Patent ID: 7156263

Claim:
A metering system for fibrous material, the metering system comprising: an endless conveyor belt supported for rotation in a working direction on first and second rollers supported on a housing at spaced apart locations; a plurality of pickup members supported on the belt, each pickup member being fastened to the belt at a trailing side thereof to project forwardly into the working direction of the conveyor belt to a leading side of the pickup member which is movable as the conveyor belt rotates between a closed position and an open position in which the leading side is spaced outwardly from the belt greater than in the closed position; a container for storing fibrous material therein including an opening therein which receives a portion of the conveyor belt; and a gate mechanism at the opening in the container for restricting passage of fibrous material which has not been collected by one of the pickup members, the gate mechanism being movable between a closed position adjacent an outer surface of the belt and an open position spaced from the belt to permit passage of a pickup member therebetween and the gate mechanism being biased towards the closed position; whereby rotation of the conveyor belt causes the pickup members to collect fibrous material between the pickup members and the belt as the belt is rotated through the container and causes the pickup members to be deflected into the open position at the second roller for dispensing a metered amount of fibrous material from the pickup members at the second roller.