Patent ID: 6641778
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: B22F,Y02P

Abstract:
A device for regulating the flow of particulate material, comprising:a first, inlet conduit having an outlet end, a second, outlet conduit generally aligned with the first conduit and having an inlet end sufficiently close to the said outlet end of the first conduit as to be capable of receiving at least a portion of a particulate material flow exiting said outlet end, a chamber surrounding the said inlet end for receiving particulate material which exits the outlet end of the first conduit and is not received into the inlet end of the second conduit, and means for adjusting the lateral relationship of the said inlet end of the second conduit to the said outlet end of the first conduit to change the area of the said inlet end exposed to the said outlet end thereby to adjust the flow of particulate material through the second conduit, wherein the conduits have common or parallel axes, and at least one of the inlet or outlet ends has a non-circular cross-section, and wherein said adjusting means causes relative rotation between the said ends about an axis parallel to that of the second conduit such as to alter the proportion of the second conduit inlet end which is exposed to flow of particulate material from the first conduit.