Patent ID: 6957908

Claim:
A charging hopper for use in charging a rotatable mixer, the rotatable mixer including a drum having a drum opening at one end for receiving and discharging contents, the charging hopper comprising: a chute having a charging opening and a discharge opening at respective ends thereof; the chute having a first position operably coupled with the drum such that the discharge opening is disposed proximate the drum opening; a discharge cover having respective first and second edges and respective first and second faces; the first edge of the discharge cover operably coupled to the chute proximate the discharge opening; a plurality of shield fingers operably disposed on the discharge cover; at least one flexible sealing member having respective first and second faces; and the at least one flexible sealing member attached to the discharge cover proximate the second edge such that the flexible sealing member engages at least a lower portion of the drum opening when the chute is in its first position, wherein the shield fingers operable to engage the flexible sealing member and to maintain the flexible sealing member and the lower portion of the drum opening in generally sealed engagement during charging of the rotatable mixer.