Abstract: A roller dispenser includes a pair of counter-rotating cylindrical grid die rolls disposed adjacent a bottom opening in a hopper containing material to be dispensed. The grid die rolls have openings therein which assist in separating the material within the hopper prior to depositing the material on receiving articles or products passing therebeneath. Within the grid die rolls are shields or deflector plates which prevent the material entering the grid die rolls through openings in the upper surface of the grid die rolls from completely filling up the interior of the grid die rolls. Pin rolls within the grid die rolls push the material beneath the shields or deflector plates out through openings in the lower surface of the grid die rolls, making the grid die rolls self cleaning.

Abstract: Material dispensing apparatus includes an elongate hopper having a flexible apertured bottom, and an agitator bar mounted for rotation within the hopper having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending rods supported on a rotating stabilizer shaft for material dispensing contact with the apertured bottom. The contact between the longitudinally extending rods and the flexible apertured bottom moves the bottom of the hopper in both an up-and-down and side-to-side direction such that the holes in the bottom change shape and material contained within the hopper is both vibrated and pushed through the apertures in the bottom of the hopper onto a product underlying the hopper. The apparatus is designed to dispense moist pre-sized powder-like materials that tend to agglomerate and adhere together.

Abstract: Material dispenser apparatus includes a dispenser roll and dispenser roll cleaning brush mounted within the bottom discharge opening of a material receiving hopper for direct contact by the material in the hopper. The brush, being directly disposed to the material in the hopper, aids in displacing the material in the hopper toward the dispenser roll and compacting the dispenser roll with such material. Also, the brush clears the material from the dispenser roll as the brush and dispenser roll come into contact with each other. The speeds of rotation of the brush and dispenser roll are desirably each controlled independently of the other to permit them to be simultaneously rotated in the same direction but at different rpm for controlling the rate and size of material being dispensed. A material agitator may be provided in the material receiving hopper for working the material down within the hopper into contact with the surfaces of the dispenser roll and brush which are exposed to the material in the hopper.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing dry and moist materials including those which are self-adhering and/or compactible or which tend to agglomerate comprising a material dispensing chute formed at its sides by horizontally reciprocating, expanded metal grid plates which engage and separate material from adjacent material pressing thereagainst for passage through the grids of the plates and metered depositation onto articles or products passing therebeneath. The grid plates have horizontally spaced, downwardly converging upper portions forming a V where the majority of material is separated and horizontally spaced, parallel lower portions forming a narrow transverse width channel which prevents material from loading up between the grid plates in the V, such giving the chute a generally Y-shape in transverse cross-section.