Continuous flow system for mixing and processing bulk ingredients

A system for mixing and further processing a specified total weight of a composition containing at least two ingredients in accordance with a specified recipe, said system comprising:

• a first hopper for holding a first ingredient;
• first discharge means for discharging the first ingredient from said first hopper at a first hopper discharge rate;
• a first discharge controller for controlling the rate at which the first ingredient is discharged by said first discharge means in response to a first, variable, discharge rate control signal;
• a second hopper for holding the second ingredient;
• second discharge means for discharging the second ingredient from said second hopper at a second hopper discharge rate;
• a second discharge controller for controlling the rate at which the second ingredient is discharged by said second discharge means in response to a second, variable, discharge rate control signal;
• a central conveyor for receiving the first and second ingredients from said first and second discharge means respectively, and conveying the first and second ingredients away from said first and second discharge means;
• a processing apparatus for receiving the first and second ingredients from said central conveying means and further processing the first and second ingredients, said processing apparatus providing a processing rate signal;
• and
• a central controller responsive to the processing rate signal from said processing apparatus and operatively coupled to said first and second discharge controllers (a) for providing said first and second, variable, discharge rate control signals and (b) for adjusting said first and second, variable, discharge rate signals in response to said processing rate signal, whereby the first and second hopper discharge rates are adjusted during operation of the system, such that the specified recipe is maintained and the first and second ingredients are received by said processing apparatus at a flow rate that allows said processing apparatus to operate substantially at an optimal processing rate for said processing apparatus.