U.S. patent application number 13/987057 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-23 for gyrator feeder.
This patent application is currently assigned to DYNAMIC AIR, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Richard Christianson, Richard Kraus. Invention is credited to Richard Christianson, Richard Kraus.
Application Number | 20140023466 13/987057 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38660243 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140023466 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Christianson; Richard ; et
al. |
January 23, 2014 |
Gyrator feeder
Abstract
A gyrator feeder that gyrates a dispensing member to uniformly
and circumnavigating dispense material by generating a true
circular orbital vibratory motion in the dispensing member by
either rotating an offset weight along a vertical central axis of
the dispensing member or by positioning vibratory motors
diametrical opposite from each other on a gyrator housing and
synchronizing the vibratory motors with each other to thereby
dispense material.
Inventors: |
Christianson; Richard;
(Maple Groove, MN) ; Kraus; Richard; (Barrington,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Christianson; Richard
Kraus; Richard |
Maple Groove
Barrington |
MN
IL |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DYNAMIC AIR, INC.
ST. PAUL
MN
|
Family ID: |
38660243 |
Appl. No.: |
13/987057 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11417879 |
May 4, 2006 |
7467716 |
|
|
13987057 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/304 ; 222/1;
222/161; 414/808 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 88/66 20130101;
B65D 2588/64 20130101; B07B 1/469 20130101; B07B 1/48 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/304 ;
414/808; 222/161; 222/1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 88/66 20060101
B65D088/66 |
Claims
1. A gyrator feeder comprising: a hopper having an outlet; a
gyrator having a dispensing member partially obstructing the outlet
with the dispensing member having a lip for retaining a material
thereon when said gyrator is in an off condition and for dispensing
material thereover when the gyrator is gyrating.
2. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 including a stand having flexible
supports for said gyrator to permit gyration of said gyrator with
respect to said outlet.
3. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator includes an
internal gyrating unit that is centrally positioned along a
vertical axis of said gyrator.
4. The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the internal gyrating unit
is powered by a motor located radially off center of said
gyrator.
5. The gyrator feeder of claim 4 wherein the dispensing member has
a dynamic central axis that circumnavigates about a static vertical
axis of the dispensing member.
6. The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the gyrator includes a
drive belt connect to the internal gyration unit and a tensioner
for adjusting the tension of the drive belt.
7. The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the dispensing member
includes a cone shaped member.
8. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator includes an
internal gyrating unit having a rotateable shaft with an offset
weight.
9. The gyrator feeder of claim 7 wherein the lip of the gyrator is
an annular lip that is circumferentially spaced from a gyrator
housing to permit material flow therepast.
10. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyration unit
includes two vibration units located diametrically opposite of each
other to gyrate the gyrator housing with the vibration units
synchronized with each other.
11. The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the flexible supports
include a set of elastomers sandwiched around a flange with a
sleeve extending through the set of elastomers to engage a set of
washers to provide a ridge housing for displacement of the set of
elastomers therein.
12. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the dispensing member is
positioned a distance y below the outlet wherein the distance y is
determined at least partially by the angle of repose of material to
be dispensed.
13. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 including a lower dispensing
member having an angle greater than the angle of repose of the
material to prevent accumulation of material thereon during
operation of the gyrator feeder.
14. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the dispensing member
extends radially beyond the outlet but spaced from the outlet to
thereby partially obstruct but not block a flow passage between the
outlet and the dispensing member.
15. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator comprises a
pair of vibratory motors positioned radially outward from a central
axis of the gyrator.
16. A gyrator feeder comprising: a gyrator housing flexibly
suspended; a gyration unit affixed to said gyrator housing and
located along a vertical central axis of the gyration housing; and
a motor radially off set from the gyration unit for propelling the
gyration unit to generate a true circular orbital vibratory motion
of the gyrator housing.
17. The gyrator feeder of claim 16 wherein the gyration unit
comprises a rotateable shaft having off set weights and a drive
motor with the rotateable shaft centrally positioned in the
gyrator.
18. The gyrator of claim 16 wherein the gyration unit comprising a
first vibratory motor radially spaced from a central axis of the
gyrator housing and a second vibratory motor radially spaced from
the central axis of the gyrator housing.
19. The gyrator of claim 18 wherein the gyrator housing includes an
annular lip for maintain a material thereon wherein the annular lip
extends upwardly to maintain material on a dispensing member when
the gyration unit is in an off condition.
20. The gyrator feeder of claim 19 including a stand and a gravity
feed hopper wherein the gyrator is stand mounted below a gravity
feed hopper with a plurality of flexible supports circumferentially
positioned around said gyrator.
22. The method of dispensing material comprising the steps of:
placing a dispensable material on a dispensing member having a
retaining lip; generating a true circular orbital vibratory motion
in the dispensing member by either rotating an offset weight along
a vertical axis of the dispensing member or by positioning
vibratory motors diametrical opposite from each other on a gyrator
housing and synchronizing the vibratory motors with each other to
dispense material.
23. The method of claim 22 including: placing material in a hopper
having an outlet edge; gyrating the dispensing member located below
the outlet edge to cause the dispensing member to simultaneously
and circumferentially vary the distance between the outlet edge and
the dispensing member to thereby increase the flow along a portion
of the dispensing member spaced the farthest from the outlet edge
and decrease the material flow along another portion of the
dispensing member spaced the closes to the outlet edge.
24. The method of claim 22 including the step of stopping the
gyration of the dispensing member to shut off the flow over the
dispensing member.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of stopping the
gyration dispensing while maintaining an open spacing between the
outlet edge and the dispensing member.
26. The method of claim 22 wherein the opening spacing is
maintained at a distance such that the angle of the material on the
dispensing member does not exceed an angle of repose of
material.
27. The method of claim 22 wherein the gyration of the dispensing
member is increased to increase a dispensing rate and the gyration
of the dispensing member is decreased to decrease the dispensing
rate.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to bin feeders and, more
specifically, to a gyrator feeder.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0003] None
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0004] None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The concept of vibrating bin dischargers is known in the
art. Typically, a vibrating bin discharger includes a cone that is
placed beneath a hopper outlet with the cone vibrating in an up and
down motion to propel material from the hopper. A gate is
positioned in the hopper to shut off the flow of material from the
hopper when the vibrating bin discharger is not in use. One of the
disadvantages of the known vibrating bin dischargers is that the
material can become compacted as the bin discharger vibrates.
Another disadvantage is that the vibration of the cone requires
large power requirements since the material in the hopper is lifted
up during the vibration cycle. Another disadvantage is that if the
material contains both large and small particles the vibrator
motion can cause segregation of the large and small particles
through the up and down motion on the material.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,509 disclose a bin activator with a
central feed and a vibration generator located radially offset from
the center. While the vibratory action is described as generating a
circular orbital motion to the lower bowl the actual motion is not
a true circular orbital vibratory motion since the vibration motors
are not located at the central vertical axis of the bin activator.
As a result of the positioning of the vibratory motors the
vibratory motion the cone does not actually follow a circular path.
As a result the feeder does not generate a uniform 360-degree
delivery of material from a circular opening.
[0007] A further difficult with the bin activator shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,545,509 is that angle of the lower cone is so shallow
that material is maintained in the lower bowl rather than being
empted out each time the activator is shut off.
[0008] In contrast to the vibrating bin discharges the present
invention uses gyrations of a dispensing member to control the flow
of material with substantially true circular orbital vibratory
motion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Briefly, the present invention comprises a gyrator feeder
that has a dispensing member that moves to uniformly dispense
material from the hopper. To provide flow shut off without use of a
gate, a lip on the dispensing ledge of the dispensing member is
positioned so that material retained on the dispensing ledge is
maintained at an angle less than the angle of repose of the
material. The gyrator feeder dispenses material uniformly and
circumnavigatingly through a gyrator that generates a true circular
orbital vibratory motion in the dispensing member by either
rotating an offset weight along a vertical central axis of the
dispensing member or by positioning vibratory motors diametrical
opposite from each other on a gyrator housing and synchronizing the
vibratory motors with each other to thereby dispense material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of the gyrating bin
discharger;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an isolated top view of the housing and the
gyrating dispensing member;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side view of the housing and gyrating dispensing
member of FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an isolated perspective of the housing without the
gyrating dispensing member;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an isolated perspective view of the top of the
housing with the gyrating dispensing member and the vibrator drive
motor secured to the housing;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an isolated view of the bottom of the housing with
the vibrator drive motor secured to the housing;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a sectional isolated view of the gyrating
dispensing member and the vibrator drive motor;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of the hopper and the
gyrating dispensing member when the vibratory drive motor is in the
off condition;
[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates the material flow when the dispensing
member is gyrated in a circular motion by the vibrator drive
motor;
[0019] FIG. 10 is an isolated sectional view of the dispensing
ledge and lip on the gyrating dispensing member for holding the
material thereon at an angle less than the angle of repose of the
material;
[0020] FIG. 11 shows the isolated section view of FIG. 10 with the
dispensing material thereon;
[0021] FIG. 11A is a partial cross section view of the dispensing
member as it gyrates with respect to a hopper outlet;
[0022] FIG. 11B is identical to the view of FIG. 11A except the
dispensing member is in a different portion of the gyration
cycle;
[0023] FIG. 11C shows a top isolated view of the dispensing member
with a central axis in a first off vertical condition;
[0024] FIG. 11D shows the top isolated view of the dispensing
member of FIG. 11C with the central axis of the dispensing member
in a second off vertical condition;
[0025] FIG. 11E is a schematic of the circumnavigating path of the
dispensing member axis about a vertical axis;
[0026] FIG. 12 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment of a bin
discharger with two vibratory motors located diametrically opposite
each other on the gyrator housing; and
[0027] FIG. 13 shows a side sectional view of the alternate
embodiment of a bin discharge of FIG. 11 with two vibratory motors
located diametrically opposite each other on the gyrator
housing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a gyrator feeder 10
comprising a hopper 11 having a top cylindrical section 11a or
inlet for placing materials into the hopper and a lower cylindrical
section forming an outlet 11b. A conical sidewall 11c has a top end
mating with cylindrical section 11c and a bottom section mating
with cylindrical section 11b to provide a centrally funneling flow
path for material as it flows through hopper 11.
[0029] Positioned proximate the outlet 11b and partially
obstructing the outlet 11b is a gyrator 12. Gyrator 12 includes a
dispensing member 13, which in the preferred embodiment is a an
activating cone that generally has a frusto conical shape.
Dispensing member 13 has an annular lip 14 that extends upward at
an angle to retain material thereon. The hopper 11 is fixedly
supported by a stand 20 while the gyrator 12 is flexibly supported
on stand 20 with gyrator 12 positioned below hopper 11 to receive
material therefrom. (See FIG. 8) Reference numeral 90 indicates the
vertical central axis 90 of the system 10. As can be seen in FIG. 1
gyrator 12 has dispensing member 13 partially obstructing the
outlet 11b with the dispensing member having annular lip 14 for
retaining a material thereon when gyrator 12 is in an off condition
and for dispensing material thereover when the gyrator 12 is
gyrating.
[0030] The gyrator 12 includes a gyrator housing 21 having a radial
extension 21a with a drive motor 22 secured to the underside of
radial extension 21a. Motor 21 has a motor shaft 22a with a drive
pulley 22b secured thereto with the drive pulley 22b and motor
shaft 22a extending into the interior space in housing radial
extension 21a. A belt 23 connects drive pulley 22b to a pulley 26
on a rotateable member 22 that forms part of the internal gyrating
unit 28. Rotateable member 22 comprises a vertical shaft 27
rotateable supported by bearings 29 with shaft 27 having offset
weights 25 and 25a secured thereto. When motor 22 is activated it
rotates shaft 27 through drive belt 23, which produces vibrations.
However, instead of producing an up and down vibratory motion the
off balance rotation of shaft 27 at the center of the gyrator
housing produces a true circular orbital vibratory action of
housing 21 as opposed to bin activators that have vibrator sources
that are off set from the center. Consequently, with a true
circular orbital vibratory motion the gyrator feeder delivers a
more uniform flow.
[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the offset member for
inducing the gyrations is centrally positioned in housing 12 with
shaft 27 rotating about a central vertical axis 90 to thereby cause
the gyrator housing 15 to provide true circular orbital vibratory
motion of the dispensing member 13. That is the circular orbital
vibratory motion occurs in an x-y plane because the offset weight
is at the center rather than outside the center of the housing.
Another embodiment for producing true circular orbital vibratory
motion of the dispensing member 13 where vibrators are not located
along a vertical central axis of the system is shown and described
in FIGS. 12 and 13.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows an isolated top view of the gyrator 12 showing
the gyrator housing 21 with a flange 21b for flexibly supporting
gyrator 12. Centrally positioned within gyrator housing 21 is the
cone shaped dispensing member 13 having a peripheral annular lip
14. The annular lip is spaced from housing 21 as shown in FIG. 1
and FIG. 2 and is shown in greater detail in FIG. 10 and FIG.
11.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows the isolated side view of the gyrator 12 with a
drive motor 22 secured to the underside of the housing extension
21a. A cylindrical member 21c extends upward from housing 21 and a
cone shaped discharge member 21e having an outlet 21d extends
downward from housing 20 with the member 21 and 21 e secured to
each other by bolts extending through flanges 21b and 21h.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows an isolated top perspective view of a portion
of housing 21 without the gyration unit. A set of radial spokes 21i
connects the inner cylindrical housing member 21j with the outer
cylindrical housing member 21k. The radial supports 21i provide for
energy transfer from the inner cylindrical housing member 21j where
the internal gyrating unit 28 is located.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows an isolated top perspective view of gyrator 12,
which is shown in top view in FIG. 2 and side view in FIG. 3.
Dispensing member 13 is shown centrally positioned in cylindrical
sidewall 21c. Similarly, FIG. 6 shows an isolated bottom
perspective view of gyrator 12, which is shown in top view in FIG.
2 and in bottom view in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 shows the outlet 21 d where
material is discharged from gyrator housing 21
[0036] FIG. 7 shows an isolated sectional view of gyrator 12
showing the annular distance x between the outer peripheral lip 14
and the cylindrical 21c that forms an annular flow path for
material as it flows through gyrator 12. FIG. 7 also shows a belt
tensioner 35 comprising an L-shaped member 31 that has one portion
31b secured to motor 22 and to housing 21a by stud bolts 33 and the
other end 31a extending perpendicular therefrom to receive a bolt
32. As the drive belt 23 can stretch under use one can move the
motor 22 radially outward to increase the tension on belt 23 by
rotating bolt 32 which pulls arm 31a radially outward. Similarly,
one can decrease the tension on belt 23 by rotating bolt 32 in the
opposite direction, which causes the motor and drive shaft to move
radially inward. Thus the tension of the belt can be adjusted
without having to disassemble the housing 21a.
[0037] FIG. 8 shows the gyrator 12 with the gyrator housing 21
flexibly supported from stand 20 by a set of radially positioned
flexing members 40 that prevent rotation of dispensing member 13
but permit gyration of dispensing member 13 as well as provide
uniform engagement of the flange 45 with the elastomers 41. Flexing
members 40 comprise a threaded shaft 40a having one end with a set
of elastomers 41 that sandwichingly engage a flange 45 on stand 20
and the opposite end with an identical set of elastomers 41 that
sandwichingly engage the flange formed by flanges 21b and 21e.
[0038] FIG. 8A shows an isolated detail view of a portion of
flexible support 40 revealing a rigid sleeve 43 that extends around
threaded shaft 40a with a top end of rigid sleeve 43 engaging a
rigid washer 43 and the lower end of rigid sleeve 43 engaging a
further rigid washer 43a. The sleeve 43 is clamped between a top
rigid washer 43 and a lower rigid washer 43a by an upper nut 42 and
a lower double nut 42a to form a rigid housing for the annular
elastomers 41. Flange 45 has an opening 45a therein that allows the
flange 45 to move up and down along sleeve 43. The rigid housing
with the elastomers sandwichingly therebetween allows the flange to
compressively and more uniformly engage each of the entire annular
elastomers 41 during the operation of the gyrator 12. Similarly, an
identical arrangement of a rigid sleeve and rigid washers is
located in the lower portion of shaft 40a and is not described
herein.
[0039] The use of elastomers 41 to interface the shaft 40a to both
stand 20 and to gyrator 12 provides for both static and dynamic
support of gyrator 12 to allow for vibration displacement of the
gyrator 12 with respect to stand 20 while at the same time
providing support to hold gyrator 12 in the dispensing condition
proximate outlet 11b. An identical flexible support 40' is located
on the opposite side of gyrator 12 and in the preferred embodiment
flexible supports are circumferentially positioned around the
gyrator 12 to provide 360 degree support to the gyrator 12.
[0040] FIG. 8 shows the material in hopper 50 maintaining itself in
a nonflowable condition when the gyrator 12 is in the off
condition. That is, the material 50 extends down along member 13 to
a position were the up turned annular lip 14 retains the material
thereon. A vertical distance Y denotes the distance between the
bottom of outlet 11b and dispensing member 13 and is referred
herein as the feed region height. In this condition material 50 in
hopper can be maintained in an immediate ready to dispense
condition without the use of a gate to shut off the flow of
materials through correlation of the feed region height with the
angle of repose of the material.
[0041] FIG. 8 also shows a lower dispensing cone 21 that receives
material 50 forming an angle Q with the horizontal. Dispensing cone
21 has a low friction surface 21f to allow material 50 to slide
thereon and has the angle Q greater than the angle of repose of the
material to ensure that the material 50 being dispensed from hopper
11 will not accumulate thereon and can be carried quickly through
outlet 21b. In some applications the lower dispensing cone 21 may
not be used, in those cases the material is dispensed directly into
another container as it falls off lip 14. When a lower dispensing
cone is used the angle of the cone is selected so material will not
adhere thereon in the static condition and in addition the slope
and the outlet 21b should allow for removal of material faster than
can be dispensed to avoid accumulating material on the lower
dispensing cone that could choke off the flow. In addition, with a
steep slope and low friction surface 21f the material can not
accumulate on the lower dispensing cone 21, consequently, the lower
dispensing cone will be free of material once the gyration of the
feeder ceases.
[0042] FIG. 9 illustrates the flow of material 50 from hopper 11 to
outlet 21d once the gyrator 12 is activated by powering the
gyrating unit 28. Note, the material 50 flows over annular lip 14
and falls down unto lower converging cone 21, which directs the
material to outlet 21d. That is, the gyrating motion of gyrator
housing 21 causes the material to flow from hopper 11 to outlet
21d. By controlling the gyrations of housing 21 one can control the
rate of material being dispensed. That is, by increasing the
gyration action one can increase the flow of material while
decreasing the gyration action allows one to decrease the flow of
material. This is particularly useful if one is attempting to meter
a precise amount of material into a container since one can
decrease gyrating action as one approaches the amount of needed
material to thereby provide a better topping off control.
[0043] FIG. 10 shows a cross section view of dispensing lip 14 of
length L positioned in housing 21 when hopper 11 is in an empty
condition. In the embodiment shown the distance L denotes the
length of annular lip 14. The distance x denotes the radial spacing
between the peripheral edge of annular lip 14 and the housing 21
and Y (the feed region height) denotes the distance from the end of
the outlet 11b to the surface 13a of dispensing member 13, which is
the feed region that the material must flow through to leave hopper
10. In operation it is this distance Y, which will vary during the
gyration of dispensing member 13, and it is the variation of the
distance Y as the dispensing member 13 moves in response to the
true circular orbital vibratory motion of the gyrator 12, which is
illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B which causes material to flow
along dispensing member 13 and over lip 14.
[0044] FIG. 11 shows a static or no flow condition with material 50
located on the surface 13a of dispensing member 13, which partially
obstructs the outlet 11b. The material on surface 13a of member 13
is held from flowing off by coaction of upward extending lip 14 and
the material angle of repose (the steepest angle at which a sloping
surface formed of a particular loose material is stable). By
extending the lip 14 a length L upward the material stops flowing
when the angle O of the material is less than the angle of repose
of the material thereon. The static or no flow condition is further
illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0045] By selecting the distance Y such that the material 50 can
settle on surface 13a at an angle less than the material angle of
repose one prevents material from continuing to flow off the end of
annular lip 14 when the gyration unit is in an off condition. That
is, one selects the spacing Y such that the material 50 that is on
surface 13a will flow along surface 13a but does not flow over lip
when the dispensing member is not subject to gyrations. It should
be understood that the spacing Y will vary depending on the
material angle of repose as well as the type of material. In
general, an operator adjusts or calibrates the spacing i.e. the
feed region height, is set sufficiently high so the material that
is in hopper 10 can flow down to lip along surface 13a but will not
flow over the annular lip 14 when the gyrator is in the off
condition. The static spacing of the feed region can be adjusted
though lengthening or shortening the flexible supports 40 which are
located circumferentially around gyrator housing 21.
[0046] To appreciate the gyration of the dispensing member 13
reference should be made to FIG. 8, FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B which
shows the static vertical axis 90 of the dispensing member in
relationship to the dynamic central axis 80 of the dispensing
member 13.
[0047] FIG. 8 shows the condition when there is no gyration of
dispensing member 13, in this condition the static vertical axis 90
and the central axis 80 of dispensing member 13 are in alignment
with each other.
[0048] FIG. 11 A illustrates the dispensing member 13 at one point
in the gyration cycle and FIG. 11B shows the dispensing member at a
second point 180 degrees later in the gyration cycle. A reference
distance S.sub.1 indicates the distance of the vertical edge of lip
to outlet 11b as a result of the lateral displacement (i.e. that is
substantially in an x-y plane) of the dispensing member 13. In this
condition the feed height Y.sub.1 has decreased. However, on the
opposite side the feed height Y.sub.3 has increased since the
dispensing member 13 has moved away from dispensing member 13.
[0049] FIG. 11b shows that the distance between the outlet 11b and
the edge on the lip 14 is now S.sub.2, which is less than S.sub.1.
Consequently, the feed region height Y.sub.2 has increased and the
feed region Y.sub.4 on the opposite side has decreased through
movement of the dispensing member substantially in the x-y
plane.
[0050] Thus, the gyration of the dispensing member 13 in a true
circular orbital vibratory motion causes a local uniform flow of
material over the lip 14 as the feed region height increases. Since
the feed height region increases at a uniform rate the flow over
the edge of the lip remains uniform as the delivery of the material
makes a 360 sweep around the dispensing member 13.
[0051] FIG. 11C and FIG. 11D are schematic of the top of cone with
two areas of flow designated. FIG. 11C shows a region designated by
Mx where there is maximum flow over the annular lip 14 of
dispensing member 13 and the region designated by Mn, which is
diametrically opposite and has minimum or no flow. A point A has
been marked on cone 13 in both FIG. 11C and 11d to show that the
cone 13 does not rotate. As the gyration continues the region of
maximum flow Mx moves clockwise around the cone 13 as illustrated
in FIG. 11D which shows that both the region Mx and Mn have rotated
about 90 degrees from their original position. The dynamic position
of the central axis 80 of the dispensing member 13 is indicated by
reference numeral 80 while reference numeral 90 indicating the
static location of dispensing member central axis if the dispensing
member 13 were at rest.
[0052] FIG. 11E shows a top view of the static vertical axis 90
with the circumnavigating path 81 of the dynamic dispensing member
axis 80 about the static vertical axis 90. The arrows indicate that
the dynamic axis 80 follows a circular like path about static
vertical axis 90 during the circular orbital gyration of dispensing
member 13.
[0053] As illustrated by the drawings the gyration of dispensing
member 13 causes a portion of the cone surface 13 to be closer to
the edge of outlet 11b and a portion to be further from the edge of
outlet 11b. However, as the cone 13 gyrates the distance Y which
causes flow along the cone surface 13a travel 360 degrees around
the outlet 11b and in doing so cause the rate of material 50
flowing over the lip to locally increase.
[0054] Because the dispensing member 13 gyrates the maximum
distance variation between the cone surface 13a and the outlet 11b
circumnavigates around the outlet 11b thereby causing maximum
material to flow when a portion of cone is in the position shown in
the left side of FIG. 11B and no flow or low flow when the cone
surface 13a is in the position shown in the left side of FIG.
11A.
[0055] Thus the gyration of cone 13 causes the spacing Y between
the hopper lip 11b to vary with the variation in spacing
circumnavigating around the hopper lip 11b. The localized flow of
material increases with increased spacing Y and decreases with a
decrease in spacing Y. As a result the flow of material from one
portion of the hopper and then from adjacent portion of the hopper
circumnavigates around the dispensing manner in a manner similar to
a wave propagating.
[0056] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of an alternate gyration bin
discharge system 60 and FIG. 13 shows a section view of the bin
discharge system 60 taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 12. Bin
discharge system 60 includes a hopper 61 having a top section 61a
or inlet for placing materials into the hopper and a lower
cylindrical a hopper outlet 61c that funnels material into a
gyrator 66. The alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 also
produces a true circular orbital vibratory motion of the dispensing
member even though the gyration unit is not located along a static
vertical axis of the gyrator housing.
[0057] FIG. 12 shows the gyrator 66 includes a gyrator housing 65
having a first vibratory motor 63 mounted on one side of housing 65
and a second vibratory motor 64 mounted diametrically opposite. The
gyrator housing 65 includes a cone shaped dispensing member 62
having an annular lip 67 and an interior radial members 65a with a
hub 65b. A conical shaped member 65c funnels material into outlet
65d. In the embodiment of FIG. 13 the actual unit that produces the
gyration of the gyrator housing 65 is not located in the center as
shown in FIG. 1 but is located external to the gyrator housing 65.
The annular lip and the relationship to the hopper is identical
that is described in FIGS. 1-11 and will not be described
herein.
[0058] The gyrator feeder 60 differs from the bin gyrator feeder 10
in that the gyrator housing 12 has a single vibration producing
unit i.e. the off set rotateable weights located on a vertical
central axis of the gyrator with the drive motor 22 located on the
peripheral portion of the housing 12. In contrast, the gyrator
housing 66 has two vibration producing units i.e vibratory motors,
wherein both the vibratory motors are radially spaced from the
central axis 73 of the gyrator 66. In this embodiment a drive motor
and a set of offset weights are in the same location, that is both
vibratory motor 63 and vibratory motor 64 include a drive motor and
a set of offset rotateable weights comprising the gyration unit
that are directly coupled to the motor drive shaft. By having the
vibratory motor 63 and 64 positioned diametrically opposite from
each other one can induce a true circular orbital vibratory motion
in gyration housing 65, when it is flexibly suspended by flexible
supports 70, which are identical to the flexible supports shown in
FIG. 8.
[0059] In order to achieve a true circular orbital vibratory motion
FIG. 12 the vibratory motors 63 and 64 are synchronized with the
motors rotating in the same direction. In the synchronized
condition the weights are in the same position for each vibratory
motor. That is, if the offset weight in vibratory motor 63 is at
the 3 o'clock position the offset weight in the motor 64 will also
be at the 3 o'clock position. As a consequence the dispensing
member 62 produces a true circular orbital vibratory motion in the
x-y plane.
[0060] Thus, the rotation of off balance shafts at opposite sides
of the gyrator housing 65 can also produces a lateral gyrating
action of housing 65 i.e., a true circular orbital vibratory motion
or lateral side-to-side motion as differentiated from up and down
motion found in conventional vibration bin dischargers as well as
elliptical orbit motion found in some units which produce
non-uniform dispensing rates
[0061] Thus the invention includes the method of dispensing
material comprising the steps of: placing material in a hopper
having an outlet edge; and gyrating a dispensing member located
below the outlet edge to cause the dispensing member to
simultaneously and circumferentially vary the distance between the
outlet edge and the dispensing member to thereby increase the flow
along a portion of the dispensing member and decrease the material
flow along another portion of the dispensing member. The invention
also includes a method of stopping the gyration to shut off the
flow over the dispensing member while maintaining an open spacing
between the outlet edge and the dispensing member which can be
obtained by having the opening spacing Y maintained at a distance
such that the angle of the material on the dispensing member 13
which flows through the feed region does not exceed an angle of
repose of the material.
* * * * *