초록 ▼

A hopper cylindrical about a vertical axis has an agitator with blades rotating near the bottom of the hopper, not only to agitate insulation but also to move it through a hopper outlet opening into an airlock having a horizontal shaft and radially spaced blades. The vertical shaft for the hopper ag

A hopper cylindrical about a vertical axis has an agitator with blades rotating near the bottom of the hopper, not only to agitate insulation but also to move it through a hopper outlet opening into an airlock having a horizontal shaft and radially spaced blades. The vertical shaft for the hopper agitator and the horizontal airlock shaft are aligned so that one may be driven from the other, as by miter gears. A motor and reduction gearing may drive the airlock shaft, through a chain and sprocket connection, or the motor and reduction gearing may drive the hopper agitator shaft through a coupling. The blades of the airlock rotor may be individually removable through the airlock inlet, as in order to replace flexible wipers. Each airlock blade may have a flange at an obtuse angle such as 150° which is bolted to one side of the multisided shaft by a series of cap bolts. Preferably, the number of blades is even, so that the shaft has a corresponding number of sides and tapped holes for the cap bolts that extend completely through the shaft, to the opposite side and cap bolts for opposed blades enter opposite ends of the holes. For other blades, the holes are spaced longitudinally, so that no holes will intersect. The bottom of the hopper may be a relatively thick, circular plate to which the equipment in a circular, base enclosure may be attached. Other features are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In an airlock having a housing for receiving insulation through an upper inlet for insulation and a rotor within said housing including a series of circumferential spaced vanes providing a series of spaces for moving insulation from said upper inlet to a lower position, generally sealed from said

1. In an airlock having a housing for receiving insulation through an upper inlet for insulation and a rotor within said housing including a series of circumferential spaced vanes providing a series of spaces for moving insulation from said upper inlet to a lower position, generally sealed from said inlet and at which air is introduced into successive spaces for moving said insulation through an outlet generally opposed to said air inlet, the improvement comprising: a shaft having a number of sides corresponding to the number of vanes; each said vane including a blade having a flange extending at an obtuse angle to the remainder of said blade; means for removably attaching a flange of each said blade to a side of said shaft; and each said vane being removable through said upper inlet after detachment from said shaft. 2. In an airlock, as defined in claim 1, wherein: said blades and the number of sides of said shaft are even in number; and said blade flanges are attached by fastening devices extending into holes through said shaft from one side to the opposite side, with holes extending through different sides of said shaft being longitudinally spaced. 3. In an airlock as defined in claim 1, wherein: said blade flanges are attached to the sides of said shaft by removable threaded members engaging tapped holes extending through said shaft between opposite sides, with more than one tapped hole in each side of said shaft and the holes extending through adjacent sides of said shaft being longitudinally spaced. 4. In an airlock, as defined in claim 3, wherein: said shaft is hexagonal; said blades are six in number; and the angle between each said flange and the corresponding blade is approximately 150°. 5. A transportable insulation blower comprising: a generally cylindrical hopper having a generally vertical axis; a partition providing a circular bottom for said hopper; an enclosure wall beneath said partition formed essentially as an extension of said hopper; an agitator in said hopper comprising a series of blades extending radially from an upright shaft which extends upwardly through said partition; a hopper outlet opening in said partition; insulation receiving and moving means within said enclosure wall, having a horizontal drive shaft and positioned beneath said partition for receiving insulation passing through said opening and moving said insulation into a discharge conduit extending through said enclosure wall, said receiving and moving means having an air inlet opposite said discharge conduit and said inlet and conduit being laterally offset from a vertical plane through the center of said drive shaft; means within said enclosure wall for supplying air to said air inlet of said insulation receiving and moving means; means within said enclosure wall for driving said air supplying means; means substantially within said enclosure wall for driving one of said agitator shaft and said shaft of said insulation receiving and moving means; and means within said enclosure for driving the other of said agitator shaft and said shaft of said insulation receiving and moving means from the shaft driven by said driving means. 6. An insulation blower, as defined in claim 5, wherein: said insulation receiving and moving means comprises an airlock having a series of vanes within a housing and mounted on said generally horizontal shaft to form spaces for receiving insulation from said hopper outlet opening and carrying the same to a lower position for movement into said discharge conduit by air pressure from an inlet generally opposite said discharge conduit; and means for moving said vanes in a direction past said inlet opening opposite the direction of said agitator blades. 7. An insulation blower, as defined in claim 5, including: a slide gate disposed above said opening and below said agitator blades, for regulating the flow of insulation through said outlet opening. 8. An insulation blower, as defined in claim 5, wherein: said partition is inclined outwardly and downwardly from the position of said agitator shaft; and said agitator blades are inclined outwardly and downwardly from said agitator shaft. 9. An insulation blower as defined in claim 5, wherein: said means for driving one of said agitator shaft and said shaft of said insulation receiving and moving means includes an electric motor and speed reducer driving said agitator shaft. 10. An insulation blower as defined in claim 9, including: intermeshing miter gears on said agitator shaft and said shaft of said receiving and moving means. 11. An insulation blower as defined in claim 5, wherein: said means for driving one of said agitator shaft and said shaft of said insulation receiving and moving means includes an electric motor and speed reducer having a shaft parallel to said shaft of said receiving and moving means; and a chain and sprocket drive between said speed reducer shaft and said shaft of said receiving and moving means. 12. An insulation blower as defined in claim 11, including: intermeshing miter gears on said agitator shaft and said shaft of said receiving and moving means. 13. An insulation blower comprising: a generally cylindrical, upright hopper; a partition providing a generally circular bottom for said hopper, said partition having an outlet opening through which insulation may move from said hopper; agitating means movable about an upright axis in said hopper, including an upright shaft extending upwardly through said partition; an enclosure formed by a wall beneath said partition and formed essentially as an extension of said hopper, said agitator shaft extending into said enclosure; an airlock beneath said partition and within said enclosure, said airlock having a housing provided with an upper inlet located to receive insulation moving through said partition opening and having a central, generally horizontal shaft carrying a series of radial vanes within said housing, an air inlet and an outlet extending through said enclosure wall at a position laterally offset from a vertical plane through the center of said airlock shaft for discharge of insulation propelled by such air, said air inlet and corresponding outlet being at opposed ends of the lower portion of said airlock housing and the axis of said horizontal airlock shaft extending to generally intersect the axis of said agitator shaft; electric drive means substantially within said enclosure for rotating one of said agitator shaft and said airlock shaft; means for rotating the other said agitator shaft and airlock shaft from the shaft rotated by said electric drive means; an electrically driven blower having an air discharge connection communicating with said air inlet of said airlock, said air inlet and said blower connection being laterally offset from said vertical plane through the center of said airlock shaft to clear said agitator shaft; and said means for rotating, said blower and said blower connection being contained substantially within said enclosure. 14. An insulation blower, as defined in claim 13, wherein: said airlock shaft is driven by said drive means; and said agitator shaft extends to a bearing below said airlock shaft. 15. An insulation blower as defined in claim 13, wherein: said drive means is connected to said agitator shaft below said airlock shaft. 16. An insulation blower comprising: a generally cylindrical, upright hopper; a partition providing a generally circular bottom for said hopper, said partition having an outlet opening through which insulation may move from said hopper; agitating means movable about an upright axis in said hopper, including an upright shaft extending upwardly through said partition; an airlock beneath said partition, having a housing provided with an upper inlet located to receive insulation moving through said partition opening and having a generally horizontal shaft carrying a series of radial vanes within said housing, an air inlet and an outlet for discharge of insulation propelled by such air, said inlet and corresponding outlet being at opposed ends of the lower portion of said airlock housing; said airlock shaft having a number of sides corresponding to the number of vanes; each said vane including a blade having a flange extending at an obtuse angle to the remainder of said blade; means for removably attaching a flange of each said blade to a side of said shaft; each said vane being removable, after detachment from said shaft, through said upper inlet of said airlock and said outlet opening of said partition; and means for rotating said agitator shaft and said airlock shaft. 17. An insulation blower as defined in claim 16, including: an enclosure wall beneath said partition formed essentially as an extension of said hopper; said means for rotating said agitator shaft and airlock shaft comprising electric means substantially within said enclosure wall for driving one of said agitator shaft and said airlock shaft; and means for driving the other of said agitator shaft and said airlock shaft from the shaft driven by said electric means. 18. An insulation blower as defined in claim 16, including: an electrically driven blower having an air discharge connection with said air inlet of said airlock; and said inlet and outlet of said airlock being laterally offset from a vertical plane through the center line of said airlock shaft. 19. An insulation blower as defined in claim 18, including: electric means substantially within said enclosure wall for driving one of said agitator shaft and said airlock shaft; and means for driving the other of said agitator shaft and airlock shaft from the shaft driven by said electric means.