Abstract: A material collection unit for a material handling system is disclosed. The material collection unit includes an elongated housing section, a separator, and an accumulation bin. The separator is disposed within the housing section and partially bisects the elongated housing section into first and second sections. The first section is in communication with an inlet for materials to pass through. The second section is in communication with an exhaust. The accumulation bin is disposed below the elongated housing and has an open top section that is in communication with the elongated housing section and a second opening that is configured to mate with an opening of a baler unit.

Abstract: Cylindrical prescription containers are propelled through a pneumatic transport system at high speeds by low pressure, high-velocity air. Upon arrival at destination stations within the transport system, curvilinear decelerators slow them by directing them through a plurality of curved paths where they dissipate momentum. Once slowed, the containers are deposited upon a moving conveyor to be staged into the next processing station at an even pace. The decelerators comprise curved vanes surrounding the container path, the vanes being held in a fixed, curvilinear relation to each other and the container by a series of yokes surrounding and engaging the vanes. The conveyor is driven by a servo motor controllable by the transport system to pace containers as needed by the next processing station.

Abstract: A hopper system for both delivery and reclamation of bulk abrasives includes a closed, vacuum rated container with an inlet port with a hatch which is moveable between an open position for gaining access to the interior of the container and a closed position for closing the container. At its lower end there is an outlet port for releasing the contents of the container. The outlet port includes a valve which is moveable between open and closed positions for controlling the flow of contents from the container. The hopper system includes a connector for attaching a vacuum source to the container and in communication with the interior of the container and a reclamation inlet in the container and communicating with a reclamation line for drawing abrasives into the interior of the container when the vacuum source is attached to the container.

Abstract: An adhesive melter includes an inlet port, an outlet port, and an interior configured to heat and hold adhesive pellets. The melter includes a lid for providing access to the interior and the outlet port communicates with the interior. An intake conduit is coupled to the inlet port and is configured to deliver forced air and adhesive pellets to the interior. An exhaust conduit is coupled to the outlet port and is configured to remove the forced air from the interior and to receive a filter for trapping particles of the adhesive pellets borne by the forced air. The outlet port and the inlet port are non-concentric but closely spaced and centrally located on the lid and the outlet port is spaced from the inlet port so as to cause the forced air to travel in a generally U-shaped path within the interior of the melter.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing granular material to a loading hopper preparatory to processing includes a receptacle receiving material prior to processing thereof by machinery supplied by the hopper with a top including a first valve for selectably connecting the receptacle to vacuum or ambient air, a conduit for drawing vacuum in the receptacle, a conduit for connecting the receptacle to a supply of the granular material, a second valve for selectably permitting material flow from the receptacle into the hopper, and a sensor control for temporarily adjustably closing the first valve and opening the second valve responsively to detected presence of a suitable amount of material in the receptacle.

Abstract: A shield for a plug valve is provided to prevent debris from hindering the movement of moving components of the plug valve. The shield prevents larger sized debris from accumulating at an opening in a wall in which the plug valve is mounted, the wall defining a confined space, such as the interior of a vessel, at least in part. The shield encloses but is spaced from the plug valve and a device is located within a space between the shield and the plug valve for directing a purging gas through the space to sweep away or purge smaller sized debris from the space.

Abstract: A granular semiconductor material transport system capable of continuous, non-contaminating transfer of granular semiconductor material from a large source vessel to a smaller and more manageable target vessel. Movement of the granular material is induced by flowing transfer fluid. The system includes a source vessel, a feed tube, a process vessel, a target vessel and a vacuum source, or mover. The source vessel contains a bulk supply of granular material to be transported. A feed tube received within the source vessel transfers the granular material entrained in a transfer fluid from the source vessel to the process vessel. The process vessel separates the granular material from any dust particles and deposits the granular material in the more manageable target vessel. The vacuum source sealably connects to the process vessel to evacuate the process vessel to set the granular polysilicon in motion within the system.

Abstract: A separator for removing pellets from an air flow has a screen inclined to the path of the pellets and which deflects the pellets toward a pellet discharge member for subsequent delivery to a hot melt glue tank. The screen is detachably carried by an air outlet of the separator which, in turn, is detachably mounted on the separator. In a modified air outlet, stacked screens of decreasing aperture cross section are removably secured in place by a bayonet lock on the screens and air outlet.

Abstract: A system for recovering waste fiber and reusing it with a loose-fill blown-in-place insulation system includes a fiber collector device mounted above the feed hopper, which collector receives the waste (i.e. recovered) insulation for recycling into the blowing operation. The collector includes a unique set of angled baffles which serve to thoroughly redistribute the recovered waste fibers back into the feed hopper for more even and uniform mixing with the new, virgin fibers being added. To accomplish this distribution the baffles are located so as to increase in surface area as a function of increased distance from the inlet.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method blow or spray loose-fill insulation (e.g., fiberglass) into wall cavities and the like. The system includes a fiber recovery or recycling subsystem that vacuums up overspray or waste fibers and forwards them back toward the hopper. A fiber collector device having a fiber inlet and outlet is mounted above the hopper, and receives the recovered waste fibers and redistributes them back into the hopper so that they mix with virgin fibers therein. The mix of recovered and virgin fibers is then blown through the blow hose toward a wall cavity or the like to be insulated.

Abstract: A loading device primarily for injecting granular plastic material into molding or extrusion machines includes a tee chamber connected to a source of the material. A filter and screen are supported on a top plate interposed between the filter and the tee chamber. A baffle is located in the tee chamber to deflect the solid material to a sight glass assembly, while air and fines flow toward the screen and filter. A second or middle plate is inserted between the tee chamber and the sight glass assembly. A bottom plate supports the sight glass and is part of an end bell which includes a quick connect and disconnect sleeve for attachment to the associated machine. A plurality of support rods and threaded members secure the top plate to the middle or second plate, and the middle or second plate to the bottom plate.

Abstract: A bag dumping station for receiving particulate materials from rupturable bags or other portable containers is provided with a vacuum facility with a direct inlet to the hopper of the station and includes an ejector for providing motive gas for vacuum conveying particulate solids from a drum or spilled materials from broken bags.

Abstract: A device for dispersing and metering fibers which includes a frame, a hopper mounted on the frame and having an inlet opening for receiving fibers therein. A screen is provided through which the fibers from the inlet opening must pass for separating any existing fiber clumps into a size not exceeding a size predetermined by the screen. A primary fluffing device is provided for creating a uniform dispersion of fibers within the hopper. An outlet opening is provided for allowing the fibers to exit the hopper. A controllable metering device is provided in the outlet opening for transporting a metered quantity of fibers out of the hopper through the outlet opening. A housing structure is connected to an outlet end of the metering device, the housing structure including an air inlet opening into the housing and a secondary fluffing device inside of the housing for further reducing in size any fiber clumps to separated discreet fibers.

Abstract: A device for dispersing and metering fibers which includes a frame, and a hopper mounted on the frame and having an inlet opening for receiving fibers therein. A screen is provided through which the fibers from the inlet opening must pass for separating any existing fiber clumps into a size not exceeding a size predetermined by the screen. A primary fluffing device is provided for creating a uniform dispersion of fibers within the hopper. An outlet opening is provided for allowing the fibers to exit the hopper. A controllable metering device is provided in the outlet opening for transporting a metered quantity of fibers out of the hopper through the outlet opening. A housing structure is connected to an outlet end of the metering device, the housing structure including an air inlet opening into the housing and a secondary fluffing device inside of the housing for further reducing in size any fiber clumps to separated discreet fibers.

Abstract: An improved solid particulate matter blender which is essentially a cylindrical vessel with a hopper bottom and a central lift pipe through which pressurized gas is pumped in order to lift material from the bottom to the top for remixing. An internal cone structure mounted inside the conical bottom hopper improves the mixing action within the blender. A cylindrical extension is attached to the bottom of the internal cone structure and extends toward the bottom of the vessel. Material originating at various heights thus reaches the bottom and is lifted to the top together to accomplish the mixing action.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blending a material feed and/or separating debris from a material feed is disclosed in which a feed separator is used with a blender and/or debris separator. The feed separator separates a feed from the conveying air flow which conveys the feed and the conveying air flow, devoid of feed, is then used to blend the conveyed feed and/or separate debris therefrom.

Abstract: A method and apparatus conveys solid particles from a supply device to a charging device for charging free-flowing cutting jets. Positive charging of the cutting jets even when located at a greater or remote distance from the supply device is ensured. To that end, the solid particles are transported in a closed circuit between the supply device and a charging or intermediate storage device and the momentarily required partial quantity of solid particles needed for charging the cutting jet is removed from the closed circuit.

Abstract: An integrated process blending apparatus which blends particulate material and also automatically controls the flow of material into the blender and out to the associated processing equipment. Load cells attached to the blender vessel are used to control the entry of material into the blender, while the pressure drop in the blender output pipe is used to control an output deflector to either remove or recycle material within the blender. The blender is also made more effective by dividing it into vertical compartments with separators which have angled portions preferably in their lower regions to cause different downward flow velocities in each compartment, and by creating a multistage blender by stacking sets of offset compartments one on top of another.

Abstract: The bulk material feeder of the present invention, because of the need for cleaning the inside of the feeder, jets out pressurized clean air into the equipment. The air is supplied through the piping used to supply resin pellets and nozzle to carry out the cleaning action, utilizing turbulent flow generated when the air current jetted out collides with baffles installed in the equipment. The air and pellets are easily aspirated and cleans fines adhered to internal walls of the hopper since, naturally, resin pellets remaining in the equipment are destroyed by the turbulent flow. Also resin pellets are destroyed a little by the impact when colliding with internal walls of the hopper, and due to other causes. Residual pellets aspired to the outside and fines adhered to the inside are collected, and internal cleaning can be accomplished in an extremely short time. A bulk material feeder is thus provided with an internal cleaning mechanism.

Abstract: A blender for solid particulate material such as plastic pellets which includes an apparatus for separating a fine fraction of material from the plastic pellets. This is accomplished by a separator shell which surrounds a vertical lift pipe in the blender. Gas under pressure is utilized to circulate material through the lift pipe from the bottom of the vessel to the top of the vessel to blend the material. As material is discharged from the vertical lift pipe, the air supplied through the lift pipe for lifting material flows through material dispersed within the separation zone to entrain the fine material and convey it through a vent to a high efficiency dust collector. A by-pass conduit and by-pass control valve are provided to control the velocity of gas through the separation zone to control the size particle of the fine fraction which is separated.

Abstract: A control valve assembly for controlling particulate solids feed upward into a fluidized bed reactor, utilizing a purged valve seat mating with a poppet head and valve stem having a vented clearance space. The valve seat surface and a stem clearance space are each purged by a clean externally supplied gas, the solids flair in an elbow-shaped passageway are fluidized by air supplied through booster nozzles, and the valve stem is operated by a pneumatic actuator. A particulate solids material such as coal is transferred by a screw conveyor through a horizontal conduit, and then fed through the elbow-shaped passageway and the poppet valve seat upwardly into the reactor fluidized bed.

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing particulate material includes a feeder having a charging inlet and a discharge outlet duct having converging walls. Coaxially aligned with the discharge outlet duct is a deflector including a first spreader having diverging outer walls, and a second spreader contiguous with the diverging walls of the first spreader and having diverging walls of an angular inclination to the direction of flow of the particulate material greater than that of the first spreader. The charging inlet may have attached thereto an extension and an expansion chamber into which a feed pipe projects, the expansion chamber and the feed pipe being external to a receiving vessel. The particulate material may be fed into the feeder entrained in air. The material leaving the second spreader is uniformly distributed and may form a hollow curtain of uniformly distributed particulate material. The curtain may fall into a spray mixing vessel, and a circular baffle may contain the curtain.

Abstract: A method and a device for the uniform distribution of a bulk materials stream, particularly one conveyed pneumatically, onto a more extended cross-sectional area possibly divided up into partial stream cross-sections by partitions, is distinguished by the bulk materials stream passing through an elongate vertical charging space, at the end of which it is gathered into a narrowing outlet channel in which the bulk material shows an essentially uniform cross-section distribution and that this bulk materials stream then passes to the tip of a coaxially arranged distribution cone which deflects the bulk material sideways uniformly in all directions and in this way forms a hollow bulk materials curtain of uniform circumferential distribution. This bulk materials curtain can be used as such, for instance in a vessel in which the bulk material is sprayed with liquid, or can be used for the further subdivision into partial streams.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved system for transporting plastics articles such as containers for foods from one place such as a plastics articles-manufacturing plant to another such as a goods-charging plant and encompasses vehicle means for transporting the articles in large quantities, devices which receive the articles from the vehicle means, convey the articles and discharge them into a pipeline for pneumatic conveyance and a device which is installed at the delivery end of the pipeline, which stores the articles and which is provided with means capable of discharging them therefrom at a predetermined rate.

Abstract: A high capacity wagon for silage and the like has a gravity-assisted rear inclined dumping wall with high ground clearance in both the full open and all intermediate positions. A simplified positive latch mechanism for the dumping wall is biased in the latching position and easily released by the operator of a towing tractor. The necessity for tilting the entire body of the wagon to completely dump its contents is eliminated.

Abstract: A blending equipment mounted on the ceiling of a blending bin has a conveyor airduct for introducing materials or raw cotton from the exterior of the blending bin into the interior thereof. The conveyor airduct has a lower end with which one end of a spreader outlet is communicated, the other end of the spreader outlet being opened laterally within the blending bin. The opening of the spreader outlet turns round a vertical axis. A lower member of the spreader outlet defining the opening is moved up and down. Rotation of the spreader outlet and oscillation of the lower member of the spreader outlet are effected simultaneously. Thus, the materials fed into the blending bin through the conveyor airduct are evenly scattered from the opening of the spreader outlet not only at a position below the blending equipment but also set positions more remote therefrom.

Abstract: A filter material charging apparatus for adding a gas treating material into gas treating cells contained in a filter housing includes an open bottomed gas treating material conveying channel and air evacuation conduits located in the filter housing over the gas treating cells. Air-borne filter material is delivered to the conveying channel from a source outside the filter housing. Baffles are located in the channel to distribute gas treating material over the length and breadth of the filter housing, and into the gas treating cells as the gas treating material exits the channel through its open bottom. The air which carried the filter material into the housing is evacuated from the interior of the filter housing by the air evacuating conduit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the flow of a powder from a source, such as a large hopper, to the intake of a conventional machine wherein such powder is compressed into tablets. Devices are arranged along the route of powder flow so as to restrict, decelerate and depressurize such powder flow and thereby prevent its surging, compaction and/or bridging. These devices are also arranged to maintain the powder in a loose condition of uniform density.In the preferred embodiments, said devices include most or all of a return duct to the powder source, an upper filter to atmosphere, an upper baffle against which the powder is directed, a restriction, an elongated powder tube through which the powder flows, a lower baffle and a final pressure relief filter to atmosphere. Mechanism in the tableting machine receives the thusly prepared powder and forms it into tablets much faster than previously possible.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the flow of a powder from a source, such as a large hopper, to the intake of a conventional machine wherein such powder is compressed into tablets. Devices are arranged along the route of powder flow so as to restrict, decelerate and depressurize such powder flow and thereby prevent its surging, compaction and/or bridging. These devices are also arranged to maintain the powder in a loose condition of uniform density.In the preferred embodiments, said devices include most or all of a return duct to the powder source, an upper filter to atmosphere, an upper baffle against which the powder is directed, a restriction, an elongated powder tube through which the powder flows, a lower baffle and a final pressure relief filter to atmosphere. Mechanism in the tableting machine receives the thusly prepared powder and forms it into tablets much faster than previously possible.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for forming webs from textile fibers entrained in an air stream in a conduit with a perforated plate dividing the interior of a housing into first and second chambers so that the entrained fibers fall to the bottom of the first chamber and the air passes through the plate while a portion of the plate is oscillated. The passage between the conduit and first chamber increases in cross-section from conduit to first chamber to reduce the velocity of the air and entrained particles.