Apparatus for providing uniform descent of a particulate solid material disposed in a reaction chamber

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING PARTICULATE SOLID MATERIAL FROM A REACTION CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THEREOF COMPRISING A VERTICAL ELONGATED REACTION CHAMBER FOR HOLDING A BED OF SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL, SAID CHAMBER HAVING A BOTTOM OPENING, AND A DISCHARGE VALVE DISPOSED BELOW SAID OPENING, SAID VALVE COMPRISING A FLAT PLATE MEMBER LARGER IN DIMETER THAN THE BOTTOM OPENING AND ADJUSTABLE THEREFROM TO FORM A PERIPHERAL DISCHARGE GAP, SAID FLAT PLATE HAVING A STRAIGHT TRANSVERSE VANE RIGIDLY ATTACHED THERETO AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM AT A RIGHT ANGLE THERETO, THE LENGTH OF SAID VANE BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF THE SAID BOTTOM OPENING AND TAPERING UPWARDS FROM BOTH ENDS THEREOF TO A POINT OF MAXIMUM HEIGHT AT ABOUT THE MEDIAL PORTION OF THE SAID FLAT PLATE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID PLATE MEMBER.