apparatus for transporting a material solid finemenie divided from one space to another space substantially normal pressure under high pressure

摘要

Two spaces are provided, one of which is at a higher pressure than the other. A transfer arrangement serves for transferring a finely divided solid material, e.g., a combustible fuel, from one to the other space, usually from the lower-pressure space into the higher-pressure space. This arrangement includes a housing bounding a spherical chamber having two openings each of which communicates with one of the spaces. A spherical body is located turnably in the housing and provided with a blind bore the open end of which can be placed into communication with one or the other of the openings, depending upon the turning of the spherical body. A piston is reciprocable in this bore and can be retracted to draw a quantity of solid material into the blind bore when the open end thereof registers with one of the openings, and can be advanced for expelling the quantity when the open end registers with the other of the openings. A direct communication between the two spaces is therefore reliably avoided at all times.