Abstract: We disclose an apparatus for maintaining a flow of grain moving toward a rotating sweep conveyor. A rake extends longitudinally along the sweep. The rake is disposed along the leading sidewall of the sweep such that the rake is in the path of movement of the sweep as the sweep rotates within the bin. The rake has a plurality of projections that protrude from a shaft. A reciprocating drive assembly is connected to the driven roller and to the shaft. The reciprocating drive assembly causes the shaft to move forward and backward along the longitudinal axis of the sweep. The reciprocating shaft movement causes the projections to engage grain piles in the path of the sweep, causing the pile to collapse into a flowable particulate to be received by the sweep.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising an implement for extracting charges of uniform size of articles from a mass of the articles and delivering the charges to a receiver. The implement has a chamber for receiving the articles to form the charge. The chamber has a mouth through which articles are drawn into the chamber by applying a vacuum to the chamber. The implement then delivers and deposits the charge by releasing the vacuum. The chamber has a vent with an air permeable article barrier for access to a vacuum generator.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising an implement for extracting charges of uniform size of articles from a mass of the articles and delivering the charges to a receiver. The implement has a chamber for receiving the articles to form the charge. The chamber has a mouth through which articles are drawn into the chamber by applying a vacuum to the chamber. The implement then delivers and deposits the charge by releasing the vacuum. The chamber has a vent with an air permeable article barrier for access to a vacuum generator.

Abstract: A flexible bag (10) has an open top configured and arranged for receiving one or more feed tubes (32). The bag (10) preferably includes at least one attachment member (20) adapted and configured to be secured to a support member (47). A fixture (50), (60), (70), (80) is utilized to receive the bag (10).

Abstract: The subject invention relates to a vacuum wand assembly for extracting a product from a container, especially a non-self supporting container that collapses as the product is extracted. The assembly includes a wand for extending into the container and for withdrawing the product therefrom. A vacuum source is connected to the wand for applying a vacuum to extract the product through the wand. A supporting structure supports the wand and is moveable relative to the container for carrying the wand as the product is extracted from the container. The wand is limited in a vertical direction by the supporting structure. This keeps the wand at the pre-determined level relative to the product within the container.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for dispersing and feeding dry powders without using pressurized air are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a sample holder, a suction probe, a vacuum means and a positional means. The suction probe is positioned above dry powders in the sample holder, a space between the suction probe and the sample holder is substantially small that allows non-pressurized ambient air to form an high velocity downward air flow when a vacuum is applied to the suction probe. A change of air flow direction at an orifice of the suction probe generates a high shear force above the dry powders, which disperses the dry powders into an airstream. The apparatus feeds the dry powder airstream to a particle analyzer with a controlled rate. The apparatus and method are particularly useful in sizing particles using laser diffraction or image analysis techniques.

Abstract: A method for loading and unloading of solid substance (6) having high degree of water content of a bulk carrier (5) is disclosed. The bulk carrier (5) has one or more cargo holds (2) receiving the solid substance (6) and the solid substance (6) having such high degree of water content that a layer of liquid (7) is formed above the solid substance (6). The solid substance (6) is being discharged from each cargo hold (2) by means of a suitable pump (15) which is placed on a float (1) being freely moveable on the layer of liquid (7) in the cargo hold (2). The solid substance (6) and water are pumped out of the cargo hold (2) by a predetermined volumetric ratio and water is being fed into the cargo hold (2) by a volumetric rate which substantially correspond with the water rate that is being discharged.

Abstract: An improved extraction apparatus for bulk material containers, in particular for bins (1) filled with a pourable bulk material (3), comprises a suction head which can be lowered onto the bulk material (3). According to the improvement, provision is made for the suction head (10) to be provided with a float (11), floating in or on the bulk material (3), and to be held above it, and for the oscillation control device (35) to be arranged in such a way that the suction head (10) and/or the float (11) can be caused at least indirectly to oscillate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silo unloader which combines the advantages of both a single auger unloader and a double auger unloader and substantially eliminates the disadvantages of both, to create a silo unloader that is very efficient and effective. Only a portion of the unloader's auger arms has dual augers working therewith while the remaining portion has a single auger. The dual auger functionality is positioned at the end of the auger where most freezing and compaction occurs, thus creating a very aggressive auger at this point. Additionally, the blower of the present silo unloader is positioned at an angle above the augers. This allows for the use of an efficient closed bottom blower in a double auger system while also allowing the placement of the two augers substantially next to each other. By placing the two augers in close proximity to one another reduces the overall width of the auger arm, thus creating a more efficient auger arm.

Abstract: A powder dispersing apparatus which can disperse every given amount of sample powder in a gas even when the amount is small, thereby continuously generating dispersed powder or floating powder at a desired concentration.

Abstract: A pipe arrangement (40) consists of two nested pipes (60, 62) and a nozzle head (68, 76) on their bottom ends. This nozzle head is located within the diameter of the pipe arrangement (40) and does not protrude radially beyond its diameter. The pipe arrangement can thus be slipped through a guide opening (7) of a guide device (1) into a container holding powder or can be pulled out completely of the guide opening (7), without a need for disassembly of parts of the device. The guide device (1) contains preferably a container lid (3) that can be set on the container (6). Provided on the pipe arrangement (40) is a stop (44) that can be fastened on said arrangement at various heights and through the adjustment of which the immersion depth of the pipe arrangement (40) in the container can be adjusted.

Abstract: Method and device for suspending an ultrafine powder in a gas wherein a mass of powder to be dispersed in enclosing in a container between an axially movable piston and an axially fixed member adjacent to the ends of the container. The fixed member defines an inner counteracting surface facing the powder to be dispersed and has a peripheral gas inlet passage adjacent to the wall of the container and an axial passage extending out of a first end of the container. The second end of the container has a gas inlet. A first gas flow is injected into the second end of the container to move the piston towards the fixed member, thereby pressing the powder against the counteracting surface of the fixed member. A second gas flows into the first end of the container through the peripheral passage for eroding the powder adjacent to the counteracting surface and driving the eroded powder through the axial passage out of the container.

Abstract: A filterless loader which entrains particulate material in air flows is described. The loader includes a reservoir in which the materials may be accumulated and from which the materials may be delivered under gravity through a lowermost outlet to appropriate processing equipment. A closed air circuit draws the particulate material into the reservoir from an external storage bin or container. The closed air circuit includes air supply and return conduits communicating with the interior of the reservoir, and a fan unit which circulates air through the conduits. The fan unit draws air from the interior of the reservoir, and forces the air into an inlet end of the supply conduit. A gap is maintained at the junction of the air supply and return conduits external to the reservoir, and supply conduit air flows are guided by a nozzle across the gap into the return conduit. The junction is inserted into the storage container thereby introducing the particulate material into the path of the closed air circuit.

Abstract: An improved silo unloader having an ensilage cover of air impermeable thermally insulating material for limiting air contact with the surface of the ensilage. The ensilage cover rests on the surface of the ensilage and rotates with the lower part of the silo unloader. The ensilage cover is preferably constructed of upper and lower layers of air-impermeable material with an insulating material layer between. The lower layer is preferably coated with a material which is resistant to adherence of frozen material.

Abstract: Apparatus for emptying a drum of powdered material. The drum is mounted on a support at a 45.degree. angle to vertical. The drum has a cap having two holes and sleeves projecting into the drum from the holes. The sleeves are aligned with the bottom corner of the drum. A feed tube, loosely surrounded by a guide tube, is inserted through each of the sleeves into contact with the powder in the drum. Each feed tube has a vacuum pump which aspirates powder through the tube and out of the drum while atmospheric air passes between the feed and guide tubes to fluidize the powder. A vibrator is mounted on the support for the drum to continually vibrate the powder toward the lower ends of the feed tubes.

Abstract: The vapor space above a bed of fluidizable particles in a chamber is variably controlled by extending a moveable conduit through the upper portion of the chamber to position the conduit inlet at a selectable height above the bed. Fluid flows uniformly up through the bed of particles to fluidize particles to a desired density in the fluid and at a desired rate of flow of such particles through the inlet to the conduit from the so adjusted volume of fluidization space in the chamber. The conduit is externally driven relative to the bed to maintain the particle fluidization volume and flow rate substantially constant. In apparatus form the pick-up conduit is carried by a piston member with sealing means, such as an O-ring, between the piston wall and the chamber sidewall. In an alternate embodiment the fluidizing gas is recirculated in a loop that includes the piston which is fluid permeable to bypass the conduit inlet.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and system for forming a slurry of gravel and fluid, preferably for injection into an oil and gas well during gravel packing operations. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel that is adapted to receive the gravel. The pressure vessel has an inlet for receiving fluid. The apparatus includes a snorkel tube that is slidingly sealingly mounted for movement into and out of the pressure vessel. The snorkel tube has an open inner end which defines the outlet of the pressure vessel and an outer end which is connected to a conduit, which is in turn is connected to the well. The pressure vessel and snorkel tube are arranged such that fluid flows in a tortuous path between the pressure vessel inlet and the inner end of the snorkel tube to entrained gravel in the flowing fluid.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendently supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with leading and trailing drive wheels. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The drive wheels are mounted on opposite ends of a rocker arm rotatably supported on a support. The support is connected to the impeller housing. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to a gear box. A collector leveling apparatus has a linear actuator connected to the unloader frame. A cable connects the linear actuator with the outer end of the collector and the support in a manner so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position in response to operation of the actuator. The linear actuator has a reversible electric motor coupled to a motor controller.

Abstract: A silo unloader is of the type which has three support arms, and three suspension cables connected to the support arms are trained over sheaves on a tripod in the top of the silo and connected to a winch on the outside of the silo wall by means of which the unloader is raised and lowered; and a filler spout is used for loading material into the top of the silo. The cable connection to one of the support arms is constructed to permit the point of attachment of the cable to be moved relative to the support arm so the unloader may occupy either a horizontal working position for unloading, or, an inclined position when it is raised for filling the silo; and in the inclined position the high side of the unloader is above the filler spout.

Abstract: Method of emptying a powder or like material out of a container.The powder (9) is conveyed out of the container (1) from its free upper surface by means of a stream of carrier air in a carrier-air pipe (6; 10; 12) provided with openings for the powder. The emptying is facilitated by means of a stream of secondary air from a secondary-air pipe (7; 11; 13). The container is rotated so that the fixed carrier-air pipe may come into the vicinity of the surface of the powder.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for extracting silage for a cylindrical silo, of the kind including a suction extractor pipe and a suction aperture means including toothed wheels for feeding silage material to the suction aperture, the wheels directly carrying the extractor device. According to the invention, these toothed wheels are freely rotatably journalled on a plurality of supporting radial arms, and a cutting wheel is positioned obliquely with respect to a plane extending above and parallel to the silage surface. The peripheral part of the wheels next adjacent a vertical wall of the silo is spaced from the silo wall by a small amount and is freely rotatably journalled at the extremity of each of the radial arms.

Abstract: This invention relates to devices for extracting hay or the like from a cylindrical tower silo, of the kind including a pneumatic conveyor pipe leading centrally into the silo and forming an inlet at its upper end, the conveyor pipe having a suction head to which the material is fed by means of a radial conveyor. According to this invention, a portion of the conveyor pipe which follows the top end inlet into the silo extends radially with respect to the periphery of the silo and is rotatable around the axis of the silo. The free extremity of the conveyor pipe radial portion is associated with the suction head, to which the material is fed by means of the radial conveyor which conveys from the inside the silo towards the outside thereof, and also revolves around the silo axis. A vertical telescopic pipe may connect the further conveyor pipe radial portion to the top end inlet.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendantly supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with drive structure. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The drive structure mounted on the outer end of the collector has leading and trailing drive wheels connected with movable mounts to a leveling apparatus. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to the power transmission for the augers of the collector. The leveling apparatus has a base secured to the collector. Supports pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the base are attached to the mounts for the wheels. A linear actuator connected to the supports operates to concurrently pivot the supports in opposite directions so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendently supported from a tripod with a cable connected to a motor operated winch. An automatic silo unloader let-down control system is operably connected to the winch motor to energize the motor once during each revolution of the unloader to lower the unloader in the silo. The let-down control system has a control switch mounted on the unloader which is actuated by the rotating part of the unloader once during each revolution of the part. An automatic time delay unit is adjustable to control the duration of operation of the winch motor thereby controlling the amount of let-down of the silo unloader.

Abstract: Process for the pneumatic transfer of a pulverulent material contained in a cylindrical container, wherein it comprises the introduction, via a sealed passage located in the upper part and in the axis of the container, of a suction member which is movable in translation along said axis and having at its suction end located in the container an annular nozzle which is able to direct a gas jet towards the walls of the container so as to ensure the scavenging of said walls during suction, the level of said annular nozzle in the container being maintained constantly above the level of the pulverulent material contained therein until all the material has been sucked out, including that on the bottom of the container. The process is performed by an apparatus for the pneumatic transfer of a pulverulent material comprising a cylindrical container containing the pulverulent material and pneumatic extraction duct for emptying the container.

Abstract: A charging device for pulverulent or granular materials also containing fine particles which are likely to fly around, which comprises from the bottom to the top:(a) a light charging chamber in the shape of a truncated pyramid or truncated cone comprising at least two polygonal or toric crowns formed by inflatable tubes situated in different planes, rigidifying cross-members between the tubes, and a flexible skirt integral with the tubes,(b) a flexible connecting hopper connected in a sealed manner to the inflatable charging chamber,(c) a sleeve between the flexible hopper and a material feed nozzle, and(d) finally at least one dust suction nozzle connected to a dust-removing device, the charging device having the characteristics of floating on the heap of material being formed, and preventing dust spirals formed during operation.

Abstract: A material-handling blower is associated with a conveyor duct, which has an open lower end. A horizontal conveyor screw has an inner end associated with the lower end of said duct and is angularly movable about a main vertical axis extending near said inner end. At least two backing rollers are rotatable on vertical axes and connected to said conveyor screw to move in unison therewith about said main vertical axis and are engageable with the inside peripheral surface of a silo to back said conveyor screw. Horizontal carrying arms are connected to said conveyor screw to move in unison therewith about said main vertical axis and extend from said conveyor screw on opposite sides thereof substantially at right angles to the axis of said screw.

Abstract: A silo unloader is of the type having a tripod with inwardly and upwardly inclined legs, including a main leg and lateral legs, surmounting the wall of a cylindrical silo, and a silo unloader mechanism has three generally radially extending horizontal support arms to each of which is secured a suspension cable trained over a sheave at the upper end of one of the tripod legs to suspend the mechanism in the silo. Each of the sheaves is journalled in a yoke which is freely suspended at the upper end of a tripod leg, and because of the way the suspension cables must run from the winch to the sheaves, the yokes are displaced from a vertical suspension by the load on the cables. The structure of the support arms permits securement thereto of the three suspension cables at points which compensate for the displacement of the sheave yokes, so as to cause each cable to hang effectively vertically from the sheave over which it is trained.

Abstract: A top silo unloader is of the type which has a cutter-conveyor pickup arm, an impeller, a drive ring above the cutter-conveyor pickup arm, and support arms in a horizontal plane above the drive ring to which suspension cables are connected for moving the unloader vertically in the silo. Improved support arms have downwardly and outwardly extending offset portions outside the drive ring which have their free ends in a plane above the bottom of the cutter-conveyor pickup arm, and means on the free ends of the offset portions to receive the suspension cables.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendantly supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with an automatic leveling and drive structure. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The leveling and drive structure mounted on the outer end of the collector has leading and trailing drive wheels connected with adjustable mounts to a leveling apparatus. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to the power transmission for the augers of the collector. The leveling apparatus has a base secured to the collector. Supports pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the base are attached to the mounts for the wheels. A linear actuator connected to the supports operates to concurrently pivot the supports in opposite directions so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position.

Abstract: Apparatus for emptying a drum of powdered material. The drum is mounted on a support at a 45.degree. angle to vertical. The drum has a cap having two holes and sleeves projecting into the drum from the holes. The sleeves are aligned with the bottom corner of the drum. A feed tube, loosely surrounded by a guide tube, is inserted through each of the sleeves into contact with the powder in the drum. Each feed tube has a vacuum pump which aspirates powder through the tube and out of the drum while atmospheric air passes between the feed and guide tubes to fluidize the powder. A vibrator is mounted on the support for the drum to continually vibrate the powder toward the lower ends of the feed tubes.