Abstract: Apparatus for conveying solid particulate material which takes the form of a line charging device for a pneumatic conveying system. The apparatus is of the type which includes a screw impeller rotatable in a casing for advancing material from a hopper through the casing to a discharge chamber. From the discharge chamber, gas under pressure entrains the material and serves to convey it through an attached conveying line. A pair of diametrically opposed outlets from the casing are provided to introduce material from the casing into the discharge chamber. A normally closed flap valve is operatively associated with each of the casing outlets to aid in establishing a seal of material at the outlet. The use of nozzles between the source of gas under pressure and the conveying line has been eliminated.

Abstract: A conveyor system for solid bulk materials such as cement, alumina, and rock which combines the principles of a fluidizing gravity conveyor and a vibratory conveyor wherein the air supplied to the plenum chamber of the conveyor is rapidly and continuously pulsed in an on-off manner. The apparatus may take the form of a conveyor section with a pair of plenum chambers and the fluidizing gas alternately supplied to the two plenum chambers, or the invention may be used in a storage and material discharge vessel wherein a pair of conventional fluidizing gravity conveyors are employed along the length of the vessel with the pulsing taking place by alternating the supply of gas between the two conveyors.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying solid particulate material including a casing having bore therethrough and an inlet for material to be conveyed and an outlet. A screw impeller is rotatably mounted in the casing by front and rear bearings with the rear bearing being near the inlet. The outlet is intermediate the inlet and the forward bearing. A discharge chamber is flow connected immediately adjacent the casing outlet. Nozzles for supplying gas under pressure are provided in the discharge chamber for discharging material from the discharge chamber into and through a pneumatic conveying line. The screw impeller includes a feed screw section which terminates adjacent the casing outlet and a reversing section with reverse flights between the forward bearing and the casing outlet to prevent material from entering the forward bearing. A restriction plate may be placed in the casing outlet to reduce the size of the outlet opening to less than the bore through the casing.