Method of and apparatus for assembling accumulations of particulate materials

Apparatus for making batches of comminuted material, comprising a batch gathering unit including a receptacle for comminuted material;

• and means for transporting comminuted material into said receptacle, including a substantially funnel-shaped array of at least intermittently driven endless flexible non-suction elements.

A method of making batches of comminuted material, comprising the steps of establishing and maintaining a supply of comminuted material within a substantially funnel-shaped array of driven endless flexible elements;

• and transporting comminuted material from said supply into a receptacle of a batch gathering unit, said transporting step including the steps of at least intermittently driving at least one first flexible element of the array in a first direction at least substantially toward said receptacle, and at least intermittently driving at least one second flexible element of the array in a second direction at least substantially away from said receptacle.

A method of making batches of comminuted material, comprising the steps of establishing and maintaining a supply of comminuted material within a substantially funnel-shaped array of driven endless flexible elements;

• loosening the supply within the array, including agitating the comminuted material of the supply by a rotary eccentric loosening implement;
• and transporting comminuted material from said supply into a receptacle of a batch gathering unit by said array of driven endless flexible elements.

Apparatus for making batches of comminuted material, comprising a batch gathering unit including a receptacle for comminuted material;

• and means for transporting comminuted material into said receptacle, including a substantially funnel-shaped array of at least intermittently driven endless flexible elements which define a compartment for a supply of comminuted material, and at least one drive for said flexible elements, said at least one drive including means for at least intermittently driving at least one first flexible element of said array in a first direction at least substantially toward said receptacle, and means for at least intermittently driving at least one second flexible element of said array in a second direction at least substantially away from said receptacle.

Apparatus for making batches of comminuted material, comprising a batch gathering unit including a receptacle arranged to accumulate a quantity of comminuted material;

• means for transporting comminuted material into said receptacle, including a substantially funnel-shaped array of at least intermittently driven endless flexible elements, said unit further including means for evacuating batches of comminuted material from said receptacle with attendant depletion of of the quantity of comminuted material in the receptacle;
• and means for monitoring the quantity of comminuted material in said receptacle and for activating a drive for said flexible elements to transport comminuted material into said receptacle in response to depletion of the quantity of comminuted material in the receptacle to a predetermined minimum value.

Apparatus for making batches of comminuted material, comprising a batch gathering unit including a receptacle for comminuted material;

• means for varying the capacity of said receptacle;
• and means for transporting comminuted material into said receptacle, including an at least substantially funnel-shaped array of at least intermittently driven endless flexible elements.

A method of making batches of comminuted material, comprising the steps of establishing and maintaining a supply of comminuted material within a substantially funnel-shaped array of driven endless flexible elements;

• and transporting comminuted material from said supply into a receptacle of a batch gathering unit, said transporting step including the steps of at least intermittently driving at least one first flexible element of the array in a first direction at least substantially toward said receptacle, and at least intermittently driving at least one second flexible element of the array in a second direction other than said first direction, said step of at least intermittently driving the at least one first flexible element including causing the at least one first flexible element to advance from a higher level to a lower level and said step of at least intermittently driving the at least one second flexible element including causing the at least one second flexible element to advance comminuted material from a lower level to a higher level.

Apparatus for making batches of comminuted material, comprising a batch gathering unit including a receptacle for comminuted material;

• and means for transporting comminuted material into said receptacle, including a substantially funnel-shaped array of at least intermittently driven endless flexible elements which define a compartment for a supply of comminuted material, and at least one drive for said flexible elements, said at least one drive including means for at least intermittently driving at least one first flexible element of said array in a first direction at least substantially toward said receptacle, and means for at least intermittently driving at least one second flexible element of said array in a second direction other than said first direction, said means for at least intermittently driving said at least one first flexible element including means for causing said at least one first flexible element to advance comminuted material of said supply from a higher level to a lower level and said means for at least intermittently driving said at least one second flexible element including means for causing said at least one second flexible element to advance comminuted material from a lower level to a higher level.