Abstract: An apparatus for transporting particulate material includes a housing having an inlet for receiving particulate material and an outlet through which particulate material is discharged in a moving dynamic mass. A rotor is supported for rotation within the housing, adjacent a stationary glide surface. The rotor has a plurality of disks spaced apart by hub sections and defining a plurality of transport channels between the disks, adjacent the glide surface. Each transport channel extends between the inlet and the outlet. The rotor is rotated while particulate material is fed into the housing inlet. The particulate material is received within the transport channels and, by the action of the rotating disks and the stationary glide surface, the particulate material in each of the transport channels interlocks with the disk walls and bridges across transport channel. The material is transported by the motion of the disk walls and, at the same time, forms a moving dynamic mass.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for transporting particulate material. A housing includes a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced downstream from the outlet. A duct is enclosed in the housing between the inlet and outlet, the duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed drive walls moveable relative to the housing from the inlet toward the outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between the inlet and the outlet. The drive walls have a greater surface area for contacting the solid material than the arcuate walls. The drive walls rotate relative to an axis. An assembly is provided for positioning the second drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that the distance between the first and second drive walls adjacent the inlet is greater than the distance downstream from the inlet when the drive walls are moving.

Abstract: A solids pump apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material including a transport channel having an inlet and an outlet. The transport channel is formed between substantially opposed faces of first and second rotary discs movable between the inlet and outlet towards the outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between the inlet and outlet. The apparatus further includes an inlet extension and a device provided adjacent the inlet extension for improving the flow of the fine and powdery particulate solids within the apparatus.

Abstract: An improved solids pump apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material including a transport channel having an inlet and an outlet. The transport channel is formed between substantially opposed faces of first and second rotary disks movable between the inlet and outlet towards the outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between the inlet and outlet. The apparatus further includes a device provided adjacent the inlet for preventing a dead area from being formed to thereby provide a constant and uniform flow of the particulate solids within the apparatus.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material including a transport duct having an inlet, an outlet, and at least one moving surface located therebetween having a downstream facing drive surface. The apparatus further includes drive device for moving the moving surface between the inlet and the outlet towards the outlet, and compacting the particulate material sufficiently to cause the formation of a bridge composed of substantially interlocking particulate spanning the width of the transport duct. The apparatus is used to transport and meter particulate material under ambient conditions and against pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material including a transport duct having an inlet, an outlet, and at least one moving surface located therebetween having a downstream facing drive surface. The apparatus further includes a motive device for moving the moving surface between the inlet and the outlet towards the outlet, wherein the particulate material becomes sufficiently compacted to cause the formation of a bridge composed of substantially interlocking particulates spanning the width of the transport duct. The bridging of the particulates causes the particulates to behave as a transient solid mass of particulates, such that the force exerted by the downstream facing drive surface upon particulates within the transport duct drives the entire mass of material through the transport duct towards the outlet. The apparatus is used to transport and meter particulate material under ambient conditions and against pressure.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for transporting and metering particulate material including a transport duct having an inlet, an outlet, and at least one moving surface located therebetween having a downstream facing drive surface. The apparatus further includes a motive device for moving the moving surface between the inlet and the outlet towards the outlet. The particulate material being compacted sufficiently to cause the formation of a bridge composed of substantially interlocking particulates spanning the width of the transport duct. The bridging of the particulates causes the particulates to become semi-hydrostatic in nature such that the force exerted by the downstream facing drive surface upon particulates within the transport duct drives the entire mass of material through the transport duct towards the outlet. The apparatus is used to transport and meter particulate material under ambient conditions and against pressure.

Abstract: Position detecting apparatus having a target comprising radiation emitting eans for emitting radiation to define four points in non-planar relationship such that a first set of three of the points lies in a first target plane while a second set of three of the points lies in a second target plane which may for example be substantially normal to the first target plane; a camera having a focal plane on which images of objects presented to the camera are formed, the camera being arranged for viewing said target, and being provided at said focal plane with a two-dimensional array of photo sensitive elements which can receive radiation from the radiation emitting means of the said target; and a computer arranged to scan said two dimensional array to generate signals indicative of the position of images of the radiation emitting means on the array, whereby the position of the target, and hence of an object to which it is attached, may be determined in relation to a selected reference plane.