Side inlet rotary valve

Claim 1

A rotary valve for metered delivery of particulate material into a pneumatic conveyor system comprising a generally cylindrical casing having a pressure relief port in the upper portion of the casing and a material outlet port in the lower portion of the casing for connection to a pneumatic conveyor system, a rotor rotatably mounted in said casing for rotation in a predetermined direction relative to said pressure relief and outlet ports and having a plurality of radial vanes defining therebetween a succession of compartments for receiving an conveying particulate material, means defining a material inlet port in one side of the cylindrical casing intermediate said outlet and pressure relief ports and disposed in advance of the pressure relief port with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotor so that material entering the casing through said inlet port is deposited in successive rotor compartments prior to passage thereof past the pressure relief port, the said inlet port being spaced from said pressure relief port and constructed and arranged to provide an angle of repose of the material operable to only partially fill each successive compartment of the rotor, the outer edges of the radial vanes being in sealing engagement with the inner wall of the cylindrical casing intermediate said pressure relief and outlet ports and intermediate said outlet and inlet ports, and means of the casing defining a pressure relief recess within the casing radially outward of the rotor vanes and extending between the inlet and pressure relief ports in communication therewith.