초록 ▼

An adjustable aperture apparatus on a bulk material transfer chute that transfers a flow of bulk material from a discharge conveyor to a separate receiving conveyor is automatically closed when no bulk material is being transferred by the transfer chute from the discharge conveyor to the receiving c

An adjustable aperture apparatus on a bulk material transfer chute that transfers a flow of bulk material from a discharge conveyor to a separate receiving conveyor is automatically closed when no bulk material is being transferred by the transfer chute from the discharge conveyor to the receiving conveyor. With the apparatus being closed, any residual dust from the bulk material remaining on the discharge conveyor is collected on the closed apparatus and primarily contained in the bulk material transfer chute. When bulk material is again conveyed on the discharge conveyor to the bulk material transfer chute, the conveyed bulk material is deposited on the closed aperture apparatus and the weight of the material causes the apparatus to automatically move to an opened condition, allowing the transfer of the collected dust with the bulk material supplied to the bulk material transfer chute to the receiving conveyor. The apparatus improves environmental conditions over the current art, improves health and safety conditions of personnel over the current art, and improves operational safety conditions in respect to explosion risk over the current art.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An adjustable aperture apparatus that retains dust from material directed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a tube having a cylindrical interior surface that surrounds an interior bore of the tube, the tube having a length that extends from a top edge of the tu

What is claimed is: 1. An adjustable aperture apparatus that retains dust from material directed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a tube having a cylindrical interior surface that surrounds an interior bore of the tube, the tube having a length that extends from a top edge of the tube that surrounds a top opening to the interior bore to a bottom edge of the tube that surrounds a bottom opening to the interior bore, the tube cylindrical interior surface having a center axis that extends through the tube interior bore and defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the tube; a plurality of plates in the tube interior bore, each plate having a radially outer edge positioned adjacent the tube interior surface, a radially inner edge opposite the radially outer edge and a pair of side edges between the radially outer edge and the radially inner edge with the pair of side edges converging as the pair of side edges extend from the radially outer edge toward the radially inner edge, and each plate having opposite top and bottom surfaces that face the respective top and bottom edges of the tube; a plurality of pivoting connections connecting the plurality of plates to the tube for pivoting movement of the plurality of plates between closed positions where the plurality of plates extend radially into the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges, and opened positions where the plurality of plates extend axially through the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges; and, a plurality of springs operatively connected between the plurality of plates and the tube with the plurality of springs urging the plurality of plates to the closed positions. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the tube being oriented with the tube length extending in a downward direction from the tube top edge to the tube bottom edge and with the center axis being oriented vertically; and, the plurality of plates being oriented horizontally in the closed positions and the plurality of plates being oriented vertically in the opened positions. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates being formed by a plurality of straight line edge sections that conform to the cylindrical interior surface of the tube. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the plurality of plates consisting of four plates. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the plurality of pivoting connections all being positioned in a single plane that is positioned perpendicular to the center axis. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates consisting of three straight line edge sections separated by two corners. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the plurality of pivoting connections connecting the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates to the interior surface of the tube. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the tube having a large diameter section and a small diameter section; and, the plurality of pivoting connections connecting the plurality of plates to the tube large diameter section. 9. An adjustable aperture apparatus that retains dust from material directed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a tube having a cylindrical interior surface that surrounds an interior bore of the tube, the tube having a length that extends from a top edge of the tube that surrounds a top opening to the interior bore, to a bottom edge of the tube that surrounds a bottom opening to the interior bore, the tube cylindrical interior surface having a center axis that extends through the tube interior bore and defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the tube; a plurality of plates in the tube interior bore, each plate having a radially outer edge positioned adjacent the tube interior surface, a radially inner edge opposite the radially outer edge, and a pair of side edges between the radially outer edge and the radially inner edge with the pair of side edges converging as the pair of side edges extend from the radially outer edge toward the radially inner edge, and each plate having opposite top and bottom surfaces that face the respective top and bottom edges of the tube; a plurality of pivoting connections connecting the radially outer edge of the plurality of plates to the tube interior surface for pivoting movement of the plurality of plates between closed positions where the plurality of plates extend radially into the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges, and opened positions where the plurality of plates extend axially through the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges; and, a plurality of springs operatively connected between the plurality of plates and the tube with the plurality of springs urging the plurality of plates to the closed positions. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: the tube having a large diameter section and a small diameter section; and, the plurality of pivoting connections connect the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates to the tube interior surface in the tube large diameter section. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: the tube being oriented with the tube length extending in a downward direction from the tube top edge to the tube bottom edge and with the center axis being oriented vertically; and, the plurality of plates being oriented horizontally in the closed positions and the plurality of plates being oriented vertically in the opened positions. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: the plurality of pivoting connections all being positioned in a single plane that is positioned perpendicular to the center axis. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates being formed by a plurality of straight line edge sections that conform to the cylindrical interior surface of the tube. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: the plurality of plates consisting of four plates. 15. An adjustable aperture apparatus that retains dust from material directed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a tube having a cylindrical interior surface that surrounds an interior bore of the tube, the tube having a length that extends from a top edge of the tube that surrounds a top opening to the interior bore, to a bottom edge of the tube that surrounds a bottom opening to the interior bore, the tube cylindrical interior surface having a center axis that extends through the tube interior bore and defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the tube; a plurality of plates in the tube interior bore, each plate having a radially outer edge positioned adjacent the tube interior surface, a radially inner edge opposite the radially outer edge, and a pair of side edges between the radially outer edge and the radially inner edge with the pair of side edges converging as the pair of side edges extend from the radially outer edge toward the radially inner edge, and each plate having opposite top and bottom surfaces that face the respective top and bottom edges of the tube, with each plate top surface having a concave curvature between the plate side edges; a plurality of pivoting connections connecting the plurality of plates to the tube for pivoting movement of the plurality of plates between closed positions where the plurality of plates extend radially into the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges, and opened positions where the plurality of plates extend axially through the tube interior bore from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges; and, a plurality of springs operatively connected between the plurality of plates and the tube with the plurality of springs urging the plurality of plates to the closed positions. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: the tube being oriented with the tube length extending in a downward direction from the tube top edge to the tube bottom edge and with the center axis being oriented vertically; and, the plurality of plates being oriented horizontally in the closed positions and the plurality of plates being oriented vertically in the opened positions. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: the concave curvatures of the top surfaces of the plurality of plates conforming to the cylindrical interior surface of the tube when the plurality of plates are in the opened positions. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: the plurality of pivoting connections all being positioned in a single plane that is positioned perpendicular to the center axis. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: the plurality of pivoting connections connect the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates to the interior surface of the tube. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: the tube having a large diameter section and a small diameter section; and the plurality of pivoting connections connect the plurality of plates to the tube large diameter section. 21. An adjustable aperture apparatus that retains dust from material directed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a tube having a cylindrical interior surface that surrounds an interior bore of the tube, the tube having a length that extends downwardly from a circular top edge of the tube that surrounds a top opening to the interior bore, to a circular bottom edge of the tube that surrounds a bottom opening to the interior bore, the tube cylindrical interior surface having a center axis that extends through the tube interior bore and defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the tube; a plurality of plates in the tube interior bore, each plate having a radially outer edge positioned adjacent the tube interior surface, a radially inner edge opposite the radially outer edge, and a pair of side edges between the radially outer edge and the radially inner edge with the pair of side edges converging as the pair of side edges extend from the radially outer edge toward the radially inner edge, and each plate having opposite top and bottom surfaces that face the respective top and bottom edges of the tube, with each plate top surface having a concave curvature between the plate side edges; a plurality of pivoting connections connecting the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates to the tube interior surface for pivoting movement of the plurality of plates between closed positions where the plurality of plates extend radially from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges, and opened positions where the plurality of plates extend axially downwardly from the radially outer edges to the radially inner edges; and, a plurality of springs operatively connected between the plurality of plates and the tube with the plurality of springs urging the plurality of plates to the closed positions. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: the concave curvatures of the top surfaces of the plurality of plates conforming to the cylindrical interior surface of the tube when the plurality of plates are in the opened positions. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: the radially outer edges of the plurality of plates being formed by a plurality of straight line edge sections that conform to the cylindrical interior surface of the tube. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: the plurality of plates consisting of four plates. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: the tube having a large diameter section and a small diameter section; and the plurality of pivoting connections connect the plurality of plates to the tube large diameter section.