Vibratory distribution system
AssigneeKMG Systems Limited
InventorKeith L. Maddocks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibratory distribution system for flowable material such as bulk food products has a number of vibratable cascaded elongate primary conveyor channel sections tilted to one side about their longitudinal axes to cause the product to gravitate towards the lower side wall of each section. Each side wall has an opening through which product falls into a respective secondary conveyor section which carries the product to packaging. The flow rate of product can be precisely controlled by selective activation of the conveyor section, and by varying the vibration amplitude of the operating conveyor sections.
Claims10
A distribution system for conveying flowable material from a source downstream to a plurality of successive user locations, comprising:
- a conveyor means comprising a plurality of successive, elongate primary conveyor sections, each conveyor section having a product carrying surface tilted relative to the horizontal about the longitudinal axis of the conveyor section whereby said product tends to gravitate towards the lower side edge region of said surface as the product travels along said section, and a side wall upstanding on said lower side edge region for retaining the product on the conveyor section;
- means for vibrating each said primary conveyor section for conveying said material towards a respective one of said locations;
- and wherein each said side wall has an opening for allowing product to fall from said conveyor section;
- a plurality of vibratable secondary conveyor sections for receiving the fallen product and conveying said product to each said user location;
- and
- a flowable product storage unit arranged upstream of said conveyor means, the storage unit comprising:
- inlet and outlet means;
- a lower conveyor section connected to said outlet means;
- an upper conveyor section connected to said inlet means, said upper conveyor section overlaying said lower conveyor section;
- respective means for vibrating said conveyor sections for conveying product from said inlet means and to said outlet means;
- and
- a plurality of gates in the lower surface of said upper conveyor section for allowing product conveyed along said upper conveyor section to fall onto said lower conveyor section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.