Abstract: A pellet gate, or valve, assembly to control pneumatic discharge of pellets from a hopper car. The inclined side walls of the hopper terminate in spaced edges forming a valve gap, with a semi-cylindrical trough extending below the valve gap. Centered in the valve gap is a valve rod having an axis which is spaced above the axis of the trough. The rod has oppositely facing longitudinal grooves defining a figure eight cross section and mounted for rotation from a valve-closed position to a valve-open position in which the grooves of the rod face the opposed edges of the hopper side walls for passage of the pellets. A cylindrical control collar is coaxially mounted at the end of the trough for rocking movement. A geared connection is interposed between the control collar and the end of the valve rod so that rocking movement of the control collar is effective to rotate the rod between its open and closed conditions.

Abstract: A manifold assembly is provided for delivering flowable solid material, such as pelletized resin, for example, from a silo to a plurality of delivery pipes leading to extruding machines. The manifold is provided with gate valves for each delivery pipe, the valves being self-cleaning and easily controllable. A base portion of the manifold has a plurality of gated delivery tubes, while a top portion has at least one delivery tube of a larger diameter. Circular mounting flanges with equally spaced bolt holes between the lower and upper portions of the manifold facilitate any desired relative orientation of the delivery tube of the upper portion with respect to those of the lower portion. Also the upper portion has a circular flange for mounting in any desired position of index on a matching flange of a silo or hopper.

Abstract: A metering method and apparatus is provided for the controlled discharge of powder from a fluidized-bed blender to a material container, which gives accurate material weights while separating powder from fluidizing gas. In this method the material container is filled with a series of short duration discharges at a reduced powder flow rate. This method enables the apparatus to more precisely measure the weight of the container and maintain homogeneity of the blended material in both the bed and the container. The apparatus for carrying out this method includes a flexible pressure-tight sleeve connecting the fluidized bed to the container. When a ball valve located at the bottom of the fluidized bed opens to discharge powder, the sleeve retains the high pressure fluidizing gas inside the sleeve and the container. This causes the pressure to build at the outlet of the valve thus preventing the gas from rapidly exhausting and forcing powder through the outlet.

Abstract: A hopper vessel has a series of discharge valve members in the bottom, which valve members can swing about a transverse axis from a horizontal postion, in which they close the bottom openings of the hold of the vessel, into a vertical position, in which they fully open said bottom openings, which valve members also can be placed in an inclined intermediate position in which they still close the bottom openings, said valve members being provided with channels which are in line with channels in the intermediate parts of the bottom and with a conduit connected to a pump, and the bottom openings, at the level of the valve members, having openings in the side walls connecting to water supply which openings are closed in the horizontal position of the valve members by said valve members and opened in the intermediate position whereby water entering through the openings assists in the discharge of material through the conduit with at least one valve member in said intermediate position.