Abstract: Centrifugal blasting apparatus comprising a rotatably supported blasting wheel having a plurality of radially extending impeller blades positioned adjacent the periphery of the wheel. The blades are relatively short and have their inner ends spaced a uniform and substantial distance short of the axis of rotation of the wheel so as to define an abrasive supply space between the inner ends of the blades. A tubular member extends into the abrasive supply space for delivering abrasive onto the impeller blades and comprises a main passageway portion having an axis generally parallel to and spaced radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of the blasting wheel and a discharge extension on the inner end of the main portion extending radially outwardly and terminating in a discharge opening adjacent to and in a closely spaced relationship with the inner ends of the blades. Pressurized air propels the abrasive through the tubular member onto the impeller blades.

Abstract: A seeding device which comprises an attachment that can be placed onto existing tillage implements such as field cultivators and utilizes an air distribution system which permits the transfer of a metered amount of seed into individual air carrying lines, wherein each of said lines deposits seeds immediately behind each shovel or furrow opener on the tillage implement to provide an accurate, and large scale seeding device.

Abstract: A pneumatically-operated machine for spreading granular material, such as seed, fertilizer or the like. The machine includes a metering mechanism for receiving granular material from a storage receptacle and for metering the received granular material. The metering mechanism has an interior chamber, an inlet through which the granular material passes into the interior chamber and an outlet from which the granular material exits from the interior chamber. A distributor mechanism is provided for distributing the granular material which exits from the metering mechanism. The distributor mechanism includes two main distributor assemblies spaced from one another and a separate means supply conduit connected to each of the main distributor assemblies. An ejector mechanism transfers the granular material from the metering mechanism to the distributor mechanism. The ejector mechanism is disposed below the interior chamber.

Abstract: A high capacity pneumatic spreader including a frame carried by wheels and a hopper carried by the frame with the hopper having an elevational profile defined in part by a pair of opposite lateral sides and at least one spreader bar carried by the frame, the spreader bar being movable between a first generally horizontal position projecting laterally from the frame beyond one of the sides and a second generally vertical position between the lateral sides, an end of the spreader bar adjacent the hopper being connected by a horizontal pivot to an arm which is in turn connected by a vertical pivot to the frame, and the vertical pivot being disposed between the hopper sides whereby the spreader bar can be disposed generally vertically and within the profile of the hopper between the sides thereof.

Abstract: A machine is provided which is mountable on another vehicle for effecting the pneumatic spreading of granular material along a working direction. The machine is of the type that has a central hopper divided in its lower area by a roof shaped middle part disposed in the working direction into two sections which have outlet openings and a metering device driven through a regulating drive which is receptive of material from the outlet openings. Tubes are provided which are receptive of material from the metering device and have a portion overreaching the hopper transversely of the working direction and discharge openings at the outer extremities thereof exposed at intervals from one another transversely of the working direction. A blower is situated forward of the machine and has an impeller shaft which is driveable by the powered take up shaft of the vehicle pulling the machine. An air duct connects the blower to the tube.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for pneumatically spreading a particulate substance for treating the ground. The particulate substance is blown from a hopper through tubes to distribution points. A nozzle is received on the outlet end of each tube. The flow is divided in the nozzle into several parts which are concentrated in inverted chutelike of different lengths and then sprayed towards the ground, perpendicular thereto in the central zone and progressively more obliquely towards the marginal zones. The central zones are covered with a uniform amount of particulate substance which decreases in the marginal zones stepwise or uniformly. The marginal zones of consecutive adjacent passes overlap each other. Various ways of decreasing the distribution of the particulate substance in the marginal zones are described.

Abstract: Seed and/or fertilizer or similar particulate material is fed by a seed cup assembly or the like from a hopper to a main conduit through which air is passing at a rate sufficient to ensure that the material is picked up by the air stream and transported thereby. A main distributor head receives the material and feeds it pneumatically to a plurality of secondary distributor heads. A plurality of feed conduits extends from each secondary distributing head one to each of the seed outlets provided adjacent the furrow openers of the assembly. Each distributor head is provided with tapered restrictors which concentrate the material centrally so that it strikes the curved upper end centrally and is thus spread evenly to all of the conduits extending from the manifold thus ensuring even distribution of the material.

Abstract: A machine for broadcasting material over the ground having booms (15) which carry flexible distributing conduits (10), and extend laterally outwardly from the centrally disposed hopper (2) for broadcasting of the material, and are folded up, about horizontal pivot axes (19), against the hopper for transport of the machine over e.g., roads. Each boom includes an inner boom member (17) and an outer boom member (18) which are pivotally connected at an axis (22) so that the outer boom member can be folded into alignment with the inner boom member in the direction of travel (16). By this construction the width required for the booms when in the transport condition is reduced.

Abstract: A spreading implement has at least one hopper, preferably with two outlet spouts at the bottom thereof. Each spout has an outlet port through which material passes and a flow control device having holes is positioned beneath each port. A group of distributor pipes is mounted below a corresponding control device at each side of the hopper and the pipes extend laterally from the implement to terminate with outlets at different distances from the hopper. The inner ends of each group of pipes adjoin an inlet nozzle formed by open pipe channels and connectors that correspond to each pipe. The channels receive material from corresponding holes in the control device and the latter can be moved via a setting device to more or less register with apertures formed in a cover plate that overlies said channels. An enclosed air chamber is formed between the spouts at the bottom of the hopper and a blower forces air through the chamber into each inlet nozzle that enters the sides of the chamber.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for distributing particulate material, e.g., comprising catalyst particles, over a zone, e.g., chemical reaction zone, comprising:A supply hopper, having an inlet and an outlet, for holding particulate material;A deflection plate located adajcent to the end of the outlet away from said supply hopper to deflect the direction of at least a portion of the particulate material flowing through the outlet; andAt least one conduit in fluid communication with at least one source of gaseous media, the conduit being situated such that at least a portion of the gaseous media from the conduit flow in the space between the end of the outlet away from the supply hopper and the deflection plate to thereby cause at least a portion of the particulate material to be propelled in substantially the same direction as the flow.An improved method for placing particulate material in a zone has also been discovered.