US3675975A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic discharge arrangement for hoppers
Assignee: PULLMAN LEASING Co A DE CORP
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Filing: 1970-09-30
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1990-09-30
Abstract
Abstract An arrangement for discharging materials from a hopper by pneumatic means includes a housing adapted to be attached to the lower end of a hopper. The housing is divided into a plurality of compartments separated by divider wall constructions. A control tube is rotatably positioned within a tubular trough communicating with the compartments. The control tube comprises a material receiving slot rotatable to an open position whereby sequential discharge may be obtained from each of the compartments. The discharge slots are circumferentially spaced about the peripheral surface of the control tube which may be rotated to a position closing all of the compartments. The control tube is rotatable within bearings provided in each of the divider walls, the said bearings including longitudinally extending recesses which are provided with resilient bearing elements engaging the peripheral portions of the control tube disposed in the area of the divider wall. Cleanout slots of relatively narrow width are provided on the tube in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to each other and the discharge slots. Certain of the cleanout slots are also provided at opposite ends of the control tube for cleaning out a space provided between the tubular trough and the peripheral surface of the control tube.
Inventors
- 👤 William D Mundinger
- 👤 Ronald W Marsh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:17
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G53/00; B65G53/34; B65G53/40; B65G53/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
291 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing adapted to be connected to the lower end of a hopper, said housing including downwardly converging side walls and a pair of end walls, an elongated lengthwise extending first tube connected with the lower end of said side walls, said tube having an elongated upper opening, divider means spaced between the end walls within said housing to define therewith a plurality of longitudinally spaced compartments, said divider means including a transversely extending wall structure between the end walls and connecting with said side walls and reinforcing the housing, said wall structure including a transversely extending bearing member having an arcuate bearing surface disposed over said opening of said tube beneath said wall structure, a control tube rotatably positioned within said first tube and at opposite ends thereof being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, said first tube and said control tube defin-ing an annular space with said upper opening, a plurality of longitudinally spaced discharge slots on said control tube and adapted to receive material from an associated compartment, there being one slot for each compartment and extending substantially the length of such compartment, said slots being circumferentially spaced relative to one another whereby during rotation of said control tube one slot is in communication with its associated compartment via said upper opening and another slot is closed with respect to its associated compartment, said control tube being movable whereby all said slots are rotated out of communication with said compartments and said discharge arrangement is closed, cleanout slot means on said control tube being longitudinally spaced between said discharge slots, and said cleanout slot means being disposed substantially beneath and across the transverse wall structure to communicate with said annular space.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
291 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing adapted to be connected to the lower end of a hopper, said housing including downwardly converging side walls and a pair of end walls, an elongated lengthwise extending first tube connected with the lower end of said side walls, said tube having an elongated upper opening, divider means spaced between the end walls within said housing to define therewith a plurality of longitudinally spaced compartments, said divider means including a transversely extending wall structure between the end walls and connecting with said side walls and reinforcing the housing, said wall structure including a transversely extending bearing member having an arcuate bearing surface disposed over said opening of said tube beneath said wall structure, a control tube rotatably positioned within said first tube and at opposite ends thereof being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, said first tube and said control tube defin-ing an annular space with said upper opening, a plurality of longitudinally spaced discharge slots on said control tube and adapted to receive material from an associated compartment, there being one slot for each compartment and extending substantially the length of such compartment, said slots being circumferentially spaced relative to one another whereby during rotation of said control tube one slot is in communication with its associated compartment via said upper opening and another slot is closed with respect to its associated compartment, said control tube being movable whereby all said slots are rotated out of communication with said compartments and said discharge arrangement is closed, cleanout slot means on said control tube being longitudinally spaced between said discharge slots, and said cleanout slot means being disposed substantially beneath and across the transverse wall structure to communicate with said annular space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, said control tube and first tube projecting outwardly from opposite ends of said housing to define end extensions having circumferentially extending extension spaces between said tubes in the end extensions, said cleanout slot means including slots being disposed in said control tube in said end extensions, said slots communicating the interior of the control tube with said extension spaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, said bearing member including a bearing element engaging said control tube beneath said wall structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3, said bearing element being of a non-metallic material and being embedded in said arcuate bearing surface and radially projecting outwardly with respect thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3, said arcuate bearing surface including a plurality of laterally spaced longitudinally extending recesses, and said bearing element including elastic means disposed in each said recess.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
246 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing having sloping walls, a tubular trough disposed below said housing and said trough having an upper opening extending along lower portions of said walls to receive material therefrom, said housing having tubular extensions disposed on opposite ends thereof communicating with said trough, a control tube in said tubular trough, said control tube having longitudinally extending material discharge means adapted to communicate with said upper opening, said control tube projecting within said extensions, first bearing means on said extensions supporting said control tube for relative rotation, second bearing means within said housing including bearing element dividing said housing into separate compartments and engaging said control tube, said second bearing means connecting with the sloping walls and reinforcing the housing, said discharge means including a discharge opening extending substantially the longitudinal extent of each compartment and spaced circumferentially of an adjacent discharge opening for sequential unloading of one compartment relative to the other, said control tube being supported relative to said trough and said extensions to provide an elongated space extending underneath said control tube and said second bearing means and within said extensions, and cleanout slots in said control tube longitudinally spaced with respect to said discharge opening, said cleanout slots being disposed in vertical alignment with said second bearing means and within said tubular extenSions for discharging material from said space during rotation of said tube, said cleanout slots being of relatively narrow width relative to said discharge slot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
246 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing having sloping walls, a tubular trough disposed below said housing and said trough having an upper opening extending along lower portions of said walls to receive material therefrom, said housing having tubular extensions disposed on opposite ends thereof communicating with said trough, a control tube in said tubular trough, said control tube having longitudinally extending material discharge means adapted to communicate with said upper opening, said control tube projecting within said extensions, first bearing means on said extensions supporting said control tube for relative rotation, second bearing means within said housing including bearing element dividing said housing into separate compartments and engaging said control tube, said second bearing means connecting with the sloping walls and reinforcing the housing, said discharge means including a discharge opening extending substantially the longitudinal extent of each compartment and spaced circumferentially of an adjacent discharge opening for sequential unloading of one compartment relative to the other, said control tube being supported relative to said trough and said extensions to provide an elongated space extending underneath said control tube and said second bearing means and within said extensions, and cleanout slots in said control tube longitudinally spaced with respect to said discharge opening, said cleanout slots being disposed in vertical alignment with said second bearing means and within said tubular extenSions for discharging material from said space during rotation of said tube, said cleanout slots being of relatively narrow width relative to said discharge slot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
284 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing adapted to be connected to a hopper, said housing including downwardly converging side walls, a longitudinally extending first tube connected to the lower end of said side walls, said tube having an elongated upper opening and at opposite ends being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, divider means within said housing providing a plurality of compartments, said divider means including a transversely extending wall structure connected with said side walls and reinforcing said housing, a control tube rotatably positioned within said first tube and at opposite ends thereof being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, a plurality of longitudinally spaced discharge slots on said control tube, there being one slot for each compartment, each discharge slot extending substantially lengthwise of its compartment between the annular space and the inside of the control tube, each discharge slot being adapted to receive material from its associated compartment when in registry with said upper opening, one discharge slot being circumferentially spaced from an adjacent slot for sequential discharging of the compartments, first cleanout slots means on said control tube longitudinally spaced relative to said discharge slots, an annular space between said first tube, said wall structure and said control tube, said first cleanout slot means being disposed substantially vertically beneath the transverse wall structure to communicate with said annular space, said first tube including a first extension projecting outwardly from said housing, said control tube having a second extension projecting outwardly of said housing within said first extension, said space continuing between said extensions, and second cleanout slot means on said control tube second extension adapted to withdraw material from said annular space between said extensions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
284 words
A pneumatic discharge arrangement including: a housing adapted to be connected to a hopper, said housing including downwardly converging side walls, a longitudinally extending first tube connected to the lower end of said side walls, said tube having an elongated upper opening and at opposite ends being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, divider means within said housing providing a plurality of compartments, said divider means including a transversely extending wall structure connected with said side walls and reinforcing said housing, a control tube rotatably positioned within said first tube and at opposite ends thereof being adapted to be connected to a pneumatic source, a plurality of longitudinally spaced discharge slots on said control tube, there being one slot for each compartment, each discharge slot extending substantially lengthwise of its compartment between the annular space and the inside of the control tube, each discharge slot being adapted to receive material from its associated compartment when in registry with said upper opening, one discharge slot being circumferentially spaced from an adjacent slot for sequential discharging of the compartments, first cleanout slots means on said control tube longitudinally spaced relative to said discharge slots, an annular space between said first tube, said wall structure and said control tube, said first cleanout slot means being disposed substantially vertically beneath the transverse wall structure to communicate with said annular space, said first tube including a first extension projecting outwardly from said housing, said control tube having a second extension projecting outwardly of said housing within said first extension, said space continuing between said extensions, and second cleanout slot means on said control tube second extension adapted to withdraw material from said annular space between said extensions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention in accordance with claim 7, said cleanout slots having a substantially narrow width and said discharge slots being of substantially greater width.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention in accordance with claim 7, said divider means including another transversely extending wall structure defining with the first mentioned wall structure and the ends of the housing three separate compartments and third slot means being disposed substantially beneath said another transverse wall structure to communicate with said annular space.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |