Blower for a particulate loader and transfer apparatus

1. A particulate loader and transfer apparatus, comprising:

an air-materials separating chamber;

a vacuum pickup hose coupled with the air-materials separating chamber for directing particulate materials into the air-materials separating chamber;

separating means within the separating chamber for separating the particulate materials from an air stream;

a discharge conveyor for transferring the particulate materials to a remote location; and,

a single stage blower capable of providing sufficient suction in the event the particulate material is difficult to move or the vacuum pickup hose is blocked, the single stage blower comprising:

a. at least one blade having a proximal and a distal end;

b. means for rotating the at least one blade in a direction about an axis of rotation; wherein the proximal end of the blade is nearer to the axis of rotation than the distal end of the blade is to the axis of rotation and wherein the blade is angled so that as the blade rotates about the axis, the proximal end of the blade precedes the distal end of the blade and wherein a substantial portion of the blade is curved; and,

c. an inlet disposed concentrically to the axis of rotation and connected to the air-material separating chamber of the particulate loader and transfer apparatus for providing suction thereto.

2. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the proximal end of at least a subset of the at least one blade is extended into the inlet.

3. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein an edge of the at least a subset of the at least one blade is angled in the direction of rotation, the edge being in proximity to the proximal end of the respective blade and facing the inlet.

4. A particulate loader and transfer apparatus, comprising:

an air-materials separating chamber;

a vacuum pickup hose coupled with the air-materials separating chamber for directing particulate materials into the air-materials separating chamber;

separating means within the separating chamber for separating the particulate materials from an air stream;

a discharge conveyor for transferring the particulate materials to a remote location; and,

a single stage blower capable of providing sufficient suction in the event the particulate material is difficult to move or the vacuum pickup hose is blocked, the single stage blower comprising:

a. a plurality of blades, each blade having a proximal and a distal end;

b. means for rotating the plurality of blades in a direction about an axis of rotation; wherein the proximal end of each blade is nearer to the axis of rotation than the distal end of the blade is to the axis of rotation and wherein each blade is angled so that as the blade rotates about the axis, the proximal end of the blade precedes the distal end of the blade and wherein a substantial portion of each blade is curved; and,

c. an inlet disposed concentrically to the axis of rotation and connected to the air-material separating chamber of the particulate loader and transfer apparatus for providing suction thereto.

5. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 4 comprising a plurality of supplemental blades having a shorter length than the blades, each supplemental blade being interposed between two successive blades.

6. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein each supplemental blade has a proximal and distal end and wherein the distal end of each supplemental blade is disposed in proximity to the distal ends of the adjacent blades.

7. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the proximal end of at least a subset of the plurality of blades is extended into an inlet disposed concentrically to the axis of rotation.

8. The particulate loader and transfer apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein an edge of the at least a subset of the plurality of blades is angled in the direction of rotation, the edge being in proximity to the proximal end of the respective blade and facing the inlet.

9. A method for transferring particulate materials comprising:

providing an air-materials separating chamber;

providing a vacuum pickup hose coupled with the air-materials separating chamber for directing the particulate materials into the air-materials separating chamber;

providing separating means within the separating chamber for separating the particulate materials from an air stream;

providing a discharge conveyor for transferring the particulate materials to a remote location;

providing a single stage blower having an inlet disposed concentrically to an axis of rotation and connected to the air-materials separating chamber for providing suction thereto, the blower having a plurality of blades rotatable about the axis of rotation;

rotating the plurality of blades in a direction about the axis of rotation, wherein a proximal end of each blade is nearer to the axis of rotation than a distal end of the blade is to the axis of rotation and wherein each blade is angled so that as the blade rotates about the axis, the proximal end of the blade precedes the distal end of the blade and wherein a substantial portion of each blade is curved to provide sufficient suction in the event the particulate material is difficult to move or the vacuum pickup hose connected to the air-material separating chamber is blocked.

10. The method defined in claim 9 comprising:

providing a plurality of supplemental blades having a shorter length than the blades, each supplemental blade being interposed between two successive blades;

rotating the supplemental blades about the axis of rotation.

11. The method defined in claim 9 comprising extending the proximal end of at least a subset of the plurality of blades into the inlet.