Deformable/inflatable wear liner
AssigneeAlcan International Limited
InventorWayne McKeough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deformable/inflatable wear liner is attached to an inner surface of a wall of a granular material delivery passage. Pressurized air may be introduced into a space between the wall and the wear liner to inflate the wear liner, thereby preventing solids from building up in the passage.
Claims19
A method for preventing solids from building up in a granular material delivery passage during a material delivery operation, the passage including at least a wall and a deformable wear liner provided on an inner surface of the wall for directing granular materials sliding on the wear liner, the method comprising:
- a) introducing a pressurized fluid flow into a space between the inner surface of the wall and the deformable wear liner to deform the wear liner, thereby causing a profile change of a cross-section of the granular material delivery passage.
A chute for a material handling system bearing granular materials, the chute comprising:
- at least one wall;
- a deformable wear liner having a wear-resistant surface, the deformable wear liner being attached to at least a section of the wall so as to allow pressurized fluid to be introduced into a space between the deformable wear liner and the wall in order to inflate the deformable wear liner;
- and
- means for introducing and discharging pressurized fluid into and from the space between the deformable wear liner and the wall, respectively.
A granular material handling system comprising:
- a chute including a chute wall and a deformable wear liner within the chute, the deformable wear liner being attached to an inner surface of a section of the chute wall so as to allow pressurized air to be introduced into a space between the wear liner and the chute wall in order to inflate the wear liner;
- a source of pressurized air;
- a tube connected between the source of pressurized air and the space between the chute wall and the wear liner for delivery of pressurized air to inflate the wear liner;
- and
- a control apparatus for controllably inflating the wear liner and discharging pressurized air from the space between the chute wall and the wear liner, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.