Apparatus for distributing material flow

An apparatus for distributing material flow comprising:

• (a) a housing having an upper receiving section and a lower discharge section integral therewith,
• said lower housing discharge section being defined by a plurality of fixed spouts arranged in a generally circular fashion at a radius around a central vertical axis, the spouts contacting each other at a portion of their upper end to form a cone with a common apex terminating inside the receiving section at the central axis,
• (b) a chute having a receiving end and a discharge end, said chute being rotatably and axially mounted to the upper housing receiving section such that at least a portion of the chute with the chute receiving end is postioned outside the housing and at least a portion of the chute with chute discharge end positioned outside the housing containing an annular rib portion adapted for supporting the chute on the housing receiving section, said chute extending from the outside of the housing to the inside of the housing through the housing receiving section such that the discharge end of the chute terminates inside the housing discharge section at a point below the common apex of the spouts,
• (c) at least a first seal assembly contacting the annular rib portion of the chute and adapted for sealing the inside of the housing from the surrounding environment, said first seal assembly comprising a first and second seal means, a lubrication means and a bushing means, and
• (d) a drive means engaging the portion of the chute outside the housing adapted to rotate the chute such that the discharge end of the chute moves in a pattern around the common apex and over the spouts such that material passed into the chute is discharged into at least one spout.