Abstract: A manually moveable filter shaker for a drum-style vacuum cleaner with a drum lid and a filter bag mounted below the drum lid. The filter shaker includes a shaker handle operable from outside of the drum lid and extending through an elastically deformable pressure-tight through-hole in the drum lid and into the filter bag having a contoured bottom. The shaker handle extends to the bottom of the filter bag. Guide template control the manual movement of the shaker handles such that the shaker handle shakes the filter bag loosening accumulated debris.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing granular material, such as flux powder to a mold for continuous casting of metal, has an intermediate chamber, a dispensing hopper, and a conduit communicating the interior of the chamber to the interior of the hopper. The conduit has a rotatable auger running through its length, the auger reaching from within the interior space of the chamber into the interior hopper for transferring material from the chamber into the hopper. A dispensing line communicates with a bottom of the hopper at a transfer point for receiving material from the hopper and dispensing the material toward a dispensing end of the line. Pressurized air is supplied to the line, upstream of the transfer point, and a sealing cap is provided for actuating into sealing engagement with a hopper end of the conduit. A second inlet for pressurized air is provided such that air may be supplied directly into the hopper above the fill line.

Abstract: A manually moveable filter shaker for a drum-style vacuum cleaner with a drum lid and a filter bag mounted below the drum lid. The filter shaker includes a shaker handle operable from outside of the drum lid and extending through an elastically deformable pressure-tight through-hole in the drum lid and into the filter bag having a contoured bottom. The shaker handle extends to the bottom of the filter bag. Guide template control the manual movement of the shaker handles such that the shaker handle shakes the filter bag loosening accumulated debris.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for pre-conditioning the materials in a bulk bag to effect easier unloading of the materials. A frame is provided with an open space for receiving the bulk bag. A series of spaced-apart, opposing breaker bars is provided for automatic thrusting against the sides of the bags to break up compacted material. The bars preferably have an angled profile. Parallel pairs of opposing horizontal bars are provided, evenly spaced from the bottom; and preferably a single opposing vertical pair is provided on the opposite sides. The pairs of bars are operated, by thrusting into the sides of the bag, in a timed sequence, to effect break up of the material. Additionally, a series of bars may be provided on the bottom of the frame, such that a break up effect is achieved against the material residing in the bottom of the bag.

Abstract: A bulk bag unloading station having a frame from which a bag containing powdery, granular or fibrous material and having a bottom spout, may be suspended; a base plate with an opening; and a mechanism above the base plate for intermittently shaking a bottom portion of the bag to aid the flow of material from the spout. The mechanism has a number of liftable petals actuated pneumatically.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated hopper is provided comprising a substantially straight-walled, vertical, cylindrical main tubular body portion provided with an outwardly flared upper portion having an inverted frusto-conical configuration, a top cover having an inlet connectable with a source of vacuum, a filter screen beneath said inlet and separated therefrom by supporting means, a materials inlet beneath said filter screen leading into said hopper near the junction of said tubular body and said flared top portion, a baffle extending from said inlet within said hopper to direct materials downwardly into said tubular body, and a closure valve extending across the entire diameter of the lower discharge end of said tubular body and operable upon demand to open and expose the said entire discharge end to discharge of the material contained in said hopper.