Hopper door assembly and method for feeding bulk metal objects from a hopper
AssigneeSperling Railway Services, Inc.
InventorFred S. Sperling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for feeding bulk metal objects from a hopper supported by a frame. The hopper includes side panels that taper downwardly to form an interior chamber therebetween with upper and lower openings. Doors are hingedly attached to the side panels adjacent the lower opening and are opened and closed by piston and cylinder combinations pivotally attached to the frame and pivotally attached to members extending downwardly from the doors. Arms extend from the doors into the interior chamber to facilitate the movement of the metal objects in the hopper toward the lower opening to feed through the doors. Vibrations created by various movements of the doors also help move the metal objects toward the lower opening.
Claims20
A door assembly for feeding bulk items from a hopper;
- the hopper being supported by a frame and having panels defining a lower opening;
- the assembly comprising:
- a pair of doors each adapted to be hingedly connected to the hopper;
- a pair of linear actuators each having a first end and a second end, each first end pivotally connected to a respective door and each second end pivotally connected to one of the frame and hopper;
- at least one arm extending from at least one of the doors into the hopper;
- the arm being adapted to move with the door to help feed items from the hopper through the lower opening.
A door assembly for feeding bulk items from a hopper;
- the hopper having a sidewall that defines a lower opening;
- the door assembly comprising:
- first and second opposed doors pivotally connected to the sidewall, the doors movable between open and closed positions;
- the lower opening being closed when the doors are closed;
- the lower opening being open when the doors are open;
- and
- at least one arm connected to at least one of the doors;
- the at least one arm extending into the hopper when the doors are closed.
A method for feeding bulk items from a hopper comprising the steps of:
- providing a door assembly for feeding bulk items from a hopper;
- the hopper having a sidewall that defines a lower opening;
- the door assembly comprising:
- first and second opposed doors pivotally connected to the sidewall, the doors movable between open and closed positions;
- the lower opening being closed when the doors are closed;
- the lower opening being open when the doors are open;
- and
- at least one arm connected to at least one of the doors;
- the at least one arm extending into the hopper when the doors are closed
- providing items in bulk;
- placing at least some of the items in the hopper;
- and
- opening the doors at least partially to release at least one of the items through the lower opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.