Importance

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Abstract

An agitator 1 has a vessel 4 provided between an upper powder/particulate material supplier 2 and a lower powder/particulate material discharger 3 to hold therein powder/particulate material to be stirred. The agitator 1 also has a stirrer 7 provided in the vessel 4 to have a stirrer rotating shaft 5 arranged in a horizontal direction and main paddles 6 fastened to the rotating shaft 5, and a multi-feeder 8 provided in the powder/particulate material discharger 3 to have both forward rotation and reverse rotation. The multi-feeder 8 has a discharger rotating shaft 81 and small-size auxiliary paddles 9 integrally rotated with the rotating shaft 81 and designed to be smaller in size than the main paddles 6. In the state of stirring the powder/particulate material in the vessel 4 by means of the stirrer 7, the agitator 1 has stirring assist function during reverse rotation of the multi-feeder 8 to cause the auxiliary paddles 9 to stir up the powder/particulate material in the powder/particulate material discharger 3 and feed the powder/particulate material back into the vessel 4. The agitator 1 also has discharge function during forward rotation of the multi-feeder 8 to discharge the powder/particulate material out of the powder/particulate material discharger 3 and the vessel 4. This arrangement effectively prevents the powder/particulate material from being accumulated in any dead space, while reducing the total height of the powder/particulate material discharger of the agitator.

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First Claim