Dispensing bin and method for loading and unloading same

Claim 1

A METHOD OF LOADING AND UNLOADIANG A MIXTURE OF GRANULAR METERIAL FROM A STORAGE BIN THROUGH A DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID BIN IN A MANNER TO PREVENT SEGREGATION OF SAID MIXTURE INTO DIFFERENT SIZED PARTICLES COMPRISING THE PLACING OF A CONDUIT IN A VERTICAL POSITION WITH ITS BOTTOM END IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, PROVIDING APERTURE MEANS IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CONDUCIT THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF, SO AS TO AFFORD CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BIN SPACE SURROUNDING THE CONDUIT AND SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, VIA SAID APERTURE MEANS AND THE INTERIOR OF THE CONDUIT, PROVIDING AN INLET OPENING AT THE UPPER CENTER OF SAID BIN, AND PROVIDING BAFFLE MEANS, IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID INLET OPENING, FOR CASING MATERIAL ENTERING THE BIN TO BE DIRECTED TOWARD, AND IMPINGE UPON, THE SIDES OF SAID BIN WHEREBY SAID MATERIAL IS CAUSED TO DESCEND BY GRAVITY DOWNWARDLY AND RADIALLY INWARDLY TOWARD SAID CONDUIT APERTURE MEANS, WHEREBY THE GRANULES OF SAID GRANULAR MATERIAL ENTER THE CONDUIT BY GRAVITY ONLY FROM THE UPPER LAYER OF THE MATERAIL IN SAID BIN AND ARE DISCHARGED BY GRAVITY THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, NO MATTER AT WHAT LEVEL SAID UPPER LAYER MAY BE DISPOSED.