A bulk loader system is disclosed that may include a conveyor unit in connection with a fuel-powered engine powering a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor may be used to operate the conveyor unit. The system may be configured to function while being mounted on a bed of a truck or be operated as a stand-alone unit. The unit may be sized such that an operator can stand on the deck of the truck along with the unit. The fuel-hydraulic powered motor can enable the conveyor unit to operate at variable speeds. The conveyor unit can be adjustable to facilitate controlling the direction of the material being transported via the conveyor. Some embodiments can include operating the hydraulics of the motor from the Power Take-Off (PTO) of the truck. Some embodiments can facilitate operation of the system in a hot or other harsh environment.

An improved feeder/conveyor includes a flexible rotating open helix screw inside a cylindrical sheathing. A motor drive is attached to the flexible rotating open helix screw above at a delivery end, and such provides the rotational speeds necessary to generate the centrifugal and lifting forces necessary. The improvements include a conical bullnose tip as a feeder that attaches to the flexible rotating open helix screw with a curved and tapered support feeder gusset. Such attachment mechanically supports and aligns the conical bullnose tip to the distal end of the flexible rotating open helix screw and a central turning axis. A nose opening in the conical bullnose tip allows either exit or entry of material freely to or from the supply bed, depending on the conveying conditions.

A split hopper for dispensing granular or powdery materials has a hopper body and a lid. At least the hopper body is formed principally from a castable resin material such as polyurethane. The hopper body is formed from two hopper body sections mating at vertical faces and hinged to one another. Tooling mounts and other features such as clamping lugs can be cast directly into the hopper body sections during the casting process. The lid may be sealed to the top of the hopper body via a ring seal that may seal both radially and axially against the hopper body. A tool holder may be provided beneath the discharge opening of the hopper body for selectively engaging tooling so that the tooling does not fall out of the hopper body when the hopper body is opened.

An ozone treatment apparatus for grain uses first and second storage bins and an auger conveyor for conveying the grain from a first end in communication with the bottom of the first bin to a second end that can be directed into either one of the top of the first bin or the top of the second bin. An ozone injector injects ozone into the auger conveyor for mixing with and treating the conveyed grain. In a first mode, the conveyor discharges the grain from the second end of the conveyor through a first discharge outlet into the first storage bin to recycle the grain during treatment. In a second mode, the conveyor discharges the grain through a second discharge outlet into the second storage bin once treatment is complete.

An improved feeder/conveyor includes a flexible rotating open helix screw inside a cylindrical sheathing. A motor drive is attached to the flexible rotating open helix screw above at a delivery end, and such provides the rotational speeds necessary to generate the centrifugal and lifting forces necessary. The improvements include a conical bullnose tip as a feeder that attaches to the flexible rotating open helix screw with a curved and tapered support feeder gusset. Such attachment mechanically supports and aligns the conical bullnose tip to the distal end of the flexible rotating open helix screw and a central turning axis. A nose opening in the conical bullnose tip allows either exit or entry of material freely to or from the supply bed, depending on the conveying conditions.

A waste processing apparatus may include a pyrolyser and a feed assembly. The feed assembly may include a feed duct including a waste inlet configured to receive waste. The feed duct may further include a waste outlet configured to discharge the waste from the feed duct to the pyrolyser. The feed assembly may also include a feed screw disposed within the feed duct configured to convey the waste from the waste inlet to the waste outlet. The feed assembly may further include a rotary drive configured to cause the feed screw to convey the waste from the waste inlet to the waste outlet. The feed assembly may also include a rotational resistance sensor configured to monitor a parameter related to resistance to rotation. The feed assembly may further include a rotary drive controller configured to reduce, based on the parameter, a rotary output speed of the rotary drive.

A split hopper for dispensing granular or powdery materials has a hopper body and a lid. At least the hopper body is formed principally from a castable resin material such as polyurethane. The hopper body is formed from two hopper body sections mating at vertical faces and hinged to one another. Tooling mounts and other features such as clamping lugs can be cast directly into the hopper body sections during the casting process. The lid may be sealed to the top of the hopper body via a ring seal that may seal both radially and axially against the hopper body. A tool holder may be provided beneath the discharge opening of the hopper body for selectively engaging tooling so that the tooling does not fall out of the hopper body when the hopper body is opened.

A dough handling apparatus has a conveyor device for dough having a conveying chamber arranged between a dough inlet and a dough outlet, and a conveyor screw arranged in the conveying chamber; a supply container having an outlet opening for supplying dough to the conveyor device, wherein, in an operative position, the outlet opening connects to the dough inlet of the conveyor device, wherein the supply container is pivotable from the operative position into a pivoted-away position; and a helical feed device, wherein the helical feed device is releasably mounted in an upper part of the dough inlet of the conveyor device, wherein a first end of the helical feed device extends into the supply container, and a second end of the helical feed device extends toward the conveyor screw, wherein the second end is arranged near an outer circumference of the conveyor screw.

Dispensing device (1) for the controlled dispensing of food substances contained in a container (2) which can be associated with the dispensing device (1) in correspondence with a mouth (20) of the container through which the substance to be dispensed passes; the device (1) comprises: a screw element (10) comprising a hollow cylindrical body (12) with an inlet (11) connectable to the container (2) and a dispensing outlet (14); a helicoid (13) disposed internally and coaxial with respect to the cylindrical body (12); a support base (3) comprising motor means (4, 5) connected and acting on the screw (10) to activate on command the controlled rotation of the helicoid (13) and obtain the consequent controlled transfer of the substance to be dispensed from the container (2) towards said dispensing outlet (14); the screw element (10) can be connected to the base (3) by means of a quick release connection.

Techniques are described for consistently moving powder from a hopper into a trough for subsequent delivery into a build area of an additive fabrication system. A powder conveyer may be arranged at least partially within the hopper and configured to be actuated to transfer powder to the trough. The powder conveyer may be formed as a screw conveyor, for example. Such techniques do not require complex closed-loop control systems and may be effective irrespective of the flowability of the powder. In at least some cases, there may be no production of excess powder because the amount of powder that is metered into the trough may be precisely controlled to be the amount needed for recoating.