Patent ID: 7827929

Claim:
A pneumatic seasoning apparatus comprising: a pneumatic eductor propelled by an air flow and ejecting a seasoning powder; a seasoning hopper, positioned above the eductor, for supplying said seasoning powder to the eductor; a first transport tube leading a fluidized flow containing said seasoning powder from the eductor to a first line splitter for dividing said fluidized flow into a second transport tube and a third transport tube; and a first nozzle and a second nozzle, wherein said first nozzle receives a portion of the fluidized flow from said second transport tube, and said second nozzle receives a portion of the fluidized flow from said third transport tube; wherein each one of said first and second nozzles comprises: a spool core having a central passage for delivering said fluidized flow, wherein said spool core also has an upstream end and a downstream end; a first flange about the upstream end of said spool core; a second flange about the downstream end of said spool core; a compressed-air cowling encircling said spool core and spanning from the first flange to the second flange, thereby defining an annular swirl-port-feeding chamber between an inner surface of the compressed-air cowling, an outer surface of the spool core, a downstream side of the first flange, and upstream side of the second flange; an annular face located at the downstream end of the spool core and spanning between the outer surface of the spool core and an inner surface of the spool core; and a plurality of swirl ports, wherein each one of said swirl ports passes through a portion of the downstream end of the spool core, beginning at the outer surface of the spool core and leading to the annular face; has a non-zero pitch angle; and has a non-zero yaw angle.