Valveless continuous atmospherically isolated container feeding assembly

• US 6,371,711 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inentec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Environmental Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Berger, Douglas N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US09/272,763
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 414/217, 414/162, 414/166, 414/198, 414/160, 285/337, 285/369, 277/365, 110/109, 110/346, 406/191, 373/60
• US Class Current: 414/160
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 3/00 Charging the melting furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2205/18 using airlock systems
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/448 in which the waste is fed in containers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 9/26 on or in trucks, sleds, or containers
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2099/0078 Means to minimize the leakage of the furnace atmosphere during charging or discharging
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 9/36 by packaging; by baling

Abstract

An apparatus for feeding containers of feed material into a process chamber is disclosed. The apparatus is designed to maintain the atmosphere within the process chamber as separate from the atmosphere surrounding the process chamber. The apparatus has a feeder housing having at least two internal seals, which form an airtight seal about the feeding canisters as the canisters are passed through the seals. The seals are separated by a distance less than the length of the container.

Claims

1. An apparatus for feeding disposable containers into a process chamber which maintains the atmosphere within the process chamber as separate from the atmosphere surrounding the process chamber comprising an air-tight feeder housing having at least two internal seals, said seals being spaced no further apart than the length of said disposable containers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feeder housing comprises said seals interleaved with flanges.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feeder housing comprises at least five seals interleaved with flanges.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an automated means for introducing said containers into the feeder housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the automated means for introducing said containers into the feeder housing is selected from the group comprising hydraulic or screw activated plungers.