US 4,536,121 A · Divided rotary valve feeder

Abstract

A divided rotary valve feeder includes an inlet conduit, an outlet divided into a plurality of passages by webs, and rotor mounted between the inlet conduit and the outlet. The rotor includes vanes defining troughs and partitions dividing the troughs into a plurality of compartments. The partitions engage the webs to assure discharge of material from each compartment to an aligned passage, and the passages are in communication with conveyors for moving the material to a point of use. Tiltable splitter plates may be provided in the inlet conduit in engagement with the partitions to evenly distribute the flow of material to the compartments in each trough. Compressed air or other gas may be fed to each of the compartments to assist the discharge of material either by direct contact or by flexing a flexible boot in each compartment.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A rotary valve feeder for feeding material, comprising:

a casing having an inlet and an outlet;
a rotor mounted in the casing between the inlet and the outlet, the rotor including a plurality of vanes defining troughs and a plurality of partitions dividing each trough into a plurality of compartments;
means for defining a plurality of passages in the outlet;
and
means in said inlet for defining a plurality of channels, said channel defining means being adjustable to vary the relative sizes of the channels with respect to one another in order to evenly divide the material among the compartments of the rotor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Divided rotary valve feeder

Life of this patent

Divided rotary valve feeder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17