Feeder for solid materials

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WOOD CHIPS TO A PULP DIGESTER COMPRISING A BIN CONTAINING A SUPPLY OF WOOD CHIPS, A DIGESTER, THE PRESSURE IN SAID DIGESTER BEING HIGHER THAN THAT IN SAID BIN, AND MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SAID CHIPS FROM SAID BIN TO SAID DIEGSTER INCLUDING A TRANSFER CHAMBER, FIRST CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID BIN AND SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER, A VALVE IN SAID FIRST CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW THERETHROUGH, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER AND SAID DIGESTER, A VALVE IN SAID SECOND CONDUIT MEANS CONTROLLING FLOW THERETHROUGH, THIRD CONDUIT MEANS FOR EQUALIZING THE PRESSURE IN SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER AND SAID DIGESTER CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID DIGESTER AND SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER AND A VALVE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW THROUGH SAID LAST-MENTIONED CONDUIT MEANS, AND MEANS INCLUDING A VACUUM SOURCE CONNECTED TO SAID THIRD CONDUIT MEANS AND A VALVE BETWEEN SAID VACUUM SOURCE AND SAID THIRD CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING A VACUUM TO SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE THEREIN APPRECIABLY BELOW ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE SO AS TO REMOVE THE AIR FROM WITHIN THE INTRICACIES AND BETWEEN THE FIBERS OF THE WOOD CHIPS WITHIN SAID TRANSFER CHAMBER.