Chip spreader for air-lock feeder

Abstract

By establishing a relatively flat, for example, non-sharply conical, top profile of wood chips in a treatment vessel (such as a chip bin), the chips will be more uniformly steamed or otherwise treated (or have the treatment time of the chips extended) compared to if a conventional sharply conical top profile is established in the treatment vessel. The relatively flat top profile of the chips in the treatment vessel is established by utilizing a plurality (typically at least three, and preferably four or more) individually controlled gates (typically having a substantially polygon shape, such as triangular). The gates are mounted below the inlet of chips into a treatment vessel so to deflect, not significantly affect, or substantially preclude the flow of chips past them into the vessel depending upon the positions of each. An individual actuator is provided for each of the gates, such as a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly, and the actuators are typically automatically controlled either by a controller including a timer, which opens and closes the gates in a predetermined established sequence and for a particular period of time (typically ranging between about one second-ten minutes), and/or utilizing a sensor for sensing the level of material in the treatment vessel (for example a plurality of sensors disposed around the treatment vessel for sensing the top profile of the pile of chips in the vessel).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.