Conveyor with rotary airlock apparatus

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:869826

Kronberg, James W ^[1]

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1. Aiken, SC

An apparatus for transferring objects from a first region to a second reg, the first and second regions having differing atmospheric environments. The apparatus includes a shell having an entrance and an exit, a conveyor belt running through the shell from the entrance to the exit, and a horizontally mounted "revolving door" with at least four vanes revolving about its axis. The inner surface of the shell and the top surface of the conveyor belt act as opposing walls of the "revolving door." The conveyor belt dips as it passes under but against the revolving vanes so as not to interfere with them but to engage at least two of the vanes and define thereby a moving chamber. Preferably, the conveyor belt has ridges or grooves on its surface that engage the edges of the vanes and act to rotate the vane assembly. Conduits are provided that communicate with the interior of the shell and allow the adjustment of the atmosphere of the moving chamber or recovery of constituents of the atmosphere of the first region from the moving chamber before they escape to the second region.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5405231
• OSTI ID: 869826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

conveyor
rotary
airlock
apparatus
transferring
region
reg
regions
differing
atmospheric
environments
shell
entrance
exit
belt
running
horizontally
mounted
revolving
door
vanes
axis
inner
surface
top
opposing
walls
dips
passes
interfere
engage
define
moving
chamber
preferably
ridges
grooves
edges
rotate
vane
assembly
conduits
provided
communicate
interior
allow
adjustment
atmosphere
recovery
constituents
escape
top surface
inner surface
vane assembly
conveyor belt
atmospheric environment
opposing wall
rotary airlock
horizontally mounted
/414/198/