Patent ID: 8342373

Claim:
A valve for controlling a flow of a granular material and a flow of a fluid, comprising: a body having a first end, a second end, and defining an interior surface; an inlet formed proximate the first end of the body for receiving the granular material and the fluid; an outlet formed downstream of the inlet for selectively discharging the granular material and the fluid; a surge chamber positioned upstream of the outlet and in fluid communication with an interior of the body; a first member slideably captured within the body and including an upstream surface, a downstream surface opposite the upstream surface, and an annular surface extending between the upstream surface and the downstream surface; a resilient member operationally coupled to the annular surface on the first member; wherein the first member is moveable between an open position at which the granular material and the fluid flow through the outlet, and a closed position upstream of the outlet at which the granular material is substantially prevented from flowing through the outlet; and wherein the resilient member is moveable between a retracted position and an expanded position at which the resilient member is engaged with the interior surface to substantially prevent the fluid from flowing through the outlet.