Batch transfer system

Claim 1

In a system for pneumatically transferring particulate material in batches from a first location to a second and remote location the combination comprising a first vessel for containing a quantity of said particulate material, said first vessel including a substantially conical bottom section having its apex directed downwardly and defining an opening therein, a porous member covering said opening and defining a plurality of passageways therethrough, a second vessel chargeable with and dischargeable of said particulate material and having a top section and a substantially conical bottom section having its apex directed downwardly, first conduit means connecting said bottom section of said first vessel with said top section of said second vessel, said first conduit directing the flow of pneumatically entrained particulate material therethrough from said first vessel to said second vessel, first valve means interposed in said first conduit means for regulating the flow of particulate material through said first conduit means, filter means mounted on and in fluid communication with said top section of said second vessel and substantially prohibiting the movement of said particulate material therepast, gas pump means having an input side and an output side, second conduit means connecting said input side of said pump means in fluid communication with said filter means and including a portion connecting said input side of the pump means in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere, second valve means interposed in said second conduit means for regulating the flow of fluid between said input side of said pump means and said filter means, third valve means interposed in said second conduit means at a location between said input side of said pump means and that portion of said second conduit means that opens to ambient atmosphere for regulating the flow of ambient atmosphere to said input side of said pump means, third conduit means connecting said output side of said pump means in fluid communication with said filter means, fourth valve means interposed in said third conduit means for regulating the flow of fluid through said third conduit means, fourth conduit means connecting said output side of said pump means in fluid communication with said porous member covering said bottom opening in said first vessel, fifth valve means interposed in said fourth conduit means for regulating the flow of fluid through said fourth conduit means, a fifth conduit directly connecting said output side of said pump means in fluid communication with one side of said conical bottom section of said second vessel adjacent the lowermost portion thereof for injecting pressurized fluid from said output side of said pump means into said bottom section of said second vessel for entraining particulate material from said second vessel in said fluid and conveying the same from said bottom section at a location substantially diametrically opposed to the location of the connection of said fifth conduit to said bottom section of said second vessel to a location remote from said second vessel, sixth valve means interposed in said fifth conduit and adapted to regulate the flow of fluid through said fifth conduit, means controlling the functioning of each of said valve means in a sequence providing cyclical withdrawal of fluid from said second vessel by said pump means with concomitant withdrawal of particulate material from said first vessel into said second vessel with at least a substantial portion of said withdrawn fluid being conveyed under pressure through said fourth conduit means and said porous member into the bottom section of said first vessel, and subsequent flow of fluid under pressure from said output side of said pump means to said top of said second vessel to provide a volume of pressurized fluid above the level of particulate material within said second vessel and flow of fluid under pressure through said fifth conduit into said bottom section of said second vessel to entrain particulate material from said second vessel and transfer the same out of said second vessel.