Patent ID: 8087816

Claim:
A device for creating a rotational flow of pressurized air through an opening within a container, the container having a wall, said device vibrating bulk material located within the container adjacent to said device for an increased rate of unloading the bulk material from the container, comprising: a housing having at least one inlet and a longitudinal axis; an aerator extending axially through said housing and into the opening of the container, said aerator having at least two approximately tangential vanes; said aerator having an elongated stem, generally cylindrical, a threaded end extending through said housing opposite the container, and a cap generally opposite said threaded end, said cap having a diameter greater than said stem, a neck generally cylindrical, inward of said cap, and having a diameter less than said cap and greater than said stem, a shoulder inward of said neck towards said threaded end, having a frusto-conical shape with a larger diameter greater than said neck locating towards said threaded end; each of said vanes having an inner radius similar to that of the larger radius of said shoulder and an outer radius exceeding the radius of the opening of the container thus each of said vanes has a generally triangular shape; each of said vanes having a tip locating outwardly of the opening of the container and furthest from said shoulder, said tip adapting to locate away from the wall of the container forming a gap between said tip and the wall; and, each of said vanes then stepping inward in radius from said tip to a radius approximately that of the opening of the container forming a contiguous fin, each of said fins extending along said stem towards said threaded end at a constant radius from said stem then tapering to said stem wherein said fin has a generally trapezoidal shape, each of said fins having a maximum thickness proximate said vane and a minimum thickness opposite said vane wherein said fin has helical orientation; and, a gasket fitting upon said aerator within the container generally opposite said housing, said gasket vibrating within said container.