled and a feeder for continually feeding tablets at a first end of the housing. The system employs a weir plate for maintaining a depth of tablets within the drum and for controlling the time that the tablets remain in the drum. Finally, the system has a tablet discharge region for receiving tablets for discharge.
Abstract:
A mixing device for tablets includes a rotating drum including front and rear end walls, with the front end wall having a central mouth to receive and discharge the drum contents. One or more ribbon-like baffles are mounted to the inside surface of the front wall, with the baffle having a distal end which partly occludes the drum opening. The baffles are mounted at an angle such that when the drum is rotating in one direction they tend to direct the contents of the drum towards the opening of the drum to discharge the drum contents in a series of successive drum rotations, while when the drum is rotated in the opposite direction the baffles tend to direct the contents of the drum away from the drum opening. One or more curved ribs mounted to the inside surface of the drum body at an angle may be provided to cooperate in the tablet mixing and discharge phases.