Patent ID: 6568567
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A bulk-solid metering system comprising:a support structure for supporting an extension hopper and a feed hopper mounted with respect thereto, said support structure extending along a substantially vertical axis and having: first and second opposed sidewalls in fixed relative position and defining sidewall planes; an upper wall spanning between and secured with respect to the sidewalls, the upper wall defining an aperture adapted to receive the extension hopper mounted with respect thereto; a front wall spanning between and secured with respect to the sidewalls, said front wall defining an opening through which bulk-solid material is discharged; the sidewalls, upper wall and front wall defining a hopper-receiving space adapted to fully enclose the feed hopper; and the sidewalls and upper wall defining a lateral opening along a support structure rear side, the lateral opening allowing movement of the feed hopper into and out of the hopper-receiving space along a laterally-oriented opening axis substantially transverse to the vertical axis for detachable mounting of the feed hopper fully within the support structure, the sidewalls confining substantially the full extent of feed hopper movement into and out of the support structure to movement generally along the laterally-oriented opening axis; a nozzle secured with respect to the front wall in material-flow relationship with the front wall opening and having a first end adapted to receive the bulk-solid material from the feed hopper, a second end outside the support structure and a bulk-solid material passageway therebetween; the extension hopper having an upper material inlet, a lower material outlet and an extension hopper flange, said extension hopper being removably mounted with respect to the upper wall such that, when mounted, the extension hopper extends at least partially through the upper wall aperture into the hopper-receiving space between the first and second sidewalls and the extension hopper flange is located below the upper wall in the hopper-receiving space; the feed hopper having an upper material inlet, a lower material outlet, a feed hopper flange and a duct having a duct axis, a duct top opening in material-flow relationship with the feed hopper lower material outlet, a spout along a first end of the duct and an auger-receiving opening along a second end of the duct, said feed hopper being removably mounted with respect to the support structure by detachable engagement of the extension hopper and feed hopper flanges such that (1) when mounted, the feed hopper is positioned in the hopper-receiving space, the feed hopper upper material inlet is in material-flow relationship with the extension hopper lower material outlet, the duct axis is substantially transverse to the vertical axis and substantially parallel with the laterally-oriented opening axis, and the spout is in material-flow relationship with the nozzle first end, and (2) when demounted, the feed hopper is movable completely into and out of the support structure filly between the sidewalls and generally along the laterally-oriented opening axis; an auger rotatably mounted in the duct to move the bulk-solid material from the duct top opening into and through the nozzle, said auger having an auger axis substantially coaxial with the duct axis when mounted and being movable into and out of the duct separately from the mounted feed hopper and support structure through the auger-receiving opening, between the sidewalls and along the laterally-oriented opening axis; and a drive unit movably mounted with respect to the support structure on a pivotable mount adapted to permit the drive unit to move in a plane from a first position in power transmission relationship with the mounted auger such that the drive unit rotates the auger and a second position in which the drive unit is decoupled from the auger and is pivoted away from the auger and feed hopper such that the auger is free to be fully withdrawn from the duct and support structure separately from the mounted feed hopper and the feed hopper is free to be fully withdrawn from the support structure; whereby the feed hopper and auger are mountable and demountable with respect to the support structure rear side fully between the sidewall planes.