Rotary air lock feeder with improved material intake and discharge

A rotary air lock feeder for delivering a material, comprising:

• a cylinder having a central axis, wherein said cylinder comprises a pair of opposing end walls, one of said end walls comprising an outlet port, said outlet port defined by an outermost lengthwise edge defined by an increasing radius relative to said axis, an innermost lengthwise edge defined by a constant radius relative to said axis, and a pair of widthwise edges;
• a plurality of vanes extending radially outward to rotate in said cylinder about said axis, each of said widthwise edges substantially parallel to said vanes as each said vane passes each said widthwise edge;
• a hopper communicating with said cylinder through an inlet located in an upper portion of said cylinder, said hopper comprising a pivotally mounted surface for deflecting material within said hopper, said surface having a distal end extending downward towards said cylinder;
• at least one offset opening extending from said upper portion of said cylinder along a side of a vertical plane extending from said axis, said at least one offset opening communicating with said cylinder intermittently providing inter-chamber communication at said offset opening;
• and
• a pathway at least partially defining a communication path between the interior and exterior of said feeder without passing through said outlet port, said hopper defining a portion of said pathway where said pathway leads into the interior of said cylinder and said cylinder defining a portion of said pathway where said pathway leads through said offset opening.