Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A bulk cement storage system comprising: a circular base member for supporting a free standing cement pile and having an outer edge, a centrally located opening, and sloping from said outer edge to said central opening; a plurality of porous sections formed in said base member and extending radially toward said central opening; a generally circular shaped dome coaxial with said base member, having its largest dimension positioned on said base member, and covering it to form a storage area, the maximum height of said dome being at least one half the diameter of said base member; means for providing a stream of compressed air through said sections into said storage area; input means coupled to the upper portion of said dome for feeding cement into said storage area, and output means coupled to said central opening including a pneumatic conveying system for removing said cement from said storage area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A bulk cement storage system comprising: a circular base member for supporting a free standing cement pile and having an outer edge, a centrally located opening, and sloping from said outer edge to said central opening; a plurality of porous sections formed in said base member and extending radially toward said central opening; a generally circular shaped dome coaxial with said base member, having its largest dimension positioned on said base member, and covering it to form a storage area, the maximum height of said dome being at least one half the diameter of said base member; means for providing a stream of compressed air through said sections into said storage area; input means coupled to the upper portion of said dome for feeding cement into said storage area, and output means coupled to said central opening including a pneumatic conveying system for removing said cement from said storage area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said dome is directly coupled to said base member at the outer edge thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said dome is in the form of a geodesic constructed dome.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as in claim 1 and further comprising a short cylindrical wall coupled near the outer edge of said base member and located inward of said dome.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said dome has a weight supporting means at the bottom thereof coupled to said base member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said base member is constructed in the form of a plurality of trough shaped bins extending radially towards said central opening, and wherein said porous sections are formed at the bottom of said bins.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said dome is constructed of lightweight material incapable of providing bearing support to a column of cement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as in claim 1 and further comprising a solid fuel pump connected in said pneumatic conveying system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said input means also comprises a pneumatic conveying system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as in claim 1 and wherein said base member slopes toward said central opening at an angle of less than 10 degrees.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system as in claim 1 and further comprising: dockside unloading facility means for removing cement from a vessel; dockside hopper means for receiving the cement removed from said vessel; pneumatic transport means for conveying the cement from the dockside hopper to the input means; output hopper means coupled to the pneumatic conveying system of the output means, and solid-fuel pumps for controlling the flow of the cement through the system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system as in claim 1 and further comprising a gravity conveying system coupled to said pneumatic conveying system and including conveyors having an upper section in which the cement can flow, a lower section in which the compressed air can flow, and a porous medium separating said two sections.