GB2055347A

GB2055347A - Apparatus for metering granular materials

Info

Publication number: GB2055347A
Application number: GB8020806A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Matsushita Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Matsushita Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1979-07-02
Filing date: 1980-06-25
Publication date: 1981-03-04
Also published as: FR2461240B1; NL180355B; JPS5610432U; DE3025048A1; NL180355C; AU533993B2; FR2461240A1; NL8003731A; DE3025048C2; AU5975980A; GB2055347B

Abstract

An apparatus for quantitative metering of granular materials comprising: a main body 11 having metering compartments 16 disposed radially around an axis and end plates 17, 18 rotatable about this axis each having a hole adapted for being brought into alignment with each compartment 16 as this end plate is rotated. The (top) end plate 17 has a nozzle 31 for injecting a pressurized fluid into said metering compartment 16, one after another, as these end plates 17, 18 are rotated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for metering granular materials The present invention concerns an apparatus for quantitatively metering granular materials such as powders and particles of synthetic resins for use as starting materials, pigments, cement, fertilizers and foodstuffs.

As apparatuses of this type, there is known an apparatus comprising a main body having a plurality of independent metering compartments having upper and lower open ends and disposed radially around an axis, and top and bottom end plates adapted for covering said upper and lower open ends ofthe compartments and being rotatable about this axis, the top end plate having a hole adapted for being brought into alignment with the upper open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated, the bottom end plate having a hole so positioned as is not aligned with the hole of the top end plate and being adapted for being brought into alignment with the lower open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated, so that, with the rotation ofthese end plates, a material requiring metering is fed into the compartments successively through the hole of the top end plate, and the metered material contained in the compartments is allowed to flow out through the hole of the bottom end plate from one compartment after another. However, such known metering apparatuses have the disadvantage that, at the time of discharge of the metered granular material from the compartment, some of the material is left therein.

The present invention intends to seek an improved quantitative metering apparatus for powders and granular materials, which is capable of effecting complete discharging of the metered material out of the respective metering compartments.

The present invention provides a quantitative metering apparatus for powders and granular materials, comprising a main body having a plurality of independence metering compartments having upper and lower open ends and disposed radially around an axis; and top and bottom end plates adapted for covering the upper and lower open ends of the compartments and being rotatable about this axis, the top plate having a hole adapted for being brought into alignment with the upper open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated, the bottom end plate having a hole so positioned as is not aligned with the hole of the top end plate and being adapted for being brought into alignment with the lower open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated so that, with the rotation of these end plates, a material requiring metering is fed into the compartments, one compartment after another, through the hole of the top end plate, and the metered material contained in these compartments is allowed to flow out through the hole of the bottom end plate from one compartment after another, the improvement wherein: the top end plate is provided, at a site corresponding to the location of the hole of the bottom end plate, with a nozzle for introducing a pressurized fluid into the compartments, one after another, as this top end plate is rotated.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the metering apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 2, partly illustrated in side elevation and partly omitted.

The body 11 of the apparatus is cylindrical in shape, and has flanges 12 and 13 at opposite ends of this cylindrical body. A central hollow cylinder 14 is arranged at the central partofthis body 11. Aplurality of partition walls 15 are disposed to extend radially between the body 11 and the central hollow cylinder 14, and they are fixed to the body by an appropriate means such as welding to provide a plurality of independent metering compartments 16 having open opposite ends.

The respective metering compartment 16 are covered, at both upper and lower open ends, with top and bottom end plates 17 and 18, respectively.

These top and bottom and plates 17 and 18 are secured to the body 11 for rotation within annular grooves 19 and 20, respectively, which are provided on the flanges 12 and 13, respectively. The upper and lower end faces of the respective partition walls 15 are in snug contact with the end plates 17 and 18, respectively, in such way that these end faces do not interfere with the smooth rotation of these end plates. On the other hand, a shaft 21 is provided within the central hollow cylinder 14. This shaft 21 is supported by bearings 22, 22' and 23 which are fixed to the inside of the central hollow cylinder. The respective end plates 17 and 18 are mounted on the shaft 21 in such a way that they are fixed to this shaft 21 by screw nuts and key engagement (not shown) onto the end portions of the shaft, respectively.The respective end plates 17 and 18 are provided with holes 24 and 25, one for each end plate. These two holes are arranged so that they are brought into alignment with the end openings of different metering compartments, respectively. More particularly, these holes 24 and 25 are formed in the top end plate 17 and the bottom end plate 18 in such a way that, in case the hole 24 of the top end plate 17 is aligned with the upper opening of a certain metering compartment, the hole 25 of the bottom end plate 18 is aligned with another metering compartment which is located 180"from said certain metering compartment. In this embodiment, these holes 24 and 25 are shaped in sector form having their centers lying at the axis of rotation of the shaft 21 and each has such size as to overlap at least one metering compartment.

In the above state of the apparatus, let us assume that a material consisting of a powder or particles requiring metering is filled into a hopper 27 secured by a bolt means, through a gasket 26, to the flange The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

12 of the body 11. This granular material is allowed to flow into the compartment through the hole 24 of the top end plate 17. This flow of material continues, when the plate 17 is rotated in the direction of the arrow A, till both of the leading edge 24a and the trailing edge 24b of the hole 24 have passed this compartment. The material requiring metering is thus filled in the metering compartment during the period in which both of the leading edge 24a and the trailing edge 24b of the hole 24 traverse the upper opening of this compartment.In this way, the material is filled in the respective adjacent metering compartments in succession during the rotation of the end plates through 1800. When the plates are rotated through 1809 the hole 25 of the bottom end plate 18 is brought into alignment with that compartment initially filled with the material. Thus, the metered material is allowed to flow outside of the apparatus through the hole 25 into a duct 29 which is boltfastened via a gasket 28 to the lower flange 13. Thus, on and after the rotation of the end plates through 180 , the filling and discharging of the material is carried out simultaneously in compartments which are located 1800 away relative to each other, successively from one compartment after another.

The metering apparatus according to the present invention is provided with means 30 for insuring a smooth discharge of a metered granular material out of its metering compartment. This means includes nozzles 31 provided in the top end plate 17. These nozzles 31 are provided in the top end plate 17 at sites corresponding to the location of the hole 25 of the bottom end of plate 18. These respective nozzles 31 are coupled to a collector tube 32 in such manner that the respective fluid passageways of these nozzles communicate with a single fluid path of the collector tube 32. On the other hand, a reducing tee 33 is attached, at its one end, to a blind plug 34 provided on the top end plate 17. Said collectortube32 is connected to this reducing tee 33 via a union joint 35, nippes 36,37 and an elbow 38.Another end of this reducing tee 33 is connected to a nipple 39 which, in turn, is connected to a rotary pipe joint 42 via a joint 40. This rotary pipe joint 42 consists of two pipe members so as to be rotatable relative to each other. Said joint 40 is connected to one of these two pipe members. A conduit 43 is connected, at its one end, to the other one of the two pipe members of the rotary pipe joint 42. The other end not shown communicates with an air outlet of a pressurized fluid supply such as an air compressor. A pressurized fluid is introduced into the collector tube 32 through a fluid path which is formed with the conduit 43, the rotary pipe joint 40, the nipple 39, the reducing tee 33, the nipple 37, the elbow 38, the nipple 36 and the union joint 35, and ejects in jet streams from the nozzles 31 normally at all times.As described above, these nozzles 31 are provided through the top end plate 17 at sites corresponding to the location of the hole 25 of the bottom end plate 18. Therefore, with the rotation of this bottom end plate 18, a pressurized fluid is injected, through these nozzles 31, into a metering compartment at each time when the hole 25 of the bottom end plate 18 of a metering com partment is aligned with the lower opening of this compartment. Thus, the metered granular material which is filled in the compartment is quickly and unfailingly discharged through the hole 25 by virtue of the natural downward drop of the granular material by its own weight and with the assistance of the jet streams of the pressurized fluid ejecting from the nozzles into the compartment.

In this metering apparatus, the nozzles are arranged so as to eject jet streams of a pressurized fluid along the walls with which the respective metering compartments are formed. That is, one of these nozzles 31 is arranged to eject a jet stream of pressurized fluid along the inner surface of the wall of the main body 11, and another one is arranged so as to eject another jet stream of pressurized fluid along theoutersurface of the wall ofthe central hollow cylinder 14, and the other one is arranged so as to eject still another jet stream of pressurized fluid between the aforesaid two jet streams.Because of this arrangement of nozzles, jet streams of pressurized fluid are introduced into the metering compartment in such way that one of the jet stream is directed onto the mass of granular material, another is directed between the mass and the inner wall surface of the main body 11 and the other is directed between this mass and the outer wall surface of the central hollow cylinder 14. Thus, the metered granular material is prevented from remaining in the compartment as it adheres to the wall surfaces of the main body and the central hollow cylinder. Such nozzle arrangement is useful and effective especially in case the granular material requiring metering consists of a powder which easily adheres to a wall surface, such as urea, calcium carbonate, or activated granular charcoal and granular petroleum coke which have absorbed moisture.

In the metering apparatus of the present invention, arrangement is provided to prevent, when a material requiring metering is to be filled into a compartment, the entry of the material into a narrow space formed between the trailing edge of the hole or the underside face ofthetop end plate located adjacent this trailing edge of the hole and the upper end face of a partition wall defining adjacent metering compartments, to avoid the hampering of smooth rotation of the end plates. To this end, a lug 45 is provided preferable on the lower surface of the top end plate 17.

This lug 45 is arranged so that it can be projected beyond the trailing edge 24b toward the leading edge 24a of the hole 24 to limit the area of this hole 24. This lug 45 arrives at the partition wall 15 before the trailing edge of the hole 24 arrives there during the rotation of the end plates. Accordingly, this lug 45 deflects the direction of the downward flow of the granular material toward another adjacent partition wall located just ahead of the first-occuring partition wall, and prevents the material to flow along said first-occuring partition wall located just below the trailing edge of the hole. Thus, this lug 45 successfully prevents the entry of the granular material into the space formed between the trailing edge or the underside face ofthetop end plate located adjacent this trailing edge, and the upper end of the partition wall.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, this lug 45 is arranged so that it is slidably moved from the trailing edge toward the leading edge of the hole 24 up to a desired position to be held thereat, to limit the size of the hole 24 as required. Accordingly, the size of the hole 24 can be varied as desired, to thereby vary the volume of the granular material to be filled in the respective metering compartments.

The lug' 45 is of such a sector shape as will be able to completely close the hole 24. Bolt holes 46 are provided at equal intervals in the lug 45 forming an arc pattern about the axis of rotation of the shaft 21.

Screw holes are provided in the top end plate 17 at equal intervals at sites as will correspond to said bolt holes of the lug 45. By screwing a bolt 47 into the screw holes through the bolt holes 46, the lug 45 is fixed to the top end plate 17. Accordingly, by selecting an appropriate screw hoie, the lug is boltfastened through the bolt hole 46 into the screw hole so as to ensure that the lug 45 extends for a desired distance beyond the trailing edge of the hole 24 of the top end plate 17 toward the leading edge thereof, the size of the hole 24 can be limited as required.

Thus, the entry of the granular material into the narrow space between the underside portion of the top end plate adjacent the trailing edge of the hole 24 and the upper end edge of the partition wall of a compartment can be prevented.

The arrangement of the top and bottom end plates and the shaft to which these end plates are fixed can be made in various ways. In the embodiment shown, the end plates are arranged to be rotated about a fixed shaft by a motor provided externally of the apparatus. More particularly, an outer hollow member 51 is disposed between the body 11 and the central hollow cylindrical member 14 and is fixed to both of them so as to traverse a metering compartment to which this hollow member is fixed also. An inner hollow member 52 is snugly received inside the outer hollow member 51. A flange which is provided at the peripheral part of this inner hollow member 52 is bolt-fastened to a peripheral flange of the outer hollow member 51, so that the outer hollow member 51 is prevented from being rotated.

Bearings 53 and 54 are fixed inside the inner hollow member 52, and a shaft 55 is supported by these bearings. A bevel gear 56 is positioned within the central hollow cylindrical member 14 and is fixed to the inner end of the shaft 55. Another bevel gear 57 is fixed to the shaft 21 and meshes with the bevel gear 56. The outer end of the shaft 55 is coupled to the rotary shaft of the motor not shown by, for example, a chain and a sprocket not shown. When this motor rotates the shaft 55, the shaft 21 is rotated along with the top and bottom end plates 17 and 18.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for quantitatively metering granular material such as powders and particles of synthetic resin for use as starting material, pigments, cement, fertilizers and foodstuffs, comprising a main body having a plurality of independent metering compartments having upper and lower open ends and disposed radially around an axis, and top and bottom end plates adapted for covering the upper and lower open ends of the compartments and being rotatable about this axis, the top plate having a hole adapted for being brought into alignment with the upper open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated, the bottom end plate having a hole so positioned as is not aligned with the hole of the top end plate and being adapted for being brought into alignment with the lower open end of each compartment as this end plate is rotated, so that, with the rotation ofthese end plates, a material requiring metering is fed into the compartments, one compartment after another, through the hole of the top end plate, and the metered material contained in these compartments is allowed to flow out through the hole of the bottom end plate from one compartment after another, the improvement wherein: said top end plate is provided, at a site corresponding to the location of said hole of said bottom end plate, with a nozzle for introducing a jet stream of a pressurized fluid into said metering compartments, one after another, as this end plate is rotated.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, in which said nozzle is provided in a plural number, a part of which is arranged so as to eject a jet stream of pressurized fluid along the walls forming the respective metering compartments as said end plates are rotated.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising a projectable lug provided on the top end plate so as to slidably project beyond the trailing edge of the hole thereof toward the leading edge of this hole to licit the degree of area of this hole and being adapted to be maintained at any desired degree of projection.

4. Apparatus for metering granular materials substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.