Claims
- 1. A bulk storage, batching and dispensing apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of bags, each of said bags containing a quantity of dry material in bulk form, means associated with each bag for agitating the bulk dry material contained therein, means for feeding a measured amount of the dry material from each selected one of said bags into a collecting means to thereby create a batch comprised of said a plurality of dry material, and means for conveying said batch of dry material contained within said collecting means to a receiver.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feeding means includes a trough associated with each bag for receiving said dry material as said dry material exits from said dry material's associated bag, and means associated with each trough for moving said dry material from within said trough to said collecting means.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bag supporting means includes means for supporting said bags from their tops, said bags having bottom pourspouts, and wherein said bags are rack mounted in close proximity to thereby simulate the close spacing of bins.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said troughs is positioned beneath said trough's associated bag, and wherein said bag agitating means comprises the sole means for maintaining a continuous flow of dry material from within each of said bags and into and through their associated troughs.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said moving means comprises an auger.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said bag agitating means comprises a pivotally mounted bracket and means for pushing said bracket into said bag to thereby agitate the dry material contained therein.
- 7. A batch weighting apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of bags in a rack mounted manner, with each of said bags containing a quantity of dry material in bulk form, said batch weighting apparatus having means associated with each of said bags for agitating the dry material contained therein to thereby ensure a reliable, even flow thereof out of said bags, a feeding means associated with each bag, and a weigh hopper, said feeding means having means for feeding a desired quantity of said material from the bags into said weigh hopper to thereby create a batch of dry material.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said agitating means comprises the sole means for mixing said dry material as said dry material gravity feeds from said bags into said feeding means and is fed into said weigh hopper.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said agitating means comprises a bracket positioned beneath the bottom of said agitating mean's associated bag and means for urging said bracket member up into said bag.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said bags is supported above each of said bag's associated feeding means.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of said feeding means comprises a generally V-shaped trough under said bag, and an auger positioned in said trough to convey said dry material out of said trough and into said weigh hopper.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/629,157 filed Dec. 18, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,135.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
629157 |
Dec 1990 |
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