Pneumatic conveyors

Claim 1

Pneumatic conveyor apparatus for supplying particulate material directly from a supply source into a conveyor conduit, in successive plugs separated by intervening gas-filled spaces, comprising: a housing defining a material take-off chamber connected by an internal port through a separation wall to a pressurizing chamber, the internal port having a material flow valve seat facing inwardly toward the pressurizing chamber, the housing having an inlet port connecting the supply source to the take-off chamber and an open outlet port connecting the pressurizing chamber directly to the conveyor conduit; a valve rod extending from the pressurizing chamber through the internal port and through the take-off chamber and having an elongated extension projecting outwardly of the take-off chamber; a valve closure member mounted on the end of the valve rod in the pressurizing chamber; a linear actuator, connected to the outer end of the valve rod, for actuating the valve rod axially between a closed position in which the valve closure member engages the valve seat to close the internal port against a flow of particulate material, and an open position in which the valve closure member, is displaced from the valve set to open the internal port to a flow of particulate material; main gas supply means for introducing high pressure gas into the pressurizing chamber, adjacent the internal port; control means for cyclically energizing the actuator to alternately open and close the internal port, the control means including means to actuate the main gas supply only when the internal port is closed; a cylinder encompassing the valve rod extension, between the actuator and the take-off chamber, defining an annular air space of limited radial dimension encompassing the valve rod extension, the air space having an inner end opening into the take-off chamber and a closed outer end; and auxiliary gas supply means, employing the same gas as the main gas supply means, for continuously supplying gas under pressure into the outer end of the air space, to preclude accumulation of particulate material in the air space and to aid the flow of particulate material through the internal port into the pressurizing chamber.