Quick reacting air spreader apparatus

In a system for distributing particulate solids, said system including a reservoir containing said particulate solids to be distributed and a vertical auger for conveying said particulate solids from said reservoir, said vertical auger having a housing and a generally continuous auger flighting rotatably mounted within said housing such that rotation of said generally continuous auger flighting transports said particulate solids in an upstream direction, the improvement comprising:

• at least one baffle pivotally connected to the generally continuous auger flighting at a predetermined position and orientation such that said at least one baffle moves between a closed position obstructing the passage of the particulate solids through the housing of the vertical auger and an open position, wherein pressure exerted by the movement of the particulate solids through the housing of the vertical auger in the upstream direction pivots said at least one baffle to said open position permitting passage of the particulate solids past said at least one baffle, and movement of the particulate solids through the housing of the vertical auger in a downstream direction exerts pressure against said at least one baffle to pivot said at least one baffle to said closed position, thereby blocking further downstream movement of the particulate solids disposed upstream of said at least one baffle.