# US 4,399,931 A · Dry material dispenser

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- Number: US 4,399,931 A
- Document ID: US4399931A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/247,102
- Filed: 1981-03-24
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1981-03-24
- Inventors: Richard E. Maddalena
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399931A

## CPC

- G01F 11/003: {for fluent solid material}
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A dry matter dispensing device comprising a hopper having a paddle pivoted between the front and rear walls, the paddle is oscillated to sweep the contents from the opposite ends of an arcuate, concave tray with each stroke thereof. The dry material slides down a pair of adjustably sloped panels on opposite sides of that paddle so that, as the paddle sweeps material in front of it on each stroke, more is dropping down the sloped panel behind it to pile up on the concave tray. Hence, a measured amount of the dry material is delivered by setting the length and number of paddle strokes. The adjustment of the sloping panels is made to ensure free flow to the concave tray without the material bridging or escaping prematurely from the tray.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dry material dispensing device comprising:
a hopper;
a paddle pivotable in said hopper on a horizontal axis;
an arcuate concave tray disposed beneath said paddle and coaxial therewith;
means for oscillating said paddle to sweep contents of said tray alternately from opposite ends thereof;
sloping delivery panels in said hopper having outer edges above and parallel to the axis of said paddle said panels converging to a delivery opening between their opposing inner edges below said horizontal axis which is transversed by said paddle during oscillation;
said opposing inner edges being engagable by the sides of said paddle;
hinge means along said outer edges of said delivery panels pivotally mounting said panels in said hopper; and
adjustable stop members on said hopper engagable with the backs of said delivery panels to adjust the slope thereof and to limit the oscillation of said paddle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feed measuring device defined by claim 1 including:
means for adjusting the oscillatory stroke of said paddle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The feed measuring device defined by claim 1 wherein said oscillating means comprises:
an arm on said paddle;
a reciprocable rod for oscillating said arm; and
a slot in said arm so that the point of connection with said rod can be adjusted.