US1712235A - Hopper for filling machines - Google Patents

Description

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Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHESLEY T. SMALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.'

HOPPER FOR FILLING MACHINES.

Application led January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,218.

My invention relatesto hoppers f or supplying powdered material to can tilllng machines or the like, andvpartlcularly to such hoppers of large size holding a great quantity of material.A I have found t-hat 1n such hoppers the weight of the material causes 1t to become tightly packed 1n the lower part of the hopper so thatwhen it is loosened by the agitators and passes out through the discharge nozzle the bulk of the material w1ll be maintained in position by the packed powder until a' considerable cavity is formed around the agitators. After a time the entlre mass will drop owing to the breaking down of the roof of the cavity by the weight of the material. This is not only injurious to the hopper but also causes irregularity of the filling machine supplied by the hopper. It is the object of my invention to provide a hoppcr in which the material will be fed uniformly without the formation of cavities therein and the consequent dropping en masse of material therein.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of hopper made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a Vertical section; Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the upper end of one of the vent pipes; and Figure 3 is an enlarged section of one of the bearing boxes.

rIhe hopper which, in the drawings is shown as suspended from a ceiling 1, is composed of an upper cylindrical part 2. and a lower conical part 3 terminating in a discharge nozzle 4. I have found that the angle of the walls of the conical part 3 is of importance in securing the desired results and that an angle of degrees from the perpendicular is more elective than a larger or smaller-anglo. The nozzle is provided with a cut-off4 plate 5 and has passing through it an agitator shaft 6 ournaled in brackets 7 secured to the conical part of the hopper. Secured to one end of shaft 6 is a driving pulley 8 and to the other a gear wheel 9. .Meshing with the gear 9 is a gear 10 mounted on an agitator shaft 11 passing through the hopper Ajust above the nozzle and journaledin the bracket 7. Iheel 9 is smaller than wheel. 10 so that shaft 11 will be driven at a somewhat slower rate of speed than shaft 6. On the shaft 11 is a second gear wheel 12 meshing with a gear wheel 13' on` an agitator shaft 14 passing through the hopper above the shaft 11. Wheel 12 is smaller than wheel 13 so that shaft 14 will be driven at a still slower speed than shaft 11. Shaft 14 is journaled in brackets 7 and preferably also has the end adjacent to wheel 13 supported by an auxiliary bearing carried by arm 15 depending from one of said brackets. The other bracket is also provided with a similar arm so that the gearing may be placed at the opposite side of the hopper when so desired. In order to prevent escape of powder around the shaft 14 I make the bearing boxes 24 follow, as shown in Figure 3, and provide it, at its upper side, with an opening 25 through which packing material 26, such as cotton waste may be introduced. The shafts 11 and 6 are also preferably provided with similar packed bearings 27 .and 28, respectively.

Powder is introduced into the hopper through opening 16 in the ceiling 1. Adjacent to the sides of this opening are a pair .of hangers 17 carrying a supporting bar 18 on which vent pipes 19 are mounted so that `their lower ends, which terminate adjacent to the agitator shaft 14, will be free to swing.. This swinging mounting is preferably se.- oured by passing the shaft 18 through holes 20 (Figure 2) in the walls of the pipes 19 adjacent to the upper ends. In order to prevent the entrance of the powder into the upper ends of the vent pipes and the consequent choking when the hopper is filled, I provide the pipes with caps 21 preferably conical in form. These caps are carried by collars 22 sliding on the pipes and so are readily removable to give access to the interior of the pipes for cleaning. Notches 23 formed in the upper ends of the pipes provide free passage of air into or out of the pipes.

By the use of the proper inclination of the side of the hopper, together with agitators increasing in speed toward the lower end of the hopper and vent pipes free to swing in the hopper adjacent to the agitator shaft, I overcome the formation of cavities in the material in the hopper and secure even and uni'- form feed of the material in the largest hoppers.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper, of anv agitator in the lower par-t of said hopper, and a swinging vent pipe in saidV hopper terminating adj a- -cent to said agitator. y

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2. In a device 'of the class described, the i combination with a hopper, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, and a plurality of vent pipes in said hopper terminating adjacent to said agitator shaft, the lower ends of said pipes being free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper having inclined walls at the lower end, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower end of said hopper, and a vent pipe in said hopper terminating adjacent to said agitator shaft, said vent pipe being free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper having inclined walls at the lower end, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally throughthe lower end of said hopper, a second agitator shaft below said first named shaft and driven at a greater speed than said first named shaft, and a vent pipe in said hopper terminating adjacent to said first named shaft, salid pipe being free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper having the opposing walls of its lower end each inclined at an angle of substantially 30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, and a. second agitator shaft below said first named shaft and driven at a greater speed than said first named shaft.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hopper having the opposing walls of its lower end each inclined at an angle of substantially 30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, and a vent pipe in said hopper terminating adjacent to said shaft, said pipe being free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

7 ln a device of the class described, the combination with ahopper having the walls of its lower end inclined at an angle of substantially 30 degrees from the perpendicular, of an agitator shaft extending horizontally through the lower part of said hopper, a second agitator shaft below said first named shaft and driven at a greater speed than said first named shaft, and a plurality of vent pipes in said hopper terminating adjacent to said first named shaft, said pipes being free to swing under the influence of the moving powder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature, this 29th day of December, 1927. CHESLEY T. SMALL.

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