WO2025034762A1 - Powdered material dispenser and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing powder, such as a seasoning for foods or other particulate matter. The apparatus includes a container to receive the powder to be dispensed and a rotatable agitator disposed proximal a floor of the container to disturb and move the powder. An opening in the floor of the container allows powder to be discharged into a channel having a rotatable auger therein to move the powder towards a discharge section of the channel. The auger and the agitator are driven by one or more motors. The one or more motors may be controlled by a control unit on the apparatus, allowing a user to select the rate at which the powder is dispensed. The motor that drives the agitator to rotate is intermittently reversed to provide for improved control of the rate of discharge of the powder as the charge of powder is dispensed.

Description

POWDERED MATERIAL DISPENSER AND METHOD

BACKGROUND

Statement of Related Applications

[0001] This application depends from and claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial no. 63/530,984 fded on August 6, 2023.

Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to dispensing machines and methods of using dispensing machines to dispense a stream of a powdered or granular material such as, for example, seasonings, food ingredients or additives and flavoring powders. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser apparatus and a method providing optimal control of the dispensation rate and a more controlled and linear rate of dispensation for improved quality and consistency.

Background of the Related Art

[0003] Automated beverage dispensers are common. Many dispenser machines dispense beverage additives such as sugar or flavoring additives, allowing producers or even end users to adapt drinks to their individual tastes. Many dispenser machines include a container, or “hopper,” for receiving a charge of a powdered or granular additive and a rotating auger member driven by a motor, whereby the auger's action causes a stream of powder discharged from the container to be moved laterally to a discharge member. The discharge member may be strategically positioned over a conveyor that moves a stream of the material to which the dispensed material is to be added.

[0004] Some hopper-and-auger combinations taught by the prior art have shortcomings. One shortcoming results from the fact that the containers or hoppers perform differently depending on whether the container or hopper is full or almost full, thereby creating greater pressure near the bottom of the container or hopper where the dispensed material is discharged to the auger channel, or almost empty, thereby creating less pressure near the bottom of the container or hopper. More pressure results in a higher rate of discharge as compared to lower pressure, and this lack of linear dispensation rate can result in an inconsistent mixture of the dispensed material and the material to which the dispensed material is added.

[0005] Powders, especially those with very fine granules, are prone to settling when left undisturbed for a period of time and may consequently form clumps or bridge, both of which impair even dispensation. A clump of the powder may form in between adjacent blades of an agitator or an auger, causing it to move as a cohesive unit once the agitator or auger is set in motion. This can result a loss of control of the rate at which the powder is discharged from the container or hopper since the clump or bridge will either remain suspended in a position causing an insufficient release of additive, or it will collapse and fall through the discharge port and cause a temporarily excessive rate of release of additive.

[0006] Powder and other granulated materials exhibit some characteristics of fluid flow, but they also exhibit characteristics that can cause them to stack, bridge, clump or clog. Preventing or minimizing the severity of these conditions can result in a much more linear rate of dispensation and a resulting higher quality of product.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0007] One embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus of the present invention comprises a container to receive a charge of a powdered material, the container having a top, a bottom, an interior space intermediate the top and the bottom surrounded by an interior surface, and a floor with a periphery engaging the interior surface proximal to the bottom of the container, the floor having an opening therein through which a stream of powdered material is discharged from the interior space. The embodiment further comprises an agitator rotatably disposed within the interior space of the container and proximal to the floor of the container, the agitator having a hub at its center and plurality of angularly spaced vanes extending radially outwardly from the hub. The embodiment further includes an agitator drive motor coupled to the agitator, the agitator drive motor being controllably activatable by a controller to rotate the agitator in a first, clockwise direction and a second, counterclockwise direction. The embodiment further includes an elongate channel having an intake section disposed below the opening in the floor of the container to receive the stream of powdered material discharged from the interior space of the container through the opening and a discharge section extending laterally to the intake section. The discharge section of the channel includes a sleeve extending laterally to the intake section of the channel and includes at least one dispensation aperture in the sleeve through which powdered material is discharged from the discharge section of the channel onto a targeted material such as, for example, foodstuff. The embodiment further includes an auger having a helical vane thereon and rotatably disposed within the channel and an augur drive motor coupled to the auger to rotate the auger within the channel and to move the stream of powdered material received into the channel from the intake section to the discharge section upon activation of the agitator drive motor by the controller.

[0008] One embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus of the present invention includes a controller is programmable to enable control of cyclical movement of the agitator. That is, the controller may be programmable to enable control of the angular velocity of rotation of the agitator, the direction of rotation of the agitator (i.e. in the clockwise direction and also in the counterclockwise direction) and the angular displacement of the agitator during each cycle. For example, but not by way of limitation, the controller is programmable to control the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in a counterclockwise direction at a rotational speed of 20 rotations per minute (126 radians per minute) through an angular displacement of 60 degrees (1.05 radians), followed by a pause of 3 seconds, then to further rotate the agitator in the counterclockwise direction at the same rotational speed through an additional angular displacement of 60 degrees (1.05 radians), to pause again for 3 seconds, and then to counterrotate the agitator in the clockwise direction at the speed of 20 rotations per minute (126 radians per minute) through an angular displacement of 60 degrees (1.05 radians). One or all of the three parameters, angular rotational velocity, direction of rotation and the angular displacement, may be variable for each step of the three step cycle described above. [0009] In one embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus of the present invention, the controller is further coupled to the auger drive motor to enable rotation of the auger within the channel and at a selected rotational velocity. It will be understood that the direction of rotation will depend on the direction of the helical vane on the augur. [0010] The controller may be programmable to vary the speed of augur rotation and to vary the rotational velocity, direction of rotation and the angular displacement of the agitator based on the character and nature of the powdered material being dispensed, in addition to the compaction of the density of the material due to the loading of the charge and the remaining amount of powdered material in the container.

[0011] One embodiment of the powdered material dispenser of the present invention includes at least one load cell disposed intermediate the container and a base to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and a charge of powdered material therein.

[0012] One embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus of the present invention includes a clump-breaker supported within the interior space of the container above the opening to engage and disturb powdered material is it approaches the opening and the channel thereunder. The clump-breaker may, in one embodiment, comprise a stem having a plurality of arms radially extending outwardly from the stem, each arm being angular displaced from each adjacent arm to provide for a plurality of sets of adjacent arms along the stem, each set spaced apart from the others. The clump-breaker is supported within the interior space of the container and above the opening of the floor of the container to allow for clearance for agitator rotation and passage of the vanes of the agitator beneath the clump-breaker. The clump-breaker structure may vary according the nature and character of the powdered material.

[0013] An embodiment of a method of dispensing a powdered material may comprise the step of providing a container to receive a charge of a powdered material to be dispensed onto a second material, the provided container having a top, a bottom, an interior space intermediate the top and the bottom surrounded by an interior surface, a floor with a periphery engaging the interior surface proximal to the bottom of the container, the floor having an opening therein through which a stream of powdered material may be discharged from the interior space. The embodiment of the method may then include the further steps of providing an agitator rotatably disposed within the interior space of the container proximal to the floor of the container, the agitator having a hub and plurality of radially outwardly extending and angularly spaced vanes, and providing an agitator drive motor coupled to the agitator, the agitator drive motor being controllably activatable by a controller to rotate the agitator in a first, clockwise direction and a second, counterclockwise direction. The embodiment of the method may further include the steps of providing elongate channel having: an intake section, the intake section being disposed below the opening in the floor of the container to receive the stream of powdered material discharged from the interior space of the container through the opening, and a discharge section that is disposed lateral to the intake section, the discharge section including a sleeve extending laterally to the intake section, the sleeve having at least one dispensation aperture through which powdered material is discharged from the discharge section of the channel. The embodiment of the method may further include the steps of providing an auger having a helical vane thereon, and rotatably disposing the augur within the channel. The embodiment of the method may further includes the step of providing an augur drive motor to rotate the augur within the channel. The augur may, like the agitator drive motor, be activatable by the controller to move the stream of powdered material from the intake section of the channel to the sleeve of the discharge section of the channel.

[0014] The embodiment of the method further includes the step of introducing a charge of powdered material into the container, coupling the agitator drive motor to a source of power, coupling the augur drive motor to the source of power, and then using the controller to activate the augur drive motor to rotate the augur within the channel at a selected rate of rotation while using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in a first direction through a first angular displacement. The embodiment of the method may then further include the step of using the controller to stop movement of the agitator at the end of the first angular displacement, using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in the first direction through a second angular displacement, using the controller to stop movement of the agitator at the end of the second angular displacement and then using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in the second direction, opposite the first direction, through a third angular displacement. These steps of using the controller to advance, then further advance, then reverse and counterrotate the agitator may comprise a cycle that is then repeated to provide for a stream of powdered material entering the opening and the intake section of the channel, and from there to conveyed by the augur to the discharge section of the channel for discharge onto the targeted material, such as, for example, foodstuff.

[0015] The provided container is preferably of a circular cross-section to provide for full coverage of the floor and the interior space adjacent to the floor by the vanes of the agitator. This prevents unwanted accumulation of powdered material in corners or recesses that cannot be reached by the vanes of the agitator.

[0016] The embodiment of the method may further comprise the steps of providing at least one load cell disposed intermediate the container and a base to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and a charge of powdered material therein, and then using the at least one load cell to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and the powdered material therein. This step enables using the controller to generate a signal terminating operation of at least one of the agitator drive motor and the augur drive motor upon detecting an insufficient charge of powdered material in the container. One embodiment of a method of the present invention further includes the step of supporting a clump-breaker within the interior space of the container above the opening to engage and disturb powdered material is it approaches the opening and the channel thereunder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 2 is the elevation view of FIG. 1 with portions of the apparatus shown as transparent to reveal some components within the apparatus.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 showing the floor, the agitator, the channel and the auger as seen in the interior of the container of the apparatus. [0020] FIG. 4 is a sectional plan elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 showing the auger drive motor and the agitator drive motor.

[0021] FIG. 5 is the agitator of FIG. 3 before the agitator drive motor rotates the agitator through a selected first angular displacement in a first, counterclockwise direction.

[0022] FIG. 6 is the agitator of FIG. 5 after the agitator drive motor rotates the agitator through a selected first angular displacement in the first, counterclockwise direction.

[0023] FIG. 7 is the agitator of FIG. 6 after the agitator drive motor rotates the agitator through a selected second angular displacement that is equal to or a selected fraction of the magnitude of the first angular displacement and in a second direction that is opposite to the first to complete the cycle of movement.

[0024] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a controller used to operate the agitator drive motor and the augur drive motor, the controller configured to receive input signals from various input devices.

[0025] FIG. 9 is an elevation view of a clump-breaker that is included in some embodiments of the powdered material dispenser apparatus of the present invention to agitate and disturb powdered material as it moves towards the channel in the base and the augur therein.

[0026] FIG. 10 is an end view of the clump-breaker of FIG. 9.

[0027] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the powdered material dispenser apparatus of the present invention in which the clump-breaker of FIGs. 9 and 10 is supported.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the powdered material dispensing apparatus 10 of the present invention comprising a container 12 having a top 11, a bottom 13 and a lid 14, the container 12 sealingly engaged at the bottom 13 with and supported at the bottom 13 by a base 30 which is supported by a motor compartment 80. The base 30 and the motor compartment 80 may be combined in some embodiments of the apparatus 10. Optionally, a pair of load cells 110A and HOB may be disposed intermediate the container 12 and the base 30 to generate signals corresponding to the weight of the container 12 and, therefore, since the weight of the container 12 is known, the weight of the powdered material charge remaining in the container 12. Extending from the base 30 is an auger sleeve 40 having an inlet 41 and an outlet 43. The auger sleeve 40 of FIG. 1 includes a plurality of dispensation apertures 45 in a discharge section 75 of the auger sleeve 40 that is proximal to an optional outlet 43 of the auger sleeve 40. Receiving surface 99 is disposed below the discharge section 75 of the augur sleeve 40 to support foodstuff (not shown) onto which the powered material is dispensed.

[0029] FIG. 2 is the elevation view of FIG. 1 with portions of the apparatus 10 shown as transparent to reveal some components within the apparatus 10. FIG. 2 reveals an agitator 60 rotatably disposed within the interior space 67 of the container 12, the agitator 60 including a hub 61 at the center of the agitator 60 and a plurality of radially outwardly extending arms 62. The agitator 60 of FIG. 1 is shown as being rotatable by an agitator axle 69A and the agitator 60 is positioned proximal to a floor 25 at the bottom 13 of the container 60. More detail relating to the structure of the agitator 60 is given below in the discussion of FIG. 3. FIG. 2 also reveals an augur 70 rotatably disposed within a channel 74, the augur 70 having a first end 71, an augur drive gear 77 proximal to the first end 71, and a second end 72 proximal to the outlet 43 of the augur sleeve 40. An augur drive motor 81 is shown coupled to the augur drive gear 77 by a chain or belt 84 driven by an axle 83. The augur drive motor 81 is powered by current delivered through conduit 88. An agitator drive motor 82 is shown coupled to the agitator axle 69A by a drive member 69B. The agitator drive motor 82 is powered by current delivered through conduit 89. FIG. 2 also reveals a clump-breaker 83 supported within the container 12 above the channel 74 and the augur 71 therein. The clump-breaker 83 includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending arms 93 to engage and disturb clumps of the powdered material as it approaches the channel 74. Additional details of the clump-breaker are discussed below in connection with FIGs. 9-11.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus 10 shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 showing the floor 25 of the container 12, the agitator 60, the channel 74 that is open and in communication with the interior space 67 of the container 12, and the auger 70 as seen from the interior space 67 of the container 12 of the apparatus 10. Extending from the base 30 is an auger sleeve 40 that contains a portion (not shown) of the auger 70 that is not within the channel 74 of the base 30. FIG. 3 reveals the open channel 74 within the base 30, the channel 74 being sufficiently large to receive a portion of a rotatable auger 70 that is not within the auger sleeve 40. The auger 70 includes a first end 71 within the base 30 and a second end 72 (not shown) that is proximal to the second end 43 of the auger sleeve 40 that is aligned with and extends from the channel 70 of the base 30.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus 10 shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 showing the auger motor 81 (belt or chain 84 not shown for clarity) and the agitator motor 82 from which the agitator axle 69A extends. In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the auger motor 81 and/or the agitator motor 82 are servo motors that are controlled by a controller having a processor that has been programmed with computer program product code steps to implement and embodiment of the method of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 is the agitator 60 of FIG. 3 showing the agitator in an original position before the agitator drive motor 82 (not shown) rotates the agitator 60 through a selected first angular displacement in a first direction.

[0033] FIG. 6 is the agitator 60 of FIG. 5 after the agitator drive motor 82 rotates the agitator 60 through a selected first angular displacement of 60 degrees in a first, counterclockwise direction indicated by arrow 91. The agitator drive motor 82 may again be activated to further rotate the agitator 60 in the direction of arrow 91 through an additional angular displacement of, for example, but not by way of limitation, 60 degrees.

[0034] FIG. 7 is the agitator 60 of FIG. 6 after the agitator drive motor 82 (not shown) reverses the direction of rotation of the agitator 60 and rotates the agitator 60 through a selected second clockwise angular displacement indicated by arrow 92 of, for example, but not by way of limitation, 30 degrees, which is half of the magnitude of the example of the first angular displacement discussed in connection with FIGs. 5 and 6. This completes a cycle of movement for the agitator 60, and the cycle is then repeated unless otherwise adjusted by the controller 100 (discussed further below in relation to FIG. 8) to compensate for a reduction in the amount of powderized material remaining in the container 12 as indicated by the signals from the load cells 110A and 110B. This example of the cycle of movement of the agitator 60 illustrates one embodiment of a method of using an embodiment of an apparatus 10 of the present invention disclosed herein.

[0035] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a controller 100 used to control and operate the agitator drive motor 81 and the auger drive motor 81, the controller 100 configured to receive current from an electrical current source 120 and input signals from various input devices such as load cells 110A and HOB (shown in FIG. 1 as disposed intermediate the container 12 and the base 30), an agitator angular velocity input control device 102, an agitator angular displacement input control device 104 to set the angle through which the agitator rotates in the first direction, an angular counterrotation input control device 106 to set the fractional amount of the angular displacement in the first direction of rotation through which the agitator 12 will counterrotate when angular displacement in the second direction occurs at the termination of a cycle. For example, but not by way of limitation, and by referring back to FIGs. 5-7, The agitator angular velocity input device 102 may be used to set the rate of rotation of the agitator 60 at 30 rpm, which is one-half of a revolution per second. One-half of a full revolution is 180 degrees. The agitator angular displacement input device 104 may, for example, but not by way of limitation, be set at 60 degrees and in the counterclockwise direction, which means that the agitator will advance 60 degrees in the first, counterclockwise direction at the beginning of each movement cycle. Additionally, the augur 60 may be controlled to pause and then further advance 60 degrees in the first, counterclockwise direction. The angular counterrotation input control device may be set at one-half, meaning that the angular displacement in the second direction will be one-half the preceding angular displacement in the first direction, or 30 degrees. It will be understood that the input control angular velocity and the angular rotation values may be optimized to take into account the compaction, cohesiveness and flow properties of the powdered material being dispensed.

[0036] Having these input signals from the input devices 102, 104 and 106, and the variable input from the load sensors 110A and HOB, the controller 100 may be programmed to automatically adjust the current 88 and 89 supplied to the auger drive motor 81 and the agitator drive motor 82, respectively.

[0037] FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the clump-breaker 83 that is included in some embodiments of the powdered material dispenser apparatus 10 of the present invention to agitate and disturb powdered material as it moves downwardly towards the channel 74 in the base 30 and the augur 70 therein. The clump-breaker 83 includes a stem 94 and a plurality of radially outwardly extending arms 93 that are spaced-apart to allow powdered material to descend therebetween. The stem 94 of the clump-breaker 83 is supportable by a first pin 86A and a second pin 88A as will be discussed further in connection with FIG. 11.

[0038] FIG. 10 is an end view of the clump-breaker 83 of FIG. 9 showing the stem 94 and a support pin 88A from which the arms 93 extend.

[0039] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the powdered material dispenser apparatus 10 of the present invention in which the clump-breaker 83 of FIGs. 9 and 10 is supported. The pins 86A and 88A are shown as supported by ears 85 and 87 disposed on the interior surface of the container 12.

[0040] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

[0041] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A powdered material dispensing apparatus, comprising: a container to receive a charge of a powdered material, the container having a top, a bottom, an interior space intermediate the top and the bottom surrounded by an interior surface, a floor with a periphery engaging the interior surface proximal to the bottom of the container, the floor having an opening therein through which a stream of powdered material is discharged from the interior space; an agitator rotatably disposed within the interior space of the container proximal to the floor of the container, the agitator having a hub and plurality of radially outwardly extending and angularly spaced vanes; an agitator drive motor coupled to the agitator, the agitator drive motor being controllably activatable by a controller to rotate the agitator in a first, clockwise direction and a second, counterclockwise direction to promote the discharge of a stream of powdered material from the container to the opening; an elongate channel having an intake section, the intake section being disposed below the opening in the floor of the container to receive the stream of powdered material discharged from the interior space of the container through the opening, and a discharge section lateral to the intake section, the discharge section including a sleeve extending laterally to the intake section, the sleeve having at least one dispensation aperture through which powdered material is discharged from the discharge section of the channel; an auger having a helical vane thereon, the augur being rotatably disposed within the channel; and an augur drive motor coupled to the auger to rotate the auger within the channel; wherein upon activation of the agitator drive motor by the controller, powdered material within the interior space of the container is disturbed and agitated to promote movement of a stream of powdered material through the opening and into the intake section of the channel; and wherein upon activation of the motor by the controller, the auger is rotated within the channel to move the stream of powdered material received from the container into the channel from the intake section of the channel to the discharge section of the channel.

2. The powdered material dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmable to enable rotation of the agitator in the clockwise direction and also in the counterclockwise direction.

3. The powdered material dispensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further coupled to the auger drive motor to enable rotation of the auger within the channel.

4. The powdered material dispensing apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: at least one load cell disposed intermediate the container and a base to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and a charge of powdered material therein.

5. The powdered material dispensing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a clump-breaker supported within the interior space of the container above the opening to engage and disturb powdered material is it approaches the opening and the channel thereunder.

6. A method of controllably dispensing a powdered material, comprising: providing a container to receive a charge of a powdered material, the container having a top, a bottom, an interior space intermediate the top and the bottom surrounded by an interior surface, a floor with a periphery engaging the interior surface proximal to the bottom of the container, the floor having an opening therein through which a stream of powdered material is discharged from the interior space; providing an agitator rotatably disposed within the interior space of the container proximal to the floor of the container, the agitator having a hub and plurality of radially outwardly extending and angularly spaced vanes; providing an agitator drive motor coupled to the agitator, the agitator drive motor being controllably activatable by a controller to rotate the agitator in a first, clockwise direction and a second, counterclockwise direction; providing elongate channel having an intake section, the intake section being disposed below the opening in the floor of the container to receive the stream of powdered material discharged from the interior space of the container through the opening, and a discharge section lateral to the intake section, the discharge section including a sleeve extending laterally to the intake section, the sleeve having at least one dispensation aperture through which powdered material is discharged from the discharge section of the channel; providing an auger having a helical vane thereon, the augur being rotatably disposed within the channel and activatable by the controller to move the stream of powdered material from the intake section of the channel to the sleeve of the discharge section of the channel; providing an augur drive motor coupled to the auger to rotate the auger within the channel; introducing a charge of powdered material into the container; coupling the agitator drive motor to a source of power; coupling the augur drive motor to the source of power; using the controller to activate the augur drive motor to rotate the augur within the channel at a selected rate of rotation; using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in a first direction through a first angular displacement; using the controller to stop movement of the agitator at the end of the first angular displacement; using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in the first direction through a second angular displacement; using the controller to stop movement of the agitator at the end of the second angular displacement; and using the controller to generate a signal to the agitator drive motor to rotate the agitator in the second direction, opposite the first direction, through a third angular displacement.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: providing at least one load cell disposed intermediate the container and a base to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and a charge of powdered material therein; using the at least one load cell to generate a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the container and the powdered material therein; and using the controller to generate a signal terminating operation of at least one of the agitator drive motor and the augur drive motor upon detecting an insufficient charge of powdered material in the container.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising: supporting a clump-breaker within the interior space of the container above the opening to engage and disturb powdered material is it approaches the opening and the channel thereunder.