FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of controlled conveyance of feed material from a source using a compressed air and a material pick-up device, to a receiver of a processing machine.
BACKGROUND
Generally, in an industry where a hopper is used as a device to receive raw feed -material and supply the same to other machinery for further processing of the material. The present industrial practices of filling these hoppers are as described below.
The conventional way is manually, with the use of a bowl, a scoop or a small bucket. This is naturally labor-intensive and monotonous with the attendant problems of spillage, inadvertent mix - ups, contamination, frequent lapses etc.
In a known Screw conveyor system, the conveyance of feed material from a source into a target place such as a hopper is performed by screw conveyor along with a plurality of mechanical parts having constraints in disposition of space and maintenance.
In another known conveyor system with Vacuum Auto Loaders wherein blower/ vacuum pump is used to convey the feed material into hopper. In this construction, the Hopper loader is equipped with a Blower/ Vacuum Pump to create suction to draw- up the material through a suction probe and flexible hose and deliver into the receiver or material separator to be discharged into the hopper. It has its integrated control panel with timers to control conveying, delay off time. The entire equipment is directly mounted on the hopper atop the machine. Thus the entire feeding system including the hopper with its dryer make it an unwieldy, tall and heavy over burden on the machine; particularly if the hopper is large , in keeping with the raw - material consumption rate of a machine. The whole material feeding system wobbles and sways at every cycle of operation. The stress caused by the inertia of the unit on the body of the plasticizer makes the mounting flange and gate vulnerable for a breakdown, necessitating reduced speeds in production. The various components of the system also make it cumbersome to clean and maintain and often account for Machine downtime. The suction blower motor being power intensive is also costly in operation.

It is also complex to install and a hindrance, with all its piping crises- crossing in the operating space. Another limitation is that it can handle Plastic resin raw materials only in the form of granules and not in powder form as in thermosets.
Plastics processing machinery like Injection Molding machines, Extrusion plants, Blow molding , Film plants, Sheet lines, Roto Molding have a hopper placed on the top of the machine, over plasticizing unit, to contain and to feed Plastic resin raw materials at the demanded rate of production. To ensure a continuous non-stop run of the machine the hopper needs to be constantly filled with raw material, in a regulated manner so that the reserve does not drop below a predetermined level or overfill and spill.
The plastic resin raw materials are generally available in the market, in the form of granules, or powder, packed in bags or containers like drums etc.
Hence, a practical and economic means is imperative to transfer the material from these bags or containers, placed on the floor, to the hopper atop the machine at the desired rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system for conveyance of feed-material to a receiver of a processing machine comprises a compressed air line providing a regulated supply of compressed air. A material pick-up device for amplifying the compressed air received from the compressed air line. A source container with the material pick-up device for storing and supplying the feed- material. A receiver of a processing machine with level sensors for controlling maximum and minimum level of the regulated feed- material and controlling the feed,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig 1 shows the system for conveyance of feed-material embodying the present invention. Fig 2 shows the system of the present invention integrated with Plastic Injection Molding Machine as an exemplary embodiment.

Fig 3 shows a cross- sectional view of the material pick-up device along with its functional connectivity with other components of the system.
DRAWINGS- Reference Numerals
1- source Container
2- receiver/hopper
3- tube
4- material pick-up device
5- electro pneumatic valve
6- compressed air line
7- air pressure regulator
8- conduit pipe
9- feeding inlet
10 - top level sensor
11- bottom level sensor
12- feed material
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the present invention provides a system for conveyance of feed -material to a receiver of a processing machine comprising:
a. a compressed air line providing a regulated supply of compressed air;
b. a material pick-up device amplifying the compressed air received from the
compressed air line;
c. a source container with the material pick-up device for storing and
supplying the feed- material; and
d. a receiver of a processing machine with at least one level sensor for sensing
maximum and/or minimum level of the regulated feed- material and
provides input to the compressed air line for regulating the supply of the
feed material from the source container to the receiver.
In an embodiment an electro pneumatic valve is installed on the compressed airline, which actuates the supply of the feed material conveyance into the receiver. The electro pneumatic valve and/sensors are controlled by relays.

The compressed air line further comprises a pressure regulator for adjusting the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the material pickup device. The supply of compressed air from the compressed air line to the material pick-up device is through a tube.
The source container is placed at a ground level; the supply of the feed material from the source container to the receiver is through a conduit pipe. The receiver is provided with at least two sensors, wherein the level sensors are fixed on the wall of the receiver. The level sensors command the electro pneumatic valve for regulating the feed.
In another embodiment, the source container from where the feed-material supplied could be a preceding processing machine.
One more embodiment of the invention provides a system for conveyance of feed - material to a receiver of a processing machine comprising:
a. a compressed air line consisting of an electro pneumatic valve and a pressure
regulator providing a regulated supply of compressed air;
b. a material pick-up device amplifying the compressed air received from the
compressed air line;
c. a source container with the material pick-up device for storing and supplying
the feed- material; and
d. a receiver of a processing machine with at least two level sensors functionally
coupled to the electro pneumatic valve, senses the maximum and the minimum
level of the regulated feed- material and provides input to the compressed air
line for regulating the supply of feed material from the source container to the
receiver.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method for conveyance of feed -material to a receiver of a processing machine comprising the steps of:
a. providing a regulated supply of compressed air,
b. amplifying the compressed air;
c. regulating the supply of the feed- material using the amplified compressed
air to the receiver;
d. monitoring the supply of feed material from a source container to the
receiver; and
e. feeding to the processing machine.

Fig 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention system for conveyance of feed - material 12 from a source container 1 using a compressed air and a material pick-up device 4 to supply feed - material 12 to a receiver 2.
The source container 1 disposed at a ground level to store the feed - material 12. In one embodiment of the present invention the source container 1 is a bag or drum or any other suitable container that can be used to store feed - material. In another embodiment of the present invention the source container 1 from where the feed - materia] is collected for further processing can also be a preceding processing machine. In other words, the feed material could be supplied directly from a processing machine instead of the container 1 from where the material is collected and conveyed further for onward processing.
The receiver/ hopper 2 collect the feed material 12 from the source container 1 and supplies to the processing machine. In one embodiment the processing machine is a plasties processing machinery like Injection Molding machines, Extrusion plants, Blow molding, Film plants, Sheet lines, Roto Molding. In one embodiment the feed material 12 is Plastic Resin granules or powder. In another embodiments the feed- material 12 are chemicals in granular/ powder form, capsules, sawdust/ wooden chips/ metal chips/powders, paper & cloth trims, lint, dust, small parts, waste from stamping / power presses, grain. The feed hopper 2 is placed on top of the processing machine.. The hopper 2 is provided with level sensors 10 and 11. Both the sensors are functionally coupled to an electro pneumatic valve 5. The level sensors 10 and 11 incorporated in the receiver 2 command an electro pneumatic valve 5 for regulating (starting and stopping) of the feed. In one embodiment of the present invention the electro pneumatic valve 5 and/ or sensors 10'and 11 are controlled by relays. Bottom sensor 11 senses the lower limit of the feed material 12 and top sensor 10 senses the upper limit of the feed material 12. Sensors 10 and 11 are fixed on the wall of the hopper at suitable levels to sense and control the maximum and minimal amount (volume or weight basis) of filling of the feed material 12. In another embodiment of the present invention one level sensor can be used to sense the feed material 12. In yet another embodiment of the present invention more than two level sensors can be used to sense the feed material 12. In one embodiment of the present invention the level sensors are selected from proximity sensors or Photocells.
The electro pneumatic valve 5 is installed on a compressed air line 6 actuates the supply (start & stop) of the feed material 12 conveyance into the receiver 2. The compressed air line 6 with the electro pneumatic valve 5 provides a regulated supply of

compressed air. The electro pneumatic valve 5 of the compressed air line 6 is connected to the material pick-up device 4 and the level sensors 10 and 11 of the hopper and regulates supply and stop operation of the feed - material 12 conveyance into the hopper 2. An air pressure regulator 7 on the compressed air line 6 is provided for adjusting the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the material pickup device 4 through the electro pneumatic valve 5. In another embodiment of the present invention operation of the conveyance system is controlled by a relays. In yet another embodiment of the present invention the compressed airflow output can be controlled by a regulator on the compressed airline 6 and thus regulate the rate of flow and quantities of the feed material 12 to be delivered into the hopper 2. In one embodiment of the present invention volume or weight control devices are used.
A tube 3 connects the electro pneumatic valve 5 of the compressed air line 6 an