Bulk material transfer mechanism

Claim 1

A material transfer mechanism for dumping the contents of an opened shipping drum into an open-topped mixing vessel with lugs thereon comprising, in combination, a frame, means mounting said frame on a support surface for 180° rotation about a fixed horizontal axis spaced above said surface at a height greater than that of said drum and said vessel, said frame including an annular plate with a center opening slightly less than the open diameter of said drum, a pair of powered hooks mounted on said frame for engaging said lugs on said vessel when the vessel is positioned beneath said plate, means for vertically moving said hooks for lifting said engaged vessel so that its open top is held against said plate, powered arm means mounted on said frame on the opposite side of said plate from said hooks, means for rotating said frame 180° about said axis so as to turn said engaged vessel upside down and position said arm means close to said support surface and beneath said drum, and means for moving said arm means independently of said hooks for lifting said drum so that its upper open end is pressed against said plate, whereupon further actuation of said means for rotating said frame to return the frame 180° to its original position turns said drum upside down to dump its contents into the vessel through said center opening.