AU753910B2

AU753910B2 - Metering dispenser

Info

Publication number: AU753910B2
Application number: AU61378/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Francis Xavier Frawley
Original assignee: T A C A AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Taca International Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1999-10-01
Filing date: 2000-09-28
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-28
Also published as: AU6137800A

Description

FRANCIS XAVIER FRAWLEY

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 ft, ft ft...

COMPLETE-AFTER-PROVISIONAL

SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED .ft.

"METERING DISPENSER" ft.

ft.

ft* ft ft.

lip Australia This invention is described in the following statement: Documents received on: 2 8SEP 2000 Batch No: 28/09/0,gc1 I407.spe,3 2 The present invention relates, in general terms, to a method and apparatus for the dispensing of a metered or measured amount of material in particulate or granulate form from a hopper or the like container housing a supply of such material or constituting a reservoir therefor.

Throughout the ensuing description reference will be made in more detail to particular and preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention, intended for usage in the dispensing or supply of measured or metered amounts of material for and/or to a weld pool. It must be realised, however, that such are given by way of example only and that the method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention are not limited to any preferred embodiment or embodiments described hereinafter.

In the field of welding, there is traditionally employed a weld pool, which constitutes a matrix of base material for use in welding, together with any number of other components or additives. More often than not it is considered desirable to add other components or additives, preferably in particulate or granulate form and 15 in metered or measured amounts, to the weld pool, such other component(s) or additives being intended to impart special or desired properties to the overall S"material, as for example might be considered necessary for the material to be used in a particular context or to fulfil a particular task. By way of example, tungsten carbide chips are often added, to assist in the creation of hard, wear- S. 20 resistant surfaces.

*Prior art procedures for the addition of such other component(s) or additives have generally suffered in a variety of ways, either being too complicated to ustify the expense associated therewith or, in the alternative, being incapable of providing the operator with sufficient control over the amount of the S• 25 component(s) or additives being added.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a method and apparatus which, in an extremely simple and yet effective manner, allow for the controlled addition of one or more substances, in particulate or granulate form, to an existing matrix of materials(s) In general, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for the separation of a flow of any given material, be it in particulate or granulate form, into at least two discrete flows of measured or metered amounts of said material for further processing.

Accordingly this invention provides a method for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material which comprises; establishing a primary flow of such material; extracting from such primary flow, a determined secondary flow of such material; and recycling such secondary flow to such primary flow in such a manner that a metered dispensation of such material is obtained.

Furthermore, this invention provides an apparatus for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material which comprises: a first hopper having a first inlet means and a first outlet means; a second hopper in flow connection with the first hopper and having a second inlet means and a second outlet means; a take-off means in combination with the second hopper and adapted to remove a selected amount of particulate or granulate matefial from a of marial through the first and secnd hopper; and a recycling means adapted to return the selected amount of particulate or granulate material to the first hopper.

indirect advantage of this method and apparatus, according to the invention, is -that the particulate or granulate material is better mixed than if the material was to be :used directly.

20 In order that the invention may be more dlearly understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of a method and an apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is With reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 25 FIG. l is a side elevational and schematic view of a first embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is across sectional view of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and FIGS. 3 and 4 are views, similar to FIG. 2, of further embodiments of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

With particular regard firstly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein a first feed hopper or the like receptacle 1 for housing a replenishable supply of a material to be dispensed in granulate or particulate form. Preferably the hopper 1 is substantially funnel-shaped having a conical discharge chute 2 at the lowermost end thereof, that chute 2 including a substantially centrally disposed aperture 3 at the lowermost end thereof. The material may be dispensed from the hopper I under gravity. However, the method and mode of dispensation of material from hopper 1 does not constitute an essential feature of the present invention.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated means may be provided for controlling the amount of material exiting the hopper 1 for insertion into a second container or hopper 10 which is in flow connection with hopper 1. This can take the form of any means which functions to restrict the size of the bottom opening 3 of the conical chute section s of the hopper 1 thereby in due course to interrupt partially, in full or any desirble extent, egress of material from the hopper itself into the hopper 10. In one preferred embodiment such control may be achieved by the utilisation of a suitable gate means, generally designated 4, which is selectively and progressively movable in a sideways direction into and out of engagement with the aperture 3 of the lowermost funnel-shaped conical discharge chute 2 of the hopper 1, thereby to control or stop the flow of material therefrom. In an alternative embodiment now shown, suitable valving means may be employed at or in the vicinity of the lower most portion of the hopper 1 15 to give rise to the same result. However, any suitable means may be employed to restrict or control the actual rate of flow of material from the hopper 1.

Such control means may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or electronic.

As shown in more detail in FIG. 2, the gate means 4 includes a closure means 5 which is selectively and progressively movable into and out of engagement with the lowermost 20 end of the discharge chute 2, thereby to allow for variation of the cross sectional dimension of the substantially centrally disposed aperture 3 thereof, in turn to allow for control and/or variation of the amount/volume of material exiting the hopper 1.

Any suitable means, be it manual, mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, electronic or otherwise, may be employed to allow for movement of the dosure means 5 into and out 25 of engagement with the aperture 3 of the hopper 1. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the closure means 5 has associated therewith a piston or shaft 6 extending into the second hopper 10 through a suitable aperture or opening provided in the side wall 11 thereof. The shaft or piston 6 is selectively and progressively reciprocally movable laterally of the second hopper 10, whereby to allow for control of flow or material through the aperture 3 and into hopper 10. Such reciprocating movement of the shaft or piston 6 may be achieved in any suitable manner, for example, manually.

Disposed immediately below the hopper 1, and in substantial flow connection therewith, is a second hopper 10 which is adapted to itself receive and temporarily retain material exiting the first hopper 1. Such further or second hopper or the like container has means associated therewith for extracting, from the flow of material entering thereinto, a desired or metered amount thereof, hereinafter referred to as a take-off means. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the take-off means or metering device may take the form of an elongate, hollow member 12 which is adapted, in use, to be selectively and progressively movable into and out of flow contact or connection with the flow of material exiting from the bottom of the first hopper 1 to allow for capture therein of a given or desired amount of such material. Such elongate member 12 is slidably and controllably movable within a sleeve 13 extending substantially downwardly and at an angle from the outside surface 113 of the second hopper 10. The elongate member 12, of a cross sectional dimension less than that of the sleeve 13, is adapted to be received within the sleeve 13 in a tele- scoping manner. The remainder of such material then passes through the second hopper 10, again preferably under gravity, and is allowed to exit from a bottom substantially conical funnel-shaped chute portion 14 thereof, via central aperture Relative movement between the elongate member 12 and the sleeve 13 may be 15 achieved in a variety of ways. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 both the elongate member 12 and sleeve 13 have arm members, respectively 16 and 17, projecting outwardly therefrom. Both arms are releasably attached to a further elongate member 18, preferably threaded. The arrangement is such that the relative locations of S* arm members 16 and 17 on the threaded member 18 may be adjusted by an operator as 20 and when desired, whereby to control/vary the extent of projection of the elongate member 12 into the sleeve 13, thereby in turn to allow for control/variation of the amount S* of material being extracted from the flow of material entering the hopper In this way, the material exiting from the bottom of the second hopper 10 may 25 then be employed for its desired task, whilst that material extracted by the metering device 12, 13 may be retumed to the first hopper 1 for recycling. The metering device 12, 13 may have suction means of any given type associated therewith, intended to extract material therefrom and to redirect such material for recycling. In the preferred embodiment illustrated such material being recycled may be returned to a preliminary hopper or container 20 or, in the alternative, may be fed directly back into hopper 1.

Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown a further embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention, being a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. In this variant the second hopper 10 includes means for directing a metered or measured amount of the material exiting hopper I into an intemal chamber, generally designated of hopper 10. The chamber 30 is formed by a shaped element 31, extending inwardly of the wall 13 of the hopper 10. At or in the vicinity of the lowermost end of the chamber 30 there is provided an aperture or outlet 311, which is in flow connection with means which allows for extraction of material, such extracted material to be either returned to said hopper I for recycling or directed elsewhere for use. The remaining material from the flow of the material entering hopper 10 drops or is directed to the bottom of this hopper to be discharged therefrom via aperture subsequent use (as desired) andlor recycling.

With further regard to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus therein includes means which allows for inducing a controlled change in the direction of flow of material entering the hopper 10. In the especially preferred embodiment illustrated, an elongate member 32 is adapted to protrude through the side wall of the hopper 10. That member 32, preferably including a conically-shaped end portion 33, is adapted to be movable laterally of the hopper 10 into and/or out of engagement with the flow of material. The material then impacts or impinges on the member 33, such that at least 15 some thereof undergoes a change of direction and drops into chamber 30. In an see*.: 0 altemrnative arrangement, such result may be achieved by directing a flow of air or the like into the path of the material, whereby to direct at least some of that material towards the wall 11 of the hopper 10, to eventually drop into the chamber 30. It should be realised, that an equivalent arrangement may equally well-be employed in any ooo 20 of the other embodiments illustrated.

FIG. 4 illustrates a further variation of the arrangement of FIG. 3 wherein, in the hopper 10, rather than the fixed volume chamber of FIG. 3 there is included means for :the creation of a variable volume chamber or the like 40. A gate or the like member 41 is S* pivotally attached, as at 42, to the inside of the wall 11 of hopper 10. At or in the 25 vicinity of the uppermost, free end of the gate member 41 there is attached, in any known manner and using any known means, a means which allows for selective and controlled pivotal movement of the gate member 41. Preferably this can take the form of a member 43, fixedly or releasably attached to the gate member 41, extending substantially laterally of the hopper 10 and projecting outwardly therefrom. A handle or the like 44 may be provided at the outer, free end of the member 43 to allow for gripping by an operator, who can thus manually control the disposition of the gate member with regard to the hopper 10, in tumrn allowing for capture of a metered mount of the flow of material entering that hopper An apparatus in accordance with the present invention lends itself to use in a variety of different contexts. By way of example only, and in accordance with the especially preferred embodiment or desired usage referred to herein, the apparatus may be employed for purposes of disposing/adding a given, metered amount of tungsten carbide -in chip or granular form to a weld pool. In.that regard it should be understood that materials such as tungsten carbide, by their very nature being extremely hard and tough, are often added to a weld pool or matrix for purposes of imparting to the weld matrix the capacity to form a hard, tough, wear-resistant surface.

However, the method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention are especially suited for use in any situation wherein particulate or granulate materials are to be dispensed in a metered fashion.

In the preferred embodiments illustrated the actual amount of material captured by the metering device is dependent upon the positioning and control of actuation of such device. This may be manually controlled by the operator. In an altemative embodiment, now shown, suitable means of any given and known type may be employed to allow for automatic, accurate control of the location/disposition of the 15 metering device.

Finally it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that variations and modifications will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following daims.

Claims

1. A method for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material which comprises establishing a primary flow of such material; extracting from such primary flow, a determined secondary flow of such material; and recycling such secondary flow to such primary flow in such a manner that a metered dispensation of such material is obtained.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to FIG. 3.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to FIG. 4. An apparatus for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material which comprises: a first hopper having a first inlet means and a first outlet means; a second hopper in flow connection with the first hopper and, 20 having a second inlet means and a second outlet means; a take-off means in combination with the second hopper and adapted to remove a selected amount of particulate or granulate material from a flow of material through the first and second hoppers, and a recycling means adapted to return the selected amount of particulate or granulated material to the first hopper.

6. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the take-off means comprises a gate means for selectively and progressively opening or dosing the first outlet means thus allowing variation or control of material exiting the first hopper. 5 S 20 o. *oo

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gate means is adapted for operation manually or by mechanical, electrical, electronic or pneumatic means.

8. .The.apparatus as claimed in anyoneof daims Sto-7, wherein:thetake-, off means further includes a hollow tubular member adapted to be selectively and controllably movable into and/or out of contact with the flow of material entering the second hopper, the hollow tubular member being adapted to capture a desired amount of material depending upon its extent of penetration into the flow of material.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hollow tubular member extends into the second hopper through a port in a side wall of the hopper and engages a sleeve projecting outwardly from the side wall of the hopper. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the hollow tubular member is adapted to be reciprocally movable within said sleeve.

11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the take- off means further comprises a fixed chamber formed internally of the of the second hopper and to one side of or-centre the take-off means.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fixed chamber includes an outlet port or discharge means extending through the side wall of the second hopper, allowing the extraction of captured material for return to the first hopper.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the port or discharge means through the side wall at or in the vicinity of its lowermost portion.

14. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11-13, wherein said means for diverting the flow of material includes an elongate member, preferably having a substantially conical-shaped extremity, which is adapted to be laterally and controllably movable within the second hopper into and out of engagement with the flow of material. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11-13, wherein said means for diverting the flow of material includes a nozzle or like member projecting into the second hopper and selectively and controllably movable. 9 S 20 oo 1 2 *o laterally thereof, the nozzle or like member being adapted to direct a flow of air or the like gas at the flow of material.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the take-off means includes a gate means;:pivotally:attached to the-side-wall of the-second-, hopper, the extent of pivotal movement of the gate means being selectively adjustable whereby to form a chamber of variable volume towards one side of the second chamber, the hopper being adapted to receive and retain for discharge at least part of the flow of material entering the second hopper.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the chamber includes, preferably at or in the vicinity of the lowermost portion thereof, an outlet port or discharge means entering through the side wall of the second hopper to allow for extraction of captured material for retum to the first hopper for recycling.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the means for averting the flow of material includes an elongate member preferably having a substantially conical-shaped extremity, which is adapted to be laterally and controllably movable within the second hopper into and out of engagement with the flow of material.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the means of diverting the flow of material includes a nozzle or like member, projecting into the second hopper and selectively and controllably movable laterally thereof, the nozzle or the like member being adapted to direct a flow of air or the like gas at the flow of material. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 -19 including means extending through the side wall of the second hopper and releasably attachable to the free end of the gate means and adapted to allow an operator control of the angular disposition of the said gate means within the second hopper and in turn to allow for control of the amount of material captured by the chamber.

21. An apparatus for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material, substantially as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 11

22. An apparatus for the metered dispensation of a particulate or granulate material substantially as described with reference to FIG. 3.

23. An apparatus for the metered dispensation of-a particulatelor granulate ,:material-substaniallywasdescrbed-hrfrec oFg.4 Dated this day of December 2001 TACA (AUSTRAUA) PTY LTD