Solids flow equalizer

Claim 1

A GRAVIMETRIC SOLIDS FLOW EQUALIZER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED SOLIDS COLLECTOR CIRCULAR IN HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION WITH SIDE WALLS OF VERTICAL INCLINATION IN EXCESS OF THE ANGLE OF REPOSE OF SOLIDS PROCESSED THROUGH SAID FLOW EQUALIZER, A PLURALITY OF EQUI-SIZED SOLIDS INTRODUCTION PIPES DISCHARGING INTO THE TOP OF SAID COLLECTOR, SAID SOLIDS INTRODUCTION PIPES BEING SLOPED AT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL ANGLES OF INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO THE HORIZONTAL IN EXCESS OF SAID ANGLE OF REPOSE OF SOLIDS PROCESSED THROUGH SAID FLOW EQUALIZER OVER STRAIGHT LENGTHS UPSTREAM OF SAID COLLECTOR EXCEEDING A DISTANCE OF ABOUT THREE PIPE DIAMETERS WITH DISCHARGE ENDS SPACED RADIALLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID COLLECTOR AT LOCATIONS DISPOSED SYMMETRICALLY BOTH PERIPHERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID COLLECTOR, A CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED COMMON SOLIDS DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID COLLECTOR AND A FLOW RESTRICTER MOUNTED CONCENTRIALLY INSIDE SAID COLLECTOR INTERMEDIATE SAID DISCHARGE ENDS OF SAID SOLIDS INTRODUCTION PIPES AND SAID COMMON SOLIDS DISCHARGE OPENING DEFINING WITH SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID COLLECTOR UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED OPEN PERIPHERAL AREA HAVING A MINIMUM RADIAL DIMENSION GREATER THAN THE SELFBRIDGING DIMENSIONAL LIMIT FOR SOLIDS PROCESSED THROUGH SAID FLOW EQUALIZER, A MAXIMUM RADIAL DIMENSION LESS THAN 50% OF THE MINIMUM RADIUS OF SAID COLLECTOR WITHIN THE REGION IN WHICH SAID FLOW RESTRICTOR IS DISPOSED AND A TOTAL EXTENT AGGREGATING GREATER THAN THE AREA OF SAID COMMON SOLIDS DISCHARGE OPENING BUT LESS THAN THE COLLECTIVE INSIDE AREA OF SAID SOLIDS INTRODUCTIN PIPES, SAID FLOW RESTRICTER BEING DISPOSED WITHIN A REGION SPACED LENGTHWISE FROM SAID DISCHARGE ENDS OF SAID SOLIDS INTRODUCTION PIPES A MINIMUM VERTICAL DISTANCE EQUAL TO ABOUT SAID THREE PIPE DIAMETERS MAGNITUDE AND FROM SAID COMMON SOLIDS DISCHARGE OPENING A MINIMUM VERTICAL DISTANCE EQUAL TO ABOUT THREE TIMES SAID MAXIMUM RADIAL DIMENSION OF SAID OPEN PERIPHERAL MAGNITUDE.