Abstract: A toner collecting device for collecting residual toner removed from an image retainer by a cleaning device after a toner image formed on the image retainer has been transferred to a sheet of paper. The toner collecting device has therein a conveyor device for carrying the residual toner. The conveyor device has its leading end portion disposed at a central portion of the toner collecting device. The upper surface of the toner collecting device has functions to guide transfer paper and to support a transfer electrode, and the leading end portion of the conveyor device is provided with a toner distributing diffusion blade member.

Abstract: An improved metering mechanism for metering highly aerated or fluidized solid materials in a controlled manner is disclosed. The mechanism consists of a bin discharger attached above a rotary feeder assembly. The bin discharger has two augers which rotate in opposite directions relative to one another. The augers rotate such that material flow is directed toward the center of the discharger, and down into the inlet of the rotary feeder assembly. The rotary feeder assembly contains 6-12 rotary vanes. Two vanes form a pocket into which material falls as each pocket comes into mating relation with the rotary feeder assembly inlet. A tight clearance between the outer radial edge of the rotary vanes and the inner surface of the housing of the rotary feeder assembly prevents the material from flushing through the rotary feeder assembly in an uncontrolled fashion. The material exits the rotary feeder assembly as each filled pocket comes into mating relation with the outlet of the rotary feeder assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing an additive (70) into a stream (14) of well proppant includes a sealed housing (42), (44), (52) containing a first chamber (102), a second chamber (104), and an additive dispenser (64), (72) operably connected to a motor (92). The upper chamber (102) is adapted to contain the additive (70), and the lower chamber (104) communicated with the pressurized well proppant stream (14). The additive dispensing means (64), (72) is disposed between the upper chamber (102) and the lower chamber (104). A pressure equalizing tube (98) within said housing (42), (44), (52) extends from the upper chamber (102) through the additive dispenser (64), (72) to the lower chamber (104) to equalize the fluid pressure existing in the lower chamber (104) with the fluid pressure existing in the upper chamber (102) during the dispensing of the additive (70) from the upper chamber (102) to the lower chamber (104).

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for discharging storage bins within which difficult-to-handle materials are stored, the apparatus including a container adapted to be fixed to the bottom of the storage bin or silo, having horizontally spaced apart parallel shafts disposed within the container for counter-rotational movement therebetween. Working tools are attached to the shafts by radially extending arms and extend toward and substantially up to the side walls of the container. The working tools are double wedge shaped having substantially triangularly shaped sides converging toward each other at their connection to the shafts and converging toward each other to define a forward or leading edge in the direction of rotation of the tool. The bottom surfaces of the tools are recessed from the bottom edges of the triangularly shaped sides.

Abstract: A dispenser for distributing food seasoning and other cohesive solids includes a rotating auger enclosed by a tube which is fed via a hopper. The auger is divided into two sections, each with a different pitch. In a first metering section, the pitch is narrow to facilitate accurate metering of the seasoning. This is followed by a distribution section of higher pitch which reduces the bulk density of the seasoning so that it passes easily through a series of apertures in the tube. A sleeve is slidably secured to the tube and has a series of apertures registerable with the apertures in the tube. By adjusting the degree of register, the seasoning can be distributed evenly along the entire length of the distribution section. The tube contains a second set of apertures located about 180.degree. from the first set, and which are used for distribution of non-cohesive, small particle size material, such as salt.

Abstract: An improved feed screw impeller apparatus primarily for use in an impeller bag packing system that is especially suited for filling bags with finely divided and aerated powders. The apparatus comprises an elongated cylindrical shaft having impeller blades extending radially therefrom at about the midpoint thereof and a plurality of feed screw flights of generally helical configuration, at least two such flights connected to said shaft on each side of the impeller blades in substantial coaxial alignment with the shaft. In one alternative embodiment of the invention there are four impeller blades and four helical feed screw flights, two on each side of the impeller blades and each terminating along an edge extending in substantial alignment with a different impeller blade. Another version of the novel impeller is employed in a packing machine also having a novel pre-conditioning hopper.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for discharging material through an elongate aperture in a substantially constant amount per unit length of said aperture. The apparatus comprises a screw discharging unit having an inlet end and including a screw housing with a casing wall and a screw rotatably mounted in the screw housing. The elongate aperture is provided in the casing wall and extends substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said screw. The screw has a core and at least one screw blade extending around the core and having a predetermined pitch for feeding the material from said inlet end to the elongate aperture. The core and said casing wall define therebetween a space having an annular cross section area successively decreasing in the direction of feed of the screw.

Abstract: A flail auger assembly is disclosed which is useful for unloading semi-liquid material from a holding tank mounted on a tractor drawn trailer. A rotatably mounted shaft extends lengthwise through the lower portion of the tank. One end of the shaft penetrates the front wall of the tank enabling connection with the power takeoff of the tractor. The second end penetrates the rear wall of the tank where it connects with the impeller of the discharge pump. A plurality of flails extend radially outward at regular intervals along the shaft. The flails are pivotally attached via pins which secure them to brackets welded to the rotatably mounted shaft. The pivotal axis of each flail allows it to aggressively attack the material in the tank while at the same time limiting the power drain on the tractor since the radius of effectiveness decreases as a function of increasing load.

Abstract: An improved machine for dosing, filling and packaging of a doughy or pasty food substance. The machine sequentially includes a trough, screw conveyor, guide channel, dosing station and forming channel. The forming channel widens in a funnel-like or obelisk-like fashion in the flow direction of the food substance which is being transported therethrough. At least a part of the guide channel is covered with a layer of friction-reducing material.

Abstract: A seed treating and conveying apparatus includes an elongated auger unit on which a chemical applicator tank is mounted for treating the seeds as they are conveyed through the auger tube. The auger includes a central shaft having brush flighting thereon for gentle handling of the seeds as well as for picking up treatment and thoroughly and uniformly applying it to the seeds. The auger unit is pivotally supported for adjusting the position of the discharge end without moving the vehicle on which it is mounted. In one embodiment, the auger unit is mounted on a slide track so as to be both longitudinally and pivotally movable. In another embodiment, the auger unit is removable from the associated large seed hopper for use in filling the hopper.

Abstract: A rotating helical coiled spring for conveying, extracting, quantity-controlling or mixing particulate products. A supple material such as a brush is attached to the periphery of the spring and brushes against a rigid wall or tube as the spring is rotated thereby propelling the particulate product in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the spring.

Abstract: An apparatus for evenly distributing powdered and granular food product ingredients at a controlled and variable rate. A delivery tube communicates with the interior of a hopper that holds a supply of the ingredient and an auger causes the ingredient to move from the hopper and axially along the tube. The auger has a central body with a large diameter portion extending through the hopper, a small diameter portion disposed within the tube and a land extending along and around the body to define a generally helical flute that serves as an ingredient flow path of variable cross-sectional area. A series of non-circular openings arranged along the tube allow the ingredient to escape in a uniform manner, the effective size of the openings being variable by changing the relative rotational positions of the tube and an apertured sleeve that surrounds the tube. The positions of the openings is also variable by rotating the tube and the sleeve together to further improve the uniformity of distribution.

Abstract: In the removal of a layer of fluid located on a bath, such as a layer of reaction products in pyrometallurgical crude-lead refining, the layer is propelled by an agitating mechanism into the intake of a stationary conveyor. The conveyor removes the layer of fluid through a trough from the bath.

Abstract: In a refiner for treating cellulose pulp or similar material of the type comprising two intermeshing rotary screws operating in a housing having a material inlet and a material outlet, the surface of each screw comprises a feeding thread section merging into a feed-resisting surface section, the outlet being provided in a side-wall of the housing near the zone where the feeding thread sections on both screws end and the feed-reversing surface sections begin. The outlet opens into an outwardly flaring collar having a plane mouth opening oblique in relation to the direction of material discharge through the material outlet. The mouth opening cooperates with a closure element to restrict the outlet area to control working pressure conditions within the housing.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurately dosing fluids of varying viscosity, especially hly viscous liquids, including a valve channel adapted to be vertically arranged and secured at one end to the inverted open end of a container for the liquid, a closure portion positioned within said valve channel including a ferrite core secured thereto, means for guiding the closure element vertically within the valve channel, a closure member secured to the bottom of the closure portion adapted to close the valve channel due to the weight of the closure element, a conveying element secured to the closure element for rotation therewith and an electromagnetic device surrounding the closure portion for simultaneously producing vertical and rotational movement of the closure portion and at least rotation of the conveying element whereby on energizing the magnetic device the closure portion is raised to open the valve channel to allow fluid flow through the valve channel and the closure portion is rotated along with the conveying element t

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a dead shaft bearing device for an auger type conveyor. The device is characterized in that the bearing components are readily replaceable without the necessity for disassembling the conveyor, and provide a leakproof assembly barring ingress of pulverulent material to the bearing surfaces and escape of pulverulent materials through the wall of the conveyor trough.

Abstract: The manure spreader includes a wheeled, V-shaped body having a longitudinally positioned impeller rotatively carried near the bottom of the V-configuration. The impeller blades are positioned on a multi-sided body and are arranged in oppositely generated helices to urge the manure both from the rear of the body and from the front of the body toward an outlet gate which is positioned in the body intermediate its ends. A rotary spinner is carried outwardly of the body in position to receive the effluent from the outlet gate and a suitable drive mechanism is provided to rotate the spinner at many times the rotative speed of the impeller. The spinner and the impeller are simultaneously rotated by a common drive, which may be a tractor PTO, and an adjustable deflector is provided in effluent path from the spinner to easily vary the spray pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus in which particles are dispensed from the open end of a chamber. A member is positioned interiorly of the chamber and periodically agitated in response to particles being dispensed therefrom. Agitation of the member prevents bridging and caking of the particles in the chamber and facilitates the flow of the particles therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for extracting and proportioning pulverulent products comprising a hopper and coaxial screws with threads of opposite directions, driven in rotation in a cylindrical conduit, which screws are separated from each other by the wall of a tube coaxial to the screws and to the conduit, the screw of smaller diameter rotating inside the tube to convey the product therein in one direction and the screw of larger diameter rotating outside said tube to convey the product in the opposite direction, in the space defined between the tube and the conduit, said latter comprising on its periphery at least one orifice for the flow of the product, wherein said screws are composed of wires helically wound in the manner of a spring, and the tube in which the so-called extraction screw, of smaller diameter, is mounted, comprises on its periphery and on the hopper side an opening for the inlet of the product, in front of which said screws extend at least partially, which product, after hav

Abstract: A platen press having a vertically extending sleeve of filter cloth arranged intermediate a pair of vertically disposed cooperating press platens supported for relative horizontal movement for squeezing a charge of fruit contained within the sleeve, is provided with an improved hopper supply assembly for effecting batchwise charging of the sleeve with fruit to be pressed and an improved upper valve assembly cooperating with a lower valve assembly for clamping off upper and lower ends of the sleeve to retain the charge of fruit therewithin during a pressing operation.

Abstract: A screw conveyor 14 is mounted on the sub-floor 11a of a chip silo 11, and rotates as a radial arm to convey the chip material into a cover 17 through an inlet opening 18 and to a central discharge shaft 12. The cover 17 rotates together with the screw conveyor, and has a spiral cross-section with its radial step or break disposed on the conveyor axis. The cover radius continually increases in the direction of rotation, to thereby prevent the column of chip material in the silo from exerting a braking force on its side wall.

Abstract: An ice body delivery apparatus having a hopper for storing a plurality of discrete ice bodies and a wall portion defining an outlet opening for passing the ice bodies seriatim outwardly therethrough for dispensing the ice bodies as desired. A rotatable auger is provided in a lower frustoconical portion of the hopper and includes spaced spiral vanes arranged to sweep across the opening so as to dislodge ice bodies which may have become lodged thereacross. The auger is arranged so as to define an effectively open axial portion permitting the dislodged ice bodies to be returned to the outlet opening therethrough and under or behind the rotating vanes back to the outlet opening. The vanes extend arcuately a total of approximately 360 degrees or more. The auger may be driven by a subjacent drive motor.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying electrophotographic developer to an electrophotographic developing device is disclosed. The developer supply apparatus includes a cartridge containing therein an amount of developer and supported within the housing of the supply apparatus in a manner that the cartridge is allowed to move rotationally and reciprocally around and along its axis. The cartridge has an opening at its one end and also a plural number of ribs provided within the cartridge. During the movement of the cartridge, the ribs stir the developer contained in the cartridge and also cause the developer to move toward the opening. The cartridge is brought into motion responding to a supply signal so as to effect a supply of developer from the cartridge to the developing device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a toner replenishment system for a dry toner developer unit in a photocopier. Toner is introduced into the developer unit in a canister which is closed at one end and has near its other end an extractor plate mounted for rotation around the axis of the canister and for axial movement along the canister, the toner powder being disposed between the closed end and the extractor plate. This canister can be simply loaded into a developer unit and then, during operation of the developer unit, toner demand is met at a metered rate by rotation of the extractor plate causing an extractor blade to slice toner and transfer it through the extractor plate to the axially outer side thereof for subsequent conveyance to the developer hopper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for low-dust discharge of particulate material such as grain. The apparatus provides a nozzle having a hollow body with an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom. An impeller is mounted inside the body in an outwardly and downwardly flaring region below the inlet. A fluid stream of the particulate material drops through the inlet and impinges on the immpeller which deflects or throws the particles outwardly within the flaring region of the nozzle. The coarser, heavier particles have more outward momentum than the lighter, finer particles and are concentrated toward the wall of the nozzle below the impeller while the lighter, finer particles are concentrated toward the center, so that a rough separation is made and stream density is increased. A compacted downwardly moving mass is accumulated within the nozzle and is discharged through the outlet at controlled rate as a denser, relatively dust-free stream in open air.

Abstract: A dispensing machine mixing device has a base fastenable to the chassis of a dispensing machine, a bearing in the base, a shaft rotatably mounted in the bearing, a shaft seal on the front of the base, a mixing impeller on the front of the shaft and to the front of the seal, and a reduced size housing secured to the base; the housing has an integral tubular wall holding the seal to the base and defining the circumference of a mixing chamber within which is the impeller, a front end wall, a mixed fluid outlet from the bottom of and to the front of the mixing chamber, a fluid inlet conduit generally on the axis of rotation of the impeller, and a funnel to the front of the mixing chamber and above the inlet conduit; a common wall portion forms part of both the funnel and the mixing chamber wall, and part of a lower funnel wall forms part of the inlet conduit and is exposed to the mixing chamber; the inlet conduit to the mixing chamber expands in cross-section toward the mixing chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding plastic scrap and base material to an extruder comprises a scrap hopper to which scrap material is delivered for discharge through an outlet conduit leading to an extruding machine. The scrap plastic is fed through the conduit by means of an auger-like feed screw. Virgin or base plastic material is introduced to the scrap hopper outlet conduit and is mixed with the scrap prior to its discharge to the extruder. The base plastic material is delivered from a supply thereof to a receiver in which is an auger-like feed screw which feeds the base material into the scrap hopper outlet. At least the scrap feed screw comprises a rotary shaft having a discontinuous helical vane thereon constituted by a plurality of individual, segment-shaped members which are spaced longitudinally and circumferentially of the shaft.

Abstract: A device for evacuation of powder or granular materials stored on sheltered or unsheltered floors or in bins has a fixed frame, at the center of the storage floor or bin, situated above an evacuation orifice and below a protective cap covered by the stored material. The frame serves to support an evacuation mechanism proper comprising two worms of opposite pitch which extend essentially along a diameter of the storage area and which are provided with a continuous rotational movement about their axes and a discontinuous and alternating movement of essentially 180.degree. about a vertical axis.

Abstract: A mobile slurry mixer and spreader comprising a rotatable screen attached to and rotated by a drive and disposed within a mixing tank over a discharge opening. The rotatable screen prevents debris from entering the discharge opening while allowing a slurry material to enter the discharge opening. The mixing tank is mounted on a mobile chassis and a spreader is in fluid communication with the discharge opening of the tank. An agitator shaft is horizontally disposed within the tank and a plurality of mixing paddles are attached to the shaft and arranged to move slurry material toward the discharge opening while providing an improved mixing of the slurry material. The mixed slurry material passing through the discharge opening is distributed to the area over which the chassis travels.

Abstract: A spreader is described, primarily for use in distributing sand and the like on ice and snow-covered sidewalks. The spreader has a frame supported on ground wheels and a sand hopper is provided on the frame. An auger is mounted at a lower end of the hopper in an opening in the hopper to control the flow of sand from the spreader. A driving wheel is operably coupled to the auger, and supported on the hopper for movement between an operative position in which the wheel is in peripheral driving engagement with one of the ground wheels and an inoperative position in which the driving wheel is clear of this ground wheel. In the operative position the auger is driven as the spreader moves along the ground to spread sand and in the inoperative position the driving wheel is disengaged from the ground wheel and the auger is stationary.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a nozzle for dispensing a fluent solid product, e.g., a dry ingredient such as instant coffee, instant tea, sugar, coffee lightener, chocolate or soup mix, in a hot beverage vendor, having a chute for delivering the product into a mixing bowl of the vendor where the product is mixed with hot water flowing through the bowl. The nozzle comprises a tubular body closed at one end constituting its outer end and having a lateral outlet, the tubular body being adapted to receive an auger of the dispenser for feeding the product through the body and thence out of the outlet. The chute is on a sleeve having a telescoping sliding fit on the tubular body. The sleeve has a lateral opening which registers with the outlet of the tubular body when the sleeve is in place on the body for flow of the product to the chute.

Abstract: An injection molding machine having a barrel and a reciprocating and rotatable screw disposed therein. A combination heat transfer and stratification device is disposed between the screw and the outlet of the barrel. The device includes a generally tubular portion having radially inwardly extending ribs. The ribs are in contact with the inner wall of the barrel. Heating means supply heat to the portion of the barrel containing the device and heat is transmitted through the rib portions.

Abstract: A toner dispensing apparatus for electrophotographic copiers. The apparatus includes a toner dispenser portion positioned within the developer housing of the copier, and a toner supply portion positioned exteriorly of the developer housing. The two portions are detachably secured to one another such that when the supply of toner in the toner supply portion becomes exhausted, that portion may be replaced in its entirety. Both portions are provided with a novel valve means to permit transfer of toner from the supply portion to the dispenser portion in normal operation and to prevent toner spillage from either portion when separated. Additionally, a novel toner agitator structure is provided in the toner supply portion to ensure a smooth flow of toner therefrom. This structure includes a plastic bag for holding the supply of toner together with means for periodically deflecting the walls of the bag to loosen up the toner therein.

Abstract: An impeller member, a cleaning apparatus utilizing the impeller member, and an electrostatographic reproducing machine utilizing the cleaning apparatus are provided for cleaning particulate material from the surface of a re-usable image retaining member and for transporting and storing the particulate material. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning device for removing the material from the surface of the image retaining member and a storage device for storing the material removed by the cleaning device. A transport device for transporting the material from the cleaning device to the storage device includes an impeller member having a first portion extending from an end thereof for moving the particulate material transversely of the storage device and a second portion of the member adjacent to the first portion for moving the material rearwardly into the storage device.