Stirrer for a hopper

A stirrer for stirring a mass of dry particulate material in a hopper, the hopper having first and second oppositely-disposed end walls defining in part a funnel of the hopper, the stirrer comprising:

• a rotatable shaft having a first end adjacent the first end wall and a second end adjacent the second end wall, the shaft being laterally disposed and rotatably supported above the funnel;
• a first and second set of end blades affixed to the shaft, each set of end blades including two oppositely disposed and generally symmetrical end blades, the first set of end blades positioned proximate the first end of the shaft, the second set of end blades positioned proximate the second end of the shaft, and the first and second sets of end blades being generally inclined relative to the shaft such that when the shaft is rotated, the first set of end blades has a path of travel adjacent and generally parallel to the first end wall of the hopper and the second set of end blades has a path of travel adjacent and generally parallel to the second end wall of the hopper;
• a first and second set of intermediate blades affixed to said shaft between the first and second sets of end blades, each set of intermediate blades including 4 intermediate blades forming a cross and aligned to form substantially 60.degree. angles with respect to the shaft, the first set of intermediate blades having ends that sweep proximate the second end wall of the hopper, the second set of intermediate blades having ends that sweep proximate the first end wall of the hopper, and the first and second sets of intermediate blades forming oblique angles with respect to the shaft;
• wherein, when the shaft is rotated, the first and second sets of end blades and the first and second sets of intermediate blades have paths of travel that define a first volume substantially co-extensive with a second volume located between the first and second ends of the shaft, and the paths of travel of the first and second sets of intermediate blades intersect to render the mass of particulate material free-flowing when the particulate material is being withdrawn from the container.

A stirrer for conditioning the bulk density of a mass of dry particulate material in a feeder apparatus having a hopper with two planar, oppositely-disposed end walls defining in part the funnel of the hopper, comprising:

• a rotatable shaft adapted to be laterally disposed and rotatably supported above the funnel, the shaft having first and second ends;
• two sets of end blades affixed to said shaft, each such set being proximate to a different end of the shaft, each end blade being inclined so as to be generally parallel to an adjacent hopper end wall when the shaft is rotated to place the end blade proximate to the adjacent end wall;
• and
• two evenly spaced-apart sets of intermediate blades affixed to said shaft between said sets of end blades, each set of intermediate blades forming a cross and including two pairs of oppositely disposed intermediate blades of equal length forming angles of substantially 60.degree. with respect to the shaft, and at least one intermediate blade in each set of intermediate blades having an end that sweeps proximate to an adjacent hopper end wall;
• wherein the end blades and intermediate blades sweep paths of travel defining a first volume that is substantially coextensive with a second volume located between the first and second ends of the shaft, each blade in the stirrer being beveled and sweeping proximate to a hopper wall, the blades arranged so that viewing from one end of the shaft into the shaft, the set of end blades are 90.degree. offset to each other, the sets of intermediate blades are 45.degree. offset to each other, and a set of end blades is 45.degree. offset to an adjacent set of intermediate blades, and the paths of travel of different sets of intermediate blades intersect to render the mass of particulate material free-flowing and have uniform bulk density when the particulate material is being withdrawn from the hopper.

A dry particulate material feeding apparatus comprising:

• a hopper having walls including two planar, oppositely disposed end walls defining in part a funnel of the hopper, the hopper defining a first volume;
• an auger housing positioned below the hopper for receiving dry particulate material from the hopper, the auger housing including an inlet end and a discharge end;
• a rotatable shaft laterally disposed and rotatably supported above the funnel and generally perpendicular to the hopper end walls;
• two sets of end blades affixed to said shaft, each set being proximate to a different end of the shaft, each end blade being inclined so as to be generally parallel to an adjacent hopper end wall when the shaft is rotated to place the end blade proximate to the adjacent end wall;
• two evenly-spaced sets of intermediate blades affixed to said shaft between said sets of end blades, each set of intermediate blades comprising at least one pair of blades forming an oblique angle with respect to the shaft, and at least one intermediate blade having an end that sweeps proximate to an adjacent hopper end wall;
• a support positioned on and rigidly connected to the hopper above the funnel for rotatably supporting the stirrer;
• a motor connected to one end of said shaft for supplying mechanical energy to turn said stirrer on an axis of the shaft;
• and
• an auger member rotatably disposed in the auger housing for urging the dry particulate material from the inlet end of the auger housing toward the discharge end of the auger housing;
• wherein the intermediate blades and end blades together sweep paths of travel that define a second volume that is substantially coextensive with the first volume defined by the hopper, and the paths of travel of different sets of intermediate blades intersect to render the mass of particulate material free-flowing when the dry material is being withdrawn from the hopper.

A stirrer for stirring a mass of normally free-flowing, dry, particulate material comprising:

• an open ended container through which the particulate material flows, the container having a portion defining a first volume;
• a rotatable shaft mounted in the container;
• a first and second set of end blades driven by the shaft;
• and
• a first and second set of intermediate blades driven by the shaft and positioned between the first and second sets of end blades, the first and second sets of intermediate blades forming oblique angles with respect to the shaft and defining paths of travel which intersect to agitate the mass of particulate material into a free-flowing state as the particulate material flows through the container;
• wherein, at least one of the end blades and intermediate blades is beveled, and the end blades and intermediate blades together sweep paths of travel defining a second volume substantially coextensive with the first volume defined by the container.