Flow diverter

• US 8,776,844 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carl F. Yaegel
• Original Assignee: Carl F. Yaegel
• Inventors: Yaegel, Carl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL III, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US12/931,556
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 141/192, 141/198, 141/255, 141/263, 141/264, 141/286, 141/331, 141/332, 239/666, 239/687, 239/697, 414/287
• US Class Current: 141/301
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/0441 with chutes, deflector means or channels B65G69/0458 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus diverts the flow of bulk solids into a bin from a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor. The apparatus contains a fitting that attaches to the discharge, a frame with a vertical conduit, at least two baffles that pivot on rotating shafts and are capable of variable positioning between a substantially vertical position that opens the vertical conduit of the frame and a substantially horizontal position that substantially closes the vertical conduit of the frame, and a drive motor to rotate the baffles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diverting the flow of bulk solids into a bin from a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a fitting for removable attachment to a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the fitting having a vertical conduit;

(b) a frame connected to the fitting, the frame having a vertical conduit communicating with the vertical conduit of the fitting, the frame also having four side walls, each with an opening;

(c) four baffles that pivot on rotating shafts in the openings of the side walls of the frame, each baffle being capable of variable positioning between a first substantially vertical position that opens the vertical conduit of the frame to allow any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to flow out of the diverter without a change in direction and a second substantially horizontal position that at least partially closes the vertical conduit of the frame to cause a portion of any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to be diverted outward; and

(d) a drive motor to rotate the baffles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each rotating shaft engages an adjacent rotating shaft so that movement of one rotating shaft causes simultaneous movement of each rotating shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fitting is freely rotatable.

4. An apparatus for diverting the flow of bulk solids into a bin from a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a frame adapted for removable connection to a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the frame having a vertical conduit for the flow of bulk solids and also having four side walls, each with an opening;

(b) four baffles that pivot on rotating shafts in the openings of the side walls of the frame, each baffle being capable of variable positioning between a first substantially vertical position that opens the vertical conduit of the frame to allow any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to flow out of the diverter without a change in direction and a second substantially horizontal position that at least partially closes the vertical conduit of the frame to cause a portion of any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to be diverted outward; and

(c) a drive motor to rotate the baffles.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each rotating shaft engages an adjacent rotating shaft so that movement of one rotating shaft causes simultaneous movement of each rotating shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the baffles have inner corners that are truncated.

7. An apparatus for diverting the flow of bulk solids into a bin from a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a frame adapted for removable connection to a discharge of a bulk solids conveyor, the frame having a vertical conduit for the flow of bulk solids and also having three to five side walls, each with an opening;

(b) a baffle that pivots on a rotating shaft in the opening of each side wall of the frame, each baffle being capable of variable positioning between a first position that opens the vertical conduit of the frame to allow any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to flow out of the diverter without a change in direction and a second position that at least partially closes the vertical conduit of the frame to cause a portion of any bulk solids flowing into the diverter to be diverted outward; and

(c) a drive motor to rotate the baffles.