Bulk material handling systems

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND EMPTYING A TANK OF DRY PULVERULENT MATERIAL COMPRISING: A TANK HAVING INWARDLY SLOPING SIDES TERMINATING IN A BASE, A DISCHARGE PIPE EXTENDING UPRIGHT IN THE TANK AND HAVING ONE END SPACED ABOVE SAID BASE, SAID BASE INCLUDING A POROUS PLATE, MEANS FOR PUMPING AIR THROUGH THE PLATE TOWARD THE END OF THE DISCHARGE PIPE, A MANIFOLD SURROUNDING SAID DISCHARGE PIPE ADJACENT SAID ONE END, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ARE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID MANIFOLD, MEANS ON THE DISCHARGE PIPE FOR DEFLECTING AIR FROM THE MANIFOLD TOWARD SAID SIDES, A FILL PIPE HAVING ONE END IN SAID TANK, A HEADER PIPE, SAID FILL PIPE AND SAID DISCHARGE PIPE EACH HAVING THEIR RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE ENDS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID LEADER PIPE, AND MEANS FOR PUMPING AIR THROUGH SAID HEADER PIPE, WHEREBY THE TANK IS FILLED AND EMPTIED THROUGH THE COMMON HEADER PIPE.