Patent ID: 8387824
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: B65D,B65G

Abstract:
1. A method of supplying material through a hopper, the method comprising: providing a hopper that comprises hopper walls that form a product storage receptacle and a hopper door, the hopper door including a frame, a slide gate disposed within the frame and retractable between an open position and a closed position, and a set of fingers projecting from the slide gate, the hopper door further having a port through at least one of the fingers of the set of fingers; opening the slide gate of the hopper door such that the fingers dislodge material within the hopper proximate to the hopper door; injecting fluid through the port in the at least one finger into the hopper to dislodge material within the hopper above the fingers; and injecting solid material with the fluid through the port to facilitate the dislodging of the material within the hopper.