Angled disk drive apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material

A system for transporting particulate material comprising:

• a housing having a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced downstream from the inlet;
• a duct enclosed in the housing between said inlet and outlet, said duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed friction drive walls movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between said inlet and said outlet, said friction drive walls having a greater surface area for contacting a plurality of particulates than said at least one arcuate wall;
• a shaft for rotating the friction drive walls relative to an axis;
• means for positioning the second friction drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that particulates introduced into said duct at said inlet are compacted downstream of said inlet between said inlet and said outlet sufficiently to form a bridge of particulates spanning the width of said duct;
• and
• a plurality of particulates having properties such that, upon compaction within said duct, said particulates form a bridge which spans the width of said duct, said bridge of particulates engaging said friction drive walls such that the friction forces created by rotation of said friction drive walls transport said particulates within said duct toward said outlet;
• wherein the means for positioning the second friction drive wall includes a gimbal for mounting the second friction drive wall to the shaft.

A system for transporting particulate material comprising:

• a housing having a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced downstream from the inlet;
• a duct enclosed in the housings between said inlet and outlet, said duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed friction drive walls movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between said inlet and said outlet, said friction drive walls having a greater surface area for contacting a plurality of particulates than said at least one arcuate wall;
• a shaft for rotating the friction drive walls relative to an axis;
• means for positioning the second friction drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that particulates introduced into said duct at said inlet are compacted downstream of said inlet between said inlet and said outlet sufficiently to form a bridge of particulates spanning the width of said duct;
• and
• a plurality of particulate having properties such that, upon compaction within said duct, said particulates form a bridge which spans the width of said duct, said bridge of particulates engaging said friction drive walls such that the friction forces created by rotation of said friction drive walls transport said particulates within said duct toward said outlet;
• wherein the means for positioning the second friction drive wall includes means for adjusting the angle of rotation of the second drive wall;
• said system further comprising means for biasing the rotation of the second friction drive wall to be in a plane at an angle less than eighty-eight degrees;
• wherein the means for positioning the second friction drive wall includes a gimbal for mounting the second friction drive wall to the shaft, a gimbal shaft for supporting the gimbal, and a sleeve for supporting the gimbal shaft and wherein the biasing means includes a spring supported by a bolt extending between the sleeve and the housing.

A system for transporting particulate material comprising:

• a housing having a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced downstream from the inlet;
• a duct enclosed in the housing between said inlet and outlet, said duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed friction drive walls movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between said inlet and said outlet, said friction drive walls having a greater surface area for contacting a plurality of particulates than said at least one arcuate wall;
• means for rotating the friction drive walls relative to an axis;
• means for positioning the second friction drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that particulates introduced into said duct at said inlet are compacted downstream of said inlet between said inlet and said outlet sufficiently to form a bridge of particulates spanning the width of said duct;
• and
• a plurality of particulates having properties such that, upon compaction within said duct, said particulates form a bridge which spans the width of said duct, said bridge of particulates engaging said friction drive walls such that the friction forces created by rotation of said friction drive walls transport said particulates within said duct toward said outlet;
• wherein the means for positioning the second friction drive wall includes means for adjusting the angle of rotation of the second drive wall;
• said system further comprising means for biasing the rotation of the second friction drive wall to be in a plane at an angle less than eighty-eight degrees;
• wherein the means for positioning the second drive wall includes a ball joint.

An system for transporting particulate material comprising:

• a housing having a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced from the inlet;
• a duct enclosed in the housing between said inlet and outlet, said duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed action drive walls movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between said inlet and said outlet, said friction drive walls having a greater surface area for contacting a plurality of particulates than said at least one arcuate wall;
• means for rotating the friction drive walls relative to an axis;
• means for adjustably positioning the second friction drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that particulates introduced into said duct at said inlet are compacted downstream of said inlet between said inlet and said outlet sufficiently to form a bridge of particulates spanning the width of said duct;
• and
• a plurality of particulates having properties such that, upon compaction within said duct, said particulates form a bridge which spans the width of said duct, said bridge of particulates engaging said friction drive walls such that the friction forces created by rotation of said friction drive walls transports said particulates within said duct toward said outlet.

A system for transporting a plurality of particles of varying size, said system comprising:

• a housing having a particle inlet for receiving said particles, and a particle outlet for expelling said particles;
• first and second rotatable disks defining first and second friction drive walls spaced apart to define a duct between said inlet and said outlet, said first and second friction drive walls being movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet, for forming a bridge of a plurality of said particles spanning from said first friction drive wall to said second friction drive wall and for moving said bridge of particles within said duct toward said outlet;
• disk support means for supporting said first rotatable disk for rotation about a first axis and for supporting said second rotatable disk for rotation about a second axis directed at an angle relative to the first axis;
• wherein said disk support means comprises a drive shaft extending through each of said first and second disks, said drive shaft defining an axis of rotation in common with said first axis of rotation, wherein said first disk is coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about the axis of the drive shaft and said second disk is pivotally coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about the second axis angled relative to the first axis of rotation.

A system for transporting a plurality of particles of varying size, said system comprising:

• a housing having a particle inlet for receiving said particles, and a particle outlet for expelling said particles;
• first and second rotatable disks defining first and second friction drive walls spaced part to define a duct between said inlet and said outlet, said first and second friction drive walls being movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet, for forming a bridge of a plurality of said particles spanning from said first friction drive wall to said second friction drive wall and for moving said bridge of particles within said duct toward said outlet;
• disk support means for supporting said first rotatable disk for rotation about a first axis and for supporting said second rotatable disk for rotation about a second axis directed at an angle relative to the first axis;
• wherein said disk support means comprises a drive shaft common to both said first and second disks, said drive shaft defining an axis of rotation in common with said first axis of rotation, wherein said first disk is coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about the axis of the drive shaft and said second disk is pivotally coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about the second axis angled relative to the first axis of rotation.

A system for transporting a plurality particles of varying size, said system comprising:

• a housing having a particle inlet for receiving said particles, and a particle outlet for expelling said particles;
• first and second rotatable disks defining first and second friction drive walls spaced part to define a duct between said inlet and said outlet, said first and second friction drive walls being movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet, for forming a bridge of a plurality of said particles spanning from said first friction drive wall to said second friction drive wall and for moving said bridge of particles within said duct toward said outlet;
• disk support means for supporting said first rotatable disk for rotation about a first axis and for supporting said second rotatable disk for rotation about a second axis directed at an angle relative to the first axis;
• wherein said second disk has an outer circumferential surface which is curved in the axial direction of the second disk and said housing defines a surface adjacent said curved outer circumferential surface, said housing surface being curved to substantially align with the curve of said outer circumferential surface so as to allow angular displacement of said second disk axis of rotation and to inhibit particles from passing between said outer circumferential surface and said curved housing surface.

A system for transporting a plurality of particles of varying size, said system comprising:

• a housing having a particle inlet for receiving a generally unorganized flow of said particles, and a particle outlet for expelling said particles;
• first and second friction drive walls spaced apart to define a duct between said inlet and said outlet, said first and second friction drive walls being movable relative to said housing from said inlet towards said outlet, for forming a bridge of a plurality of said particles spanning from said first friction drive wall to said second friction drive wall and for moving said bridge of particles within said duct toward said outlet;
• and
• means for supporting said first drive wall for movement in a first plane from said inlet towards said outlet and for supporting said second drive wall for movement in a second plane from said inlet towards said outlet, said second plane being oriented at an angle relative to the first plane.

A method for transporting a plurality of particles of varying size between a pair of rotatable disks defining first and second drive walls spaced apart to a define a duct, said method comprising the step of:

• supporting the first and second disks for rotation about first and second axes, respectively, wherein the second axis is at an angle relative to the first axis;
• receiving the particles in the duct between the disks;
• rotating the disks about their respective axes of rotation;
• forming a bridge of a plurality of said particles spanning from said first drive wall to said second drive wall, wherein two particles of the plurality of particles which form the bridge define two respective bridge ends;
• frictionally engaging the two ends of the particle bridge with the first and second drive walls, respectively, for moving said bridge of particles within said duct as the disks are rotated.