Discharge device for hoppers

Claim 1

A hopper assembly for crushed material such as ore and limestone, comprising a downwardly narrowing hopper having an outlet located at its lower end defined by facing lateral arcuate edge portions, a discharge chute being mounted at said lower end of said hopper in a manner which permits said discharge chute to pivot along an arcuate path concentric with said facing arcuate lateral edge portions of said hopper, said discharge chute pivotable between an open material discharging position and a closed position which prevents material from being discharged from said hopper, said discharge chute including at one end an arcuate portion conforming to said lateral arcuate edge portions of said hopper outlet and at another end a straight portion which guides the materail discharged from said hopper, said discharge chute including at each lateral edge thereof a deflector plate extending upwardly from said discharge chute and positioned at the junction between said straight and arcuate portions, said deflector plates including an upper arcuate edge portion which lies in the same vertical plane as said facing lateral arcuate edge portions of said hopper outlet and adjacent thereto, said plates serving to prevent material discharged from said hopper from jamming between said facing lateral arcuate edge portions of said hopper outlets and said discharge chute as well as to assist in the removal of material from said outlet of said hopper during movement of said discharge chute to a closed position.