Multi-flighted notched metering auger

A material feeding system comprising:

• material supply means;
• an auger disposed in said material supply means for driving material to a discharge opening in said supply means;
• a plurality of flights mounted to said auger and terminating at said discharge opening, each of said flights having at least one notch proximate said discharge opening;
• and
• means to rotate said auger.

A material feeding system comprising:

• an auger having a plurality of flights, each of said flights having a flight end;
• means for supplying a material to be fed to said auger;
• means for rotating said auger such that each flight end produces a discharge pulse;
• means for producing at least one additional discharge pulse of material between said pulses produced by said flight ends.

A material feeding system comprising:

• a discharge conduit having a discharge end;
• an auger extending into said discharge conduit for driving material toward said discharge end, said auger comprising;
• a shaft;
• and
• a plurality of flights mounted to said shaft and terminating at said discharge end, each of said flights having at least one notch proximate said discharge end;
• and
• a motor operably engaged to said auger.

A method of feeding a material with an apparatus having a discharge conduit having a discharge end, and an auger extending into said discharge conduit, said auger having a shaft, and a plurality of flights mounted to said shaft terminating at said discharge end, each of said flights having at least one notch proximate said discharge end, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of material to be fed to said auger;
• and
• rotating said auger so as to drive said material through said discharge conduit toward said discharge end and discharging said material from said discharge end in a plurality of pulses,
• wherein the number of pulses produced is greater than the number of flights.