Rotary flow control device for bag filling machines

An auger feed container filling apparatus comprising:

• a supply hopper having an inlet and an outlet;
• a fill tube having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the fill tube being coupled to the outlet of the supply hopper;
• an auger comprising a shaft and at least one section of flights disposed within the fill tube;
• a rotary flow control mechanism coupled to the lower end of the fill tube, the rotary flow control mechanism comprising:
• a stationary plate coupled fixedly to the lower end of the fill tube, the stationary plate having a plurality of flow openings and a central bore formed therethrough, the flow openings being bounded by and defined at least in part by a plurality of ribs;
• a rotary plate coupled to the shaft of the auger such that the rotary plate is positioned adjacent the stationary plate opposite the lower end of the fill tube, the shaft of the auger passing through the central bore of the stationary plate, the rotary plate having formed therethrough a plurality of fill openings, the flow openings being bounded by and defined at least in part by a plurality of ribs, the flow openings of the rotary plate and the stationary plate being constructed and arranged such that as the rotary plate rotates in relation to the stationary plate, the flow openings of the respective plates will at least partially become aligned so as to allow the flow of a particulate material being conveyed by the auger through the respective plates of the rotary flow control device, the action of the auger against the rotary flow control device being such that the particulate material is compacted to a degree that limits the incidence of particulate material from falling from the fill tube when the auger is not operational;
• and,
• a bag support and handling mechanism constructed and arranged to support a bag adjacent the rotary flow control device for filling.

A rotary flow control device for a container filling system comprising:

• a stationary plate having a plurality of flow openings formed therethrough, the flow openings being separated by a plurality of ribs, the stationary plate being coupled to a discharge end of a fill tube of the container filling system so as to create a flow obstruction of sufficient magnitude to at least partially compact a particulate material flowing through the fill tube;
• a plurality of baffles affixed to an upper surface of the ribs of the stationary plate, said baffles simultaneously compacting and directing the particulate materials into the flow openings of the stationary plate;
• and,
• a rotary plate coupled to the container filling system and disposed adjacent the stationary plate and having a plurality of flow openings formed therethrough, the rotary plate being constructed and arranged to rotate with respect to the stationary plate in such a manner that the flow openings formed through the rotary plate periodically come into alignment with the flow openings of the stationary plate, thereby allowing the compacted particulate material to flow through the respective flow openings, the rotation of the rotary plate acting to shear off portions of the particulate material that has flowed through the respective flow openings of the stationary and rotary plates.