Abstract: A conveying and lock system (10) for introducing a bulk material into a reactor (14) with exclusion of gas and while preventing gas exchange at low pressure differences has a screw shaft (44) on which first windings (46) and second windings (48) are formed. A winding-free section (50) is disposed between the first and the second windings (46, 48) in which the conveyed bulk material is compacted. The compacting causes a bulk material plug which is substantially gas free and, during bulk material transport, the bulk material plug is constantly formed in the conveying and lock system (10) by the screw shaft (44) to prevent gas exchange between the product inlet and the product outlet of the conveying and lock system.

Abstract: A coal charging car for a coke-oven battery has a screw-type feeder beneath the coal hopper shiftable on the chassis of the car to allow positioning of the outlet of that feeder over the hole communicating with the coking chamber without moving the car.

Abstract: A heater for burning particulate combustible fuel material, and a stoker for transferring the fuel for use in connection with such a heater. The heater includes a burner with a step upward from the stoker onto the burner, for reducing the possibility of the fire burning back into the supply of fuel. The stoker includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor, spaced vertically apart and connected together by a drop box. A drive arrangement for driving the conveyors includes a prime mover connected to the first conveyor by means of a drive shaft and to the second conveyor by an intermittent drive. The intermittent drive includes a second shaft with a plurality of paddles extending radially outwardly therefrom. In one embodiment, one or more paddles are removably affixed to the first shaft and extend radially outward therefrom. Thus rotation of the first shaft causes rotation of the second shaft only when the paddles are in contact.

Abstract: Apparatus for densifying particulate solids and for removing air from the solids includes a screw feeder that conveys the material through a recirculation chamber, then into a high pressure shroud that is closed at its downstream end by a preloaded cover in yieldable sealing engagement with the downstream end of the high pressure shroud. In a preferred embodiment, the high pressure shroud includes a perforated section that extends upstream into the recirculation chamber so that as the particulate material is compressed by the screw in the high pressure shroud, air and some of the particles are expressed through the perforations and are contained by the recirculation chamber which directs the expressed particles downward into the screw which once again pushes them into the high pressure shroud.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for delivering materials such as comminuted rubber tires as a secondary fuel to a combustion chamber of a furnace or kiln. A hopper includes a variable speed electric motor-driven screw conveyor, and a control system provides a variable frequency alternating current to the motor of the screw conveyor to deliver a metered amount of fuel from the hopper. A blower and a nozzle assembly may be used to entrain the fuel in a stream of air and carry the fuel to the combustion chamber where it is required. The fuel is delivered in metered quantities in response to the required firing rate of the furnace or kiln. A second metering device provides metered quantities of material which can be carried by the fuel to be taken into a high temperature environment to be decomposed or burned. The apparatus is mounted on a transportable platform.

Abstract: A waste product feeder in which when waste products are charged through a hopper into a trough are transported by a screw and then discharged, they are successively scraped by a scraper in a predetermined quantity or volume.