Air Cannon for Removal of Flowable Material from a Material Handling System

Abstract

An air cannon or aerator comprises a tank, a valve, and a tube. The tank has opposite first and second openings and an interior chamber. The valve is rigidly attached to the first opening. The tube connects the valve to the second opening of the tank through the interior chamber of the tank. The tube is pivotally connected to each of the first and second openings and comprises a fluid passageway. The valve is configured and adapted to selectively allow gas to pass from the interior chamber of the tank into the fluid passageway of the tube and out of the tank through the second opening and to selectively prevent gas from passing from the interior of the tank into the fluid passageway of the tube.

1 . An air cannon comprising:
 a tank having opposite first and second openings and an interior chamber;   a valve rigidly attached to the first opening;   a rigid tube connecting the valve to the second opening of the tank through the interior chamber of the tank, the tube being slidably connected to each of the first and second openings and comprising a fluid passageway;   the valve being configured and adapted to selectively allow gas to pass from the interior chamber of the tank into the fluid passageway of the tube and out of the tank through the second opening and to selectively prevent gas from passing from the interior of the tank into the fluid passageway of the tube.   
     
     
         2 . An air cannon in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second fittings is a sleeve that encircles a portion of the tube. 
     
     
         4 . An air cannon in accordance with  claim 2  wherein at least one o-ring encircles the tube and is sandwiched between the tube and the sleeve of the first fitting and at least one o-ring encircles the tube and is sandwiched between the tube and the sleeve of the second fitting.