Granular material flow divider

Abstract

Apparatus and method to move granular materials in an even flow by centrifugal force from a rotating surface to a plurality of circumferentially arranged receiving points includes a rotatable inverted cone provided with a peripheral base flange and having an angle of inclination of the cone surface matching the angle of repose for the material to be distributed. Material delivered to the apex of the cone flows by gravity down the cone surface to establish the angle of repose for such material with a toe point at the flange where it comes to rest when the cone is stationary. A cylindrical hopper, to accumulate material from the cone, is vertically adjustably secured to the flange so that the bottom of the hopper is spaced above the flange to define a flow passageway which can be enlarged or reduced by vertical adjustment of the hopper relative to the flange. Rotation of the cone at a relative slow speed creates a sufficient centrifugal impulse at the toe point to initiate material movement at such point over the flange into the receiving points as the angle of repose continually moves to correct itself. The size of the flow passageway provides a means to precisely control the volume of material flow off of said flange at any selected time by not only adjusting such size but also by selectively increasing and decreasing the speed of rotation relative to such adjustments.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.