Material-handling apparatus

Claim 1

IN A SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING FLOWABLE MATERIALS, A DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A SEALED CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING A QUANTITY OF SUCH MATERIAL IN FLOWABLE CONDITION; (B) A PUMP INLET CONDUIT HAVING AN END EXTENDING BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE MATERIAL IN THE CONTAINER; (C) A PUMP PROVIDED WITH A RESILIENT STATOR UNIT HAVING A DOUBLE SCREW HELICAL PASSAGE WHICH IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TO PUMP INLET CONDUIT; (D) A HELICAL ROTOR FITTING CLOSELY BUT ADAPTED FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAID STATOR UNIT TO EFFECT DISPLACEMENT OF THE MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE AT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID STATOR UNIT AND SUCTION ON SAID MATERIAL AT THE INLET END OF THE STATOR UNIT; (E) DISCHARGE MEANS FOR RECEIVING A FLOW OF SAID MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE AND DIRECTING IT OVER A SELECTED AREA; (F) MOTOR MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ROTATABLE DRIVING FORCE TO SAID ROTOR; AND (G) AN AIR INLET PASSAGE SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN THE PUMP INLET CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID PUMP INLET CONDUIT, SAID INLET PASSAGE HAVING AN AIR INLET VALVE FOR CONTROLLING THE MIXING OF AIR WITH THE FLOW OF MATERIAL IN SAID PUMP INLET CONDUIT SO THAT THE MATERIAL WILL BE ATOMIZED AS IT IS BEING DIRECTED BY A NOZZLE DISCHARGE MEANS OVER A SELECTED AREA.