US3924900A — Feed mechanism for pneumatic conveyor systems

Claim 1

Independent Claim 188 words

A mechanism for feeding rod-like articles to a pneumatic conveyor, comprising rotatable drum means for receiving rodlike articles moving laterally to their axes into said drum means one by one from a reservoir, receiver means being disposed within said drum means and supported at its ends against movement, said receiver means being provided with a longitudinal recess in its periphery forming a fixed receiver chamber and passage means for connecting one end of said chamber to a pneumatic conveyor and the other end of said chamber to a source of pressure air for causing rod-like articles to move axially out of sAid chamber into the conveyor, said drum means rotating relative to said receiver means thereby moving each of said articles into alignment adjacent said receiver chamber with the axis of the aligned article parallel to the axis of said receiver chamber, and cam means connected to rotate in timed relation with said drum means and urging a rod-like article to move laterally to its axis into said receiver within said drum means each time said drum means moves a rodlike article into alignment with said receiver chamber.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 188 words

A mechanism for feeding rod-like articles to a pneumatic conveyor, comprising rotatable drum means for receiving rodlike articles moving laterally to their axes into said drum means one by one from a reservoir, receiver means being disposed within said drum means and supported at its ends against movement, said receiver means being provided with a longitudinal recess in its periphery forming a fixed receiver chamber and passage means for connecting one end of said chamber to a pneumatic conveyor and the other end of said chamber to a source of pressure air for causing rod-like articles to move axially out of sAid chamber into the conveyor, said drum means rotating relative to said receiver means thereby moving each of said articles into alignment adjacent said receiver chamber with the axis of the aligned article parallel to the axis of said receiver chamber, and cam means connected to rotate in timed relation with said drum means and urging a rod-like article to move laterally to its axis into said receiver within said drum means each time said drum means moves a rodlike article into alignment with said receiver chamber.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means within said drum means for providing suction to assist said drum means to receive rodlike articles from the reservoir.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means providing pressure air to the outside of said drum means adjacent said cam means causing a rod-like article adjacent said receiver to float and assist said cam means in moving the rod-like article laterally into said receiver chamber.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 140 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 3, and said receiver means comprising a receiver member supported at its ends against movement and being provided with said receiver chamber having said passage means at the ends thereof and with a blind axial bore adapted for connection to a source of vacuum, said drum means comprising a transfer drum rotatable on said receiver member and provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots equally spaced arcuately one from another for receiving rod-like members, said slots being moved one after the other to a position to receive a rod-like article and then into alignment with said receiver chamber by rotation of said transfer member, and said blind axial bore being provided with port means forming a flow connection with said longitudinal slots when each of said slots is positioned to receive a rod-like article.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 92 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 4, and said rotatable drum means further comprising another rotatable drum disposed adjacent and parallel to said transfer drum and provided with a plurality of longitudinal pockets equally spaced arcuately one from the other for receiving rod-like articles from a source, means connecting said transfer and other drums for rotation in timed relationship moving said longitudinal pockets progressively into face to face alignment each with a different one of said slots for transferring rod-like articles one by one from said other drum to said transfer drum.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 63 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 5, and means disposed within said other drum providing suction and pressure air, and each of said pockets having a series of spaced ports through the bottom thereof communicating with suction when said pocket is positioned to receive a rod-like article and communicating with pressure air when in face to face alignment with one of said slots.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 132 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 6, further comprising an air distributor disposed within said other drum and supported at its ends against movement, said air distributor being spaced inwardly from said other drum defining therebetween a vacuum chamber and having a pair of flat sidewalls with a seal face therebetween engaging the inside of said other drum and defining the arcuate extent of said vacuum chamber, said seal face having an axial groove in its surface aligned to communicate with the ports of said pockets when in face to face alignment with said slots, and said air distributor having a passage means through each of its ends one for connecting said vacuum chamber to a source of vacuum and the other for connecting said groove to a source of pressure air.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 152 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a cam chamber disposed adjacent to said transfer drum and provided with means for connection to a source of pressure air, said cam means comprising a shaft rotatably supported by the ends of said chamber and a pluralitY of cam arms spaced axially along said shaft, said cam chamber having a wall disposed between said transfer drum and said cam shaft, said wall having a plurality of spaced slots each aligned with a different one of said cam arms for passage thereof and pressure air for causing a rod-like article to float as it is moved by said cam means into said receiver chamber, and each of said longitudinal slots having a plurality of aligned pairs of recesses in its longitudinal walls each aligned pair of recesses being aligned with a different one of said slots in the wall of said cam chamber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 130 words

A mechanism for feeding rod-like articles to a pneumatic conveyor, comprising rotatable drum means for receiving rod-like articles one by one from a reservoir and moving such articles laterally to their axes into alignment adjacent to a receiver chamber, fixed receiver means disposed within said drum means and having an axial slot in its surface forming said receiver chamber and passage means for connecting one end of said chamber to a pneumatic conveyor and the other end of said chamber to a source of pressure air for propelling rod-like articles axially from said chamber, and means for engaging and moving rod-like articles laterally to their axes from said drum means into said receiver chamber each time a rod-like article is moved into alignment with said chamber by said drum means

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 130 words

A mechanism for feeding rod-like articles to a pneumatic conveyor, comprising rotatable drum means for receiving rod-like articles one by one from a reservoir and moving such articles laterally to their axes into alignment adjacent to a receiver chamber, fixed receiver means disposed within said drum means and having an axial slot in its surface forming said receiver chamber and passage means for connecting one end of said chamber to a pneumatic conveyor and the other end of said chamber to a source of pressure air for propelling rod-like articles axially from said chamber, and means for engaging and moving rod-like articles laterally to their axes from said drum means into said receiver chamber each time a rod-like article is moved into alignment with said chamber by said drum means

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

The mechanism in accordance with claim 9, and means for providing vacuum to assist said drum means for receiving rod-like articles and means for providing pressure air to cause rod-like articles to float as they are moved into said receiver chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-12-08	1979-06-09	1979-12-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-12-08	1983-06-09	1983-12-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-12-08	1987-06-09	1987-12-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Feed mechanism for pneumatic conveyor systems

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