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:
May. 24, 1983
Filed:
Apr. 24, 1978
John A Richards, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for pumping powdered materials. The apparatus includes a hopper having a discharge outlet in one end wall thereof. An agitator gently stirs the powdered material to prevent it from bridging and packing in the hopper. A sliding cylindrical sleeve, axially aligned with the discharge outlet, and a main piston therein are movable in the hopper for successively entrapping, or segregating, and discharging a portion of the powdered material through the discharge outlet. An auxiliary hydraulic cylinder within the sleeve contains a plunger that slides through a bore in the main piston. The plunger is independently movable relative to the main piston and sleeve, and, upon retraction, provides a void in the entrapped material to prevent bridging and packing in the sleeve. A fluidizing element in the hopper below the path of travel of the sleeve keeps the powdered material in a loose condition to further eliminate any tendency to bridge or pack in the sleeve. A slide valve is mounted on said one end wall of the hopper for controlling the discharge of powdered material from the discharge outlet into a chamber that may be pressurized. The method comprises essentially, extending the plunger into the body of powdered material, entrapping a portion of the powdered material adjacent to and surrounding the plunger, withdrawing the plunger from the entrapped powdered material to form a void therein, and discharging the entrapped material.