A gyrator feeder that gyrates a dispensing member to uniformly and circumnavigating dispense material by generating a true circular orbital vibratory motion in the dispensing member by either rotating an offset weight along a vertical central axis of the dispensing member or by positioning vibratory motors diametrical opposite from each other on a gyrator housing and synchronizing the vibratory motors with each other to thereby dispense material.

The disclosure provides a bulk container discharge apparatus and related methods. An illustrative, non-limiting example of such an apparatus includes a base portion, a platform disposed on the base portion, the platform being configured to support a bulk container, and at least one articulating arm. The at least one articulating arm can have a first portion that is pivotally coupled to the base portion at a first pivot. The at least one articulating arm can be configured to lift a bulk container along a loading path (such as but not limited to an arcuate path) that is at least partially vertical from a lower position to an upper position to place the bulk container over the platform when in the articulating arm is in the upper position to facilitate discharging the contents of the bulk container.

A bulk feeder includes a feeder main body, a receiving member provided on the feeder main body and formed with a receiving region configured to receive a component discharged from a component case accommodating multiple components, a track member provided to be vibratable with respect to the feeder main body and formed with a conveyance path through which the multiple components are conveyed and a supply region that communicates with the conveyance path and opens upward to collect the multiple components, an excitation device configured to apply vibration to the track member so that the multiple components are conveyed along the conveyance path, and a connection member having flexibility and configured to connect between the receiving region and the conveyance path so that the multiple components flows through.

A bulk material dispensing system comprising a portable support structure with portable containers with wet bulk material. Locating each portable container onto the portable support structure couples a transfer member on each portable container to a vibration device on the support structure. Vibration energy is transferred from vibration device to the portable container via the transfer member. The material dispensing system is configured to route the wet bulk material from the portable container to a blender hopper via a material routing path in response to activating the vibration device.

A bulk material dispensing system comprising a portable support structure with portable containers with wet bulk material. Locating each portable container onto the portable support structure couples a transfer member on each portable container to a vibration device on the support structure. Vibration energy is transferred from vibration device to the portable container via the transfer member. The material dispensing system is configured to route the wet bulk material from the portable container to a blender hopper via a material routing path in response to activating the vibration device.

A distributing and feeding apparatus includes a distribution table configured to circumferentially distribute a long article and being fed from above, and transport the article in a circumferential direction such that a longitudinal direction of the article is along the circumferential direction of the distribution table at an outer peripheral portion, a plurality of guide members provided around the outer peripheral portion of the distribution table, and a plurality of transport feeders arrayed radially around the distribution table, and configured to transport the article in a radial direction while aligning the article received from the distribution table so as to face the radial direction. The guide member is provided so as to interfere with the article transported at the outer peripheral portion of the distribution table so that the longitudinal direction of the article is directed from the circumferential direction to the radial direction.

A distributing and feeding apparatus includes a distribution table configured to circumferentially distribute a long article and being fed from above, and transport the article in a circumferential direction such that a longitudinal direction of the article is along the circumferential direction of the distribution table at an outer peripheral portion, a plurality of guide members provided around the outer peripheral portion of the distribution table, and a plurality of transport feeders arrayed radially around the distribution table, and configured to transport the article in a radial direction while aligning the article received from the distribution table so as to face the radial direction. The guide member is provided so as to interfere with the article transported at the outer peripheral portion of the distribution table so that the longitudinal direction of the article is directed from the circumferential direction to the radial direction.