A melter melts particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form. The melter includes a heated receiving device having an interior with an inlet that receives the particulate hot melt adhesive and an outlet. The heated receiving device melts the particulate hot melt adhesive and directs the liquified hot melt adhesive to the outlet. A prepackaged container holds a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive and includes an outlet. A particulate hot melt adhesive feed device allows the particulate hot melt adhesive to be directed from the outlet of the prepackaged container to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

A conveyor system for conveying material may include a conveyor belt, a feeding mechanism for feeding materials to be conveyed onto the conveyor belt, and a belt system in which the conveyor belt is guided. The belt system may include a first belt-shaping device with which the conveyor belt can be shaped into a U shape. Thus the material to be conveyed may be brought from a substantially flat shape into the U shape. A second belt-shaping device of the belt system may shape the conveyor belt downstream of the feeding mechanism in the conveying direction to form a closed tube. The feeding mechanism may include a catching region configured such that material to be conveyed accumulates therein and forms an impact surface onto which the material to be conveyed can be fed.

An additive manufacturing system can include a powder dispenser; a gate adjacent to the powder dispenser; a recoater blade system; and a control operable to move the gate with respect to the powder dispenser to selectively dispense powder from the powder dispenser.

A melter for heating and melting particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form is disclosed. The melter includes a heated receiving device having an interior with an inlet configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive and an outlet. A flexible hopper holds a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive and a particulate hot melt adhesive feed device allows the particulate hot melt adhesive to be directed from the flexible hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

The present invention relates to a transfer chute (100) for granular material, comprising a chute body defining a flow pathway (120) for granular material, a raised portion (110) having an inclined surface (111), and a splitter member (130) arranged proximal to the raised portion (110) for, in use, dividing a flow of granular material over the raised portion into first portion in first conduit (100) and a second portion in a second conduit (300). In some embodiments, a channel (150) is disposed between the first and second conduits (100; 300) to transpose a vertical arrangement of first and second portions of granular material within the chute (10). In this way, separation by particle size or density in the flow may be reversed.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under 10 an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.

A conveyor system for conveying material may include a conveyor belt, a feeding mechanism for feeding materials to be conveyed onto the conveyor belt, and a belt system in which the conveyor belt is guided. The belt system may include a first belt-shaping device with which the conveyor belt can be shaped into a U shape. Thus the material to be conveyed may be brought from a substantially flat shape into the U shape. A second belt-shaping device of the belt system may shape the conveyor belt downstream of the feeding mechanism in the conveying direction to form a closed tube. The feeding mechanism may include a catching region configured such that material to be conveyed accumulates therein and forms an impact surface onto which the material to be conveyed can be fed.

A gravity-feed dispensing system includes a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense. A hopper identifier encodes an identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A valve of a gravity feed dispenser is operable by an actuator assembly between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper into a consumer receptacle. A controller is configured to receive an indication of a dispense of bulk material from the hopper and to receive the identification of the bulk material in the hopper. A retail endpoint is configured to receive the indication of a dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper and configured produce a sale indicator from the indication of the dispense and the identification of the bulk material in the hopper.

A supply apparatus (10) includes: a blocker (13) disposed at a fork (12) between a main conveyance path (11), a first conveyance path (12A), and a second conveyance path (12B), the blocker (13) making a switch between a first state where supply of articles from the main conveyance path (11) to the first conveyance path (12A) is blocked and a second state where supply of the articles from the main conveyance path (11) to the second conveyance path (12B) is blocked; and a controller (20) that transitions, based on respective conditions of supply of the articles to two adjacent combination weighing mechanisms (1A, 1B), the blocker (13) into at least either the first state or the second state to switch a route of conveyance of the articles.