GB2112362A

GB2112362A - Discharging powder and/or pellets from a hopper

Info

Publication number: GB2112362A
Application number: GB08233070A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Agne Peleus
Original assignee: PELEUS AND CO KB
Current assignee: PELEUS AND CO KB
Priority date: 1981-11-19
Filing date: 1982-11-19
Publication date: 1983-07-20
Also published as: SE459491B; SE8106883L; NO823853L; SE454773B; GB2112362B; SE8602589D0; SE8602589L; NO155929C; NO155929B

Abstract

To discharge powder and/or pellets from a hopper, a chute 1 is arranged underneath an adjustable flow control member 2, the material flowing down the chute and out through an outlet 3. The chute 1 is initially connected to the hopper body by sealing strips, and either the hopper body or the chute can be vibrated. The flow control member can comprise flaps hinged together along their upper edges and moved by a leaf spring 5 actuated by a bolt 6. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to apparatus for controllably discharging powder and/or pellets from a hopper The present invention relates to apparatus for controlling the discharge of powder and/or pellets from containers such as hoppers. In particular the invention relates to a device for use with a container having converging side walls adjacent the outlet through which the powder and/or pellets are discharged.

Conventionally powder and/or pellets may be stored in large hoppers. Usually such hoppers have converging side walls at the base thereof, and these converging side walls converge towards an outlet. Frequently a movable control member is provided to control the rate of discharge of the powder and/or pellets, this control member being movable to a position in which it closes the opening defined between the converging side walls. The control member may then be moved vertically to a position in which it is spaced from the side walls, thus permitting the powder and/or pellets to be discharged from the container. One disadvantage of this prior proposed arrangement is that the powder and/or pellets being discharged from the container inevitably impinge upon the control member and thus effectively form two streams of discharging material.Frequently these streams of discharging material are caused to flow in opposite directions.

The present invention provides an apparatus for discharging powder and/or pellets from a hopper defining an outlet adjacent the base thereof, said apparatus comprising a control member associated with the outlet to control the rate of flow of said powder and/or pellets and a chute located under the control member to receive the powder and/or pellets, there being an outlet from said chute through which the powder and/or pellets may be discharged.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through part of an outlet associated with a hopper; Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1, through part of the outlet shown in Figure 1; Figure 3A is a diagrammatic cross-section through a chute; Figure 3B is a diagrammatic transverse cross section through the chute shown in Figure 3A; Figure 3C is a top view of the chute shown in Figures 3A and 3B and Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, corresponding to Figure 1, through another embodiment of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate one embodiment of the invention. A hopper which contains a powder and/or granular material has converging side walls 4 in the lower region of the hopper. The hopper is mounted to be vibrated by a suitable means 7 (see Figure 3B). Any suitable means may be used, for example an eccentric electric rotor or a pneumatically-operated reciprocating piston arrangement. A control member 2 is provided to control the discharge of the powder and/or granular material from the rectangular elongate aperture formed by the converging side walls 4 of the hopper. The control member is constituted by two elongate plates that are interconnected to form an inverted apex. The axis of this inverted apex is aligned with the axis of the aperture defined between the converging side walls of the hopper.

Located immediately beneath the control member is a chute 1, which is vibrationally mounted. The chute effectively comprises an elongate substantially "U" sectioned channel member, and the upper portions of the side walls of the channel member are connected to the opening mouth formed by the converging side walls of the hopper 4 by means of resilient interconnecting portions. Thus the hopper and the chute can vibrate relative to one another, but the powder and/or granular material cannot escape from the combination of the hopper and the chute.

The base of the chute is provided with at least one outlet conduit 3 extending downwardly from the base of the channel member that effectively defines the chute.

In operation of the described device either the hopper or the chute or both may be caused to vibrate, and the control member may be located appropriately relative to the opening mouth defined by the converging side walls 4 of the hopper. The powder and/or granular material will then flow evenly from the hopper and will accummulate within the chute 1. An even stream of powder and/or granular material will thus be discharged through the conduit 3.

It will be appreciated that the control member 2, in addition to controlling the rate of flow, serves to support the column of the powder and/or granular material, above the control member. Thus, the whole weight of the said column of material is not bearvng down on the material emerging from the chute and the vibration is thus less likely to cause an undesirable compacting, and possible jamming, of the emerging material.

The control member may be so connected as to vibrate with the hopper and/or chute, or it may be vibrated independently, or it may be static and not vibrate at all. The arrangement which is chosen will largely depend upon the nature of the material being processed.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 the control member 2 is mounted on the chute 1, and thus moves in synchronism with the chute 1.

Figure 3 clearly illustrates how the control member is of elongate form, corresponding to the elongate form of the aperture formed at the base of the hopper. The control plate extends over substantially the entire length of the aperture formed at the base of the hopper.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention. The hopper having the converging side walls 4 is provided, and the chute 1 is provided, but the chute has less depth than the chute 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The control member 2 is located above the aperature formed by the converging side walls of the hopper 4, but has an elongate configuration corresponding to the elongate configuration of the control member shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The control member 2 of the arrangement shown in Figure 4 comprises two blades that are pivotally interconnected at their abutting upper edges. Thus the control member is of inverted apex configuration, but the angle of the blades can be adjusted. An arrangement is provided for adjusting the angle of the blades comprising a threaded member 6 which passes through a nut welded to the base of the chute 1 and through an aperature in the base of the chute 1. Thus the relative longitudinal position of the bolt 6 may be adjusted. At its upper end the bolt 6 is connected to an arcuate leaf spring 5 which is located under the two blades of the control member 2. Thus, as the bolt 6 is adjusted so the blades 2 of the control member tend to open and close. Thus the rate of flow of material through the aperture consistuted by the converging side walls of the hopper 4 may be adjusted.The control member 2 may vibrate with the hopper or it may be suspended independently from the hopper, in which case it does not vibrate.

The chute 1 shown in Figure 4 will be provided with an outlet conduit 3 corresponding to that provided in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is to be noted that in the described embodiments of the invention discharge from the hopper takes place along the entire length of a relatively long aperture. Consequently the powder and/or granular material is evenly discharged from the entire region within the hopper, and this is advantageous when compared with prior proposed arrangements having conical or pyrimidal control members associated with tubular outlets since this leads to an uneven discharge, resulting in the formation of "wells" in the powder or granular material within the hopper.

Since the powder and/or granular material passing the control member enters the vibrating chute 1, an even flow of material emanates from the outlet conduit 3 and there is no arching or separation of the material into two divergent streams.

There is always a space located directly under the control member which is free from powdered material, and this facilitates the free flow of the powdered material through the chute by allowing the vibrated material to shift upwards momentarily into the said space. There is otherwise a danger of the material becoming compacted.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to specific preferred embodiments it is to be appreciated that many modifications or improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for discharging powder and/or pellets from a hopper defining an outlet adjacent the base thereof, said apparatus comprising a control member associated with the outlet to control the rate of flow of said powder and/or pellets and a chute located under the control member to receive the powder and/or pellets, there being an outlet from said chute through which the powder and/or pellets may be discharged.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for vibrating the hopper.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein means are provided for vibrating the chute.

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control member is movable relative to the opening defined at the bottom of the hopper.

5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said opening is an elongate substantially rectangular opening and said control member is an elongate substantially rectangular control member.

6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control member comprises two abutting plates that are downwardly inclined from their point of abutment.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said plates are hinged together at their point of abutment.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein means are provided for adjusting the angular inclination between said plates.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said adjustment means comprises a screw threaded member associated with a resilient spring, the resilient spring engaging the underside of the said plates and being adjustable by means of the screw threaded member.

10. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control member is mounted on the hopper.

11. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the control member is mounted on the chute.

12. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the hopper and the chute are interconnected by resilient sealing means.

13. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

14. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 4. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.