Bulk fill delivery venturi system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for pneumatically transporting particulate material from a main hopper to at least a first mini-hopper sub-set, the apparatus comprising:
- a forced air source having a fan outlet;
a venturi mounted generally below the main hopper, the venturi forming a venturi passageway between an air inlet and a venturi outlet, the passageway including a restricted section between the inlet and the venturi outlet such that, when air is forced there through, the restricted section causes a vacuum at a vacuum point downstream of the restricted section, the venturi also forming a particulate inlet proximate the vacuum point, the particulate inlet linked to the hopper for receiving particulate there from and the air inlet linked to the air source; and
at least one manifold assembly that links the venturi outlet to the first mini-hopper sub-set.
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Abstract
A particulate distribution system for transporting seed or other particulate from a source into a plurality of metering bins, the system including a forced air source, a converter for splitting air form the source into separate flows in converter outlet lines, venturis for receiving the air flows and entraining particulate from a main hopper therein and a manifold delivery system that directs the entrained particulates to mini-hoppers and that opens at an outlet end back into the main hopper.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for pneumatically transporting particulate material from a main hopper to at least a first mini-hopper sub-set, the apparatus comprising:
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a forced air source having a fan outlet;
a venturi mounted generally below the main hopper, the venturi forming a venturi passageway between an air inlet and a venturi outlet, the passageway including a restricted section between the inlet and the venturi outlet such that, when air is forced there through, the restricted section causes a vacuum at a vacuum point downstream of the restricted section, the venturi also forming a particulate inlet proximate the vacuum point, the particulate inlet linked to the hopper for receiving particulate there from and the air inlet linked to the air source; and
at least one manifold assembly that links the venturi outlet to the first mini-hopper sub-set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for pneumatically transporting particulate material from a main hopper to at least N mini-hopper sub-sets, the apparatus comprising:
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a forced air source having a fan outlet;
a converter operably linked to the air source to receive forced air there from and to split the received air flow into N separate air flows through N separate converter outlet lines;
N venturis mounted generally below the main hopper, each venturi forming a venturi passageway between an air inlet and a venturi outlet, each passageway including a restricted section between the inlet and the venturi outlet such that, when air is forced there through, the restricted section causes a vacuum at a vacuum point downstream of the restricted section, each venturi also forming a particulate inlet proximate the vacuum point, the particulate inlets linked to the hopper for receiving particulate there from and each air inlet linked to a separate one of the converter outlets; and
N manifold assemblies, each manifold assembly linking a separate one of the venturi outlets to a separate one of the N mini-hopper sub-sets. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification