Abstract: Apparatus for applying liquid to particulate materials using a single drive motor to operate both the upper particle dispersing disc and the lower liquid dispersing disc, the latter disc being driven at a much higher speed than the former. The two dispersing discs have coaxial drive, one hollow drive shaft within the other, but are driven at different rotational speeds optimum for the material being dispersed from the respective discs. The liquid is fed through the inner hollow drive shaft to its disc. The particulate feed rate is controllable with a presettable throttling or feed rate regulator sleeve. The sleeve has tooth features cooperative with abutment features of the underlying particle dispersing disc to neutralize lumps, chunks and pieces of paper and the like in the feed material.

Abstract: A dump gate assembly as for a feed mixer housing including first and second hinged gates swingable between upper closed condition and lower open condition, each gate having a cam track preferably in the form of a configurated gate stiffener cooperable with a cam follower on an actuator. The cam tracks have a portion causing greater force to be applied to the gates during the final movement of the gates to the closed condition. The actuators for the two respective gates are at opposite ends of the gates and are interconnected to cause timed gate closing. A special seal element causes a second seal between the closed gates.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for finely ground particulate materials such as drugs or vitamin concentrates to supplement animal feed and the like, enabling control of the materials, accounting of the particulate materials being dumped and inhibiting exposure of workers to the materials, comprising an integral assembly having a suction fan above the hopper into which the material is dumped through an inlet opening, and bag filters between the hopper and the suction fan, as well as between the inlet opening and the suction fan. These bag filters collect air-entrained material dust into a layer which is discharged into the hopper by a momentary reverse flow of air through venturi nozzles to reclaim the material. The contents to be dumped can be weighed accurately and dumped in a fashion meeting OSHA standards and FDA requirements. The unit preferably is on tracks movable from one bin to the next.

Abstract: A weigh system having a plurality of weigh hoppers in a housing, the hoppers being removably mounted on a suspension support or platen held on load cells outside of the housing. Each hopper has a ball valve at the outlet spout, seated on an O-ring seat and retained with vertical guide rods. A vertical rod extends up from each ball valve to a rotary lift to be actuated when the load cell detects a predetermined load. Beneath these hoppers are surge hoppers to receive the weighed materials. Float ball valves in the surge hoppers actuate a switch to activate a motor to discharge pumps.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus having a plurality of removable ingredient retention and discharge hoppers supported on a frame, each hopper having an integral screw conveyor and each being removable for replacement by another hopper. The screw has a structure to inhibit discharge squirting. Dishcarge of the ingredients is through a sealed connection to a weighing hopper. This weighing hopper has an enclosure housing and is formed of a pair of flexible webs which extend downwardly and are shiftable between a closed retention condition with lower edges adjacent each other and an open discharge condition with the lower edges spaced from each other. These lower edges are secured to the inner edges of underlying pivotal support pans, such pans being pivotal to shift the webs and to engage the webs to invert them for assured full discharge of the contents.

Abstract: A silo unloader having a framework and concentric oppositely driven rings with oppositely acting plows to shift particulate material in a silo to a central discharge defined by vertically spaced plates. The rings are driven by compressible rollers such as pneumatic tires, compressed between rings and powered by electric motors. Additional compressible friction rollers engage the wall of the silo in a vertical rolling action to guide vertical movement of the unloader and resist rotational movement of the framework which is suspended on cables.