Apparatus for enhancing the feeding of particles from a hopper

Apparatus for enhancing the feeding of particles, comprising:

• (a) a hopper having an approximately vertically oriented central axis, walls of the hopper being concentric with the hopper axis above an outlet of the hopper;
• (b) sensing means for sensing flow of particles from the hopper;
• (c) a shaft rotatably mounted on the hopper axis;
• (d) a paddle member connected to the shaft and extending proximate an inside surface wall of the hopper without blocking the outlet;
• (e) drive means for rotating the shaft in response to a drive signal;
• (f) control means responsive to an external activate signal and to the sensing means for momentarily activating the drive signal during activation of the external signal upon occurrence of activation of the sensing means by absence of flow from the hopper outlet, the drive signal being active for a period of time sufficient to cause the paddle member to move through an angle about the hopper axis, the angle being less than approximately one revolution of the paddle member.

Apparatus for enhancing the feeding of particles, comprising:

• (a) a hopper having a central axis, walls of the hopper being concentric with the hopper axis above an outlet of the hopper;
• (b) a shaft rotatably mounted on the hopper axis;
• (c) a paddle member connected to the shaft and extending proximate an inside surface wall of the hopper;
• (d) drive means for rotating the shaft in response to a drive signal;
• (e) control means responsive to an external activate signal for periodically activating the drive signal during activation of the external signal, the drive signal being active for a period of time sufficient to cause the paddle member to move through an angle about the hopper axis, the angle being less than approximately one revolution of the paddle member;
• and
• (f) means for mechanically agitating the paddle member during feeding of the particles.

Apparatus for enhancing the feeding of particles, comprising:

• (a) a hopper having a central axis, walls of the hopper being concentric with the hopper axis above an outlet of the hopper;
• (b) sensing means for sensing flow of particles from the hopper;
• (c) a shaft rotatably mounted on the hopper axis;
• (d) a paddle member connected to the shaft and extending from approximately 0.125 inch to approximately 0.50 inch from at least a lower portion of an inside surface wall of the hopper, the paddle member extending upwardly in parallel spaced relation to the inside surface wall of the hopper from proximate the hopper outlet;
• (e) drive means for rotating the shaft in response to a drive signal, the shaft moving approximately 1 radian per second;
• (f) control means responsive to an external activate signal and to the sensing means for momentarily activating the drive signal during activation of the external signal upon occurrence of activation of the sensing means by absence of flow from the hopper outlet, the drive signal being active for a period of time sufficient to cause the paddle member to move through an angle about the hopper axis, the angle being approximately 90.degree.;
• (g) means for mechanically agitating the paddle member during feeding of the particles, the means for agitating vibrating the paddle member with a displacement of from 0.01 inch to 0.1 inch when contacting the particles only during activation of the external signal.