US 5,350,089 AGranted

Feeder for dispensing flowable substances

AssigneeK-Tron Technologies, Inc.

InventorsFriedrich W. Preiser, Kenneth W. Bullivant, Marcel Peyer

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A feeder for dispensing flowable substances and a coupling which causes rotation of the feed screw of the feeder in response to the drive system of the feeder. The feed screw is removable from the feeder, with insertion and removal of the feed screw effected by only axial movement of the feed screw. A torque transmitting member, connected to the drive system, and a torque receiving member, from which the feed screw extends, have complementary non-circular mating surfaces through which the torque from the drive system is imparted to the feed screw. Unintended axial movement of the feed screw is prevented by a locking arrangement between the torque transmitting member and the torque receiving member. The torque transmitting member has a pilot portion which facilitates insertion of the feed screw in the feeder and provides guidance of the feed screw during operation.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A feeder for controllably dispensing a flowable substance comprising:

storage means for holding a flowable substance and having a discharge opening through which said flowable substance is discharged;
a trough positioned to receive said flowable substance discharged from said storage means and having a dispensing opening;
a rotatable feed screw positioned in said trough for advancing said flowable substance discharged from said storage means along said trough to said dispensing opening ;
drive means for providing torque to rotate said feed screw;
and coupling means for imparting torque from said drive means to said feed screw, said coupling means including:
(a) a torque transmitting member connected at a first end to said drive means and having:
(1) a cylindrical pilot portion at a second end of said torque transmitting member opposite from said first end of said torque transmitting member,
(2) a locking member in said pilot portion and radially movable to project radially outward of said pilot portion, and
(3) a drive transmitting portion of non-circular cross-section, and
(b) a torque receiving member having a first end from which said feed screw extends and an axial bore extending from a second end of said torque receiving member opposite from said first end of said torque receiving member, said axial bore having:
(1) a drive receiving portion of non-circular cross-section complementary to said non-circular cross-section of said drive transmitting portion of said torque transmitting member and within which said drive transmitting portion is fitted, and
(2) a cylindrical pilot receiving portion, inward of said drive receiving portion, within which said pilot portion of said torque transmitting member is fitted and having a recess for receiving said locking member of torque transmitting member upon radially outward movement of said locking member.

9 more elements

A coupling unit for imparting torque from a drive system to a feed screw comprising:

a torque transmitting member adapted at a first end for connection to a drive system and having:
(a) a cylindrical pilot portion at a second end of said torque transmitting member opposite from said first end of said torque transmitting member,
(b) a locking member in said pilot portion and radially movable to project radially outward of said pilot portion, and
(c) a drive transmitting portion of non-circular cross-section,
and a torque receiving member having a first end from which a feed screw extends and an axial bore extending from a second end of said torque receiving member opposite from said first end of said torque receiving member, said axial bore having:
(a) a drive receiving portion of non-circular cross-section complementary to said non-circular cross-section of said drive transmitting portion of said torque transmitting member and within which said drive transmitting portion is fitted, and
(b) a cylindrical pilot receiving portion, inward of said drive receiving portion, within which said pilot portion of said torque transmitting member is fitted and having a recess for receiving said locking member of torque transmitting member upon radially outward movement of said locking member.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/055,729Filed 30 Apr 1993
Granted: 27 Sep 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F16B 21/18
With grooves or notches in the pin or shaft: with circlips or like resilient retaining devices, i.e. resilient in the plane of the ring or the…
F16B 7/0413
For rods or tubes being coaxial: for tubes using the innerside thereof
F16D 1/02
Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements: for connecting two abutting shafts or the like
G01F 13/005
For fluent solid material: comprising a screw conveyor

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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