Importance

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Abstract

A metering unloader (101) for unloading a fluent material from a flow path (11) is disclosed. The flow path has a fluent material outlet (27). The metering unloader comprises an unloader body (103) having an outer cylindric wall (105) and an inner cylindric wall (107) spaced radially inwardly from the outer wall with the walls defining a chamber (126) therebetween. Means (117) is provided for rotating the unloader body about a vertical axis. Outer wall (105) has a fluent material inlet opening (119) such that with the fluent material inlet opening (119) in register with the flow path fluent material outlet (27), the fluent material will flow by gravity through the fluent material inlet opening (119) in the outer wall into the chamber (126). The inner wall (107) has a fluent material outlet opening (127) therein such that the fluent material in the chamber (126) will flow by gravity from the chamber to a fluent material discharge outlet (15). A gate (121) is mounted relative to the fluent material inlet opening (119) in the outer wall, and means (123) is provided for opening and closing the gate (119) thereby to regulate the flow of fluent material into the chamber (126) from the fluent material outlet (27) when the fluent material inlet opening (119) is in register therewith and to vary the rate at which the unloader (101) unloads the fluent material from the flow path.

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First Claim