Slide valve for dry goods
AssigneePromens USA
InventorRichard Raz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A slide valve assembly is provided for selectively dispensing dry goods from a hopper. The slide valve assembly is readily attached and detached from the hopper and is readily disassembled and reassembled to facilitate cleaning and/or servicing. Preferably, the slide valve assembly includes a panel secured to spaced support rails, a movable valve panel for opening and closing of the dispensing portion of the hopper, and a collar retainer for releasable attachment to the dispensing portion of a hopper. The slide valve assembly may be attached, detached, assembled, and disassembled substantially without the use of tools or separate fasteners, to minimize the risk of creating a contamination hazard for the goods dispensed from the hopper, while still allowing for secure attachment to the hopper.
Claims27
A slide valve for selectively dispensing dry bulk goods from a dispensing portion of a hopper, said slide valve comprising:
- at least one panel having opposite side portions;
- a pair of spaced support rails, each of said support rails configured to releasably attach to a respective one of said opposite side portions of said panel to hold said panel in fixed relation to said support rails;
- a movable valve panel positioned between said support rails and movable relative to said support rails;
- a collar retainer disposed adjacent said at least one panel and defining an opening for receiving the dispensing portion of the hopper, said collar retainer configured to releasably attach to the dispensing portion of the hopper;
- and
- wherein said movable valve panel is positionable between a closed position in which the dispensing portion of the hopper is substantially blocked and an open position in which the dispensing portion of the hopper is at least partially unblocked.
A slide valve for selectively dispensing dry bulk goods from a hopper, said slide valve comprising:
- at least one panel having opposite side portions and defining an opening;
- a movable valve panel disposed near said at least one panel, said movable valve panel having opposite side portions;
- a collar retainer disposed above said at least one panel and defining an opening for receiving a dispensing portion of a hopper, said collar retainer having opposite side portions;
- a pair of spaced support rails, each of said support rails coupled to a respective one of said side portions of each of said at least one panel and said collar retainer, without the use of separate mechanical fasteners;
- and
- wherein said movable valve panel is positionable between a closed position in which the dispensing portion of the hopper is substantially blocked, and an open configuration in which the dispensing portion of the hopper is at least partially unblocked.
A method of removing a slide valve from a hopper, said method comprising:
- providing a hopper having a dispensing portion;
- providing a slide valve including an upper panel, a movable slide panel below the upper panel, each of the panels supported between a pair of support rails, and a two-piece collar retainer coupled between the support rails and disposed above the upper panel, the two-piece collar defining an opening for coupling to the dispensing portion of the hopper;
- de-coupling a first piece of the two-piece collar retainer from the support rails and the dispensing portion of the hopper;
- and
- de-coupling the upper panel, the slide panel, and the support rails from the dispensing portion of the hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.