System for conveying solid particulate materials

Claim 1

A pneumatic conveying system for conveying material into a container comprising: a source of solid particulate material; a conveying line flow connecting said source and a container; means for supplying gaseous fluid under pressure to said conveying line whereby the gaseous fluid acts as a conveying medium; valve means associated with said source and said conveying line for controlling the admission of material into said conveying line, while maintaining the supply of gaseous fluid under pressure to said conveying line; sensor means responsible to the level of fluidized material in a container to which material is to be conveyed through said conveying line including a tube adapted to extend into said container and terminate at a predetermined level and means for supplying gaseous fluid under pressure to said tube; means responsive to said sensor for controlling said valve means whereby when said sensor indicates the level of material in said container is below a predetermined level, said valve means may be opened to admit material into said conveying line and when said sensor indicates the level of material in said container is at or above a predetermined level, said valve means is closed to prevent material from being admitted into said conveying line; said means responsive to said sensor includes means responsive to pressure in said tube for closing said valve means to prevent material from being admitted into said conveying line when the pressure in said tube rises above a predetermined amount and permitting said valve means to be opened to admit material into said conveying line when the pressure in said tube falls below said predetermined amount; a pressure responsive valve mounted in said means for supplying gaseous fluid under pressure, conduit means for transmitting the pressure upstream of said pressure response valve to said valve means and conduit means for transmitting the pressure downstream of said pressure responsive valve to said valve means, said valve means including means for comparing the pressures upstream and downstream of the pressure responsive valve to thereby control the admission of material into the conveying line; said means responsive to said sensor including a normally open relief valve positioned in said conduit means for transmitting the pressure upstream of said pressure responsive valve, and fluid pressure means for closing said normally open relief valve when the pressure in said tube is above a predetermined amount to thereby prevent the pressure upstream of said pressure responsive valve from being transmitted to said valve means whereby said valve means closes to prevent material from being admitted to said conveying line.

Claim 3

A system for supplying solid particulate material such as sand to a vehicle such as a locomotive for use by the vehicle comprising: a first storage vessel; first conveying means for conducting solid particulate material from a source of material to the first storage vessel; a second storage vessel mounted in a position elevated a distance sufficient to allow a vehicle to pass thereunder and including a vent; second conveying means for conducting solid particulate material from said first storage vessel to the second storage vessel; conduit means for conducting solid particulate material from the second storage vessel to a vehicle; and means for sensing the level of material in said second storage vessel; said second conveying means comprising a material conveying line, means for supplying air under pressure to the conveying line whereby the air under pressure acts as the conveying medium, valve means operatively associated with the first storage vessel and said conveying line for controlling the admission of material to said conveying line, and means responsive to said means for sensing the level for controlling said valve means whereby when said sensor indicates the level of material in said second storage vessel is below a predetermined level, said valve means may be opened to admit material into the conveying line and material is conducted from the first storage vessel to the second storage vessel; valve means operatively associated with said conduit means for controlling the flow of material from said second storage vessel to a vehicle; a dust collector flow connected to said vent for removing solid particulate material in the air vented from the second storage vessel; and means for returning solid particulate material from the dust collector to the first storage vessel; said second storage vessel including means defining sidewalls, endwalls, a top and a bottom; a gas permeable deck mounted in said vessel and spaced from the bottom thereof to define a plenum chamber therebelow and a material chamber thereabove; means for supplying air under pressure to the plenum chamber for passage through said deck; said deck defining an opening therethrough; and said conduit means is flow connected to the opening in said deck.

Claim 4

A system for supplying solid particulate material such as sand to a vehicle such as a locomotive for use by the vehicle comprising: a first storage vessel; first conveying means for conducting solid particulate material from a source of material to the first storage vessel; a second storage vessel mounted in a position elevated a distance sufficient to allow a vehicle to pass thereunder and including a vent; second conveying means for conducting solid particulate material from said first storage vessel to the second storage vessel; conduit means for conducting solid particulate material from the second storage vessel to a vehicle; and means for sensing the level of material in said second storage vessel; said second conveying means comprising a material conveying line, means for supplying air under pressure to the conveying line whereby the air under pressure acts as the conveying medium, valve means operatively associated with the first storage vessel and said conveying line for controlling the admission of material to said conveying line, and means responsive to said means for sensing the level for controlling said valve means whereby when said sensor indicates the level of material in said second storage vessel is below a predetermined level, said valve means may be opened to admit material into the conveying line and material is conducted from the first storage vessel to the second storage vessel; valve means operatively associated with said conduit means for controlling the flow of material from said second storage vessel to a vehicle; a dust collector flow connected to said vent for removing solid particulate material in the air vented from the second storage vessel; and means for returning solid particulate material from the dust collector to the first storage vessel; said second storage vessel including means defining sidewalls, endwalls, a top and a bottom; a gas permeable deck mounted in said vessel and spaced from the bottom thereof to define a plenum chamber therebelow and a material chamber thereabove; means for supplying air under pressure to the plenum chamber for passage through said deck; said deck defining an opening therethrough; and said conduit means is flow connected to the opening in said deck.