Gravity discharge apparatus

Abstract

Granular material is fed downwardly in a stream of controlled rate from a bin or the like by means of a horizontal apertured plate moving in a horizontal orbital path beneath a fixed shroud which is disposed within the mass of material in the bin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for passing granular material from a first zone to a lower second zone with the assistance of gravity comprising: a shroud; an apertured feed plate disposed in a horizontal plane below said shroud.Iadd., a horizontal shelf plate below said feed plate, said shelf plate having a discharge aperture of lesser area than the aperture in said feed plate so that a portion of the upper surface of said shelf plate is exposed within the aperture in said feed plate.Iaddend.; and drive means for moving said feed plate in a horizontal orbital path, the relationships among the horizontal dimensions of said shroud and of said feed plate and the radius of said orbital path being such that during orbital movement of said feed plate at least a portion of the peripheral upper surface of said plate extends horizontally beyond the lower end of said shroud. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said feed plate includes an upwardly projecting annular dam surrounding the aperture in said feed plate. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the lower surface of said feed plate is provided with downwardly extending stud-like elements.  .[.4. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a horizontal shelf plate below said feed plate, said shelf plate having an aperture of greater area than the area of the aperture in said feed plate..].  .[.5. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a horizontal shelf plate below said feed plate, said shelf plate having an aperture of lesser area than the area of the aperture in said feed 
     
     
        plate..]. 6. Apparatus for passing granular material from a first zone to a lower second zone with the assistance of gravity comprising: a shroud; a feed plate having a feed aperture disposed in a horizontal plane below said shroud; a horizontal shelf plate below said feed plate, said shelf plate having a discharge aperture of lesser area than said feed aperture so that a portion of the upper surface of said shelf plate is exposed within said feed aperture; and drive means for moving said feed plate in a 
     
     
        horizontal orbital path. 7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said feed plate includes an upwardly projecting annular dam surrounding the aperture 
     
     
        in said feed plate. 8. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the lower surface of said feed plate is provided with downwardly extending stud-like 
     
     
        elements. 9. Apparatus for passing granular material from a first zone to a lower zone with the assistance of gravity comprising: a shroud; a feed plate having a feed aperture disposed in a horizontal plane below said shroud, said feed plate including an upwardly projecting annular dam surrounding said feed aperture; and drive means for moving said feed plate in a horizontal orbital path. .Iadd. 10. Apparatus for conveying granular material by gravity assist from a mass thereof supported on a horizontal wall provided with a discharge aperture, said apparatus comprising: a shroud disposed above the discharge aperture with at least the lower end of the shroud being disposed within the mass of material; a feed plate disposed between said shroud and said discharge aperture, said feed plate being of smaller horizontal dimensions than said horizontal wall and having at least one vertically facing feed aperture in register with the discharge aperture, said feed aperture being of greater area than said discharge aperture so that a portion of the upper surface of said horizontal wall is exposed within said feed aperture; and means for orbiting said feed plate about a vertical axis in a manner such that the feed aperture remains in register with the discharge aperture and such that a peripheral portion of the feed plate will slide under a quantity of material and then carry at least a portion of that quantity inwardly toward said feed aperture whereby material continuously flows inwardly to said aperture along a path which moves around the periphery of said aperture and whereby the material is then pushed over the edge of the discharge aperture in the form of a continuous stream. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the horizontal dimension of said feed plate is less than the horizontal dimension of said shroud. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the horizontal dimension of said feed plate is greater than the horizontal dimension of said shroud. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said feed plate includes an upwardly projecting annular dam surrounding the feed aperture. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the lower surface of the feed plate carries downwardly projecting stud-like elements which slidably engage said horizontal wall. .Iaddend.