Abstract: A method of starting a vertically situated cylindrical cooler for powered material such as cement within which material to be cooled moves upward through the cooler by being propelled by rotatable spiral flights. The method is advantageously used when the cooler, because of a crash stop, is prevented from starting normally because of an excess of packed material located at its bottom, thus preventing the spiral flights from rotating. According to the method of the invention, a compressed gas is introduced into the bottom portion of the cooler in a quantity sufficient to aerate the packed material. Once the material is sufficiently aerated the spiral flights are able to be rotated, thereby propelling the material upward through the cooler.

Abstract: An accumulator assembly comprising at least two accumulators that are hydraulically interconnected to the same source of hydraulic fluid. Each accumulator containing an energy absorbing medium which is compressible when a movable barrier which separates the hydraulic fluid from the energy absorbing medium is acted upon by an increase in pressure of the hydraulic fluid. When the assembly contains two accumulators, one accumulator contains a compressibility limiter which interrupts the compressibility of the energy absorbing medium within the accumulator and the other accumulators does not contain a compressibility limiter so that the energy absorbing media therein may be fully compressed by the hydraulic fluid. The accumulator assembly is favorably utilized in a vertical roller mill.