Patent ID: 6527141
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: B01F,G01F

Abstract:
A method for dispensing measured quantities of particulate material comprising:providing a duct; providing at least one hopper containing the material to be dispensed; connecting the hopper to the duct so that material can be dispensed from the hopper to the duct; generating an air flow through the duct to carry the material from the hopper along the duct; controlling flow of material from the hopper to the duct through an air lock valve which prevents flow of air from the duct to the hopper; opening the valve to supply material from the hopper to the duct in an unmeasured stream such that, until the valve is closed, the material will continue to a flow to an unmeasured weight; providing a separator container in the duct such that the material in the duct carried by the air flow passes to the separator container; in the separator container separating the material from the air flow to deposit the material into the container while the air flow is discharged from the container; weighing the deposited material while the material is maintained in the separator container; controlling the air lock valve so as to continue to discharge the material in the unmeasured stream up to a predetermined weight as determined by the weighing of the material in the separator container; when the predetermined weight is reached, as determined by the weighing of the material in the separator container, closing the air lock valve to halt the supply of material from the hopper to the duct in the unmeasured stream; and discharging the deposited material from the separator container.