High speed granule delivery system and method

A method of depositing granules in a preselected pattern onto a moving web, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a store of granules having an upper extent and a lower extent above a moving web;
• (b) obtaining a pocket wheel having an axis of rotation and at least one granule pocket formed in a peripheral surface of the pocket wheel;
• (c) locating the pocket wheel above the moving web such that the axis of rotation of the pocket wheel is between the upper extent and the lower extent of the store of granules and a portion of the peripheral surface of the pocket wheel is exposed to the store of granules;
• (d) rotating the pocket wheel to move the at least one pocket into the upper extent of the store of granules such that the pocket collects a charge of granules from the store;
• (e) further rotating the pocket wheel to move the at least one pocket downward into the lower extent of the store of granules such that the granules within the store maintain the charge of granules within the at least one pocket;
• (f) further rotating the pocket wheel until the at least one pocket begins to emerge from the lower extent of the store of granules and as a result of emerging from the lower extent of the store of granules, begins to become exposed to the moving web below;
• (g) further rotating the pocket wheel to move the pocket containing the charge of granules through an inverted orientation above the moving web;
• (h) allowing the charge of granules to fall from the pocket onto the moving web as the pocket moves through the inverted orientation;
• and
• (i) repeating steps (d) through (h) to deposit successive charges of granules onto the moving web.