Patent ID: 9694995
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. A method of regulating the flow of particulate material which is falling in a chute section, the method comprising: interposing first and second plates each having a lower end in the path of the stream in the chute section, the first and second plates slowing the movement of the particulate material and deflecting the particulate material toward a longitudinal axis of the chute section; providing a central opening adjacent the lower end of each of the first and second plates; yieldably biasing the first and second plates inwardly in a direction tending to reduce the size of the opening with a biasing force delivered by a counterbalance mechanism, the first and second plates restricting the fall of the material and slowing movement through the central opening; adjusting the biasing force delivered to the first plate using at least a first separately adjustable counterbalance; adjusting the biasing force delivered to the second plate using at least a second separately adjustable counterbalance; and continuously discharging the particulate material through the central opening while varying the size of the opening adjacent the plates as the weight of the mass of particulate material above the central opening changes with flow rate variations of the material, the size of the central opening increasing as the weight of the mass increases in response to an increase in the flow rate of the material, wherein the biasing force delivered to the first plate is adjusted without adjusting the biasing force delivered to the second plate.