Unusual Dust Collector Set Up?

[Gary Sutherland]

Saw this picture of a small cylone for sale.

I assume the lower blower is to send the collected chips and dust to a remote location? Never seen this setup before, but I guess it would get the stuff to an outside bin or whatever. Anyone used something like this?

Gary

[tod evans]

what you`re looking at is the bottom of a rotary air lock. these are used in industrial apps. to remove the sawdust from the storage bin that`s under the chip seperator. picture a cyclone placed above a large sloped floor box, the box is under preasure either positive or vacuum depending where in the system the cyclone is placed....either way if a person needed to clean the saw dust from the box the system would have to be shut down before the trap door in the bottom could be opened. not with a rotary air lock, it has a "hopper" that rotates within a sealed enclousure dumping the load of dust at the bottom of its rotation. in this case into a small (5-10hp) blower that does as you figured, transfer the dust elseware. hope this helps? tod

[Alan Turner]

Thanks for posting the pix, as this is a toy I need for the new shop. I acquired a big Torit cyclone, 15 hp, 3 ph. 16" main, but the way the original owner had it set up, it emptied into a 55 gal. drum. Well, if one is running a jointer or planer, 55 gallons of chips is nothing.
I am told that if you don't have a good seal between the cyclone and the drum or other container, you end up with blow back, which will fill the filter element (bag house) in a heartbeat. This valve gives you the seal, and just rotates (typically at 22 rpm, I have been told) and dumps the dust into whatever you want since no seal is required below the rotatry air lock.
If anyone knows of one on the used market that is at least 12", please let me know.