Reed Manufacturing

David C Lawrence

Richard A Ellis

David J Stoner

Paul E Sulman

Fernando Lopez

Steven L Lang

A rotary feed structure for a gunite-conveying machine includes a polymeric body to resist sticking of gunite even if the latter includes silica fume, and even if it has set. The body has chambers in a circle. Preferably the body is urethane, self-bonded to a Ni-hard wear plate to eliminate radial leakage, and the mounting, (typically holes for studs), at least in part, is integral with the plate. A metal axial spacer is preferably next to the plate, but only within the innermost radius of chambers and with a sizable wall thickness. The body is preferably a feed-bowl type, with chambers formed as generally U-shaped pockets. A gunite machine using the polymeric feed structure also has a hopper, delivery tube, support and rotation of the feed structure, compressed-air for expelling the particulate material from the chambers into the tube, and provision for transporting the hopper, tube, body, and other apparatus. Chambers are selectively sealed to the expelling device and delivery tube. Dust emission is controlled by a short fill at the expulsion end of each chamber, and selective venting of residual pressure through the air-inlet end. Remaining dust, collected by a dry bag or atomizer nozzle, is preferably recycled to the bowl. New materials and procedures are used for fabricating the polymeric body.

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Upland, CA, United States of America

David C Lawrence