Portable spreader for particulate matter

A portable spreader for use in an operating position by a pedestrian to project a particulate matter onto a pedestrian surface having a local gravity vector, the portable spreader comprising:

• a rotor housing having an entrance aperture and an exit aperture;
• an airless centrifugal paddle wheel mounted inside the rotor housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis to create a centrifugal force, the airless centrifugal paddle wheel comprising at least one paddle, wherein the longitudinal axis of the airless centrifugal paddle wheel is normal to the local gravity vector when the portable spreader is in the operating position;
• a rotor driver coupled to the paddle wheel for rotating the airless centrifugal paddle wheel;
• a canister above the rotor housing and configured to contain the particulate matter and to deposit the particulate matter through the entrance aperture into the rotor housing by gravity;
• a exit channel extending from the exit aperture of the rotor housing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the paddle wheel, having a longitudinal axis configured to be horizontal when the portable spreader is in the operating position;
• and
• wherein the portable spreader is configured relative to the particulate matter so that, when the particulate matter enters the rotor housing while the airless centrifugal paddle wheel is rotating with the portable spreader in the operating position, the particulate matter is propelled by the centrifugal force of the airless centrifugal paddle wheel out the exit channel on to the pedestrian surface.