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US 4,360,295 AGranted
Combination gravity/pneumatic hopper bottom
AssigneeNorth American Car Corporation
InventorArthur I. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bottom assembly for a hopper vehicle is adapted to permit safe pneumatic unloading as well as gravity unloading of a hopper. The bottom assembly includes a membrane mounted to be moved over and away from a hopper bottom opening, and sealing devices for insuring a secure seal for the hopper which can be easily set. A discharge manifold is connected to the hopper at a location spaced from the hopper bottom opening, and the hopper bottom opening is contained in a plane which is tilted with respect to the horizontal.
Claims26
A hopper bottom assembly comprising:
- a hopper wall having upper and lower portions which define a bottom opening slanted in a plane with respect to the horizontal;
- a product discharge manifold connected to said hopper wall adjacent said lower portion of said wall and above said bottom opening;
- a hopper bottom opening closure assembly mounted on said hopper wall and including a housing, closure means slidably mounted in said housing to be moved in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said bottom opening between a first position subjacent said bottom opening to a second position spaced from said bottom opening, said closure means including a slidably movable membrane movable between said first and second positions, and moving means for moving said closure means between said first and second positions;
- closure sealing means for sealing said closure means to said hopper wall when said closure means is in said first position so that a hopper can be unloaded pneumatically, said sealing means including a plurality of clamping means for forcing said closure means toward said hopper wall;
- and
- means connected to said membrane for agitating the product in the hopper bottom adjacent said membrane during discharge of the product through said manifold.
3 more elements
A hopper bottom assembly comprising:
- a hopper wall having upper and lower portions which define a bottom opening slanted in a plane with respect to the horizontal;
- a product discharge manifold connected to said hopper wall adjacent said lower portion of said wall and above said bottom opening;
- a hopper bottom opening closure assembly mounted on said hopper wall and including a housing, a base plate slidably mounted in said housing to be moved in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said bottom opening between a first position subjacent said bottom opening to a second position spaced from said bottom opening, a foraminous membrane mounted on said base plate and slidably movable therewith between said positions, and base plate moving means for moving said base plate between said first and second positions;
- and
- closure assembly sealing means for sealing said closure assembly to said hopper wall when said base plate is in said first position so that a hopper can be unloaded pneumatically, said sealing means including a plurality of clamping means for forcing said base plate toward said hopper wall.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.