Dispensing – Jarring and/or vibrating – Bottom forming member reciprocable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-10-02
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Jarring and/or vibrating
Bottom forming member reciprocable
C222S504000, C222S507000, C222S559000, C222S564000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296152
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to material handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for controlling the discharge of flowable material from a store thereof, such as a silo or an intermediate bulk container.
GB-A-2084969 discloses apparatus for controlling the discharge of flowable material from a store having a discharge opening near a lower end thereof. The apparatus comprises a closure device in the form of a cone valve mounted internally of the discharge opening, a pneumatic actuator in the form of a bellows device for moving the closure device vertically between a position in which the opening is fully closed and a position in which the opening is open for flow of material therethrough, and a vibrator adjacent to the closure device for vibrating the closure device to assist flow of material through the discharge opening. The apparatus also includes guide rods for guiding the closure device and adjustable and lockable bushes on the guide rods to limit the height of the lift to suit different powder characteristics and required flow rates. This type of apparatus is now in common use for controlling the discharge of flowable material such as powder or other particulate material.
It has become increasingly important in all processing industries that powders or other particulate materials used are contained within storage and processing vessels without contamination of the material, the outside environment or personnel and without cross contamination with other material or products. This is difficult to achieve with the aforementioned apparatus as all the working parts are within the process vessel and it has to be assembled with extreme care to ensure that nooks and crannies are minimised and there is no leakage through joints.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for controlling the discharge of flowable material from a store thereof, comprising a hollow support member, a through-flow device slidable within the hollow support member, a closure operating member movable upwardly together with the through-flow device for opening a closure device to allow material to flow from the store into the through-flow device and actuator means between the hollow support member and the through-flow device for moving the through-flow device and the closure operating member relative to the hollow support member.
With such apparatus it is possible to avoid the use of mechanisms within the flow path of the material and it is, therefore, far easier to avoid contamination of the flowable material, the environment and personnel.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for controlling the discharge of flowable material from a store thereof, comprising a closure device, means defining a discharge opening closable by the closure device, pneumatic actuator means for moving the closure device relative to the discharge opening defining means, means for operating the actuator means so as to move the closure device to a required position relative to the discharge opening defining means and means for pulsing the actuator means so as to oscillate the closure device about said set position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4691843 (1987-09-01), Dunan
patent: 4823987 (1989-04-01), Switall
patent: 0645325 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 685371 (1953-01-01), None
patent: 2151214 (1985-07-01), None
Buechner Patrick
Shoap Allan N.
Young & Thompson
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