Method and apparatus for measuring flow-rate of electromagnetic granular media

Claim 2

Gravity-fed peening apparatus comprising in combination: (a) reservoir means supplying ferromagnetic granular media disposed at a suitable elevation to provide head pressure for the media; (b) filter means disposed below and downstream from the reservoir and communicating therewith to receive the media therefrom and having means stabilizing the flow rate of the media to provide substantially constant head pressure below the filter means; (c) metering means disposed below and downstream from the filter means and communicating therewith to receive the media from the filter and having electrical inductive means responsive to the level of media in the metering means and producing an electrical signal responsive to such level; and (d) nozzle means disposed downstream from the metering means and receiving the media therefrom and discharging the media to a workpiece.

Claim 3

The combination recited in Claim 1, wherein.the filter means comprises a vertically disposed outer tubular member closed at the upper end and open at the lower end, an inner tubular member coaxial therewith open at its upper end and closed at the lower end and defining an annular chamber with the outer tube, the inner tube receiving the media through the open upper end and having a plurality of apertures through the tubular wall stabilizing the flow of media therethrough into the annular chamber to provide substantially constant head pressure downstream therefrom.

Claim 4

The combination recited in claim 2, wherein the apertures stabilizing the flow of media are a plurality of equidistantly disposed vertical slots through the inner tube wall.

Claim 5

The combination recited in Claim 2, wherein the metering means comprises a vertically disposed outer tubular member closed at the upper end and open at the lower end, an inner tubular member coaxial therewith open at the upper end and closed at the lower end and defining an annular chamber with an outer tube, the inner tube receiving the media from the filter through the open upper end and having a plurality of apertures through the tubular wall restricting the flow of media therethrough into the annular chamber, a transfer line communicating with the lower end of the annular chamber and with a discharge nozzle disposed downstream therefrom, an electrical induction coil disposed around the exterior of the annular chamber and coaxial therewith, electrical supply means activating the induction coil, the activated coil being responsive to the level of media within the chamber of the metering means and providing an electrical signal varying in accordance with changes in the media level.

Claim 6

The combination recited in Claim 4, wherein the apertures through the inner tube wall are a plurality of circular bores disposed in a plurality of vertical rows equidistantly spaced, the rows being vertically staggered in relation to each other so that no two bores are in the same transverse plane.

Claim 7

The combination recited in Claim 4, wherein the electrical current drawn by the induction coil is at a minimum when the annular chamber is substantially full of ferromagnetic granular media, the current rising in inverse proportion to a drop in the level of the media in the chamber;