Air conveyance system and control

Claim 2

In a system for the pneumatic conveyance and selective distribution of lightweight subdivided materials to a plurality of gas dissipating distribution outlets, control means operable upon demand to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to a preselected distribution outlet, said control means including gas diverting flap means mounted within substantially closed conduit means forming part of said conveyance system, blower means introducing conveyance gas to said closed conveyance system, said flap means being positioned adjacent each said gas dissipating distribution outlet to normally seal and close the same, lever means to pivot each said flap means to a position within said closed conduit means where it diverts conveyance gas for dissipation through the adjacent distribution outlet, said flap means being of a configuration to be held open in said gas diverting position by the movement and pressure of said conveyance gas, and means responsive to movement of the lever means at said preselected distribution outlet to initiate a controlled operation of said blower means to deliver light weight material and conveyance gas only to said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1 including a timer control for said blower means, responsive to operation of said switch means.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 1 wherein biasing means are provided to normally hold said lever means in inoperative position.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 1 wherein said control means includes manually operable means at said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet to actuate and shift said lever means.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 1 wherein each of said gas dissipating distribution outlets is in the form of an elongated conduit formed of screening means and having a volume sufficient to receive said predetermined quantity of lightweight material.

Claim 7

In a system for the pneumatic conveyance and selective distribution of lightweight subdivided materials to a plurality of gas dissipating distribution outlets, control means to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to a single distribution outlet preselected from a plurality of such distribution outlets, said control means including pivotally mounted flap means adjacent each of said gas dissipating distribution outlets, blower means adapted to introduce conveyance gas to said closed conveyance system, each of said flap means being positioned in said closed conveyance system immediately adjacent but downstream from a gas dissipating distribution outlet as respects a point of introduction of conveyance gas from said blower means, lever means to pivot each of said flap means from a normal position sealing a distribution outlet to an operable position diverting conveyance gas for dissipation and discharge through such distribution outlet, said flap means being of a configuration to be held open in said gas diverting position by the movement and pressure of said conveyance gas, first switch means at each distribution outlet for energizing a timer control for said blower means, second switch means at each gas dissipating distribution outlet for de-energizing the switch means at all other distribution outlets, and means interconnecting the lever means and switch means at each gas dissipating distribution outlet, whereby actuating the lever at a preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet serves to initiate a timed sequence of the blower means to convey a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to said preselected distribution outlet, while simultaneously preventing conveyance of said lightweight material to said other gas dissipating distribution outlets.

Claim 8

In a system for the pneumatic conveyance and selective distribution of lightweight subdivided materials to a plurality of gas dissipating distribution outlets, control means to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to a single distribution outlet preselected from a plurality of such distribution outlets, said control means including pivotally mounted flap means adjacent each of said gas dissipating distribution outlets, blower means adapted to introduce conveyance gas to said closed conveyance system, each of said flap means being positioned in said closed conveyance system immediately adjacent but downstream from a gas dissipating distribution outlet as respects a point of introduction of conveyance gas from said blower means, lever means to pivot each of said flap means from a normal position sealing a distribution outlet to an operable position diverting conveyance gas for dissipation and discharge through such distribution outlet, said flap means being of a configuration to be held open in said gas diverting position by the movement and pressure of said conveyance gas, first switch means at each distribution outlet for energizing a timer control for said blower means, second switch means at each gas dissipating distribution outlet for de-energizing the switch means at all other distribution outlets, and means interconnecting the lever means and switch means at each gas dissipating distribution outlet, whereby actuating the lever at a preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet serves to initiate a timed sequence of the blower means to convey a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to said preselected distribution outlet, while simultaneously preventing conveyance of said lightweight material to said other gas dissipating distribution outlets.

Claim 9

A system as in claim 6 wherein said control means includes circuit means interconnecting a power source for said blower means with each of said first and second switch means, and means to effect a sequential operation of the first and second switch means at each distribution outlet.

Claim 10

A system as in claim 7 wherein said means to effect sequential operation of said switch means includes mechanical means to effect a time delay in the operation thereof.

Claim 11

A system as in claim 6 wherein each of said lever means is provided with biasing means to hold the same in a normally inoperative position.

Claim 12

A system as in claim 6 wherein said first switch means is normally in open position and each of said second switch means is normally in closed position.

Claim 13

A system as in claim 6 wherein each of said first and second switch means is mounted for actuation by pivotal movements of said lever means.

Claim 14

A system as in claim 11 wherein each of said switch means is gravity actuated, and said first and second switch means are mounted with respect to said lever means to provide a time delay between acTuation of said first switch means and actuation of said second switch means.

Claim 15

In a system for the pneumatic conveyance and selective distribution of lightweight subdivided materials to plural distribution outlets, control means to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to a single distribution outlet preselected from a plurality of such distribution outlets, said control means including a pivotally mounted flap means adjacent each of said distribution outlets, blower means adapted to introduce conveyance gas to said closed conveyance system, each of said flap means being positioned in said closed conveyance system immediately adjacent but downstream from a distribution outlet as respects a point of introduction of conveyance gas from said blower means, lever means to pivot each of said flap means from a normal position sealing a distribution outlet to an operable position diverting conveyance gas to such distribution outlet, first gravity actuated switch means at each distribution outlet for energizing a timer control for said blower means, second gravity actuated switch means at each distribution outlet for de-energizing the switch means at all other distribution outlets, said first and second switch means being mounted with respect to said lever means to provide a time delay between actuation of said first switch means and actuation of said second switch means, said time delay being obtained by a sliding pivotal contact between said lever means and separate actuating means for said flap means, and means interconnecting the lever means and switch means at each distribution outlet, whereby actuating the lever at a preselected distribution outlet serves to initiate a timed sequence of the blower means to convey a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to said preselected distribution outlet, while simultaneously preventing conveyance of said lightweight material to said other distribution outlets.

Claim 16

In a system for the pneumatic conveyance and selective distribution of lightweight subdivided materials to plural distribution outlets, control means to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to a single distribution outlet preselected from a plurality of such distribution outlets, said control means including a pivotally mounted flap means adjacent each of said distribution outlets, blower means adapted to introduce conveyance gas to said closed conveyance system, each of said flap means being positioned in said closed conveyance system immediately adjacent but downstream from a distribution outlet as respects a point of introduction of conveyance gas from said blower means, lever means to pivot each of said flap means from a normal position sealing a distribution outlet to an operable position diverting conveyance gas to such distribution outlet, first gravity actuated switch means at each distribution outlet for energizing a timer control for said blower means, second gravity actuated switch means at each distribution outlet for de-energizing the switch means at all other distribution outlets, said first and second switch means being mounted with respect to said lever means to provide a time delay between actuation of said first switch means and actuation of said second switch means, said time delay being obtained by a sliding pivotal contact between said lever means and separate actuating means for said flap means, and means interconnecting the lever means and switch means at each distribution outlet, whereby actuating the lever at a preselected distribution outlet serves to initiate a timed sequence of the blower means to convey a predetermined quantity of said lightweight material to said preselected distribution outlet, while simultaneously preventing conveyance of said lightweight material to said other distribution outlets.

Claim 17

In a method for effecting delivery of a predetermined quantity of lightweight subdivided materials to a preselected gas dissipating outlet in a pneumatic conveyance system having a plurality of gas dissipating distribution outlets, the steps of providing a source of gas under pressure, introducing gas from said source to a generally closed conveyance system to provide a stream of conveyance gas in said system, diverting lightweight subdivided material from a source of such material into said stream of conveyance gas at a substantially uniform rate per unit of time, said conveyance gas being introduced to said generally closed conveyance system in response to a signal from a preselected distribution outlet, simultaneously diverting gas introduced from said source only through said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet while preventing diversion of said gas through nonselected distribution outlets, and controlling the duration of gas introduction on a timed cycle in response to said signal, whereby a quantity of said lightweight material determined by the period of said timed cycle is caused to be moved with said stream of conveyance gas and to be conveyed in said system to said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet.

Claim 18

In a method for effecting delivery of a predetermined quantity of lightweight subdivided materials to a preselected gas dissipating outlet in a pneumatic conveyance system having a plurality of gas dissipating distribution outlets, the steps of providing a source of gas under pressure, introducing gas from said source to a generally closed conveyance system to provide a stream of conveyance gas in said system, diverting lightweight subdivided material from a source of such material into said stream of conveyance gas at a substantially uniform rate per unit of time, said conveyance gas being introduced to said generally closed conveyance system in response to a signal from a preselected distribution outlet, simultaneously diverting gas introduced from said source only through said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet while preventing diversion of said gas through nonselected distribution outlets, and controlling the duration of gas introduction on a timed cycle in response to said signal, whereby a quantity of said lightweight material determined by the period of said timed cycle is caused to be moved with said stream of conveyance gas and to be conveyed in said system to said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 14 wherein said diversion of gas from said pressurized source through said preselected distribution outlet is effected by a timed diversion of of substantially all of the gas flow through said preselected gas dissipating distribution outlet.