Abstract: A rotary feeder wherein a housing defines a cylindrical internal chamber with an inlet for a flowable material and an outlet spaced from the inlet in the circumferential direction of the chamber. The chamber receives a rotor with a shaft having stubs journalled in pairs of adjustable antifriction bearings in the housing, two spaced-apart end walls on the shaft in the chamber, and a set of vanes extending from the shaft radially outwardly between the two end walls. The internal surface of the housing has a radial groove surrounding the peripheral surface of each end wall, an elastomeric seat in the bottom portion of each groove, and an annular seal disposed in each groove radially inwardly of the seat and biased by the seat against the peripheral surface of the adjacent end wall. The seats are in sealing engagement with the surfaces bounding the respective grooves as well as in sealing engagement with the respective seals which are biased into requisite sealing engagement with the adjacent end walls.

Abstract: Apparatus for conditioning freshly ground confectioners' sugar employs a closed vessel with an inlet for unconditioned sugar, an outlet for conditioned sugar, and an agitating unit which is installed in the vessel and not only agitates the admitted material but also conveys it toward the outlet into the range of a feed screw. The bottom of the vessel is permeable to gases and receives air which has been conditioned to have an optimum temperature and moisture content prior to admission into the vessel. Spent air is evacuated through a duct which contains a filter serving to intercept conditioned sugar. The conditioned air can heat or cool, increase the moisture content or reduce the moisture content of sugar in the vessel.