Screw Patents (Class 198/657)
  • Publication number: 20110198197
    Abstract: A polymer finishing process including: recovering polymer powder from a polymerization reactor; feeding the polymer powder to an inlet of a mass flow screw conveyor and one or more mass measuring devices for determining a mass of polymer powder within at least a portion of the mass flow screw conveyor; measuring at least one of a mass of the polymer powder in the screw conveyor and a combined mass of the screw conveyor and the polymer powder within the screw conveyor with the one or more mass measuring devices; and determining a mass flowrate of polymer powder through the mass flow screw conveyor based on the at least one of the measured mass of the polymer powder in the mass flow screw conveyor and the measured combined mass. A method of controlling a polymerization process using a mass flow screw conveyor is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVATION TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William J. Blickley, Buddy L. Dearth
  • Publication number: 20110173885
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for supplying pulverized feedstock to a gasifier includes a feedstock storage apparatus for storing pulverized feedstock. The feedstock storage apparatus operates at a first pressure. The fuel supply system also includes a mechanical conveyance apparatus linking the feedstock storage apparatus to a fuel distribution apparatus. The mechanical conveyance apparatus is operable to continuously convey the pulverized feedstock from the feedstock storage apparatus to the fuel distribution apparatus at a first flow rate. The fuel distribution apparatus operates at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure. The fuel distribution apparatus includes at least one outlet communicably connected to at least one burner on the gasifier for transferring pulverized feedstock from the fuel distribution apparatus to the at least one burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: HATCH LTD.
    Inventors: William Davey, Michael Trovant
  • Publication number: 20110114451
    Abstract: An auger conveyor is provided that includes a housing, at least one first mounting bracket, at least one second mounting bracket, an auger screw and one or more auger support assemblies. The first mounting bracket has a first landing and the second mounting bracket has a second landing. The first and second mounting brackets are attached to the housing at positions diametrically opposite one another. The auger screw has a rotational axis. The one or more auger support assemblies each have a lateral member connected to a bushing assembly. The auger screw is rotatably mounted relative to the bushing assembly. First and second ends of the lateral member each have a geometry adapted to slidably engage with the first landing and the second landing, respectively. The auger screw and the one or more auger support assemblies are adapted to be received within and removed from the housing as an assembled unit, by insertion/removal through the first end of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: APPLEGATE LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Brian S. Moreland, Bradley A. Miller, Jamie R. Whitesel, R. Duane Brim
  • Patent number: 7934593
    Abstract: The transport device comprises a screw conveyor (5), in a casing (5a) of which a propeller (5b) rotates. The device also comprises an elastic cradle (7), interposed between the casing (5a) of the screw and the propeller (5b), internally of which the propeller (5b) of the screw rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: WAM Industriale S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Passerini, Lamberto Vincenzi
  • Patent number: 7922384
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for transporting sticky and/or wet material in horizontal direction comprising a shaftless spiral or screw having an outside diameter and an inside diameter, a stationary trough having a prismatic shape with at least at its underside a cylindrical part with a liner for supporting the outside diameter of the shaftless spiral or screw, and drive means for rotating the shaftless spiral or screw around a stationary straight centerline, the stationary trough having an inlet opening for receiving transportable material and at its underside an outlet opening for discharging transported material. According to the invention the shaftless spiral or screw is provided over its active length between the inlet opening and the outlet opening along the centreline with a pipe which is rotatable in the inside diameter of the shaftless spiral or screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: M. Linc Inc.
    Inventors: Gerrit Van Voorthuysen, Raymond Newman
  • Publication number: 20110008241
    Abstract: A catalytically activated vacuum distillation system, several novel component parts of said system, a process for producing carbon based products and novel carbon black that is produced from such a system and process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Michael P. Maskarinec, Bart M. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7842228
    Abstract: Disclosed is a continuous refractory ore bioprocessing apparatus for the digestion of metal ore with bacteria. It includes a long trough tank fitted with a screw conveyer that extends along the length of the tank. A shell, having a number of feed ports, covers the screw conveyer. Granules of ore to be bioprocessed pass through the feed ports toward the screw conveyer portion of the reactor wherein the ore is ground by the screw conveyer and is bioprocessed as the screw conveyer rotates to push the ore along the reactor. Gas distribution manifolds are attached to the tank and are configured so that gas may be injected into the tank and onto the surface of the shell so as to encourage agitation of the materials in the tank and in the screw conveyer portion of the bioreactor while discouraging fouling of the shell and clogging of the feed ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Western American Mining Company
    Inventor: Bart Levine
  • Publication number: 20100272519
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for conveying particulate material during the manufacture of patterns in layers, wherein powder is conveyed out of a reservoir into a spreader unit and, if applicable, excess powder fed to the spreader unit is again conveyed back into the reservoir and wherein this conveying takes place in a closed conveying circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Ingo Ederer, Andreas Hartman
  • Patent number: 7811075
    Abstract: A screw 12 for an extruder 10 rotatably supported on the cylinder of the extruder and carrying roll-heated rubber material supplied from a hopper port 13s provided at the rear part of the cylinder 11, wherein the height of the portion of the flight portion 12z of the screw 12 located below the hopper port 13s is set lower than the height of the flight portion 12a on the downstream side of the screw 12, whereby the pulsation of extruded matter can be reduced while maintaining a high discharge rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Bridgestone
    Inventor: Gou Shimada
  • Patent number: 7807048
    Abstract: A tar sand volatilizer system thermally removes petroleum crude oil from tar sands or shale oil. A series of heated augers or thermal screws are used to elevate material temperature gradually using conductive heat transfer. The thermal screws blades and auger case receive a heated fluid. The screws are driven by variable speed drive systems. The unit is sized for any throughput rate desired. Hot clean material discharges into a rotary cooler and re-hydrator unit. The exhaust gases are pulled through a high temperature filter collector for particulate removal. The particulate free petroleum vapor laden hot gas exits the filter house into a multi stage condenser system with water chillers where the vapor temperature is gradually cooled. A microwave upgrader system processes crude oil using catalyst injected microwave technology to produce a diesel like fuel oil in a continuous process stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventor: Jerry R. Collette
  • Patent number: 7729832
    Abstract: A large manipulator with an articulated mast (22) is pivotally connected to a mast base (21) that is rotatable about a vertical axis. The mast (22) comprises at least three mast arms (23 to 27) which are pivotable to a limited extent about horizontal articulated axis (28 to 32) that are located parallel to each other, the pivoting movement being relative to the mast base (21) or an adjacent mast arm (23 to 27) and being performed by means of a respective drive unit (34 to 38). A control unit is provided with coordinate transformer (74, 76) which responds to a given guiding parameter (r) and measured angular values (??) that are determined by means of angle sensors (44 to 48) located on the mast arms (23 to 27). The coordinate transformer (74, 76) does a conversion into movement signals (??v) for the drive units (34 to 38) in accordance with predefined path/slew characteristics, the movement signals being related to the articulation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Putzmeister Concrete Pumps GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Benckert, Kurt Rau
  • Patent number: 7681715
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging material at spaced intervals each provide a conveying tube and a conveying mechanism for moving material from a first end of the tube toward a second opposite end. Discharge openings are provided spaced along the tube at different heights thereon. Openings near the first end are at a higher elevation on the tube than those near the second end, corresponding to downward slope of material upon initial entry and conveyance within the tube. The decreasing elevation of discharge openings and corresponding slope of material act to delay discharge near the first end, by requiring a build up of material height to reach the opening, and hasten discharge near the second end, by eliminating the need to fill drop tubes or metering devices before conveying material further along the tube. This reduces lag time between progressive discharge openings thereby providing more even material distribution therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventor: Dennis L. McMorris
  • Publication number: 20100032264
    Abstract: A releasable coupling, including a first and a second coupling part for transmitting torque, where the first coupling part has a projection which extends in the direction of the geometrical axis of rotation and in the circumferential surface of which a first peripheral groove is embedded, that the second coupling part has a recess which is matched in cross section to a receptacle on the projection and in the circumferential surface of which a second peripheral groove is embedded, that an annular securing element is provided, the securing element being elastically deformable with respect to the contour of its open or closed periphery and, in the separated state of the two coupling parts, being insertable into one or optionally into one of the peripheral grooves and the contour of which, in the separated state of the two coupling parts, projecting out of the peripheral groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventor: Manfred Pottmann
  • Publication number: 20100000843
    Abstract: A screw driven conveyance device has a conveyance carriage driven continuously and smoothly irrespective of the presence of an air space between adjacent screw shafts. Shorter auxiliary screw shafts have a pitch equal to a pitch of the screw shaft and are placed in juxtaposition with the screw shafts. The conveyance carriage has a follower roller engaged with the screw shaft and an auxiliary follower roller engaged with the auxiliary screw shaft by deviating a position in an axial direction of the screw shaft. While the follower roller moves through the air space, the auxiliary follower roller is engaged with the auxiliary screw shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishikawa, Teruaki Nabeta
  • Publication number: 20090272628
    Abstract: Device for vertically upward transportation of particulate materials with a substantially uniform particle size and shape, comprising a substantially vertical pipe with a stirrer arranged concentrically within said pipe with a clearance between the pipe wall and the outer parts of the stirrer, said clearance being at least 1.5 times the smallest uniform particle dimension. Method for vertically upward transportation of particulate materials with a substantially uniform particle size and shape, with the use of said device, comprising i) filling the vertical pipe at least partially with the particulate material having substantially uniform particle size, ii) rotating the stirrer with a velocity adapted to fluidize the particulate material, iii) initiating feed of particulate materials to be conveyed through the feed device, and iv) adjusting the feed rate of the feed device such that fluidization and thereby transportation is maintained in the vertical pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventor: Rolf Birketvedt
  • Publication number: 20090217849
    Abstract: The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel. In another embodiment particles carrying desired agricultural inputs with modified release characteristics are delivered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Kamterter II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Alvin Eastin, David Vu
  • Patent number: 7546812
    Abstract: The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel. In another embodiment particles carrying desired agricultural inputs with modified release characteristics are delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Kamterter II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Alvin Eastin, David Vu
  • Patent number: 7536962
    Abstract: The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel. In another embodiment particles carrying desired agricultural inputs with modified release characteristics are delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Kamterter II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Alvin Eastin, David Vu
  • Patent number: 7490563
    Abstract: The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel. In another embodiment particles carrying desired agricultural inputs with modified release characteristics are delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kamterter II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Alvin Eastin, David Vu
  • Publication number: 20090008220
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of an apparatus for adding at least one solid or viscous liquid additive, or an additive dispersed in solvent, to a reactor interior of a reactor for preparing crosslinked, finely divided polymers by copolymerizing (a) water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers and (b) from 0.001 to 5 mol %, based on the monomers (a), of monomers comprising at least two polymerizable groups, (c) from 0 to 20 mol %, based on the monomers (a), of water-insoluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, where the apparatus comprises at least one screw for conveying the at least one additive and the at least one screw ends in an addition orifice substantially flush with the inner wall of the reactor interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: BASF AKTIENGESSELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Annemarie Hillebrecht, Uwe Stueven, Leo Van Miert, Dominicus van Esbroeck, Bernd Brian, Siegfried Chszaniecki
  • Publication number: 20080257689
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and dedusting of tablets or like pellets from a tablet press, with a vertically arranged vibration-screw conveyor, which has a lower inlet and an upper outlet, where the screw conveyor has at least two screw channels, to which, in each case, an inlet and an outlet are assigned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Fette GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Romer
  • Publication number: 20080121497
    Abstract: A screw conveyor includes a hollow rotatable shaft having an externally mounted flight extending along a portion of its length. Thermal applicating structure is provided at one end of the shaft for heating or cooling the screw conveyor. A thermosyphon is mounted within the shaft. The thermosyphon includes a hollow tube mounted against and in direct surface to surface contact with the shaft to rotate co-jointly with the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Christopher Esterson, Karl Walinskas
  • Publication number: 20080116039
    Abstract: A material regulating device and a method of regulating wood pieces are disclosed. In some embodiments, the material regulating device may include a base assembly, a housing, an inclining assembly configured to selectively move the housing relative to the base assembly, and a conveying assembly configured to move material pieces toward a discharge outlet and to allow a portion of the material pieces to move back toward a feed inlet such that at least approximately a specified amount of material pieces exits the discharge outlet. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving an unregulated amount of wood pieces, moving at least some of the wood pieces towards a discharge outlet, and allowing a portion of the at least some of the wood pieces to move back toward a feed inlet such that at least approximately a specified amount of wood pieces exits the discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: David Allen Ainsworth
  • Publication number: 20080095599
    Abstract: A transfer vehicle is pulled by a towing vehicle. The transfer vehicle comprises a container and an unloading conveyor. The container serves to receive bulk goods. The unloading conveyor serves to unload the bulk goods located in the container. In order to allow a simple technical construction and a variable drive of the unloading conveyor, an electrical drive is coupled to the unloading conveyor and serves exclusively for driving the unloading conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventor: Klaus Hahn
  • Publication number: 20080073254
    Abstract: A liftings trough for mounting in an interior space of a rotatable member of a length grading machine is defined by walls that are contoured to provide a maximum clearance between the mounted trough and an inlet opening through which grain flows into the interior space of the rotatable member, while maintaining a maximum capacity of the trough to receive granules in a particular size range, which are lifted by pockets located along an interior surface of the rotatable member, when the grain flows into the interior space of the member and the member rotates about the trough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: CARTER DAY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Matthew J. Ernst
  • Patent number: 7311050
    Abstract: The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Kamterter II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Alvin Eastin, David Vu
  • Patent number: 7284577
    Abstract: Damage or deformation of a container in a processing device downstream a convey path is prevented. A filling device includes a filling unit (1), star wheel (2), and timing screw (3). Containers (10) are supplied to the timing screw (3) by a conveyor (6) along a convey path. A container control apparatus includes a control member (11) which controls supply and stop of the containers (10) before the timing screw (3), a driving unit (13) which drives the control member (11), and a sensor (35) which detects a state of the timing screw (3) such as a rotation angle. When the containers (10) are to be stopped, the driving unit (13) controls the control member (11) under the control of a control unit (30) to stop the containers (10) in accordance with a detection result of the sensor (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Breweries Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20070209908
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging material at spaced intervals each provide a conveying tube and a conveying mechanism for moving material from a first end of the tube toward a second opposite end. Discharge openings are provided spaced along the tube at different heights thereon. Openings near the first end are at a higher elevation on the tube than those near the second end, corresponding to downward slope of material upon initial entry and conveyance within the tube. The decreasing elevation of discharge openings and corresponding slope of material act to delay discharge near the first end, by requiring a build up of material height to reach the opening, and hasten discharge near the second end, by eliminating the need to fill drop tubes or metering devices before conveying material further along the tube. This reduces lag time between progressive discharge openings thereby providing more even material distribution therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventor: Dennis L. McMorris
  • Patent number: 7137503
    Abstract: An auger assembly suitable for use with a food separator is provided with a removable brush. The auger assembly includes an auger defining a channel around the crest thereof. A brush is received in the channel and defining a flange at each end thereof. First and second retaining clips are removably attached to opposite ends of the auger, with each retaining clip defining an opening therethrough that receives a respective flange to secure the brush within the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Greg Chesack, Robert Grabhorn
  • Patent number: 6976575
    Abstract: Described is a conveyor for confections having the design that the material is conveyed along a flow path which is essentially free from abrupt detours or direction changes. In the case of utilization of helix rotors as conveyors this occurs in that the helical rotors (3, 11) are mounted respectively on only one of their ends and the discharge column (10, 20) is provided in essentially the axial direction. These columns may be conical and preferably coaxial but in certain cases may also be slightly eccentric to the axis of the helical rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Klockner Hansel Processing GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Koch, José de Vilchez-Kehr, Reinhard Merge Isberg
  • Patent number: 6951273
    Abstract: A poultry chiller 100 has a hanger 140 suspended from the upper portion of the tank 102 that supports the bearing block 160 of the auger shaft 112 between the auger blades. A conical bird deflector 175 is mounted on the auger shaft and radially deflects the birds away from the bearing block as the birds are urged across the bearing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Morris & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory T. Bass
  • Patent number: 6932210
    Abstract: A self-cleaning oscillating conveyor includes a vertical tube and a conveyor channel that is helically wound upwardly around the vertical tube with a corresponding electromagnetic oscillating unit and a casing tube, which surrounds the exterior of the conveyor channel. The chamber between the vertical tube and the casing tube can be sprayed by several nozzles, which penetrate the interior of the vertical tube, or the exterior of the casing tube, with a liquid detergent, sprayed under pressure and using a delivery pump. The cleaning liquid runs onto the collection plate and over the rim thereof into a collection channel having a drain. In a preferred embodiment, semi-tubes, or half-tubes, are longitudinally mounted onto the casing tube in a sealed manner and a row of nozzles penetrates the casing tube from the chamber between the interior of the semi-tubes and the casing tube towards the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Krämer AG Basserdoft
    Inventor: Paul Krämer
  • Publication number: 20040211647
    Abstract: The invention discloses a screw conveyor for the transport of flowable substances and/or lumps of material, comprising a rotatable first screw (1) provided with helical windings (2) arranged in a housing (3) with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said housing (3) comprising an inlet chamber (4) and a pumping chamber (5) between said inlet and outlet openings and at least in the pumping chamber (5) comprising a second screw (6) provided with helical windings (7) and arranged for rotation in the opposite direction of the first screw (1), said screws (1, 6) in said pumping chamber (5) providing a positive displacement pumping function by mutual engagement between the two screws (1, 6) when said rotatable first screw (1) is rotated in a first sense of rotation, and furthermore provided with a cutting device (10, 11) downstream of the pumping chamber and housed within a knife house (13) comprising an internal channel (21), where said knife house (13) is connected to said outlet opening of the screw conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventor: Niels Peter Kofoed
  • Publication number: 20040188226
    Abstract: A poultry chiller 100 has a hanger 140 suspended from the upper portion of the tank 102 that supports the bearing block 160 of the auger shaft 112 between the auger blades. A conical bird deflector 175 is mounted on the auger shaft and radially deflects the birds away from the bearing block as the birds are urged across the bearing block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Gregory T. Bass
  • Publication number: 20040163932
    Abstract: A drain apparatus for the intake end of an auger is disclosed. The drain apparatus comprises a bearing with radial arms, a cover with a cover portion, a drain and a drain cap for removably closing the opening of the drain. The drain apparatus facilitates a clean in place procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Stanley O. Jones
  • Patent number: 6722491
    Abstract: A feeder tube for bulk product, including a tube in which there are inlet openings distributed along the length of the tube. A screw conveyer is disposed axially within the tube. The tube rotates about its axis, the screw conveyer rotates relative to the tube and the feeder tube moves in the lateral direction. Activators form projections on the outer side of the tube and are disposed on the tube near the inlet openings. In each cross-section along at least 40% of the length of the tube, there are at least two inlet openings. At least two activators are also positioned in each cross-section. For a feeder tube having a desired average volumetric capacity (V′) the slot width (d) of the majority of the openings is V′˜dn, wherein n is between 2-3. The total sum of the width (&Sgr;d) of all openings in each-section is between 150-700 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Main Engineering Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Göran Forsberg
  • Patent number: 6722490
    Abstract: A hanger bearing assembly for use in an auger type poultry chiller, the poultry chiller has an auger with a first flight and a second flight both secured to an auger shaft, the first flight having a first flange plate and the second flight having a second flange pate. A bearing disk is secured between the first flange plate and the second flange plate. A bearing block disposed about the bearing disk, a lower bearing plate is secured to the poultry chiller, and the lower bearing plate has a support segment configured to receive the bearing block. An upper bearing plate configured to receive the bearing block. The upper bearing plate is secured to the lower bearing plate, thereby maintaining the bearing block adjacent the bearing disk and securing the auger to the lower bearing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Morris & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory T. Bass
  • Patent number: 6722489
    Abstract: A dry bulk unloading apparatus for transferring bulk material from a storage facility to a transport vehicle includes a pair of pivotally interconnected upper and lower screw conveyors. The upper screw conveyor is pivotally connected at its receiving end on a vertical axis to the storage facility and is pivotally connected at its discharge end on a vertical axis to the receiving end of a lower screw conveyor. The conveyors each have an auger driven by an electric motor and electric motors are provided to pivot the upper screw conveyor relative to the storage facility and to pivot the lower screw conveyor relative to the upper screw conveyor. A hand held controller may be used for remote control of the electric motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Aluminum Ladder Company
    Inventor: Anthony J. Cook
  • Patent number: 6685053
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing ice in a container and dispensing ice from the container is provided in the form of a storage bin, having ice agitating apparatus for engaging ice to loosen the same and to keep ice particles from adhering together in a common mass. An ice dispenser is provided for delivering ice from a lower to an upper end. The ice dispenser and the ice agitator are provided with separate drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Follett Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Blair Hawkes, Brian Wayne Haupt
  • Publication number: 20030183489
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlled conveying of products (2), such as drinks cans or bottles from an intake (3) at a first height level to an outlet (5) at a second height level. The device comprises a substantially vertical conveyor duct (4) which is arranged to contain a plurality of axially stacked products (2), and which forms a transport path from the intake (3) to the outlet (5), a sensor device, arranged to provide a signal expressing that a product has been removed from the outlet (5), conveyor devices, arranged to perform a repeatable convey cycle for controlled conveying of a product to the outlet, and a control device, arranged to implement the convey cycle on the basis of the said signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventor: Per Sorensen
  • Patent number: 6591974
    Abstract: A spout is used for confining the grain flow from an auger. The auger may be a combine, grain cart unloading auger or a grain auger. The spout includes a chute that mounts on the auger tube. An overflow opening in the chute allows grain or other matter to flow out of the spout if the outlet of the chute is plugged. This prevents filling and overloading of the auger and consequent auger damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventors: Darcy Tofin, Leslie G. Hill
  • Patent number: 6540067
    Abstract: An ice transporting assembly transports ice and includes a sleeve and a tapered auger. The sleeve defines a frusto-conically shaped channel with an inlet having an inlet diameter and an outlet having an outlet diameter less than the inlet diameter. The tapered auger is mounted for rotation within the sleeve and is sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel. Ice at the inlet is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel and out of the outlet by rotating the tapered auger about a rotational axis. Another embodiment of the ice transporting assembly includes a reducing sleeve having an upstream conduit section with an upstream conduit diameter, a downstream conduit section with a downstream conduit diameter less than the upstream conduit diameter and a tapered conduit interposing the upstream conduit section and the downstream conduit section. The tapered conduit defines a tapered channel that receives the tapered auger in positional agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hoshizak America, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sellers, Hiroyuki Sugie
  • Publication number: 20030047422
    Abstract: Described is a conveyor for confections having the design that the material is conveyed along a flow path which is essentially free from abrupt detours or direction changes. In the case of utilization of helix rotors as conveyors this occurs in that the helical rotors (3, 11) are mounted respectively on only one of their ends and the discharge column (10, 20) is provided in essentially the axial direction. These columns may be conical and preferably coaxial but in certain cases may also be slightly eccentric to the axis of the helical rotors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Bernhard Koch, Jose de Vilchez-Kehr, Reinhard Merge Isberg
  • Publication number: 20020060134
    Abstract: A drive member has a spiral magnetic coupling in its upper surface configured from a N pole spiral and a S pole spiral. A carrier can slidably move in the shaft direction to pass through a point that is a fixed distance from the upper surface of the drive member, and a magnetic coupling is provided at an interval the same as the interval between the N pole spiral and the S pole spiral of the spiral magnetic coupling. The carrier is moved directly by the rotational operation of the drive member. The arranged interval (d) of the drive member along a conveying path is a positive integer multiple of twice the interval (p) between the N pole spiral and S pole spiral of the spiral magnetic coupling. The carrier can be moved smoothly and without interruption, even though a transfer part divides the magnetic carrying path between successive chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Nobuhito Miyauchi, Terushige Takeyama, Takashi Shiba
  • Patent number: 6368555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for treating contaminated materials, specially infected materials, which are fed to endless screws (5, 12) via a feed hopper (2) and are heated, disinfected or sterilized in addition to being discharged through an ejection system (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Inventor: Helmut Goeldner
  • Patent number: 6330767
    Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently removing grain from a grain storage device, which uses a plurality of augers. An unloading auger is used to begin removal of grain from a grain storage device. As the amount of grain decreases, a proximity sensor sends an activation signal to a cross auger that rests horizontally on the bottom of the grain storage device. The cross auger will pull the remaining grain to the entry point of an unloading auger. The unloading auger then removes the grain from the grain storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian W. Carr, Donald F. Handorf, Scott Sporrer, Ryan D. Jensen, Nick Merfeld, Mark D. Mathis
  • Patent number: 6098788
    Abstract: A seamless micromechanical object is cast by forming a multilevel mold, filling the mold, and selectively removing the mold with respect to the micromechanical object. The mold can have a first level having a first opening therein, and a second level on the first level, the second level having a second opening therein, the second opening smaller than the first opening. The object may contain a controlled void, for example a micromechanical auger with a void formed therethrough to be used as a capillary to drain off fluids when the auger is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nancy Anne Greco, Ernest Norman Levine, Michael F. Lofaro, James Gardner Ryan
  • Patent number: 5996770
    Abstract: Screw feeders are disclosed including a conical feed screw rotatably disposed in a conical screw tube, and a drive shaft mounted at one end of the conical feed screw with a pair of bearings mounting the drive shaft, a fixed ring mounted on the drive shaft, and an axially adjustable sleeve mounted on the drive shaft, with the pair of bearings disposed between the fixed ring and the axially adjustable sleeve in order for the pair of bearings to be pretensioned therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sunds Defibrator Industries AB
    Inventor: Olof Kjellqvist
  • Patent number: 5980153
    Abstract: A telescoping auger shaft is provided that distributes slurry material throughout a spreader box of variable width in a paving system. The telescoping auger shaft comprises a first shaft positioned coaxially with and engaging a second shaft such that the second shaft is operable to extend with respect to the first shaft while remaining engaged with the first shaft. The two shafts can form a combined shaft of variable length. The telescoping auger shaft further comprises two sections of auger flighting, one coupled to the first shaft and one coupled to the second shaft. The two sections of auger flighting are operable to distribute slurry material in a spreader box when the first shaft and the second shaft are rotated. The first shaft includes a guide portion. A guide element is coupled to second shaft and engages with the guide portion. When the second shaft is extended with respect to the first shaft, the guide element can cause the second shaft to rotate with respect to the first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Akzo Nobel Asphalt Applications, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Dean Plemons, Calvin Lynn Stegemoeller
  • Patent number: 5881649
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic transfer system capable of smoothly delivering a carrier between chambers by providing a independently-rotating carrier-feed driving shaft for each chamber without using a synchronous control mechanism and used for a semiconductor fabrication equipment or the like provided with a plurality of chambers. The magnetic transfer system is provided with a rotational driving member which is divided into two portions serving as a fixed driving shaft and a movable driving shaft in the axial direction and in which the fixed driving shaft is secured to a shaft core member and the movable driving shaft is set to the shaft core member so as to be limited in the rotational direction but so as to be freely movable in the axial direction at a certain width, and spiral magnetic coupling sections are formed on the surface of each driving shaft at the same pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Hasegawa, Naoyuki Suzuki, Tomoaki Abe