Feeding and particle size measurement of comminuted solids

Claim 5

A method as in claim 2 wherein said step of moving said column of material includes simultaneously urging said flexible elements toward each other by applying a predetermined constant yieldable force to said flexible elements to cause them to converge in the direction of movement.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 3 wherein said step of delivering a stream of solids includes disposing a mass of the solids immediately adjacent a retaining structure having at least one downwardly facing unobstructed aperture and agitating the material only within said retaining structure adjacent the aperture to cause a stream of substantially uniformly compacted material to flow through the aperture into said tubular zone.

Claim 7

Apparatus for conveying dry, pourable solids in the form of a continuously moving column which is free of random density variations due to mechanical agitation of the particles, friction and arching tendencies, said apparatus comprising means defining a tubular zone which peripherally engages and encloses and supports the column of solids, said means including two endless looped members which in combination with fixed parallel walls define a tubular zone for receiving at one end a stream of solids, said two endless looped members arranged with a portion of one member disposed in spaced-apart, opposed relationship to a corresponding portion of the other member, said portions converging and extending longitudinally of said zone for frictionally engaging and straddling a mass of solids in said zone; and drive means for smoothly driving said endless members so as to urge the entire column of solids without tumbling or agitation thereof through said zone at the same speed as said members; and feeding means associated with said one end of said zone for delivering loosely compacted material to said one end at a rate sufficient to continuously replenish the column of material in said zone upon continuous movement of said endless members.

Claim 8

Apparatus for conveying dry, pourable solids in the form of a continuously moving column which is free of random density variations due to mechanical agitation of the particles, friction and arching tendencies, said apparatus comprising means defining a tubular zone which peripherally engages and encloses and supports the column of solids, said means including two endless looped members which in combination with fixed parallel walls define a tubular zone for receiving at one end a stream of solids, said two endless looped members arranged with a portion of one member disposed in spaced-apart, opposed relationship to a corresponding portion of the other member, said portions converging and extending longitudinally of said zone for frictionally engaging and straddling a mass of solids in said zone; and drive means for smoothly driving said endless members so as to urge the entire column of solids without tumbling or agitation thereof through said zone at the same speed as said members; and feeding means associated with said one end of said zone for delivering loosely compacted material to said one end at a rate sufficient to continuously replenish the column of material in said zone upon continuous movement of said endless members.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said feeding means includes means for producing a uniformly loosely compacted, downwardly flowing stream of unagitated solids, said feeding means including a retaining structure having side and bottom walls defining an enclosure for a mass of solids, said bottom wall having at least one unobstructed aperture therethrough in communication with said one end of said tubular zone and agitator means wholly within said retaining structure for agitating the material adjacent said aperture to cause material to flow through said aperture as a uniformly loosely compacted stream free of agitation and free of density variations resulting from movement of said agitator means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 5 further including an analyzer associated with said tubular zone for determining changes in the nature of the moving column, said analyzer including means for directing an energy field onto the moving column and means for detecting the effect produced on the energy field by the moving column.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said means for directing an energy field on the moving column includes a source of penetrating radiation and wherein said means for detecting includes a detector for measuring the intensity of said penetrating radiation, said source and said detector being disposed on opposite sides of the moving column so that said detector measures the radiation transmitted through the column, said intensity measurement being a measurement of the particle size of the moving column.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said portions of said endless members are mounted for movement toward and away from each other, said apparatus including means for applying a constant yieldable force to said portions to resiliently urge them toward each other.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said portions of said endless members are mounted for movement toward and away from each other, said apparatus including means for adjusting said portions to effect a predetermined fixed distance between them.

Claim 14

In the method of measuring the particle size of dry particulate solid material by measuring the porosity of the material after compaction and comparing it to the porosity of a standard material which has been subjected to the same compacting and measuring steps, the improvement which comprises: subjecting a mass of the particulate material to a compacting force acting in a given direction while maintaining constant the dimension of said mass in a direction transverse to said given direction thereby reducing the dimension of said mass in said given direction and continuing the compaction until no further compaction of the material occurs; and measuring the degree of compaction in said transverse direction by directing an energy field into the compacted material and measuring the effect produced on the energy field by the moving material.

Claim 15

In the method of measuring the particle size of dry particulate solid material by measuring the porosity of the material after compaction and comparing it to the porosity of a standard material which has been subjected to the same compacting and measuring steps, the improvement which comprises: subjecting a mass of the particulate material to a compacting force acting in a given direction while maintaining constant the dimension of said mass in a direction transverse to said given direction thereby reducing the dimension of said mass in said given direction and continuing the compaction until no further compaction of the material occurs; and measuring the degree of compaction in said transverse direction by directing an energy field into the compacted material and measuring the effect produced on the energy field by the moving material.

Claim 16

A method as in claim 11 wherein the compacting of the solids is effected by feeding the solids into the space between two spaced-apart driven endless conveyer surfaces and pressing the surfaces toward each other with a constant yieldable force to frictionally engage the surfaces with the solids and move the latter as an integral plug of material, and wherein the energy field is directed into the solids between the surfaces in a direction which is transverse to the direction of movement of the solids.