Improvements in Powder Distributers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Powder Distributers.
I, EDWARD EBEN MCMORRAN, of 15, North Clinton Street, in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained,. in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for applying powdered sulphur or like
material on plants. The object of the invention is to provide an improved, simple
and durable apparatus, whereby the material may be rapidly and efficiently
applied.
The invention consists in the various novel features of construction hereinafter
described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined
by claims at the conclusion hereof.
In the drawings;
Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a powder distributer embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section thereof.
Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a detail view upon an enlarged scale, being a longitudinal section of a
portion of the hopper its bottom, and the agitator.
Fig. 6 is a central transverse vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of the packing for the agitator shaft.
Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the plates secured to the side of the hopper for
retaining the packing around the shaft opening.
A denotes a suitable fan casing, containing a fan B mounted upon a shaft B
whereby the fan is rotated. Fan B comprises radial arms 6 and wings b. Hori-
zontal bars C are rigidly secured to the side walls of the fan casing A and are
provided with bearings to receive the reduced ends 62 of the fan shaft Bi and
secure such shaft against end play. Tangentially from the bottom of the fan
casing A leads a wind-trunk D which is slightly tapered to form a nozzle d at
its outer terminal and to more efficiently direct the blast.
A hopper E designed to contain a quantity of the material to be applied, is
mounted above wind-trunk D wherewith it is connected by a spout E¹, which is
somewhat elongated to permit falling material to disperse. The top of hopper E
is provided with an opening e through which the material is introduced, and said
opening is closed by a removable screw-cap el to prevent the material from being
blown out by back currents of air from the wind-trunk. A curved bottom
formed of a rectangular strip of flexible sheet metal, has its straight ends secured
to the end walls of the hopper as at f and f¹, and is provided with perforations f³
in suitable number, through which the material descends from hopper E into

page_text: spout E and wind-trunk 1) whence it is expelled by the blast. Hopper E at that
portion thereof where the bottom is secured, is preferably of rectangular shape
as shown.
Supporting bars C which are rigidly secured to fan casing A and on each side
thereof, are extended to points along side of the hopper adjacent the hopper bottom
and are provided thereat with bearings to receive the reduced ends 9 of an agitator
shaft G which is arranged transversely to the hopper and extended there through.
Reduced ends g resting in said supporting bar's secure the shaft G against end
play. Said shaft passes freely through openings e² in the sides of the hopper.
Within the hopper, shaft G has rigidly secured thereto a series (preferably four)
of arms or loops formed of heavy wire. Said arms comprise radial sides
the transverse connecting portions or strips 92. To prevent the material in
hopper E from working out through shaft openings e² a sheet of packing H, pre-
ferably of the shape shown in Fig. 7 and having an opening h which fits snugly
around shaft G, is secured to the hopper adjacent each opening 2 by plate I. The
edges of said plate are bent inwardly and soldered or otherwise secured to the
hopper sides, and thus securely hold packing H against rotation with shaft G and
against the sides of the hopper.
and
Fan shaft G projects through one of the supporting bars C and has secured
thereto a small grooved belt-pulley B Agitator shaft G projects in like
manner and has secured thereto, a large belt-pulley G². A crossed belt J serves to
impart revolution to pulley B2 and fan shaft B₁ when pulley G2 is operated. A
handle G³ is conveniently attached to pulley G2.
An
The casing and hopper are constructed, essentially, of sheet metal.
apparatus constructed of heavy parts is objectionable. Supporting bars C suffice
to sustain all the revoluble parts of the apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to
construct the casing and hopper of thin sheet metal and the necessity of using
heavy braces to prevent the disalignment of the driven shafts and pulleys is
avoided. Straps or loops commonly used for securing the apparatus to the body
of the operator are unnecessary because the apparatus is light and can be con-
veniently held by the supporting bars.
The agitator arms disintegrate and stir the material within the hopper and
cause the material to be supplied through perforated bottom F to spout E in a
uniform constant and finely divided stream. The agitator arms are made of vary-
ing widths to better stir the material within the spout. Much difficulty has been
experienced in the use of perforated plates or bottoms through which the material
was fed and particularly when small perforations were employed, because the
material would become lodged in the small perforations and adhere to the bottom,
and thus prevent the further supply of material to the spout. Such difficulty
has been entirely overcome by the peculiar arrangement of agitator and perforated
bottom of the present invention. The curved bottom is free at its sides and its
central portion is arranged to project slightly and normally into the path of the
agitator arms. As the agitator is revolved, the transverse strips g2 not only scrape
or sweep but also distend the flexible bottom as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5
and cause its rapid vibration. Such distension and vibration loosen and dislodge
any material tending to adhere to the bottom or the perforations therein. Such
arrangement permits the use of small perforations and moreover, the material
need not be carefully pulverized before it is introduced into the hopper. This
feature is decidedly advantageous and constitutes an important feature of this
invention.
In operation the turning of handle G³ causes the fan to revolve and concurrently
operates the agitator, stirring up the material in the hopper and causing it to fall
in a constant,. uniform and finely divided stream through the spout, and into the
wind-trunk,, where it is expelled through the nozzle and sprayed and distributed
over the plants..
The details of the construction may be varied without departing from the spirit
of the invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a powder distributer, the combination with the blast fan and its casing,
the wind-trunk leading therefrom, of a hopper above said wind-trunk and leading
thereto, a flexible perforated bottom within said hopper, an agitator arm working
in said hopper, said arm being arranged to distend said flexible bottom, and means
for concurrently driving said fan and said agitator arm.
2. In a powder distributer, the combination with the blast-fan and its casing,
the wind-trunk leading therefrom of a hopper above said wind-trunk and leading
thereto, a flexible perforated bottom within said hopper, a shaft passing trans-
versely through said hopper, agitator arms upon said shaft, arranged to distend
said flexible bottom, and driving mechanism whereby said fan and said agitator
arms are concurrently revolved.
3. In a powder distributer, the combination with the blast-fan and its casing
and the wind-trunk leading therefrom, of a hopper above said wind-trunk and
leading thereto, a flexible perforated rectangular curved bottom within said hopper
having two of its straight ends secured to the hopper sides and its curved sides
free to play along the side-walls of said hopper, an agitator arm or arms rigidly
secured to a transverse shaft, and driving mechanism whereby said fan and said
agitator arm or arms are concurrently driven.
4. In a powder distributer, the combination with the blast-fan and its casing,
and the wind-trunk leading therefrom, of a hopper above said wind-
trunk and leading thereto, a flexible perforated curved bottom within
said hopper, a shaft passing transversely through said hopper, agitator arms secured
to said shaft and consisting of a wire extended radially and transversely, the trans-
verse portion thereof being arranged to distend said flexible bottom, and driving
mechanism whereby said fan and said agitator are concurrently driven.
5. The combination of the blast fan and its casing, and the wind-trunk leading
therefrom, of a hopper above said wind trunk, and leading thereto, a shaft extended
transversely through said hopper, an agitator actuated thereby, supporting bars
secured to each side of the fan-casing and projected alongside of said hopper, and
having bearings for the fan-shaft and said agitator shaft therein and suitable
mechanism for concurrently driving said fan-shaft and said agitator shaft.
6. The combination of the blast-fan and its casing, from the wind-trunk leading
therefrom, of a hopper above said wind trunk, and leading thereto, a shaft extended
transversely through said hopper, an agitator actuated thereby, supporting bars
secured to each side of the fan-casing and projected alongside of said hopper, and
having bearings for the fan-shaft and said agitator shaft therein, plates secured at
each side of said hopper through which said agitator shaft passes, packing between
said plates and the side walls of said hopper and suitable mechanism for con-
currently driving said fan-shaft and said agitator shaft.
D
1
-HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.