Abstract: A conveying system for conveying a conveyable material from a hopper where the system includes a fluid port located below the hopper outlet and in a vertical flow path into hopper outlet that can be momentarily opened for an on the go release of a charge of compressed air directly upward into the hopper outlet and into the underside of the bridge in the hopper to either disintegrate or unlock the bridged particles from each other thereby causing the bridged material to fall into the hopper outlet and into the conveying system where the material can be transported to a remote location or to remove any material that may be adhering to the wall during an emptying phase.

Abstract: A conveying system for conveying a conveyable material from a hopper where the system includes a fluid port located below the hopper outlet and in a vertical flow path into hopper outlet that can be momentarily opened for an on the go release of a charge of compressed air directly upward into the hopper outlet and into the underside of the bridge in the hopper to either disintegrate or unlock the bridged particles from each other thereby causing the bridged material to fall into the hopper outlet and into the conveying system where the material can be transported to a remote location or to remove any material that may be adhering to the wall during an emptying phase.

Abstract: A butterfly valve for handling materials where the temperature of the materials flowing through the butterfly valve can exceed the breakdown temperature of the sealing member with the butterfly valve inhibiting contact of hot transportable materials with the sealing member to isolate the hot transportable materials from the sealing member. Cooling conduits maintain at least portions of the valve that contacts the sealing member at a temperature below the breakdown temperature of the sealing member to prevent seal failure.

Abstract: A magnetic separator comprising a vibratory conveyor for vibratorily flowing non-ferrous articles and articles containing ferrous material within the magnetic field of a transverse extending magnet to magnetically capture the articles containing the ferrous material while allowing the non-ferrous articles to flow therepast. The magnet is periodically retractable to remove ferrous articles magnetically adhered thereto. The use of a set of transverse extending magnets enables a continuous on-the-go separation of articles containing ferrous material from non-ferrous articles without having to shut down the vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: A butterfly valve for handling materials where the temperature of the materials flowing through the butterfly valve can exceed the breakdown temperature of the sealing member with the butterfly valve inhibiting contact of hot transportable materials with the sealing member to isolate the hot transportable materials from the sealing member. Cooling conduits maintain at least portions of the valve that contacts the sealing member at a temperature below the breakdown temperature of the sealing member to prevent seal failure.

Abstract: A butterfly valve for handling materials where the temperature of the materials flowing through the butterfly valve can exceed the breakdown temperature of the sealing member with the butterfly valve inhibiting contact of hot transportable materials with the sealing member to isolate the hot transportable materials from the sealing member. Cooling conduits maintain at least portions of the valve that contacts the sealing member at a temperature below the breakdown temperature of the sealing member to prevent seal failure.

Abstract: A magnetic separator comprising a vibratory conveyor for vibratorily flowing non-ferrous articles and articles containing ferrous material within the magnetic field of a transverse extending magnet to magnetically capture the articles containing the ferrous material while allowing the non-ferrous articles to flow therepast. The magnet is periodically retractable to remove ferrous articles magnetically adhered thereto. The use of a set of transverse extending magnets enables a continuous on-the-go separation of articles containing ferrous material from non-ferrous articles without having to shut down the vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: A butterfly valve for handling materials where the temperature of the materials flowing through the butterfly valve can exceed the breakdown temperature of the sealing member with the butterfly valve inhibiting contact of hot transportable materials with the sealing member to isolate the hot transportable materials from the sealing member. Cooling conduits maintain at least portions of the valve that contacts the sealing member at a temperature below the breakdown temperature of the sealing member to prevent seal failure.

Abstract: A flow valve having sealing member having a first condition for engaging a housing to prevent back flow and a platform for obstructing a flow passage through the flow valve with the platform supporting the sealing member in an out-of-the-way condition to allow fluid to flow through the flow valve.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus and method wherein the mixing apparatus includes a hopper having a port piston for periodically retracting to open a fluid port to allow a slug of gas to be quickly injected into the bottom of a hopper, which produces a mixing and blending of the materials in the hopper as the slug of gas flows upward through the materials in the hopper. The port piston periodically closes to seal the fluid port without allowing the material in the hopper to backflow, which would prevent between the port piston and a hopper sealing member from being brought into sealing engagement.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus and method wherein the mixing apparatus includes a hopper having a port piston for periodically retracting to open a fluid port to allow a slug of gas to be quickly injected into the bottom of a hopper, which produces a mixing and blending of the materials in the hopper as the slug of gas flows upward through the materials in the hopper. The port piston periodically closes to seal the fluid port without allowing the material in the hopper to backflow, which would prevent between the port piston and a hopper sealing member from being brought into sealing engagement.

Abstract: A method of connecting pipes in a fluid-tight end-to-end relationship and a universal pipe coupler that maintain the pipe ends proximate one another as the coupler simultaneously aligns the ends of the pipes and draws the pipes into a fluid tight sealing relationship with the universal pipe coupler colorable with frictional engaging collars or fixedly engaging collars to hold the pipe in position.

Abstract: A method of connecting pipes in a fluid-tight end-to-end relationship and a universal pipe coupler that maintain the pipe ends proximate one another as the coupler simultaneously aligns the ends of the pipes and draws the pipes into a fluid tight sealing relationship with the universal pipe coupler colorable with frictional engaging collars or fixedly engaging collars to hold the pipe in position.

Abstract: A method of connecting pipes in a fluid-tight end-to-end relationship and a universal pipe coupler that maintain the pipe ends proximate one another as the coupler simultaneously aligns the ends of the pipes and draws the pipes into a fluid tight sealing relationship with the universal pipe coupler colorable with frictional engaging collars or fixedly engaging collars to hold the pipe in position.

Abstract: An attachment for a feeder conveyor with the attachment comprising an angularly positionable gate that is angularly postionable within the trough of a feeder with the postionable gate having a secondary metering outlet so that when the postionable gate is in the down position it partially close off the material flow path within the feeder while allowing only a portion of the solid materials in the material flow path to pass therethrough to thereby extend the range at which material can be controllable and uniformly delivered from the feeder.

Abstract: A conduction mixer having a hopper for receiving a material to be mixed, a mixing member mounted in the hopper and movable in the hopper to thereby mix the material in the hopper and a source of heat transfer fluid, connected to the mixing member to direct the heat transfer fluid through the mixing member to enable the mixing member to simultaneously mix material and conductively transfer heat between the heat transfer fluid and the material to be mixed.

Abstract: An attachment for a feeder conveyor with the attachment comprising an angularly postionable gate that is angularly postionable within the trough of a feeder with the postionable gate having a secondary metering outlet so that when the postionable gate is in the down position it partially close off the material flow path within the feeder while allowing only a portion of the solid materials in the material flow path to pass therethrough to thereby extend the range at which material can be controllable and uniformly delivered from the feeder.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve that includes a sealing arrangement with a cantilevered seal that prevents fluid from escaping from a system if the differential pressure is only slightly positive yet permits fluid to be released from the system if the internal system pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure differential. In a further embodiment, the pressure relief valve includes a further scaling arrangement with a further cantilevered seal, which is normally closed, but if the internal system pressure should decrease below the external pressure a predetermined amount the second scaling arrangement opens to allow fluid into the system to thereby equalize the pressure and thereby prevent collapse of the system.

Abstract: A multi-port pneumatic switch having a drive system including a motor and a gear reduction box that rotates a rotatable plate which carries a rotateable conduit having an offset end and a non-offset end with the offset end postionable into precise flow alignment with any of a plurality of outlet conduits through the coaction of a photoelectric alignment system that detects a light beam reflection from a reflector on the rotatable plate to immediately shut the power to the drive system and thereby stop further forward rotation of the rotatable plate. With the cessation of power to the drive system a pivotal arm swings into engagement with a radial stop on the rotatable plate to lock the rotatable plate from further forward rotation while the drive system which is powered through a gear reduction drive functions as brake to prevent back rotation of the rotatable plate once the power is shut off to the motor.

Abstract: A pneumatic switch having a wiper seal to inhibit material from escaping from a pneumatic conveying line during a switching process and to maintain the pneumatic conveying line in a closed condition to prevent contamination of the contents of the pneumatic conveying line and an inflatable seal to seal around a pneumatic conveying line with the pneumatic switch including a movable housing that is moveable with respect to a second pneumatic conveying line. The movable housing bearing is carried by a movable plate that allows one to position or reposition the pneumatic conveying line with respect to another conveying line to thereby divert material from one conveying line to another conveying line while an inflatable seal allows one to seal and reseal around the pneumatic conveying line.