US3198386A - Constant volume feeder for flowable granular material - Google Patents

Constant volume feeder for flowable granular material Download PDF

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Publication number
US3198386A
US3198386A US257237A US25723763A US3198386A US 3198386 A US3198386 A US 3198386A US 257237 A US257237 A US 257237A US 25723763 A US25723763 A US 25723763A US 3198386 A US3198386 A US 3198386A
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bin
hopper
granular material
constant volume
sand
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US257237A
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Hartley Nelson
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Hartley Controls Corp
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Hartley Controls Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22C—FOUNDRY MOULDING
    • B22C5/00—Machines or devices specially designed for dressing or handling the mould material so far as specially adapted for that purpose
    • B22C5/04—Machines or devices specially designed for dressing or handling the mould material so far as specially adapted for that purpose by grinding, blending, mixing, kneading, or stirring
    • B22C5/0409—Blending, mixing, kneading or stirring; Methods therefor
    • B22C5/0472—Parts; Accessories; Controlling; Feeding; Discharging; Proportioning
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2814/00—Indexing codes relating to loading or unloading articles or bulk materials
    • B65G2814/03—Loading or unloading means
    • B65G2814/0344—Control or feeding or discharging using level or weight measuring means

Definitions

  • the invention will be described specifically as it is applied to feeding toundry sand to a continuous sand mixer.
  • the invention is broadly applicable, however, wherever a fiowable granular material is to be fed in constant volume from an intermittent source.
  • the continuous mixer is fed a constant volume of sand, but the bulk bin is only intermittently dumped to deliver large batches of sand to an intervening hopper from which the sand is metered continuously to the mixer at the proper volume.
  • Automatic means are provided to refill the hopper when the sand therein has dropped to a level below that required to maintain a constant volume delivery to the mixer.
  • the hopper has an open bottom beneath which a conveyor belt or apron travels.
  • the hopper has a side wall opening with an adjustable gate to meter the desired volume of sand from the hopper as the belt travels therebeneath.
  • FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing apparatus embodying the present invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of the electrical connections for the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.
  • F-lowable granular material such as foundry sand is supplied to bulk bin 10.
  • foundry sand some or .most of the sand is return sand varying in temperature and moisture content.
  • the sand is mixed with water and various additives to make it suitable for reuse in the foundry.
  • Such mixing 3,198,386 Fatented Aug. 3, 165
  • the mixer 11 takes place in continuous mixer 11, which requires feeding at a constant volume.
  • the mixer 11 has substantially a constant volume output.
  • a hopper 12 is positioned beneath the bulk :bin 10.
  • Hopper '12 has an open bottom disposed over a travelingbelt or apron 13.
  • a side wall of the hopper 12 has an opening 14 with an adjustable gate 15.
  • the belt or apron 13 is power driven in the direction of arrow .16 and will carry granular matetrial :17 from the hopper at aum'form depth determined by the adjustment of the gate 15. This material is discharged continuously from the belt 13 into the mixer 11.
  • Bulk bin 10 has conventional clam shell gates 20 actuated by the double acting tluid motor 21.
  • the fluid lines 22, 23 which supply the motor 21 are selectively exposed to the fluid pressure in pipe 24 or to an exhaust pipe 25 through a conventional valve 26 under control of relay or solenoid 27.
  • Relay 27 has plunger 28 connected to operating :arm 19 of valve 26 and biased by spring 29 to the valve position shown in FIGURE 2 in which gates 20 are closed.
  • the level of sand 17 on the belt 13 is sensed by the feeler arm 30 mounted from the side wall of the hopper 12 on bracket arm 31. Peeler arm 30 is connected to actuate a switch 32 when the level of material on the belt 13 drops below that for which the gate 15 is set. When this happens, on electric circuit to relay 33 is closed, thus to close contact 41 against the bias of spring 42, energize solenoid 27 and turn valve 26 to pressurize line 23 and depressurize line 22. Motor 21 will open clam shell gates 29 and dump or abruptly discharge a batch of granular material from the bulk bin 10 into the hopper '12.
  • a holding circuit to relay 33 will also be established through contact 43. This circuit is completed through upper hopper switch 35 which is closed for lack of pressure on paddle 34. The hopper will rapidly fill. Switch 32 will open as soon as the level of sand '17 on belt 13 is restored, but the holding circuit through contact 43 keeps gates 20 open. As soon as the level of granular material in hopper 1-2 rises to the point where it lifts paddle 34, switch 35 .will open to break the holding circuit to relay 33 and spring 42 will open both contacts 41, 43 to deenergize solenoid 27. Spring 29 will then restore valve 26 to its position shown in FIGURE 2 to pressurize line 22 and depressurize line 23. Motor 21 will then close the clam shell gates 20.
  • Material 17 will continue to be conveyed in constant volume from the hopper 12 until its level again drops to the point at which switch 32 is actuated, thus to dump or abruptly discharge another batch of material from the bin 10 into the hopper 12.
  • Bin 10 will be self-cleaned because of the sudden out-rush of sand or like flowable granular material therefrom at spaced intervals.
  • the bin 10 with a deflector plate 37 which has an area substantially about double that of the bin gate outlet and which may be mounted in the bin on cross channel "support beams 38.
  • the deflector 37 may. be suspended from the top of the bin on chains. In any event, the deflector 37 requires the material in the bin to flow along and scour the side walls of the bin. This further prevents incrustation of the bin side walls and reduces the need for cleaning.
  • Apparatus for treating foundry sand and like flowable granular material including -a bulk bin having side walls which tend to become incrusted by the granular material and from which the granular material is periodically dumped in batches to rush out of said bin, a continuous mixer having a substantially continuous constant volume demand for granular material and feeding mechanism adapted to receive the granular material from the bulk bin in batches and to furnish said material to said apparatus at a constant volume level, said feeding mechanism comprising:
  • said gate means comprising means for opening the bin wide enough to cause the flowable granular material therein to be abruptly discharged and scour the side walls of the bin and prevent incrustat-ion thereof.

Description

1965 N. HARTLEY 3,198,386
CONSTANT VOLUME FEEDER FOR FLOWABLE GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Feb. 8, 1963 INVENTOR.
N51. .2, H/ en EY United States Patent 3 198,386 CONSTANT VOLUMli. FEEDER FOR FLOWAEILE GRANULARMATERIAL Nelson Hartley, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Hartley Controls Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin FiledFeb. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 257,237 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-55) This invention relates to a constant volume =feeder for fiowable granular material.
The invention will be described specifically as it is applied to feeding toundry sand to a continuous sand mixer. The invention is broadly applicable, however, wherever a fiowable granular material is to be fed in constant volume from an intermittent source.
In foundries which have batch type mixers supplied from bulk bins, the intermittent and sudden discharge of relatively large quantities of sand from the bin to the mixer will ordinarily keep the bin relatively free of illcrusta tion. However, where continuous mixers are employed and the bin gate is only slightly opened, so as to deliver a relatively small stream of sand continuously, the sand will tend to rapidly incrustate the sides of the bulk bin. This problem is accentuated in the typical foundry installation where the return sand will vary greatly in both heat and moisture content.
In practice, a situation will frequently develop where the sidewalls of the bulk bin used to supply a continuous mixer will become so incrustated and built up with hard ened foundry sand that the flow opening through the center of the mass of sand in the bin will become progressively smaller until bridged over completely. The mixer must then be removed from service and the incrustation mechanically removed at relatively high cost to the foundry both in labor and lost time.
According to the present invention the continuous mixer is fed a constant volume of sand, but the bulk bin is only intermittently dumped to deliver large batches of sand to an intervening hopper from which the sand is metered continuously to the mixer at the proper volume.
This means that the bulk bin cleans itself periodically at a each dumping operation without substantial opportunity for incrustation to develop thereon.
Automatic means are provided to refill the hopper when the sand therein has dropped to a level below that required to maintain a constant volume delivery to the mixer.
In practical embodiments of the invention the hopper has an open bottom beneath which a conveyor belt or apron travels. The hopper has a side wall opening with an adjustable gate to meter the desired volume of sand from the hopper as the belt travels therebeneath.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear firom the following disclosure in which:
FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing apparatus embodying the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of the electrical connections for the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.
F-lowable granular material such as foundry sand is supplied to bulk bin 10. In the case of foundry sand, some or .most of the sand is return sand varying in temperature and moisture content.
The sand is mixed with water and various additives to make it suitable for reuse in the foundry. Such mixing 3,198,386 Fatented Aug. 3, 165
ice
takes place in continuous mixer 11, which requires feeding at a constant volume. The mixer 11 has substantially a constant volume output.
According to the present invention a hopper 12 is positioned beneath the bulk :bin 10. Hopper '12 has an open bottom disposed over a travelingbelt or apron 13. A side wall of the hopper 12 has an opening 14 with an adjustable gate 15. The belt or apron 13 is power driven in the direction of arrow .16 and will carry granular matetrial :17 from the hopper at aum'form depth determined by the adjustment of the gate 15. This material is discharged continuously from the belt 13 into the mixer 11.
Bulk bin 10 has conventional clam shell gates 20 actuated by the double acting tluid motor 21. The fluid lines 22, 23 which supply the motor 21 are selectively exposed to the fluid pressure in pipe 24 or to an exhaust pipe 25 through a conventional valve 26 under control of relay or solenoid 27. Relay 27 has plunger 28 connected to operating :arm 19 of valve 26 and biased by spring 29 to the valve position shown in FIGURE 2 in which gates 20 are closed.
The level of sand 17 on the belt 13 is sensed by the feeler arm 30 mounted from the side wall of the hopper 12 on bracket arm 31. Peeler arm 30 is connected to actuate a switch 32 when the level of material on the belt 13 drops below that for which the gate 15 is set. When this happens, on electric circuit to relay 33 is closed, thus to close contact 41 against the bias of spring 42, energize solenoid 27 and turn valve 26 to pressurize line 23 and depressurize line 22. Motor 21 will open clam shell gates 29 and dump or abruptly discharge a batch of granular material from the bulk bin 10 into the hopper '12.
A holding circuit to relay 33 will also be established through contact 43. This circuit is completed through upper hopper switch 35 which is closed for lack of pressure on paddle 34. The hopper will rapidly fill. Switch 32 will open as soon as the level of sand '17 on belt 13 is restored, but the holding circuit through contact 43 keeps gates 20 open. As soon as the level of granular material in hopper 1-2 rises to the point where it lifts paddle 34, switch 35 .will open to break the holding circuit to relay 33 and spring 42 will open both contacts 41, 43 to deenergize solenoid 27. Spring 29 will then restore valve 26 to its position shown in FIGURE 2 to pressurize line 22 and depressurize line 23. Motor 21 will then close the clam shell gates 20.
Material 17 will continue to be conveyed in constant volume from the hopper 12 until its level again drops to the point at which switch 32 is actuated, thus to dump or abruptly discharge another batch of material from the bin 10 into the hopper 12. Bin 10 will be self-cleaned because of the sudden out-rush of sand or like flowable granular material therefrom at spaced intervals.
I prefer to provide the bin 10 with a deflector plate 37 which has an area substantially about double that of the bin gate outlet and which may be mounted in the bin on cross channel "support beams 38. As an alternative the deflector 37 may. be suspended from the top of the bin on chains. In any event, the deflector 37 requires the material in the bin to flow along and scour the side walls of the bin. This further prevents incrustation of the bin side walls and reduces the need for cleaning.
I claim:
1. Apparatus for treating foundry sand and like flowable granular material, said apparatus including -a bulk bin having side walls which tend to become incrusted by the granular material and from which the granular material is periodically dumped in batches to rush out of said bin, a continuous mixer having a substantially continuous constant volume demand for granular material and feeding mechanism adapted to receive the granular material from the bulk bin in batches and to furnish said material to said apparatus at a constant volume level, said feeding mechanism comprising:
(a) hopper into which said bin discharges,
(b) conveyor beneath said hopper for carrying material away from said hopper at :a constant volume level,
() first sensing means to detect when the hopper is empty,
((1) second sensing means to detect when the hopper is full,
(e) gate means on the bin,
(i) means for widely opening said gate means to dump a batch of material from the bin into the hopper in response to said first sensing means and to close said gate means in response to said second sensing means,
(g) said gate means comprising means for opening the bin wide enough to cause the flowable granular material therein to be abruptly discharged and scour the side walls of the bin and prevent incrustat-ion thereof.
2. The device of claim 1 in which said conveyor cornprises an apron, said hopper having an open bottom beneath which said apron is disposed and aside .Wall having an opening and an adjustable gate over said opening to 5 regulate the depth of material carried away from the hopper by the :apron.
References Cited by the Examiner- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,573 7/23 Church at al 222-55 X 2,542,239 2/51 Engels et al 222-76 X 2,637,434 5/53 Harper et a1. 22255 X 3,072,295 1/63 Lorette 222503 X FOREIGN PATENTS 801,304 9/58 Great Britain.
EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.
LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR TREATING FOUNDRY SAND AND LIKE FLOWABLE GRANULAR MATERIAL, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A BULK BIN HAVING SIDE WALLS WHICH TEND TO BECOME INCRUSTED BY THE GRANULAR MATERIAL AND FROM WHICH THE GRANULAR MATERIAL IS PERIODICALLY DUMPED IN BATCHES TO RUSH OUT OF SAID BIN, A CONTINUOUS MIXER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS CONSTANT VOLUME DEMAND FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL AND FEEDING MECHANISM ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM THE BULK BIN IN BATCHES AND TO FURNISH SAID MATERIAL TO SAID APPARATUS AT A CONSTANT VOLUME LEVEL, SAID FEEDING MECHANISM COMPRISING: (A) HOPPER INTO WHICH SAID BIN DISCHARGES, (B) CONVEYOR BENEATH SAID HOPPER FOR CARRYING MATERIAL AWAY FROM SAID HOPPER AT A CONSTANT VOLUME LEVEL, (C) FIRST SENSING MEANS TO DETECT WHEN THE HOPPER IS EMPTY, (D) SECOND SENSING MEANS TO DETECT WHEN THE HOPPER IS FULL, (E) GATE MEANS ON THE BIN, (F) MEANS FOR WIDELY OPENING SAID GATE MEANS TO DUMP A BATCH OF MATERIAL FROM THE BIN INTO THE HOPPER IN RESPONSE TO SAID FIRST SENSING MEANS AND TO CLOSE SAID GATE MEANS IN RESPONSE TO SAID SECOND SENSING MEANS, (G) SAID GATE MEANS COMPRISING MEANS FOR OPENING THE BIN WIDE ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FLOWABLE GRANULAR MATERIAL THEREIN TO BE ABRUPTLY DISCHARGED AND SCOUR THE SIDE WALLS OF THE BIN AND PREVENT INCRUSTATION THEREOF.
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Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3300091A (en) * 1964-04-16 1967-01-24 Huels Chemische Werke Ag Apparatus for regulating the level of soot
US3404963A (en) * 1965-05-28 1968-10-08 Miami Margarine Company Salt dissolver with automatic salt level controller
US3438520A (en) * 1966-07-14 1969-04-15 Central Soya Co Slug filling of bins
US3452774A (en) * 1965-02-16 1969-07-01 Shell Oil Co Flow control for adding small quantities of material to a flowing stream
US3782033A (en) * 1971-09-30 1974-01-01 N Hickerson Pot filling and compacting apparatus and method
US3815763A (en) * 1972-02-24 1974-06-11 Forano Ltd Grinder feeding system
US4130223A (en) * 1976-10-08 1978-12-19 Intraco, Inc. Feed level monitor and control apparatus
US4408886A (en) * 1979-02-02 1983-10-11 Coal Industry (Patents) Limited Mixing equipment
US4558805A (en) * 1983-04-13 1985-12-17 United Conveyor Corporation Fluent solid material handling system
EP0622598A1 (en) * 1993-04-02 1994-11-02 Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft Control process for discharging fines through the grate of a grate cooler
US5450984A (en) * 1994-04-29 1995-09-19 K-Tron Technologies, Inc. Material feeding apparatus
CN107159838A (en) * 2017-01-05 2017-09-15 菏泽学院 A kind of automatic recipe maker of puddle mixer
US10179389B2 (en) * 2016-04-15 2019-01-15 Cp Metcast, Inc. Automated compensating flow control assembly for a solid material separator

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1460573A (en) * 1922-05-10 1923-07-03 Jackson & Church Company Automatic measuring device
US2542239A (en) * 1946-12-24 1951-02-20 Baker Perkins Inc Cake dough or batter depositor
US2637434A (en) * 1946-07-03 1953-05-05 Omega Machine Company Belt type gravimetric feeder
GB801304A (en) * 1956-12-31 1958-09-10 Schenck Gmbh Carl Apparatus for delivering very fine grained loose material
US3072295A (en) * 1958-10-27 1963-01-08 Hubert O Teer Jr Hopper gate apparatus and control

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1460573A (en) * 1922-05-10 1923-07-03 Jackson & Church Company Automatic measuring device
US2637434A (en) * 1946-07-03 1953-05-05 Omega Machine Company Belt type gravimetric feeder
US2542239A (en) * 1946-12-24 1951-02-20 Baker Perkins Inc Cake dough or batter depositor
GB801304A (en) * 1956-12-31 1958-09-10 Schenck Gmbh Carl Apparatus for delivering very fine grained loose material
US3072295A (en) * 1958-10-27 1963-01-08 Hubert O Teer Jr Hopper gate apparatus and control

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3300091A (en) * 1964-04-16 1967-01-24 Huels Chemische Werke Ag Apparatus for regulating the level of soot
US3452774A (en) * 1965-02-16 1969-07-01 Shell Oil Co Flow control for adding small quantities of material to a flowing stream
US3404963A (en) * 1965-05-28 1968-10-08 Miami Margarine Company Salt dissolver with automatic salt level controller
US3438520A (en) * 1966-07-14 1969-04-15 Central Soya Co Slug filling of bins
US3782033A (en) * 1971-09-30 1974-01-01 N Hickerson Pot filling and compacting apparatus and method
US3815763A (en) * 1972-02-24 1974-06-11 Forano Ltd Grinder feeding system
US4130223A (en) * 1976-10-08 1978-12-19 Intraco, Inc. Feed level monitor and control apparatus
US4408886A (en) * 1979-02-02 1983-10-11 Coal Industry (Patents) Limited Mixing equipment
US4558805A (en) * 1983-04-13 1985-12-17 United Conveyor Corporation Fluent solid material handling system
EP0622598A1 (en) * 1993-04-02 1994-11-02 Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft Control process for discharging fines through the grate of a grate cooler
US5450984A (en) * 1994-04-29 1995-09-19 K-Tron Technologies, Inc. Material feeding apparatus
US10179389B2 (en) * 2016-04-15 2019-01-15 Cp Metcast, Inc. Automated compensating flow control assembly for a solid material separator
CN107159838A (en) * 2017-01-05 2017-09-15 菏泽学院 A kind of automatic recipe maker of puddle mixer

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