Abstract: An improved rotary air lock feeder. The improved device includes a cylinder having a central axis. A plurality of vanes extending radially outward to rotate in the cylinder about the axis. A hopper communicates with the cylinder through an inlet located in an upper portion of the cylinder. The present invention permits flow of material from the hopper to the cylinder without the use of a worm conveyor positioned in the bottom of the hopper. A pair of offset openings extend from the upper portion of the cylinder along each side of a vertical plane extending from the axis. The offset openings communicate with the cylinder to intermittently provide inter-chamber communication at each said offset opening.

Abstract: An improved rotary air lock feeder. The improved device includes a cylinder having a central axis. A plurality of vanes extending radially outward to rotate in the cylinder about the axis. A hopper communicates with the cylinder through an inlet located in an upper portion of the cylinder. A pair of offset openings extend from the upper portion of the cylinder along each side of a vertical plane extending from the axis. The offset openings communicate with the cylinder to intermittently provide inter-chamber communication at each said offset opening.

Abstract: A venous pressure gradient support device to be worn over a surface portion of the human body to prevent or remedy varicose veins. The device includes a container configured for receiving and retaining a plurality of beads. Preferably, the beads are glass spherical beads and the container is an envelope having a flap which may be folded over to retain the beads in the envelope. The envelope of beads may be worn underneath a support garment such as support hose so that the envelope filled with beads is pressed to the surface portion of the human body. The envelope of beads conforms to the irregular shape of the human body and the beads take on a pressure gradient to balance the blood pressure at the surface portion of the human body.

Abstract: A rotary air lock feeder has a cylindrical chamber closed at opposite ends by end walls and a rotor mounted for rotary movement along the cylindrical chamber axis. A hopper is provided for feeding material into an upper portion of the chamber. A port is formed in each of the end walls to one side of a vertical plane extending through the cylindrical chamber axis at a height above the angle of natural repose of the material. So constructed, material fed into the chamber may be driven by the rotor to the bottom of the chamber and then lifted by the rotor to a position between the end wall ports and become evenly entrained in an airstream flowing through the chamber between the ports.