The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 28, 1978
Filed:
Jan. 03, 1977
Arthur J Evans, Northville, MI (US);
Whitlock, Inc., Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A vacuum storage hopper for storing and dispensing granular materials, including a storage chamber having a lower inverted conical discharge section terminating in a discharge valve. At least one material inlet and a combination air inlet-outlet are connected to the upper part of the storage chamber. A source of air under vacuum and pressure is connected to the air inlet-outlet for exhausting air from the storage chamber to draw granular material thereinto, and for supplying air under pressure to the storage chamber to assist the discharge of granular material from the hopper. A flexible, resilient air-impervious membrane of inverted generally conical configuration is located in the discharge section of the hopper; the membrane has its upper edge secured to the upper edge of the discharge section of the hopper and hangs downwardly therefrom. A short strip of the membrane, no more than a minor fraction of its circumference, is secured to the storage chamber below its upper edge. A port in the discharge section of the storage chamber is used to introduce air under pressure between the wall of the storage chamber and the membrane at a point above the strip of membrane and below its upper edge.