Eductor wand for bulk particulate materials

An eductor wand for vacuuming free flowing, bulk particulate materials consisting generally of a first conduit having first and second inlets; a venturi disposed within such first conduit and spaced therefrom to provide a passageway therebetween intercommunicating the first and second inlets of the first conduit and having an inlet disposed adjacent the first inlet of the first conduit and an outlet communicable with a particulate material conveying means; and a second conduit having an inlet connectable to a source of air under pressure and an outlet configured to inject pressurized air into the venturi inlet whereby upon applying air under pressure to the second conduit and positioning the first conduit inlet adjacent a mass of particular material, a low pressure zone will be created in the first conduit inlet causing particulate material to be drawn through the first inlet of the first conduit and ambient air to be drawn through the second inlet of the first conduit, and such particulate and ambient air to become entrained in the pressurized air injected into and through the venturi.

This invention relates to an eductor wand for unloading bulk particulate
 materials from various containers such as bags and drums utilizing a
 conventional source of compressed gas typically available in plant
 facilities as a motive gas.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 In the chemical processing and other industries, many bulk particulate
 materials often are transported in bags, drums and other portable
 containers which often are required to be unloaded and transferred into
 conveying systems, reactor vessels or storage vessels. Such unloading and
 transferring commonly is performed manually or with the aid of various
 lifting and dumping devices. In either instance, physical manual effort is
 required which has its limitations and often spillage of material occurs.
 In some plant facilities where a vacuum pump may be available and
 convenient, various vacuum devices may be used for unloading such
 materials and recovering any spillage of the materials. An example of one
 of such devices is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,572.
 Many plant facilities are neither equipped nor have conveniently available
 vacuum pumps required for such prior art vacuuming devices. Such
 facilities, however, usually are equipped with a source of compressed air
 which may be utilized to provide a motive force in a device for unloading
 bulk particulate materials and recovering spillage occurring in the
 handling of such material. It thus is the principal object of the present
 invention to provide a manually operated device in the form of an eductor
 wand which is adapted to utilize a conventional, generally available
 source of compressed air found in plant facilities as a motive force for
 unloading freely flowing bulk particulate materials from various types of
 containers and otherwise recover such materials.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention provides an eductor wand for vacuuming freely flowing
 bulk particulate material generally consisting of a first conduit having a
 particulate material inlet and a dilutive air inlet; a venturi disposed
 within such first conduit and spaced therefrom to provide a passageway
 therebetween intercommunicating the particulate material and dilutive air
 inlets, having an inlet disposed adjacent the particulate material inlet
 and an outlet communicable with a particulate material conveying means;
 and a second conduit mounted on the first conduit having an inlet
 communicable with a supply of air under pressure and an outlet configured
 to inject such pressurized air into the inlet of such venturi to create a
 low pressure zone at the particulate material inlet of such first conduit
 whereby upon applying air under pressure to such second conduit which is
 injected into such venturi, and the particulate material inlet of the
 first conduit is positioned in or adjacent a mass of particulate material,
 particulate material will be drawn through such particulate material
 inlet, dilutive, ambient air will be drawn through the dilutive air inlet
 and such particulate material and dilutive air will be entrained in the
 compressed air injected into the venturi to convey the particulate
 material through the venturi and the connected conveying means to its
 desired destination. Preferably, the venturi is mounted within the first
 conduit in a manner so as to permit its longitudinal displacement relative
 to the first conduit and correspondingly the displacement of the inlet
 thereof with the outlet of the second conduit, a valve is provided in the
 second conduit for controlling the flow of pressurized air through the
 second conduit, and a handle is provided which may be manually gripped to
 maneuver the wand for unloading material from containers or guiding it
 along surfaces to recover spilled material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
 Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated an eductor wand 10 embodying
 the present invention, which generally includes a first conduit 11, a
 venturi 12 and a second conduit 13. Conduit 11 has a cylindrical
 configuration including a first inlet 14 and a second inlet 15 at the
 opposite end thereof. Venturi 12 includes a cylindrical section 16
 defining an inlet 17, a converging, frusto-conical section 18, a
 cylindrical restricted section 19, a diverging, frusto-conical section 20
 and a cylindrical section 21 defining an outlet 22.
 Provided between the cylindrical sections of the venturi and the inner
 surface of conduit 11 are sets 23 and 24 of circumferentially spacer tabs
 23 and 24 which center the venturi within conduit 11 so that the two
 members are disposed coaxially, providing an annular passageway 25,
 intercommunicating first inlet 14 and second inlet 15 of conduit 11. A
 flexible hose 26 is fitted onto the free end of venturi section 21 for
 receiving material through the venturi and conveying it to a desired
 location including a conveying system, a reaction vessel, a storage
 vessel, or some other repository. As best shown in FIG. 2, venturi section
 16 is spaced inwardly relative to the end of conduit 11, and venturi
 section 21 extends beyond the opposite end of conduit 11 to provide an
 annular inlet opening 15 unobstructed by the end of hose 26 fitted onto
 the extended portion of section 21.
 Conduit 13 extends along the length of conduit 11 and is rigidly secured
 thereto. Front end section 27 thereof is configured to provide a nozzle
 portion 28 disposed coaxially with venturi 12 for injecting pressurized
 air through venturi inlet 17 into and through the venturi. Conduit 13 also
 is provided with a flow control valve 29 having an operating handle 30,
 and is connected to a supply of compressed air through a flexible hose
 line 31. Typically, hose line 31 will be connected to a conventional
 compressor commonly found at a plant facility, capable of providing
 pressures in the range of 80 to 120 psig.
 As best shown in FIG. 2, a small pad 32 is secured to the outer side of
 venturi section 21 and is provided with a threaded stud 33 extending
 through a longitudinally disposed slot in conduit 11 to allow the venturi
 to be displaced axially relative to conduit 11. Axial displacement of the
 venturi relative to conduit 11 will correspondingly displace venturi inlet
 17 relative to nozzle portion 28 of conduit 13 to alter the pressure
 conditions in the zone of venturi inlet 17. Once the desired displacement
 of the venturi relative to conduit 11 has been set, the two members may be
 locked in such position by means of a wing nut 34 threaded on to stud 33
 which may be run up against the outer side of conduit 11.
 The eductor wand may be manipulated manually by means of a handle 35 which
 has a generally u-shaped configuration including a bight section 36 and a
 pair of leg sections 37 and 38 secured at their free ends to opposite
 sides of conduit 11. The inwardly extending portions of legs 37 and 38 are
 disposed substantially radially relative to the axis of cylinder 11 and
 the handle generally lies in a plane disposed at a convenient angle
 relative to the axis of conduit 11.
 In the use of the eductor wand as described, with conduit 13 connected to a
 supply of pressurized air by means of hose line 31 and venturi 12
 connected to a receptor for material to be conveyed by means of flexible
 hose 26, valve 26 may be opened to supply air under pressure through
 conduit 13 and nozzle 18, and into and through venturi 12. By means of
 handle 35, the device may then be manipulated to position conduit inlet 14
 into or adjacent a mass of free-flowing, bulk particulate material to
 cause such material to be drawn into and through venturi 12. The velocity
 of pressurized air injected by nozzle section 28 into and through inlet 17
 will create an annular low pressure zone in conduit inlet 14 thus causing
 particulate material in or adjacent such zone to be drawn into venturi
 inlet 17 and be entrained in the pressurized gas injected through the
 venturi. Such low pressure zone further will cause dilutive, secondary air
 to be drawn through second inlet 15 and through annular passageway 25 to
 dilute the gas/particulate material mixture and thus facilitate the flow
 of particulate material into venturi opening 17 and the entrainment of
 such material in the stream of high pressure gas injected through the
 venturi. The operating characteristics of the device may be adjusted
 merely by loosening wing nut 34, displacing the venturi relative to
 conduit 11 and then tightening the wing nut. Such displacement of the
 venturi will alter the configuration and effect of the low pressure zone
 formed in conduit inlet 14.
 The device as described can be formed of any suitable, sturdy materials
 that are compatible with the particulate material with which it is
 intended to be used. Preferably, the device is formed of a metal such as
 steel or aluminum. Conduit 11 may be formed of any tubular stock material
 cut to the desired length. Venturi 12 may be formed in different sections
 and secured together by welding or brazing. Spacer tabs 23 and 24 may be
 formed of any suitable material and secured to the inner side of conduit
 11 by an adhesive or other means. Pad 32 may be formed of any suitable
 material and may be secured to the outer surface of venturi 12 by an
 adhesive or other suitable means. The device can be assembled by first
 installing sets 23 and 24 of the centering tabs in conduit 11, securing
 conduit 13 on conduit 11 by any suitable means including welding, brazing
 or strapping so that nozzle portion 28 is disposed coaxially with conduit
 11, attaching handle 35, securing pad 32 on the outer side of venturi
 section 21 and then inserting the venturi through inlet 15 so that venturi
 section 23 is received within set 23 of spacer tabs, venturi section 21 is
 received within set 24 of spacer tabs and pad 32 is aligned with the slot
 in conduit 11. Stud 33 then may be inserted through the slot in the
 conduit and secured to pad 32 and wing nut 34 may be threaded onto the
 stud to complete the assembly of the device.
 The device is portable and may be used to unload particulate material from
 bags, drums and the like and recover spilled particulate material on floor
 areas and the like, anywhere where there is provided a supply of
 compressed air as there normally would be in any plant facility handling
 particulate material. The device also may be used to convey such material
 to a desired location by means of a flexible hose connected to the outlet
 end of the venturi leading to the desired location, be it another
 conveying system, a reaction vessel, a storage vessel, or some other
 collector.
 From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are
 a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present
 invention which come within the province of those persons having ordinary
 skill in the art to which aforementioned invention pertains. However, it
 is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the
 invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by
 the appended claims.