Pneumatic conveyor for granular materials

Abstract

A pneumatic conveyor for granular materials which includes an apparatus for introducing the material into the entraining air stream. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel having means at its upper end for receiving allotments of material from an unpressurized source. Located within the vessel below the inlet is a feeder of the type having a hopper leading to reciprocating tray. The tray includes a plurality of inclined blades and provides a constant metered flow of the material between the blades to an outlet located adjacent the lower end of the pressure vessel. The lower end of the pressure vessel is connected to a transition throat leading directly to the conveying line through which passes the entraining air stream. The outlet of the feeder is spaced from the opening of the transition throat such that air pressure may pass about the exit and pressurize a lower portion of the pressure chamber outside of the feeder. The air pressure additionally passes through the material within the inside of the feeder to pressurize the upper portion of the pressure vessel. With this arrangement the pressure on each side of the material within the feeder is equal, allowing a normal gravity feed of the material through the hopper. The equalized pressures on the interior and exterior of the feeder aid in preventing damage to the feeder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.