Self cleaning collector system

• US 4,194,859 A
• Filed: 09/08/1978
• Issued: 03/25/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BOON Bruce T
• Original Assignee: Eastern Cyclone Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Timmins, Armand P., Boon, Bruce T. E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/940,469
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 406/171, 406/172, 55/301, 55/302, 55/303
• US Class Current: 406/172
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/60 Devices for separating the materials from propellant gas

Abstract

A self cleaning apparatus for use in separating material from air in a material-air conveyance system includes an outer housing and a perforated inner housing. A freely pivotable panel member is hingedly mounted on the outer housing, the panel normally being in the open position thus exposing an aperture in the outer housing. When a conveyance cycle is initiated, a downstream blower initially draws air into the system through the aperture in the collector outer housing thus blowing inwardly particles lodged in the perforate inner housing. The negative pressure of the air being thus drawn in the system acts to close the panel member until the conveyance cycle is completed and the downstream blower switched off. The force of gravity then pulls the panel member back to its normally open position until another conveyance cycle is initiated.

Claims

1. An automatic, self-cleaning collector apparatus for use in separating material from a material-air conveying system comprising:

an outer housing member having an entry portion, an exit portion, a closed top portion, and a releasable base portion, said outer housing member being in communication with an inlet conduit for the admittance of said material and air, said outer housing further being in communication with an outlet conduit for the removal of said air therefrom, said outlet conduit being in communication with means for drawing the air through said collector apparatus;

a perforated inner housing member, disposed within said outer housing member, having an entry portion, an exit portion, and a top portion, the bottom portion of said inner housing member being open such that the releasable base portion of said outer housing and the entry, exit and top portions of said inner housing member define an interior compartment, said inner housing member being in communication with said inlet conduit such that conveying air will separate from said material and will flow through said perforations into passageways between the respective housing members and be removed through said outlet conduit; and

a freely pivotable panel member hingedly connected along its bottom portion to said outer housing member, said panel member normally being in the open position at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical, thus exposing an aperture in the outer housing whereby when said means for drawing air through the apparatus is activated at the start of a conveying cycle, the air initially being drawn therein is drawn through said outer housing aperture thus cleaning a portion of said inner housing member by blowing any particles thereon into said interior compartment, said air being drawn in through said outer housing aperture further acting to close said panel member against the inner housing until the conveyance cycle is completed whereupon the force of gravity causes said panel member to resume its normally open position.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 which further includes sealing means for preventing leakage of air from said outer housing aperture when said panel member is in the closed position.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said sealing means is a gasket member disposed around the periphery of said outer housing aperture.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 which further includes means for minimizing the impact of said panel member against the outer housing when said panel member moves from the open to the closed position.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 for which the angle formed between said panel member and the vertical when said panel member is in the open position is in the range of approximately 60°

to 80°

.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 which further includes means disposed within said inner housing for directing said material downwardly towards the releasable base portion of said outer housing.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said releasable base portion comprises a pair of selectively releasable door members.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said means for drawing air through said apparatus comprises a blower disposed downstream of said outlet conduit, the suction portion of said blower being disposed closest to said outlet conduit.

9. An automatic, self-cleaning collector apparatus for use in separating material from a material-air conveying system comprising:

an outer housing member having an entry portion, an exit portion, a closed top portion, and a releasable base portion, said outer housing member being in communication with an inlet conduit for the admittance of said material and air, said outer housing further being in communication with an outlet conduit for the removal of said air therefrom, said outlet conduit being in communication with a downstream blower, the suction portion of which being disposed closest to said outlet conduit;

a perforated inner housing member disposed within said outer housing member having an entry portion, an exit portion, and a top portion, the bottom portion of said inner housing member being open such that the releasable base portion of said outer housing and the entry, exit and top portions of said inner housing member define an interior compartment, said inner housing member being in communication with said inlet conduit such that conveying air will separate from said material and will flow through said perforations into passageways between the respective housing members and be removed through said outlet conduit;

a freely pivotable panel member hingedly connected along its bottom portion to said outer housing member, said panel member normally being in the open position at an angle in the range of approximately 60°

to 80°

relative to the vertical, thus exposing an aperture in the outer housing whereby when said blower is activated at the start of a conveyance cycle the air initially being drawn therein is drawn through said outer housing aperture thus cleaning a portion of said inner housing member by blowing any particles thereon into said interior compartment, said air being drawn in through said outer housing aperture further acting to close said panel member against the outer housing until the conveyance cycle is completed whereupon the force of gravity causes said panel member to resume its normally open position;

means for preventing leakage of air through said outer housing aperture while said panel member is in the closed position; and

means for minimizing the impact of said panel member as it closes against said outer housing.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 which further includes means disposed within said inner housing for deflecting said material downwardly towards said releasable base portion of the outer housing.

11. An automatic, self-cleaning collector apparatus for use in separating material from a material air conveying system comprising:

an outer housing member having an entry portion, an exit portion, a closed top portion, and a releasable base portion, said outer housing member being in communication with an inlet conduit for the admittance of said material and air, said outer housing further being in communication with an outlet conduit for the removal of said air therefrom, said outlet conduit being in communication with means for drawing the air through said collector apparatus;

a perforated inner housing member, disposed within said outer housing member, having an entry portion, an exit portion, and a top portion, the bottom portion of said inner housing member being open such that the releasable base portion of said outer housing and the entry, exit and top portions of said inner housing member define an interior compartment, said inner housing member being in communication with said inlet conduit such that conveying air will separate from said material and will flow through said perforations into passageways between the respective housing members and be removed through said outlet conduit;

a plurality of shutter members pivotally mounted on said outer housing;

means for selectively placing at least one of said shutter members in the open position at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical while maintaining the remaining shutter members closed prior to a conveyance cycle thus exposing an aperture in the outer housing whereby when said means for drawing air through the apparatus is activated at the start of a conveyance cycle the air initially being drawn therein is drawn through the outer housing aperture adjacent said open shutter member, cleaning a portion of said inner housing member by blowing any particles thereon into said interior compartment, said air being drawn in through said shutter aperture further acting to close said open shutter member against the outer housing; and

means for varying which shutter member is initially in the open position prior to a conveyance cycle.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 in which said at least one shutter member which is open prior to a conveyance cycle is disposed at an angle in the range of approximately 60°

-80°

relative to the vertical.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 which further includes means for preventing leakage from said shutter members when they are in the closed portion.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 which further includes means disposed within said inner housing for directing said material downwardly towards the releasable base portion of the outer housing.