Abstract: Provided is a bulk storage silo defined by a frame and having a flexible fabric liner, internal load distribution control, vibratory discharge and helicopter-type content spreaders.

Abstract: A labyrinth seal incorporated in liquid filtration apparatus to prevent migration of unfiltered liquid carrying solid contaminants and air which may be entrapped in such liquid past the lateral edges of a filter media carried on an endless conveyor into an underlying chamber for receiving filtered liquid. The seal includes a pair of low friction strips and an underlying seal support fixedly attached in superposed relation along both interior sides of the tank and extending between positions where the conveyor enters and exits the unfiltered liquid. The seal further includes one layer in a first embodiment, and two, superposed layers in a second embodiment, of fluid-impervious material affixed to each lateral edge of the conveyor chain or belt about the entire periphery thereof, and movable therewith.

Abstract: A skirtboard member is adjustable and replaceably mounted on a wall above a belt conveyor by a mounting assembly including a cam member molded from a tough, durable resilient resin (e.g., urethane); a key aperture and two radial keyways in the cam member are aligned with two cam ramps that each end in a key latching depression. A key including a shaft and two radial key elements is inserted through the cam member aperture and keyways and twisted to drive the key elements along the ramps to latched position, where a head on the key clamps the skirtboard member on the wall.

Abstract: A conveyor is used in combination with a supply of bulk material having an outlet of a predetermined relatively great transverse width to move the material from the outlet to an output location longitudinally and horizontally offset from the outlet in a transport direction. This conveyor has a trough itself having an intake of generally the large transverse width and opening upward at the outlet of the supply for receiving bulk material therefrom, a base extending in the direction, and a pair of side walls extending upward from the base and also extending in the direction. The side walls flare upward away from each other at least at the intake and have upper edges spaced transversely apart at the intake by the transverse width and lower edges spaced transversely apart generally along the full length of the trough by a relatively small transverse width.

Abstract: A transfer assembly of a belt conveyor comprises a discharge drum of the conveyor rigidly secured on a frame at the discharge end of the conveyor. Also on the discharge end of the conveyor is hinged a deflector shield which has a curvilinear portion whose concavity faces the discharge drum and is located after the drum along the conveyor belt movement. The shield has an entry portion located before the discharge drum along the conveyor belt movement. A support is secured rigidly to the frame at the discharge end of the conveyor. Two rods are hinged by first ends to the support, the rods being positioned one after the other along the conveyor belt. The other ends of the rods are hinged to the shield so that the distance between the first ends does not exceed the distance between the other ends of the rods.

Abstract: A hopper discharging material onto an endless conveyor running in a trough positioned below the hopper is provided with a seal movable between two positions by two-position clamp. In one position the seal is effective to close the gap between the hopper and trough and in the other, the gap is exposed to provide access to the conveyor.

Abstract: A material handling hopper has an open top box with a chamber for holding bulk material. A bottom conveyor operates to remove material from the chamber. A divider located in the chamber reduces the bridging and packing of material in the chamber. The divider is an inverted V-shaped member secured to end walls of the box. The width of the inverted V-shaped member increases in the direction of movement of the conveyor. The divider is covered with low friction material to facilitate the flow of material around the divider.

Abstract: A vibration damping nest is adapted for receiving axial lead components deposited upon a conveyor assembly by an automatic grasping and positioning device such as robotic pincers. The conveyor assembly, such as a walking beam, is provided with a plurality of grooves along the length thereof which are aligned perpendicular to the length and direction of displacement of the walking beam and are adapted to receive an elongated, linear electronic component deposited thereon. The vibration damping nest includes a pair of pivoting plates positioned on respective sides of the walking beam immediately adjacent thereto. An upper edge of each of the plates includes a generally V-shaped recessed portion for receiving a respective axial lead of a component. Suspended from each pivoting plate is a biasing weight for urging the plate in a generally vertical orientation wherein the V-shaped upper edge portions of the plates define a component drop position across the walking beam assembly.

Abstract: A vibratory apparatus is provided for depiling or unpiling a mass of particulate material. The apparatus is positioned in a recess or opening in a base, such as the ground, and particulate material piled thereover. Upon being vibrated, the apparatus delivers the material from a pile at a regulated rate onto a conveyor system for transport to a place of use. Gate means that are translationally and rotationally adjustable are provided in the discharge opening to arrest the flow of particulate material when the vibratory apparatus is not operating.

Abstract: A filtration apparatus comprised of a rotary drum having a plurality of internal vanes for conveying slag material is presented. The slag is conveyed upwardly by the vanes, after which is falls freely onto a conveyer belt passing longitudinally through the drum. Deflectors guide the slag during its fall onto the belt. The deflectors are divergent and inclined relative to the direction of movement of the conveyer belt. The rotatable drum is axially subdivided into a plurality of sections, the vanes of each section being angularly offset in relation to the vanes of adjacent sections. The filtering apparatus herein effects uniform charging of slag material onto the conveyer belt.

Abstract: A skirt assembly and swinging gate are both pivotally mounted on a bin hopper. The gate carries a cam which engages a follower on the skirt assembly. When the gate is closed, a notch in the cam face lifts the follower arm and the skirting assembly to its most elevated position. The final lifting action occurs while the gate is over-travelling its effective closed position. When it is desired to open the gate, the cam action is reversed until the skirt reaches sealing position; further engagements of the skirt assembly on the belt is prevented by a stop on the skirt which engages the hopper and operates with the cam face to lock the skirt in the exact position desired. It is held in this position during subsequent gate opening and regardless of the degree to which the gate is opened.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and a device for the distribution of a conveyed flow, such as particles for the preparation of chipboard, fiberboard, or the like, by means of a separation of the conveyed flow into two partial flows. The distribution is continuous and uniform and provided, for example, by a distributing device which may have a variable insertion into the flow stream. The distributing device may have a separating plate with an active edge having regularly-spaced tongues and slots. A dividing plate having chutes of variable width extending through it can be used to vary the ratio of particles separated in the two directions. Baffled rollers may be used to ultimately guide the separated streams. The separation may also be accomplished by chambered rollers rotating in opposite directions.

Abstract: The apparatus described is designed to distribute particles of lignocellulosic material falling by gravity uniformly over the inlet area of an electrostatic orientation unit. The particles are metered onto a conveyor belt which discharges an even flow of particles between a pair of contrarotating squirrel-cage rolls whose direction of rotation is such that one part of the flow of particles passes between the rolls and two other parts of the flow are deflected outwardly from the contrarotating rolls. The three portions of the particle flow from the contrarotating rolls are directed respectively to larger squirrel-cage distribution rolls positioned within distribution chambers beneath the contrarotating rolls for even distribution. Various vanes and deflectors are provided to direct the flow of particles within the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for dividing a stream of particulate solids into a plurality of streams of particulate solids the apparatus comprising a belt conveyor having a leveler positioned above the belt surface to level the particulate solids on the belt surface so that the solids are discharged into a plurality of chutes to produce a plurality of streams each of which comprises a portion of the feedstream equal to a fraction defined by the width of the chute divided by the width of the belt conveyor.

Abstract: A skirt board and installation arrangement adapted effectively to seal a moving conveyor belt, including skirt board sections interlocked with each other and individually adjustable and removable for replacement, which can be accomplished easily without major tools and without stopping the conveyor belt. The skirt board sections are simple to install individually, or by groups and these operations may be performed while the conveyor belt continues to run and when installed, maintains a proper and effective seal with the belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for deflecting a stream of spreadable particles comprises a rotatable hollow cylinder having a perforated circumferential shell through which the particles normally pass. The apparatus further comprises means for controlling the operating conditions of the cylinder whereby the particles fed to the circumferential shell of the cylinder can no longer pass therethrough, but are impelled in a different direction. The method for deflecting the particles comprises the steps of closing the passage openings of the cylinder during its rotary movement, reversing the direction of rotation of the cylinder and increasing the speed of rotation of the cylinder. The spreading operation may be monitored by positioning means for capturing the deflected particles adjacent the periphery of the spreading device. The deflected particles may then be transported by conveying means to an appropriate measuring device.

Abstract: A hinged gate and flexible loading seal for an inclined conveyor, more particularly for an inclined apron conveyor with pushers for carrying loose, bulk material. The pushers, longitudinally spaced either in staggered arrangement across the conveyor surface or each fully traversing the conveyor width, reduce gross downward movement of the material during conveyor ascent. A segmental gate is hinged above the conveyor in the vicinity of transfer from an unloading conveyor, allows upward passage of the pushers and interrupts downward movement of conveyed material. A flexible, resilient seal fixed above the conveyor and positioned downstream of the hinged gate prevents further downward retreat of escaping conveyed material and redeposits same upstream on advancing pushers.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling hops comprises a cooling chamber, charging means for hops to be cooled at one end of the chamber, discharging means for cooled hops at the other end of the chamber, a gas-permeable surface within the chamber for supporting a bed of hops, means for conveying hops deposited on said surface by said charging means towards said discharging means, means for maintaining a bed of hops of predetermined depth on said surface and means for passing cold gas through the bed of hops on said surface. In order to reduce adverse effects on the cooling conditions, both the charging and discharging means are constructed as air locks. The gas-permeable surface and the means for maintaining the bed of hops at a predetermined depth are preferably both endless mesh screen conveyor belts. Means for cooling and recycling gas may be associated with the cooling chamber and the whole apparatus may be integrated in a continuous lupulin recovery process.

Abstract: A fruit sub-sampler and grading table, especially for use with canning tomatoes, includes a frame. A measured supply of tomatoes is discharged at the entrance end of the frame and as it progresses toward the exit end of the frame is divided longitudinally into two streams. The first stream as it further advances is split to follow a primary path and a parallel but transversely spaced secondary path. Separate belt conveyors individually continue the two paths and are separately controllable as to speed by a pair of inspectors who transfer certain fruit from the belt conveyors to individual containers. These are disposed in the space between the conveyors and are supported on the frame by load cells connected to display individual container weights. Fruit discharged from the exit end of the belt conveyors is carried by a return conveyor toward the entrance end of the conveyor. Fruit in the second stream is discharged over a random selection drum.

Abstract: The invention consists of a device called a feed, or wash box for use where it is necessary to feed a relatively large volume of slurry or liquor on to a moving surface uniformly and without excessive local velocity or turbulence, the device being characterized by the fact that it takes advantage of the moving slurry or liquor to receive it on an inclined plane, causing it to develop some velocity as it passes down the plane and spreads out, and at the end of the incline, causes it suddenly to change direction of flow by about 90.degree. and again by impact on another guide surface to change direction of flow by about 180.degree., to be fed on to a final surface, which may be a filter belt or other receiving surface.

Abstract: Articles are counted into groups and deposited on a conveyor by each of several assemblies arranged along the conveyor. The assemblies are positioned and synchronized so that each assembly deposits articles directly on top of the articles deposited by the previous assembly to form stacks of articles. Each assembly includes a pair of wheels having vacuum ports around their periphery to carry articles and a serrated pick off wheel of smaller diameter positioned between the vacuum wheels. The pick off wheel removes articles from the end of a delivery chute and positions them on the vacuum wheels. The serrations are discontinuous around the periphery of the pick off wheel to count off spaced groups of articles.

Abstract: A skirt board and installation arrangement adapted effectively to seal a moving conveyor belt, including skirt board sections interlocked with each other and individually adjustable and removable for replacement, which can be accomplished easily without major tools and without stopping the conveyor belt. The skirt board sections are simple to install individually, or by groups and these operations may be performed while the conveyor belt continues to run and when installed, maintains a proper and effective seal with the belt.