Dispensing measured quantities of materials for mixing into a larger batch

• US 20020066746A1
• Filed: 11/23/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Easy Automation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Odiel Sanders
• Inventors: Sanders, Odiel
• Granted Patent: US 6,527,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/18 Mixing animal food ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/181 Preventing generation of dust or dirt; Sieves; Filters B01F35/145, B01F35/43 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/188 using sieves in mixers for purposes other than mixing, e.g. eliminating dust during venting
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/714 for feeding predetermined amounts B01F35/88 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71731 using a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71745 using pneumatic pressure, overpressure, gas or air pressure in a closed receptacle or circuit system
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7175 using propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/24 for fluent solid material

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of particulate material includes a tubular duct arranged so that an air stream in the duct carries material along the duct and a row of hoppers each for containing the material to be dispensed; the hoppers being connected to the duct so that material can be dispensed from the hopper to the duct. A separator container is provided in the duct such that the material in the duct carried by the air flow passes to the separator container. A centrifugal separator section is provided in the container for separating the material from the air flow to deposit the material into the container while the air flow is discharged from the container. The container is mounted on legs with load cells for weighing the deposited material while the material is maintained in the separator container and the air lock valve are controlled so as to continue to discharge the material up to a predetermined weight and to halt the discharge when the predetermined weight is reached.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing measured quantities of particulate material comprising:

providing a duct;

providing at least one hopper containing the material to be dispensed;

connecting the hopper to the duct so that material can be dispensed from the hopper to the duct;

generating an air flow through the duct to carry the material from the hopper along the duct;

controlling flow of material from the hopper to the duct through an air lock valve which prevents flow of air from the duct to the hopper;

providing a separator container in the duct such that the material in the duct carried by the air flow passes to the separator container;

in the separator container separating the material from the air flow to deposit the material into the container while the air flow is discharged from the container;

weighing the deposited material while the material is maintained in the separator container and controlling the air lock valve so as to continue to discharge the material up to a predetermined weight and to halt the discharge when the predetermined weight is reached;

and discharging the deposited material from the separator container.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the separator container is mounted on a weighing system to effect weighing thereof with the material inside.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the container is mounted on load cells.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of hoppers each for a different material and each is connected to the duct for discharge through an air lock valve for sending material to the separator container.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein in a batch of materials, all of the materials are sent to the container before the materials are discharged.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the materials from the container are discharged into a mixing container.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the mixing container includes bulk materials into which the materials from the hoppers are mixed.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the separator container includes a centrifugal separating section.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the duct injects the mixed air flow and materials tangentially into the centrifugal separator.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the centrifugal separator includes a central filter section through which the air is withdrawn.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the air is pulled by vacuum from the separator.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the separator container is mounted on legs each of which includes a load cell.

13. The method according to claim 2 wherein hoppers are arranged in a row along the duct and are computer controlled in response to an input of the predetermined weight of each material required and the measured weight in the container.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the materials are micro-nutrients for mixing into bulk feeds for feeding to animals.

15. An apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of particulate material comprising a duct;

at least one hopper for containing the material to be dispensed;

the hopper being connected to the duct so that material can be dispensed from the hopper to the duct;

means for generating an air flow through the duct to carry the material from the hopper along the duct;

a separator container in the duct such that the material in the duct carried by the air flow passes to the separator container;

means in the separator container for separating the material from the air flow to deposit the material into the container while the air flow is discharged from the container; and

means for weighing the deposited material while the material is maintained in the separator container and controlling the air lock valve so as to continue to discharge the material up to a predetermined weight and to halt the discharge when the predetermined weight is reached.