Automatic apparatus for supplying a fixed quantity of particle or powder

Apparatus for repeatedly and laterally transferring a predetermined amount of powdered or particle material contained in a fixedly located hopper having an outlet port to a fixedly located working table installed separately at a lateral distance from said hopper, comprising:

• measuring transfer means provided below said hopper and which is reciprocably movable laterally from an original position below said hopper to a predetermined position above said working table, and laterally back to said original position below said hopper;
• measuring cavity means including at least one through hole of a predetermined configuration provided vertically and penetratingly through said measuring transfer means such that said at least one through hole is located at a position above said working table when said measuring transfer means is at its predetermined position above said working table, and said at least one through hole is located at a position directly below said outlet port of said hopper when said measuring transfer means is at said original position below said hopper;
• gate means provided beneath said measuring transfer means and which includes means for interlocking with said measuring transfer means to move with said measuring transfer means from its original position to its said predetermined position, said gate means including means for closing the bottom of said at least one through hole of said measuring cavity means during said movement from said original position to said predetermined position, said interlocking means including means for releasing said gate means from said measuring transfer means at said predetermined position, said gate means being slideable back to its original position when so released, thereby leaving the bottom of said at least one through hole open directly above said working table at said predetermined position;
• said measuring transfer means comprising a main substantially horizontally arranged plate of a predetermined thickness reciprocably driven to reciprocate between said original and said predetermined positions along a given path;
• said gate means comprising a bottom plate provided beneath said main plate and contacting the bottom of said main plate for closing the bottom of said at least one through hole during said movement from said original position to said predetermined position;
• and
• an upper plate substantially horizontally arranged above said main plate and having an opening therein in registration with said outlet port of said hopper and being in fixed position relative to said hopper;
• said main plate having a solid portion which covers said opening in said upper plate during movement of said main plate between said original and predetermined positions, thereby maintaining said outlet port of said hopper in a closed condition during movement of said main plate;
• and
• said upper plate, said main plate and said bottom plate comprising a sandwich-type structure with said main plate interposed between said upper and bottom plates and being slidable in the horizontal direction relative to said upper and bottom plates.