Patent ID: 8182758

Claim:
An apparatus for loading particulate material into the interior of a vertical tube comprising at least one impact-absorbing module, said impact absorbing module comprising: a helical impact-absorber having a double helix shape, a cylindrical nucleus having a groove along its longitudinal axis, and at least two helical blades having a propeller shape, the two helical blades disposed opposite to each other and forming right angles to the cylindrical nucleus to extend along the body of the nucleus to complete a half-cycle of each helix; a central axis comprising a rod, a first connector fixed to an end of the rod so as to maintain the positioning of the rod, the rod being positioned in the groove of the cylindrical nucleus so as to have play along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical nucleus; and a suspension wire having one end linked to the first connector of the central axis to positions the impact-absorbing module suspended in the interior of the vertical tube.