US 4,804,111 AGranted

Mechanism for metering solid materials which flow in a manner similar to liquids

AssigneeAcrison, Inc.

InventorsRonald J. Ricciardi, Mark Bober

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Abstract

An improved metering mechanism for metering highly aerated or fluidized solid materials in a controlled manner is disclosed. The mechanism consists of a bin discharger attached above a rotary feeder assembly. The bin discharger has two augers which rotate in opposite directions relative to one another. The augers rotate such that material flow is directed toward the center of the discharger, and down into the inlet of the rotary feeder assembly. The rotary feeder assembly contains 6-12 rotary vanes. Two vanes form a pocket into which material falls as each pocket comes into mating relation with the rotary feeder assembly inlet. A tight clearance between the outer radial edge of the rotary vanes and the inner surface of the housing of the rotary feeder assembly prevents the material from flushing through the rotary feeder assembly in an uncontrolled fashion. The material exits the rotary feeder assembly as each filled pocket comes into mating relation with the outlet of the rotary feeder assembly.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A feeding system having a metering mechanism including a bin discharger for feeding highly aerated or fluidized solid material in a controlled manner from a storage device in combination with a means connected to the feeding system for weighing at least the bin discharger and the solid material in the bin discharger, the metering mechanism comprising the combination of:

the bin discharger having an inlet for receiving material from the storage device, at least two augers mounted substantially parallel with each other, and an outlet;
means for rotating the augers;
a rotary feeder having a housing comprising circular end walls and a hollow intermediate segment having a circular cross-section;
an inlet for receiving material from the bin discharger outlet, a rotatable central hub within the intermediate segment of the housing, an outlet, and a plurality of evenly spaced vanes extending radially from the hub into proximity with the inner surface of the intermediate segment of the housing and longitudinally along the hub into proximity with both end walls of the housing, so that each adjacent pair of rotary vanes defines, together with the end walls and intermediate segment of the housing, a pocket;
and
means for rotating the central hub, whereby each pocket receives material from the bin discharger outlet through the rotary feeder inlet as the vanes rotate and the pocket comes into mating relation with the rotary feeder inlet and whereby each pocket carries the material into mating relation with the rotary feeder outlet.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.