Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing, inner and outer tubular members forming said auger housing, said tubular members being nested and having registrable inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, and said inner tubular member being selectively rotatable within the outer one for aligning said openings during auger operation and for misaligning the openings to close the hopper by closing the auger housing whenever the auger is idle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing, inner and outer tubular members forming said auger housing, said tubular members being nested and having registrable inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, and said inner tubular member being selectively rotatable within the outer one for aligning said openings during auger operation and for misaligning the openings to close the hopper by closing the auger housing whenever the auger is idle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
183 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing, inner and outer tubular members forming said auger housing, said tubular members being nested and having registrable inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, and said inner tubular member being selectively rotatable within the outer one for aligning said openings during auger operation and for misaligning the openings to close the hopper by closing the auger housing whenever the auger is idle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
183 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing, inner and outer tubular members forming said auger housing, said tubular members being nested and having registrable inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, and said inner tubular member being selectively rotatable within the outer one for aligning said openings during auger operation and for misaligning the openings to close the hopper by closing the auger housing whenever the auger is idle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
169 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing having inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, said auger housing being fitted at said outlet opening for discharging fed material into a batch container and being connected with said hopper at said inlet opening for swinging said outlet opening selectively over and away from said batch container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
169 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper having a blower unit installed thereat and operable to draw air from the interior of said hopper, a first conduit means connecting said blower unit to discharge within an enclosure for a supply of the material to be fed, a second conduit means projectable within said enclosure to the material supply and leading therefrom to the interior of said hopper, said feed mechanism incorporating an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing having inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger, said auger housing being fitted at said outlet opening for discharging fed material into a batch container and being connected with said hopper at said inlet opening for swinging said outlet opening selectively over and away from said batch container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The improvement in means for feeding flowable particulate material as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that the discharge fitting at said housing outlet opening includes a depending extensible boot equipped with means for limiting its maximum extent, and a filter cover for said batch container carried by said boot in surrounding relation at its depending end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
86 words
The improvement in means for feeding flowable particulate material as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that the discharge fitting at said housing ouTlet opening includes a drop leg formed with an upwardly inclined vent leg opening laterally therefrom and arranged for alternative connection thereto of said second conduit means when said blower unit is idle, so that particulate material dust generated incident to discharge into said batch container is vented to said hopper along with air displaced from said container by said discharge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
177 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper, conduit means connected at said lid for loading said hopper, and an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing having inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger to form said feed mechanism, said auger housing being connected with said hopper at said inlet and being fitted at said outlet opening for discharging fed material into a batch container, the discharge fitting at said housing outlet opening including a drop leg formed with an upwardly inclined vent leg opening laterally therefrom and arranged for connection of said conduit means additionally thereat when said hopper is not being loaded so that particulate material dust generated incident to discharge of fed material into said batch container is vented to said hopper along with air displaced from said container by said discharge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
177 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper, conduit means connected at said lid for loading said hopper, and an auger operably disposed in a tubular housing having inlet and outlet openings arranged therein laterally adjacent opposite ends of said auger to form said feed mechanism, said auger housing being connected with said hopper at said inlet and being fitted at said outlet opening for discharging fed material into a batch container, the discharge fitting at said housing outlet opening including a drop leg formed with an upwardly inclined vent leg opening laterally therefrom and arranged for connection of said conduit means additionally thereat when said hopper is not being loaded so that particulate material dust generated incident to discharge of fed material into said batch container is vented to said hopper along with air displaced from said container by said discharge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
143 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper, an outlet opening from said feed mechanism for discharging fed material into a batch container, said outlet opening being fitted with a drop leg formed with a vent leg opening laterally therefrom and with a cover lid for maintaining said batch container closed while fed material is discharged therethrough from said drop leg into said container, and conduit means connectable between said vent leg and said hopper closure lid so that particulate material dust generated incident to discharge of fed material into said batch container is vented to said hopper along with air displaced from said container by said discharge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
143 words
In means for feeding flowable particulate material which includes a hopper for loading with the material to be fed and a feed mechanism for receiving such material from said hopper and feeding the same, the improvement comprising a closure lid for said hopper, an outlet opening from said feed mechanism for discharging fed material into a batch container, said outlet opening being fitted with a drop leg formed with a vent leg opening laterally therefrom and with a cover lid for maintaining said batch container closed while fed material is discharged therethrough from said drop leg into said container, and conduit means connectable between said vent leg and said hopper closure lid so that particulate material dust generated incident to discharge of fed material into said batch container is vented to said hopper along with air displaced from said container by said discharge.