Patent ID: 9260253
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: B65G,G01G

Claim Text:
1. Method of controlling the supply of material onto a conveyor belt from a material dispenser, the material dispenser including multiple material storage compartments each having at least two dispenser openings associated therewith and at least one dispenser gate movable over each dispenser opening between at least one flow-open position and a flow-closed position, the dispenser openings being disposed over the conveyor belt, the method comprising: coupling a discharge control device to each dispenser gate so that each discharge control device is moveable with its associated dispenser gate relative to the material dispenser into at least one open-flow position, each discharge control device including at least one wiper that extends downwardly across the width of the conveyor belt; the at least one wiper of each discharge control device leveling the top of at least some of the material dispensed onto the conveyor belt through the associated dispenser opening when the associated discharge control device is in an open-flow position; fully opening all the dispenser gates of a first material storage compartment to allow material therein to be dispensed onto the conveyor belt; determining when the first material storage compartment is empty; closing all the dispenser gates of the first material storage compartment; fully opening all the dispenser gates of a second material storage compartment; determining when the second material storage compartment is empty; closing all the dispenser gates of the second material storage compartment; and fully opening all the dispenser gates of a third material storage compartment.