US 5,829,649 AGranted

Apparatus for conditioning and dispensing loose fill insulation material

AssigneeWestern Fibers, Inc.

InventorPaul H. Horton

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Abstract

A machine for conditioning and dispensing loose fill insulation material, such as cellulosic insulation, fiber glass insulation and rock wool insulation. The machine includes a hopper, a conditioning chamber, an air lock and a blower for pneumatically dispensing the material. The conditioning chamber is equipped with three rotating shafts with helically arranged spikes which serve as conveyors as well as dispersers. A lower conveyor shaft moves the material toward the opening into the air lock, while the two uppermost conveyor shafts move the material in the opposite direction. Thus, the same assembly which conveys the material to the air lock also conditions the material. Moreover, the counter current flow pattern churns or agitates the insulation material while the individual spikes disperse it. A single motor drives the rotation of the conveyor shafts and the rotation of the vanes in the air lock.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A machine for conditioning and dispensing loose fill insulation material, comprising:

a hopper for receiving unconditioned insulation material;
a conditioning apparatus for receiving the unconditioned insulation material from the hopper and for conditioning the insulation material;
a dispensing assembly for receiving the conditioned insulation material from the conditioning apparatus and for dispensing the conditioned insulation material to an applicator;
and
wherein the conditioning apparatus comprises:
a housing for containing the insulation material, the housing having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top continuous with the hopper and defining an entry opening, and a bottom continuous with the dispensing assembly and having a length defined by the distance between the first and second ends;
a movable partition in the bottom of the housing adapted to form an adjustable exit opening whereby the flow of conditioned insulation material from the housing into the dispensing assembly is controlled, the exit opening having a length less than the length of the bottom of the housing;
a first shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, wherein the first shaft is rotatably mounted and comprises a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern, so that as the first shaft is rotated the spikes disperse the insulation material and convey the insulation material toward the exit opening in the bottom of the housing;
a second shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the second shaft being parallel to but a distance above the first shaft, wherein the second shaft is rotatable mounted and comprises a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern, so that as the second shaft is rotated the spikes disperse the insulation material and convey the insulation material away from the exit opening in the bottom of the housing;
and
a drive assembly for driving the rotation of the first and second shafts;
wherein the exit opening in the bottom of the housing is spaced a distance between the first and second ends of the housing, and wherein each of the first and second shafts comprises a first longitudinal section extending from the first end to a point over the exit opening and having a first helical pattern, and a second longitudinal section extending from the second end to a point over the exit opening and having a second helical pattern, wherein the first and second helical patterns of the first and second sections of each of said first and second shafts are oppositely oriented so that as the first shaft is rotated the first and second sections convey the insulation material from the first and second ends of the housing toward the exit opening, and so that as the second shaft is rotated the first and second sections convey the insulation material away from the exit opening and toward the first and second ends of the housing.

9 more elements

A machine for conditioning and dispensing loose fill insulation material, comprising:

a hopper for receiving unconditioned insulation material;
a conditioning apparatus for receiving the unconditioned insulation material from the hopper and for conditioning the insulation material;
a dispensing assembly for receiving the conditioned insulation material from the conditioning apparatus and for dispensing the conditioned insulation material to an applicator;
wherein the conditioning apparatus comprises:
a housing for containing the insulation material, the housing having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, an open top continuous with the hopper, and a bottom continuous with the dispensing assembly and having a length defined by the distance between the first and second ends;
a movable partition in the bottom adapted to form an adjustable exit opening whereby the flow of conditioned insulation material from the housing into the dispensing assembly is controlled, the exit opening having a length less than the length of the bottom of the housing;
a first shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the first shaft being mounted for rotation and comprising a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern which forms a left-handed conveyor;
a second shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the second shaft being parallel to but a distance above the first shaft and spaced closer to the first side than the second side of the housing, the second shaft being mounted for rotation and comprising a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern to form a right-handed conveyor;
a third shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the third shaft being parallel to but a distance above the first shaft and spaced closer to the second side than to the first side of the housing, the third shaft being mounted for rotation and comprising a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern to form a left-handed conveyor;
wherein the first shaft is rotated in a direction to convey the material towards the exit opening, and wherein the second shaft is rotated to convey the insulation material away from the exit opening and to roll it toward the first side, and wherein the third shaft is rotated to convey the material away from the exit opening and to roll it toward the second side;
and
a drive assembly for driving the rotation of the first, second and third shafts.

9 more elements

A machine for conditioning and dispensing loose fill insulation material, comprising:

a hopper for receiving unconditioned insulation material;
a conditioning apparatus for receiving the unconditioned insulation material from the hopper and for conditioning the insulation material;
a dispensing assembly for receiving the conditioned insulation material from the conditioning apparatus and for dispensing the conditioned insulation material to an applicator;
and
wherein the conditioning apparatus comprises:
a housing for containing the insulation material, the housing having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top continuous with the hopper and defining an entry opening, and a bottom continuous with the dispensing assembly and having a length defined by the distance between the first and second ends;
a movable partition in the bottom of the housing adapted to form an adjustable exit opening whereby the flow of conditioned insulation material from the housing into the dispensing assembly is controlled, the exit opening having a length less than the length of the bottom of the housing;
a first shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, wherein the first shaft is rotatably mounted and comprises a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern, so that as the first shaft is rotated the spikes disperse the insulation material and convey the insulation material toward the exit opening in the bottom of the housing;
a second shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the second shaft being parallel to but a distance above the first shaft and spaced closer to the first side than the second side of the housing, wherein the second shaft is rotatably mounted and comprises a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern, so that as the second shaft is rotated the spikes disperse the insulation material and convey the insulation material away from the exit opening in the bottom of the housing;
a third shaft supported longitudinally in the housing, the third shaft being parallel to but a distance above the first shaft and spaced closer to the second side than to the first side of the housing, wherein the third shaft is rotatably mounted and comprises a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern so that as the third shaft is rotated the spikes disperse the insulation material and convey the insulation material away from the exit opening in the bottom of the housing;
and
a drive assembly for driving the rotation of the first and second shafts.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/224,090Filed 5 Apr 1994 · continuation
Priority: 16 Feb 1993
Granted: 3 Nov 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B05B 7/145
The means for supplying particulate material comprising moving mechanical means: specially adapted for short fibres or chips
B02C 13/10
Disintegrating by mills having rotary beater elements ; Hammer mills: with horizontal rotor shaft and axial flow
B02C 13/20
Disintegrating by mills having rotary beater elements ; Hammer mills: with two or more co-operating rotors
B02C 13/288
Details: ventilating, or influencing air circulation