Container and method of using same

Claim 1

In a container for tubular-like articles and including front, back, two sides and one end enclosed with the end opposite the enclosed end being open and a plurality of baffles arranged on the interior surfaces of said front and back to provide a sinusoidal-like pathway between said ends, such pathway being of a size to permit said articles to pass or flow therealong freely due to gravity, the improvement comprising; A. a plurality of holes embodied in and extending through the walls of said front and back of said container with one such hole located immediately above the center of the upper surface of each said baffle when the container is vertically disposed with said open end being the lower end thereof, said holes being provided for issuing jets of aeriform fluid therethrough to provide an agitation and lubrication effect to articles in said container and thereby aid in free flow of such articles; and B. a hole embodied in and extending through one of said walls of said container opposite one of said baffles near said lower end of the container, such hole being provided on the vertical centerline of said wall for issuing a jet of aeriform fluid therethrough for stopping a leading article of said articles and thereby stopping said free flow of all of the articles.

Claim 3

The method of supplying tubular-like articles to a utilization apparatus, such method comprising; A. depositing said articles in a container having a front and a back, two sides, an open bottom end and a closed end, a plurality of baffles arranged on the interior surfaces of said front and back to provide a sinusoidal-like pathway for said articles between said closed and open ends, a plurality of holes embodied in and extending through the walls of said container with one such hole immediately above the center of the upper surface of each said baffle, and a hole embodied in and extending through one of said walls of said container opposite the horizontal center of a lower one of said baffles when the container is vertically disposed; B. issuing a first jet of pressurized fluid through said hole opposite a lower one of said baffles to impinge against a leading article of said articles and thereby hold such article and the follOwing articles in said container when supplying thereof to said utilization apparatus is to be stopped; and C. terminating said first jet and issuing a jet of pressurized fluid through each of said plurality of holes to provide an agitation and lubrication effect to said articles to aid in their flow by gravity out of said open end and their supply to said utilization apparatus, said jets being terminated and said first jet being reissued when said supply of articles to said utilization apparatus is again to be stopped.

Claim 4

The method of supplying tubular-like articles to a utilization apparatus, such method comprising; A. depositing said articles in a container having a front and a back, two sides, an open bottom end and a closed end, a plurality of baffles arranged on the interior surfaces of said front and back to provide a sinusoidal-like pathway for said articles between said closed and open ends, a plurality of holes embodied in and extending through the walls of said container with one such hole immediately above the center of the upper surface of each said baffle, and a hole embodied in and extending through one of said walls of said container opposite the horizontal center of a lower one of said baffles when the container is vertically disposed; B. issuing a first jet of pressurized fluid through said hole opposite a lower one of said baffles to impinge against a leading article of said articles and thereby hold such article and the follOwing articles in said container when supplying thereof to said utilization apparatus is to be stopped; and C. terminating said first jet and issuing a jet of pressurized fluid through each of said plurality of holes to provide an agitation and lubrication effect to said articles to aid in their flow by gravity out of said open end and their supply to said utilization apparatus, said jets being terminated and said first jet being reissued when said supply of articles to said utilization apparatus is again to be stopped.