Flow control systems
AssigneeTechnicon Isca Limited
InventorDouglas A. Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of a powdered solid material such as flour, comprising a load cell supporting an inclined plate onto which the flour particles impinge after falling through an inclined gate valve. The output of the load cell is fed to a control circuit including a direct proportional control section and an integrated error section with a monitor circuit sensitive to excessive integrated errors. The control circuit acts on an electric motor controlling the opening of the gate valve to maintain a predetermined rate of flow.
Claims8
Apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of a particulate material, comprising a generally vertical duct, a flow control valve positioned in said duct, a motor controlling said valve, a flow rate sensor positioned in said duct (below) immediately beneath said valve, said sensor including an inclined plate onto which the particles will impinge, means supporting said plate for limited movement in a vertical direction, and an electromechanical load cell connected to said plate for sensing the vertical force exerted on said plate by particles falling through said valve, said control valve comprising a movable plate defining an aperture movable within said duct for dispensing the particulate material directly onto the inclined plate, the movable plate being mounted in a plane substantially parallel with but spaced above the plane of said inclined plate, and an electrical control circuit having an input from said sensor and an output connected to said motor for controlling the valve in a sense to close the valve when the sensor detects an increased vertical force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.