Hopper for feeding bulk material

A hopper for feeding bulk material, the hopper comprising:

• a main body having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• an inlet located on an upper surface of the upper portion of the main body for bulk material to enter the hopper;
• and
• an outlet located on a lower surface of the lower portion of the main body for bulk material to exit the hopper,
• wherein the main body defines a substantially vertical passageway for bulk material to pass from the inlet down substantially vertically through the outlet of the hopper,
• wherein the upper portion of the main body has at least one or a plurality of substantially planar panel surfaces that are inclined outwards from a centrally positioned substantially vertical axis passing through the center of the hopper from the inlet to the outlet in a direction of travel of the bulk material,
• wherein the lower portion of the main body has at least one or a plurality of substantially planar panel surfaces that are inclined inwards towards the vertical axis passing through the center of the hopper from the inlet to the outlet in the direction of travel of the bulk material,
• wherein the hopper provides a substantially constant feed of bulk material through the outlet,
• wherein on the upper portion of the main body of the hopper there is at least one or a plurality of flat or substantially flat planar panels which extend outwards away from the vertical axis of the hopper as the bulk material travels from the inlet through and out of the outlet, the at least one or the plurality of planar panels of the upper portion of the main body forming the at least one or the plurality of planar panel surfaces that are inclined outwards, and
• wherein the planar panels forming the upper portion of the hopper comprise two six-sided flat panels and two triangular flat panels which are smaller than the two six-sided flat panels, wherein each of the two six-sided flat panels and the two triangular flat panels are inclined outwards from the vertical axis of the hopper as the bulk material travels from the inlet through and out of the outlet.

A method of providing a substantially constant feed of bulk material, the method comprising:

• providing a main body having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• providing an inlet located on an upper surface of the upper portion of the main body for bulk material to enter the hopper;
• and
• providing an outlet located on a lower surface of the lower portion of the main body for bulk material to exit the hopper,
• wherein the main body defines a substantially vertical passageway for bulk material, so that a direction of travel of the bulk material is from the inlet down substantially vertically through the outlet of the hopper, the vertical passageway having a centrally positioned substantially vertical axis passing through a center of the hopper from the inlet to the outlet;
• wherein each side of the upper portion of the main body has at least one or a plurality of substantially planar panel surfaces that are inclined outwardly away from the vertical axis in the direction of travel of the bulk material,
• wherein each side of the lower portion of the main body has at least one or a plurality of substantially planar panel surfaces that are inclined inwardly towards the vertical axis in the direction of travel of the bulk material to thereby assist transportation of the bulk material, and
• wherein the at least one or the plurality of planar panel surfaces that are inclined outwardly directly adjoin the at least one or the plurality of planar panel surfaces that are inclined inwardly, and
• wherein the planar panel surfaces forming the upper portion of the hopper and that incline outwardly comprise at least a first set of panel surfaces and a second set of panel surfaces, wherein panel surfaces of the first set of panel surfaces have a different shape and a larger size than panel surfaces of the second set of panel surfaces.