Patent Number: H00002097
Section: claims

1. A pin discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from a source area having a source pressure, into a terminal area having a terminal pressure which is greater than the source pressure; comprising: a valve having a pin passageway therethrough the conveying elongate pins being discharged from the source area; the valve having flexible lip means having a duck bill shape and extending across the pin passageway and having a lip opening therethrough for conveying pins therethrough; the flexible lip means being collapsible to prevent backflow of gases into the source area;  aspirator means connected downstream of the valve and having a pin passageway therethrough for communicating with the pin passageway in the valve to allow elongate pins to pass through the aspirator means; the aspirator means serving to intermittently produce an aspirator venturi pressure downstream of the flexible lip means which is less than the source pressure.  a valve having an upstream end, downstream end, and a pin passageway therethrough for allowing elongate pins to be conveyed from the source area through the valve; the valve having flexible lip means extending across the pin passageway and having a lip opening for allowing pins to be conveyed therethrough; the lip means being operative to open positions by creating a pressure downstream of the lip means which is less then the source pressure upstream of the valve;  aspirator means connected downstream of the valve and having a pin passageway therethrough for communicating with the pin passageway in the valve, to allow elongate pins to pass through the aspirator means; the aspirator means serving to produce an aspirator venturi pressure downstream of the flexible lip means which is less than the source pressure when pins are being conveyed or an aspirator static pressure which is greater than the source pressure when the discharge assembly is closed and awaiting discharge of another pin;  a control valve means mounted downstream of the aspirator means to block the pin passageway and close the discharge assembly to prevent flow of aspiration gas through the aspirator means thereby automatically controlling said valve and aspirator means. 2. The pin discharge assembly of claim 1 further comprising a control valve mounted downstream of the aspirator means and adjustable between closed and open positions; the closed position blocking the pin passageway thereby causing an aspirator static pressure to exist downstream of the lip means to tightly seal the valve lip means and prevent backflow into the source area; the open position allowing elongated pins to pass through a pin passage port in the control valve and also cause fluid flow through the aspirator to reduce pressure downstream of the flexible lip means for easier passage of elongate pins therethrough. 3. The pin discharge assembly of claim 2 further comprising evacuation means operatively connected to the pin passageway downstream of the aspirator to remove fluid flowing from the source area through the pin passageway. 4. The pin discharge assembly of claim 2 further comprising a mechanical seal assembly having a pin passageway therethrough positioned upstream from the control valves to prevent leakage. 5. A pin discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from a source area having a source pressure, to a terminal area having a terminal pressure which is greater than the source pressure, comprising: