FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970 (39 of 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10;Rule 13)
TITLE
A machine for making textured multi film solid cleanser holders
APPLICANTS
Johnson & Johnson Limited, 30 Forjett Street, Mumbai 400036, Maharashtra, India, an Indian company
INVENTORS
Under Section 28(2)
Kudaikar Vijay Balkrishna, Dr AbhyankarPrashantNarayan, Salaskar Rajesh Bhaskar and Dr Vidwans Jayprakash Shankar, all of Johnson & Johnson Limited, Lai Bahadur Shastri Marg Muhind (West), Mumbai - 400080, Maharashtra, India, all Indian nationals

The following specificationparticularly describes the nature of this invention and the Banner m which it is to be performed:
ORIGINAL
413/MUM/2002
GRANTED
7 JUN 2004
7-6-2004

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a machine for making textured mult! film solid cleanser holders.
PRIOR ART
US Patent application No 09/503262 filed on 13th June 2001 relates to textured film solid cleanser holders and methods for the manufacture and use thereof. A textured film solid cleanser holder comprises a solid cleanser surrounded by at least one textured film having texture variations including at least one aperture.
OBJECTS OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a machine for making textured multi film solid cleanser holders.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for making frilled textured multi film solid cleanser holders.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a machine for making textured multi film solid cleanser holders comprising a solid cleanser feed conveyor horizontally rotatably mounted on a first frame work and provided with a plurality of spaced solid cleanser holding pockets along the length thereof a film feeding unit comprising atleast one pair of film unwind top rolls and at least one pair of film unwind bottom rolls rotatably mounted on a stand at the feed end of the feed conveyor, a pair of film lamination units each mounted at the top and bottom of the first framework, a solid cleanser holder forming unit comprising a pair of horizontally contrarotatable conveyors disposed spaced one below the other and mounted on a second framework which is located close to the discharge end of the feed conveyor, the first frame work is provided with a flat protrusion at the discharge end of the feed conveyor extending to the feed end of the contra rotatable conveyors, a solid cleanser holder sealing unit, a solid cleanser holder cutting unit, a film scoring unit and a horizontally rotatable waste film carrying conveyor mounted on the second frame work in tandem with the solid cleanser holder forming unit and a plurality of film tensioning rollers and a plurality of film pulling units provided in the path of the textured film and an intermittent

differential drive unit connected to the feed conveyor, contra-rotatable conveyors, film scoring unit, waste film carrying conveyor and film pulling units.
The term textured film and texture variations as used in the specification have the same meanings as given in the. US Patent Application No 09/503262.
The solid cleanser referred to in the specification may be a soap or detergent cake or bar.
The following is a detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :
Fig 1 is elevation of a machine for making textured multi film solid cleanser holders according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig 2 is enlarged elevation of a film lamination unit of the machine of Fig 1;

Fig 3 is isometric view of a movable laminator plate or stationary laminator plate of the film lamination unit of Fig 2;
Fig 4 is enlarged elevation of the solid cleanser holder sealing unit of the machine of Fig 1;
Fig 5 is front view of the movable die plate or stationary die plate of the solid cleanser holder sealing unit of Fig 4;
Fig 6 is enlarged elevation of the solid cleanser holder cutting unit of the machine of Fig 1;
Fig 7 is front view of the movable punch plate of die solid cleanser holder cutting unit of Fig 6;
Fig 8 is an enlarged view of movable punch plate (69) in Fig 6;
Figs 9 and 10 are elevation and sideview of the film scoring unit of the machine of Fig 1;

Figs 11 and 12 are elevation and sideview of a film pulling unit of the machine of Fig 1,
Fig 13 is schematic view of the intermittent differential drive unit of the machine of Fig 1;
Fig 14 is schematic view of the pneumatic cylinders of the film lamination units, solid cleanser holder sealing unit and solid cleanser holder cutting unit of the machine of Fig 1 connected to a pneumatic supply through 5-port (one inlet port, two outletports and two exhaust ports) and 2-position solenoid (one ON and one OFF) operated direction control valves; and
Figs 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 show the various positions of the Geneva drive in a cycle of operation of the machine of Fig l;and

Fig 20 is crosssection of amultifilm solid cleanser holder made by die machine of Fig 1.
As illustrated in Figs 1 to 20 of die accompanying drawings, die machine 1 comprises a solid cleanser feed conveyor 2 horizontally rotatably mounted on a first frame work 3 and provided with a plurality of spaced solid cleanser holding pockets along the lengdi thereof (Fig 1). Each of the solid cleanser holding pockets comprises a pair of spaced upright members 4 fitted across die length of the feed conveyor. A pair of film unwind top rolls 5,5 and a pair of film unwind bottom rolls 6,6 are rotatably mounted on a stand 7 at the feed end 8 of the feed conveyor. 9,9 represent the shafts of die film unwind top rolls. 10,10 represent die shafts of die film unwind bottom rolls. 11a and lib are a pair of film lamination units, each mounted at die top and bottom of the first framework 3. Each of the film lamination units comprises a first pneumatic cylinder 12 mounted on the top horizontal member 13 of a first supporting structure 14 and having a first piston 15 reciprocating therein (Figs 2 and 3). The first piston rod 16

protrades down from the first cylinder through the top horizontal member of
the first supporting structure. Air inlets cum outlets at the cylinder side and
piston side of the first cylinder are marked 17 and 18 respectively. The
cylinder side and piston side of the first pneumatic cylinder are connected to
a pneumatic supply 19 through a 5 port 2-position solenoid operated
direction control valve 20 and a control valve 21 (Fig 14). The 5 ports of the
valve 20 are marked a, b, c, d, and e. The solenoid of the valve 20 is marked 22. 23 is a movable laminator plate fitted to a first guide plate 24 which in

urn is fitted to the protruding end of the first piston rod (Figs 1 and 2). The first guide plate is up and down slidably engaged over guide rods 25 of the first supporting structure through bushes 26 fitted to the guide plate. 27 is a stationary laminator plate fitted at the base 28 of the first supporting structure aligned with the movable laminator plate. Both the movable laminator plate and stationary laminator plate are provided with a pair of spaced laminating ridges 29 across the length thereof (Fig 3). Both the movable laminator plate and stationary laminator plate are also provided with electric heating elements comprising conductors 30 running therethrough and connected to an AC

supply (not shown) through thermostat (not shown) and temperature controller (not shown). 31 is a solid cleanser holder forming unit comprising a pair of horizontally contrarotatable conveyors 32 and 33 disposed spaced one below the other and mounted on an upright structure 34 of a second framework 35 which is located close to the discharge end 36 of the feed conveyor (Fig 1). The bottom and top rollers at the feed end 37a and discharge end 37b of the contrarotatable conveyors are marked 38a and 38b and 38c and 38d respectively. The shafts of the rollers 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d are marked 39a, 39b, 39c and 39d respectively. The first framework 3 is provided with a flat protrusion 40 at the discharge end 36 of the feed conveyor extending to the feed end 37a of the contrarotatable conveyors. 41 is a solid cleanser holder sealing unit mounted on the second framework 35 and comprising a second pneumatic cylinder 42 mounted on the top horizontal member 43 of a second supporting structure 44 and having a second piston 45 reciprocating therein (Figs 1 and 4). The second piston rod 46 protrudes down from the second cylinder through the top horizontal member of the second supporting structure. Air inlets cum outlets at the

cylinder side and piston side of the second cylinder side are marked 47 and 48 respectively. The cylinder side and piston side of the second cylinder are connected to the pneumatic supply through a 5 port 2-position solenoid operated direction control 49 and control valve 21 (Fig 14). The 5 ports of the valve 49 are marked a, b, c, d, and e. The solenoid of the valve 49 is marked 50. 51 is a movable die plate fitted to a second guide plate 52 which in turn is fitted to the protruding end of the second piston rod and up and down movably engaged over guide rods 53 of the second supporting structure through bushes 54 fitted to the guide plate 52. 55 is a stationary die plate fitted at the base 56 of the second supporting structure aligned with the movable die plate. The movable die plate 51 and stationary die plate 55 are formed with die stockets 57 corresponding to the size of the solid cleanser holders and provided with electric heating elements comprising conductors 58 around the sockets and connected to the AC supply through thermostat (not shown) and temperature controller (not shown). 59 is a solid cleanser holder cutting unit mounted on the second framework 35 and comprising a third pneumatic cylinder 60 mounted on the top horizontal member 61 of a

third supporting structure 62 and having a third piston 63 reciprocating therein (Figs 1 and 6). The third piston rod 64 protrudes down from the third cylinder through the top horizontal member of the third supporting structure. Air inlets cum outlets at the cylinder side and piston side are marked 65 and 66 respectively. The cylinder side and piston side of the third cylinder are connected to the pneumatic supply through 5 port 2-posiiion solenoid operated direction control valve 67 and control valve 21 (Fig 14). The five ports of the valve 67 are numbered a, b, c, d and e. Solenoid of the valve 67 is marked 68. 69 is a movable punch plate fitted to a third guide plate 70 which in turn is fitted to the protruding end of the third piston rod and up and down slidably engaged over guide rods 71 of the third supporting structure through bushes 72 fitted thereto. The movable punch plate is provided with a pair of holes 73 defining neck portions 74 (Fig 8). 75, 75 are a pair of screw members each being movably disposed in each of the holes with the heads of the screw members adapted to abut against the shoulders 77 of the neck portions (Fig 8). 78 is a retainer flange provided at the front side of the punch plate in thread engagement with the edges of the screw

members. The film retainer flange is held stressed by tension springs 79 disposed over the screw members and located between the punch plate and the film retainer flange. 80 is a stationary die plate fitted at the base 81 of the third supporting structure aligned with the movable punch plate. The movable punch plate and stationary die plate are fonned with die cavities 82 which are larger than the die sockets in the movable die plate and stationary die plate of the solid cleanser holder sealing unit and are corresponding to the profiles of the edges or frills of the solid cleanser holders. The bottom of the die cavity 82 in the stationary die plate 80 is open. 83 is an opening in the base of the third supporting structure corresponding to the open bottom die cavity in the stationary die plate 80. 84 is a film scoring unit mounted on the second framework 35 and comprising an anvil roller 85 whose shaft 86 is rotatably supported in a pair of first vertical oblong slots 87 provided in a pair of spaced first vertical side plates 88 of a fourth supporting structure 89 (Figs 1, 9 and 10). The bearings 90 of the anvil roller shaft are located at the bottom of the first vertical oblong slots. Therefore, the anvil roller remains in position. 90a is a driver gear fitted on the shaft 86 at its one end. 91 is a

rotary disc cutter disposed across and close to the anvil roller and having its shaft 92 fitted with bearings 93 mounted in the first vertical oblong slots in the first vertical plates. 93a is a driven gear fitted on shaft 92 at its one end. Gears 90a and 93a are in mesh with each other (Fig 9). The bearings 93 are stressed by tension springs 94 in abutment with first setting screws 95 secured through the top horizontal member 96 of the fourth supporting structure in thread engagement therewith. The first setting screws are provided with first lock nuts 97. The clearance between the rotary disc cutter and the anvil roller is adjusted by moving the rotary cutter down by turning and moving down the setting screws against the tension springs and stressing or compressing the tension springs. The setting screws are locked in position with the lock nuts against the horizontal member of die fourth supporting structure. 98 is a horizontally rotatable waste film carrying conveyor mounted between a pair of upright members 99 of the second framework 35. Only one of the upright members is seen in Fig 1 as the other upright member is behind the one shown in Fig 1. The solid cleanser holder sealing unit, solid cleanser holder cutting unit, film scoring unit and film carrying conveyor are in

tandem with the solid cleanser holder forming unit. 100 represents a plurality of film tensioning rollers. 100a, 100b, 100c and 100 d represent a plurality of film pulling units (Fig 1). Film pulling unit 100a is mounted on the upright structure 34. Film pulling units 100b and 100c and lOOd are mounted directly on the second framework 35. Each of the film pulling units 100a, 100b, 100c and lOOd comprises a pair of horizontally contrarotatable rollers 101 and 102 disposed one below the other in contact (Figs 11 and 12). The shaft 103 of the bottom roller 101 is fitted with bearings 104 at the ends thereof which are located in a pair of second vertical oblong slots 105 provided in a pair of spaced second vertical side plates 106 of a fifth supporting structure 107. The bearings 104 of the shaft 103 are located at the bottom of the oblong slots 105. Therefore, the bottom roller 101 remains in position. 104a is a driver gear fitted at one end of the shaft 103. The shaft 108 of die top roller 102 is fitted with bearings 109 at the ends thereof which are located in the second vertical oblong slots 105. 109a is a driven gear fitted at one end of the shaft 108. Gears 104a and 109a are in mesh with each other (Figs 11 and 12). 110, 110 are pair of second setting screws whose

edges are in contact with the bearings 109. The second setting screws 110 are secured through the top horizontal member 111 of the fifth supporting structure in thread engagement therewith. The second setting screws are provided with second lock nuts 112. The clearance between the top roller and bottom roller is adjustable by turning and moving down the second setting screws against the tension springs and stressing or compressing the tension springs. The second setting screws are locked in position with the locknuts against the horizontal member of the fifth supporting structure. 113 is a geared motor whose shaft is marked 114. 115 is a six station Geneva drive compressing a Geneva wheel 116 and a Geneva driver 117. Geneva wheel shaft is marked 118. Six slots of the Geneva wheel are marked 119a, 119b, 119c, 1194 H9e and 1191 Geneva driver shaft is marked 120. 121 is pinion of the Geneva driver. 122 and 123 are sprockets mounted on the motor shaft and Geneva driver,shaft, respectively and interconnected by chain 124. The teeth ratio of sprockets 122 and 123 is 2:3. 125 is a sprocket mounted on the Geneva wheel shaft. 126, 127, 128, 129 and 130 are sprockets mounted on the shaft 39c of roller 38c of conveyor 33. Sprockets

125 and 128 are interconnected by chain 132. 133 is a driver roller shaft of the feed conveyor 2. 134 is a sprocket mounted on the drive roller shaft 133. Sprockets 126 and 134 are interconnected by chain 135. 136 is a sprocket mounted on the driver shaft 137 of the film pulling unit 100a. Sprockets 129 and 136 are interconnected by chain 138. 139 is a sprocket mounted on the driver shaft 140 of the film pulling unit 100b. Sprockets 130 and 139 are interconnected by chain 141. 142 and 143 are sprockets mounted on the driver shaft 144 of the film pulling unit 100c. Sprockets 127 and 143 are interconnected by chain 145. 146, 147 and 148 are sprockets mounted on the driver shaft 149 of the film pulling unit lOOd. Sprockets 142 and 146 are interconnected by chain 149. 150 is a sprocket mounted on the driver shaft 151 of the waste film carrying conveyor 94. Sprockets 147 and 150 are interconnected by chain 152. 153 is a sprocket mounted on the driver shaft 154 of the film scoring unit 84. Sprockets 148 and 153 are interconnected by chain 155. The teeth ratio of sprocket 125 to each of sprockets 126 to 130, 134, and to each of sprockets 136, 139, 142, 143, 146, 147, 148, 150 and 153 is 1:1. Teeth ratio of gears 90a and 104a is also 1:1. The operation of the

machine of the invention is in a cyclic manner as described below during which valve 21 remains open.
At the beginning of a half cycle of operation of the machine, pinion 121 of the Geneva driver 117 is positioned at the mouth of slot 119a of the Geneva wheel 116 (Fig 15). During rotation of the Geneva driver in the anticlockwise direction pinion 121 travels away from slot 119a as shown in Figs 16 and 17 and no drive is transmitted to the Geneva wheel 116 and me solid cleanser feed conveyor 2, solid cleanser holder forming unit 31 comprising contrarotatable conveyors 32 and 33, film pulling units 100a, 100b, 100c and lOOd, film scoring unit 84 and waste film carrying conveyor 98 remain stationary. Ports a and e and ports b and d of valves 20 of the film lamination units 11a and lib are connected. Air flows into the piston side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the cylinder side of the cylinders 12. Pistons 15 of the cylinders 12 along with the movable lam in ator plates 23 move down towards the stationary lam in ator plates 27 of the film lamination units. Both the movable lam in ator plates 23 and stationary lam in ator plates

27 are being heated by the electric conductors 30 running therethrough. Both the films 156, 156 from top unwind rolls 5 positioned in the top lamination unit Ha are hot pressed together and laminated into a single top film along the lamination ridges 29 of the movable laminator plate 23 and stationary laminator plate 27 of the top lamination unit 11a. Similarly both the films 156, 156 from the bottom unwind rolls 6 positioned in the bottom lamination unit lib are hot pressed together and laminated into single bottom film along the lamination ridges 29 of the movable laminator plate 23 and stationary laminator plate 27 of the bottom lamination unit 1 lb. The laminated top and bottom films emerging from the lamination units are marked 157. The films on the unwind rolls may be of the same or different materials, textures or colours as required. Ports b and d and ports a and e of valve 49 of the solid cleanser sealing unit 41 are connected. Air flows into the piston side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the cylinder side of the cylinder 42 of the sohd cleanser sealing unit 41. The piston 45 of cylinder 42 along with the movable die plate 51 moves down towards the stationary die plate 55. Both the die sockets 57 in the movable die plate 51

and stationary die plate 55 are being heated by the electric conductors 58 running around them. The movable die plate 51 closes on the stationary die plate 55 and holds the solid cleanser holder positioned therebetween within the die sockets 57 and heat seals together the bottom and top films around the solid cleanser at the peripheries of the die sockets. Ports b and d and ports a and e of valve 67 of solid cleanser holder cutting unit are connected. Air flows into the piston side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the cylinder side of cylinder 60 of the solid cleanser holder cutting unit. The piston 63 of cylinder 60 along with the punch plate 69 moves down towards the stationary die plate 80. The punch plate 69 closes on the die plate 80 and holds the solid cleanser holder positioned therebetween within the die cavities and cuts the solid cleanser holder at the peripheries of the die cavities. On being cut and separated from the bottom and top films, the solid cleanser holder 160 falls down through the open bottom of the die cavity 82 in the die plate 80 and corresponding opening 83 in the base 81 of the supporting structure 62. While the punch plate 69 closes on the die plate 80 and cuts and separates the solid cleanser holder from the films, the retainer

flange 78 presses against the films under spring tension and holds the films in position to facilitate cutting of the. solid cleanser holders. The retainer flange slides in and out on the punch plate due to its being tensioned by springs 79 and fixed to the screw members 75 which are movably disposed in the holes 73. The outward movement of the screw members in holes 73 and hence that of the retainer flange is restricted by shoulders 77 as the heads of the screw members abuts the shoulders at the extreme outward position of the screw members. The size of the edges or frills of the solid cleanser holder from the sealing point thereof depends on the larger peripheries of the die cavities as compared to the die sockets. At the end of the half cycle of operation of the machine, the position of the pinion 121 of the Geneva driver 117 is as shown in Fig 17. The pinion 121 is about to enter slot 119f of the Geneva wheel 116. During further rotation of the Geneva driver in the anticlockwise direction the pinion 121 travels into die slot 119f of the Geneva wheel (Fig 18) and travels back from the slot 119f of the Geneva wheel and positions itself at the mouth of slot 119f of the Geneva wheel as shown in Fig 19. During this half cycle drive is transm itted to the Geneva wheel and it

rotates in the clockwise direction. Consequently drive is transmitted to the solid cleanser feed conveyor 2, sohd cleanser holder forming unit 31 comprising contrarotatable conveyors 32 and 33, film pulling units 100a, 100b, 100c and lOOd and film scoring unit 84 and waste film carrying unit 98. Sohd cleansers 158 being fed from the feed end of the conveyor 2 in the pockets formed by pairs of spaced upright members 4, are moved forward by the feed conveyor. Due to momentum of movement of the feed conveyor, the sohd cleanser at the discharge end of the infeed conveyor is pushed by the advancing upright member 4 at the rear side of the sohd cleanser 158 into the laminated bottom film 157 at the feed end 37a between the contrarotatable conveyors 32 and 33 over the flat protrusion 40. The contrarotating rollers of the film pulling units 100a and 100b pull the laminated bottom and top films from the lamination units 11a and lib and keep them taut. In the sohd cleanser holder forming unit 31, the bottom film 157 carrying the sohd cleansers and the top film 157 overlying the sohd cleansers form holders for the sohd cleansers and are moved forward by and between the contrarotating conveyors 32 and 33. The bottom and top films

having the solid cleansers interposed therebetween enter the solid cleanser holder sealing unit 41. The contrarotating rollers of the film pulling unit 100c pull the bottom and top films with the sealed solid cleansers holders emerging from the solid cleanser holder sealing unit and feed them to the solid cleanser cutting unit 59 one at a time. The contrarotating rollers of the film pulling unit lOOd pull the bottom and top films from the solid cleanser cutting unit 59 through the film scoring unit 84 in which the rotary disc cutter 91 cuts or scores the waste films into two lengthwise, which remain as webs between adjacent cutouts of solid cleanser holders after they are cut and separated. The waste films emerging from the pulling unit lOOd are carried onto the waste film carrying conveyor 98. The waste films are cut and removed from the waste film carrying conveyor as and when required. Simultaneously ports b and c and ports a and d of valves 20 are connected. Air flows into the cylinder side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the piston side of the cylinders 12 of the film lamination units 11a and lib. The piston 15 of the cylinders 12 move up into their original position. Ports b and c and ports a and d of valve 49 are connected. Air flows into the

cylinder side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the piston side of cylinder 42 of the solid cleanser holder sealing unit 41. The piston 45 of cylinder 42 moves up to its original position. Ports b and c and ports a and d of value 67 are connected. Air flows into die cylinder side and air flows out into the atmosphere from the. piston side of cylinder 60 of the solid cleanser holder cutting unit 59. The piston 63 of the cylinder 60 moves up to its original position. The machine is now ready for die next cycle of operation.
Due to the intermittent drive and feeding of solid cleansers into the solid cleaner holder forming unit in a cycle of operation of the arrangement a gap is maintained between two solid cleansers in the solid cleanser holder forming unit. The temperature controllers sense the temperatures of the laminator plates and movable die plate and corresponding stationary die plate through the thermostats and cut of the power supply when the temperatures exceed the set limits. The film tensioning rollers keep the films under tension. The bushes are to minimise

friction between the guide plates and respective guide rods and render the up and down movement of the guide plates smooth.
The film lamination units, solid cleanser holder forming unit, solid cleanser holder sealing unit, solid cleanser holder cutting unit, film pulling units, fihn scoring unit and solid cleanser pockets may be of different constructions. There may be more than four film pulling units. Instead of pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders may be used. There may be more than two film unwind top rolls and more than two film unwind bottom rolls and corresponding number of films to be laminated. The waste film carrying conveyor and film scoring unit are optional. Instead of waste fihn carrying conveyor some other arrangement may be used to carry the used films. The sizes and profiles of the dk sockets and dk cavities will change depending upon the sizes and profiles of the solid cleansers and solid cleanser holders. The machine may include a solid cleanser feeding unit. Instead of film unwind rolls, the film feeding arrangement may be different. Such variations of the invention are to be constnied and understood to be within the scope of the. invention.

CLAIM:
1) A machine (1) for making textured multi film solid cleanser holders (160) comprising a solid cleanser feed conveyor (2) horizontally rotatably mounted on a first frame work (3) and provided with a plurality of spaced solid cleanser holding pockets along the length thereof a film feeding unit comprising atleast one pair of film unwind top rolls (5,5) and at least one pair of film unwind bottom rolls (6,6) rotatably mounted on a stand (7) at the feed end (8) of the feed conveyor, a pair of film lamination units (1 la, lib) each mounted at the top and bottom of the first framework (3), a solid cleanser holder forming unit (31) comprising a pair of horizontally contrarotatable conveyors (32 and 33) disposed spaced one below the other and mounted on a second framework (35) which is located close to the discharge end of the feed conveyor (36), the first frame work (3) is provided with a flat protrusion (40) at the discharge end (36) of the feed conveyor (2) extending to the feed end (37a) of the contra rotatable conveyors (32 and 33) a solid cleanser holder sealing unit (41), a solid cleanser holder cutting unit (59), a film scoring unit (84) and a horizontally rotatable waste film carrying conveyor (98) mounted on the second frame work (35) in tandem with the solid cleanser holder forming unit (31), a plurality of film tensioning rollers (100) and a plurality of film pulling units (100a, 100b,

devices 39A & 39B. Fine particles of spent catalyst and coked adsorbent carried along with hydrocarbon vapors to the reactor 38 are separated using cyclones 40A & 40B.The diplegs of 39A, 39B, 40A & 40B are terminated close to spent catalyst and coked adsorbent bed interface in stripper cum separator 37. As described above, spent catalyst and coked adsorbent mixture collected in stripper cum separator 37 is separated in to two layers 62 & 63 and taken to respective regenerators 44, & 54 for regeneration/reactivation. The cycle of regeneration, feed contaminants removal, cracking reaction followed by gas-catalyst-adsorbent separation and then separation of spent catalyst from coked adsorbent is continued. Though it is not shown in Fig 2, riser 35 employed in the present invention may also be located externally. In such situation, the cyclones are connected to the riser 35 top and the diplegs of these cyclones are connected to stripper cum separator 37 at the interface of catalyst-adsorbent bed.
The present invention also includes recycling of coked adsorbent 63 separated in stripper cum separator 37 directly to riser entry 32 without under going regeneration step via recycle adsorbent stand pipe 60(A) and slide valve 61 is used to control coked adsorbent flow to riser entry 32. Other wise, instead of oxygen containing gas or air, steam is used in adsorbent regenerator 54 for the purpose of keeping fluidization conditions required. This provision is very helpful when calcined petroleum coke is used as an adsorbent. Though not indicated in Fig.2 there is a provision for adding or withdrawing adsorbent and catalyst to/from catalyst regenerator 44 and adsorbent regenerator 54
Fig 3 illustrates the FCC apparatus of the present invention wherein stripper cum separator (7) is employed to perform dual functions, firstly as a conventional stripper and secondly as a separator device to separate catalyst from adsorbent using steam (6) as a stripping/fluidizing media. The superficial velocity of steam in stripper cum separator (7) is maintained in such a way that two distinctly different layers (depending upon the particle size/density of catalyst and adsorbent) i.e. a layer of catalyst and another layer of adsorbent (33 and 32) are formed in stripper cum separator (7).