PNEUMATIC METERING DEVICE

• US 3,843,018 A
• Filed: 06/26/1970
• Issued: 10/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of South Carolina
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Holmes, Roger P. Rohrbach
• Inventors: Holmes, Robert G., Rohrbach, Roger P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/050,186
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 221/210,211,278 294/64
• US Class Current: 221/211
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/044 Pneumatic seed wheels

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for metering discrete particles by utilizing a high velocity, low volume positive pressure air jet to retain a particle in a generally cylindrical cavity and releasing the retained particle by interrupting the air jet or directing a second jet of air into the cavity normal to the high velocity air jet.

Claims

1. Apparatus for metering discrete particulate materials in a one by one successive fashion comprising, wall means defining a materials conveying cavity;

means for directing a low volume, high velocity gas stream to said cavity, means for moving said wall means in a sequential manner through a zone of the particulate material wherein one of said particles is picked up by and retained in the cavity by the gas stream, and then to a discharge zone, and means for overcoming the retaining power of the gas stream to release said caVity retained particle from the cavity at the discharge zone, wherein the means for releasing said cavity retained particle comprises directing a second gas stream into the cavity substantially at right angles to the first named gas stream when the cavity is at the discharge zone.

2. Apparatus for metering discrete particulate material comprising wall means including a cylindrical wall having a plurality of generally cylindrical material conveying cavities formed radially therein;

means for directing a low volume, high velocity gas stream into each of said cylindrical cavities, means for rotating said cylindrical wall for transporting said cylindrical cavities through a zone of material to be conveyed wherein one of said particles is retained in each of the cylindrical cavities by the gas streams directed thereto;

a discharge hopper over which the cylindrical wall passes, and a second gas stream directing means associated with the discharge hopper for directing a stream of air sequentially into each of the cylindrical material receiving cavities to release the material contained therein.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the low volume, high velocity air stream directed to each of the particle receiving cylindrical cavities is directed thereto in a radially inward direction.

4. Apparatus for metering discrete particulate materials comprising, a cylindrical drum, an axial shaft connected to said drum, a plurality of spaced generally radial cavities formed in the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the drum, means for directing a low volume high velocity gas stream radially into each of the cavities, means for directing articles to be metered into the drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for discharging articles from each cavity as the cavities are rotated past a discharge zone.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein the discharge zone is positioned adjacent the upper extremity of the rotation of the drum.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the means for discharging the articles from each cavity comprises means for directing a further gas stream into each cavity generally normal to the first mentioned gas stream.