# US 10,480,857 B2 · Seed drying system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,857 B2 - Document ID: US10480857B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/604,198 - Filed: 2017-05-24 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-24 - Applicants: Brett Edgerton - Inventors: Brett Edgerton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480857B2 ## CPC - F26B 11/028: {Arrangements for the supply or exhaust of gaseous drying medium for direct heat transfer, e.g. perforated tubes, annular passages, burner arrangements, dust separation, combined direct and indirect heating} - F26B 11/04: rotating about a horizontal or slightly-inclined axis {(F26B11/022, F26B11/024, F26B11/026, F26B11/028 take precedence)} - F26B 21/50: Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried - F26B 21/55: Outlets for directing or distributing the air or other gases - F26B 2200/06: Grains, e.g. cereals, wheat, rice, corn - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) ## Abstract A seed drying system for positioning a manifold in a seed treater includes a seed treater that contains a plurality of seeds that have been coated with a liquid treatment. A manifold is positioned within the seed treater and a fan is provided to selectively urge air. The fan is fluidly coupled to the manifold to direct the air over the seeds thereby facilitating the liquid treatment to dry on the seeds. A mounting unit is provided and the manifold is coupled to the mounting unit such that the mounting unit retains the manifold in a horizontal orientation. The mounting unit is releasably coupled to the housing such that the manifold is retained in the drum. Moreover, the mounting unit centrally positions the manifold in the aperture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seed drying system comprising: a seed treater being configured to contain a plurality of seeds that have been coated with a liquid treatment, said seed treater having a housing and a drum being rotatably positioned within said housing, said drum having an aperture extending longitudinally through said drum wherein said aperture is configured to contain the seeds; a manifold being positioned within said seed treater; a fan being configured to selectively urge air, said fan being fluidly coupled to said manifold wherein said manifold is configured to direct the air over the seeds thereby facilitating the liquid treatment to dry on the seeds; and a mounting unit having said manifold being coupled thereto such that said mounting unit retains said manifold in a horizontal orientation, said mounting unit being releasably coupled to said housing such that said manifold is retained in said drum, said mounting unit centrally positioning said manifold in said aperture, said mounting unit comprising a first member having a first end and a second end, said first member being elongated between said first end and said second end, said first member having a top surface and a bottom surface, said first member having a first aperture extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, said first aperture being centrally positioned between said first end and said second end, said first member having a second aperture extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, said second aperture being positioned closer to said second end than said first aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a first wall, said first wall having an opening extending into an interior of said housing, said drum being oriented having said aperture being aligned with said opening, said first wall having an outer surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein said manifold is positioned within said aperture in said drum, said manifold having a primary end, a secondary end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said manifold being elongated between said first end and said second end, said outer wall being continuous such that said manifold has a cylindrical shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second member having a first end and a second end, said second member having a front surface and a back surface, said second member being elongated between said first end and said second end of said second member, said second member being coupled to said first member, said second member being oriented perpendicular to said first member, said second member being positioned closer to said first end of said first member than said second end of said first member such that said first and second members forms a cross, said first member being centrally positioned on said second member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, wherein said second member has a third aperture extending through said front surface and said back surface, said third aperture being positioned closer to said first end of said second member than said second end of said second member, said second member having a fourth aperture extending through said front surface and said back surface, said fourth aperture being positioned closer to said second end of said second member than said first end of said second member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, further comprising a third member being coupled to and extending upwardly from an intersection between said first member and said second member having said third member being oriented perpendicular to each of said first member and said second member, said third member having a distal end with respect to said intersection, said third member having a rear surface and a forward surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein: said seed treater includes a housing and a drum, said housing having an opening, said drum having an aperture; and said third member has a fifth aperture extending through said rear surface and said forward surface, said mounting unit being positioned in said housing having said first member extending through said opening in said housing and being centrally positioned in said aperture in said drum having said first member being horizontally oriented in said drum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, further comprising a pair of first supports, each of said first supports being coupled to and extending between said third member and said second member, each of said supports being positioned on opposite sides of said third member such that each of said supports inhibits said third member from laterally deflecting from said third member's perpendicular orientation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, further comprising a second support, said second support being coupled to and extending between said third member and said first member such that said second support inhibits said third member from deflecting rearwardly and forwardly from said third member's perpendicular orientation, said second support being positioned on said rear surface of said third member such that said second support does not engage said housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clamps, each of said clamps being removably coupled to said first member, each of said clamps releasably engaging said manifold such that said manifold is retained on said first member having said manifold being oriented collinear with said first member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, further wherein each of said clamps comprises a strap having a primary end and a secondary end, said strap being curved between said primary and secondary ends of said strap such that said strap has a circular shape, said strap being divided into a first half being hingedly coupled to a second half, said strap being positioned in an open position having said primary end of said strap being spaced from said secondary end of said strap such that said strap receives said manifold, said strap being positioned in a closed position having primary end of said strap abutting said secondary end of said strap such that said strap wraps around an outer wall of said manifold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, further comprising a receiver being coupled to said strap, said receiver having a distal end with respect to said strap, said receiver extending away from said manifold when said strap is wrapped around said manifold, said distal end of said receiver having a well extending toward said strap, said well having a bounding surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, further comprising a first fastener being pivotally coupled to said primary end of said strap, said first fastener engaging said secondary end of said strap to compress said strap around said manifold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, further comprising a second fastener, said second fastener being extended through a selected one of said first and second apertures in said first member, said second fastener threadably engaging said bounding surface of said well such that said strap is coupled to said first member thereby facilitating said manifold to be coupled to said first member when said strap is wrapped around said manifold. ### Claim 15 A seed drying system comprising: a seed treater being configured to contain a plurality of seeds that have been coated with a liquid treatment, said seed treater having a housing and a drum being rotatably positioned within said housing, said drum having an aperture extending longitudinally through said drum wherein said aperture is configured to contain the seeds; a manifold being positioned within said seed treater; a fan being configured to selectively urge air, said fan being fluidly coupled to said manifold wherein said manifold is configured to direct the air over the seeds thereby facilitating the liquid treatment to dry on the seeds; and a mounting unit having said manifold being coupled thereto such that said mounting unit retains said manifold in a horizontal orientation, said mounting unit being releasably coupled to said housing such that said manifold is retained in said drum, said mounting unit centrally positioning said manifold in said aperture; a housing having an outer surface; and a plurality of disks, each of said disks having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface corresponding to each of said disks being coupled said mounting unit, said first surface corresponding to each of said disks magnetically engaging said outer surface of said housing corresponding to said seed treater such that said mounting unit is releasably coupled to said housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein: said mounting unit includes a third member and a second member, said third member having a forward surface, said second member having a front surface; and said plurality of disks includes a first disk, a second disk and a third disk, said first disk being positioned on said forward surface of said third member, each of said third and second disks being positioned on said front surface of said second member. ### Claim 17 A seed drying system comprising: a seed treater being configured to contain a plurality of seeds that have been coated with a liquid treatment, said seed treater having a housing and a drum being rotatably positioned within said housing, said drum having an aperture extending longitudinally through said drum wherein said aperture is configured to contain the seeds, said housing having a first wall, said first wall having an opening extending into an interior of said housing, said drum being oriented having said aperture being aligned with said opening, said first wall having an outer surface; a manifold being positioned within said seed treater, said manifold being positioned within said aperture in said drum, said manifold having a primary end end, a secondary end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said manifold being elongated between said first end and said second end, said outer wall being continuous such that said manifold has a cylindrical shape; a fan being configured to selectively urge air, said fan being fluidly coupled to said manifold wherein said manifold is configured to direct the air over the seeds thereby facilitating the liquid treatment to dry on the seeds; and a mounting unit having said manifold being coupled thereto such that said mounting unit retains said manifold in a horizontal orientation, said mounting unit being releasably coupled to said housing such that said manifold is retained in said drum, said mounting unit centrally positioning said manifold in said aperture, said mounting unit comprising: a first member having a first end and a second end, said first member being elongated between said first end and said second end, said first member having a top surface and a bottom surface, said first member having a first aperture extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, said first aperture being centrally positioned between said first end and said second end, said first member having a second aperture extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, said second aperture being positioned closer to said second end than said first aperture, a second member having a first end and a second end, said second member having a front surface and a back surface, said second member being elongated between said first end and said second end of said second member, said second member being coupled to said first member, said second member being oriented perpendicular to said first member, said second member being positioned closer to said first end of said first member than said second end of said first member such that said first and second members forms a cross, said first member being centrally positioned on said second member, said second member having a third aperture extending through said front surface and said back surface, said third aperture being positioned closer to said first end of said second member than said second end of said second member, said second member having a fourth aperture extending through said front surface and said back surface, said fourth aperture being positioned closer to said second end of said second member than said first end of said second member, a third member being coupled to and extending upwardly from an intersection between said first member and said second member having said third member being oriented perpendicular to each of said first member and said second member, said third member having a distal end with respect to said intersection, said third member having a rear surface and a forward surface, said third member having a fifth aperture extending through said rear surface and said forward surface, said mounting unit being positioned in said housing having said first member extending through said opening in said housing and being centrally positioned in said aperture in said drum having said first member being horizontally oriented in said drum, a pair of first supports, each of said first supports being coupled to and extending between said third member and said second member, each of said supports being positioned on opposite sides of said third member such that each of said supports inhibits said third member from laterally deflecting from said third member's perpendicular orientation, a second support, said second support being coupled to and extending between said third member and said first member such that said second support inhibits said third member from deflecting rearwardly and forwardly from said third member's perpendicular orientation, said second support being positioned on said rear surface of said third member such that said second support does not engage said housing, a plurality of clamps, each of said clamps being removably coupled to said first member, each of said clamps releasably engaging said manifold such that said manifold is retained on said first member having said manifold being oriented collinear with said first member, each of said clamps comprising: a strap having a primary end and a secondary end, said strap being curved between said primary and secondary ends of said strap such that said strap has a circular shape, said strap being divided into a first half being hingedly coupled to a second half, said strap being positioned in an open position having said primary end of said strap being spaced from said secondary end of said strap such that said strap receives said manifold, said strap being positioned in a closed position having primary end of said strap abutting said secondary end of said strap such that said strap wraps around said outer wall of said manifold, a first fastener being pivotally coupled to said primary end of said strap, said first fastener engaging said secondary end of said strap to compress said strap around said manifold, a receiver being coupled to said strap, said receiver having a distal end with respect to said strap, said receiver extending away from said manifold when said strap is wrapped around said manifold, said distal end of said receiver having a well extending toward said strap, said well having a bounding surface, and a second fastener, said second fastener being extended through a selected one of said first and second apertures in said first member, said second fastener threadably engaging said bounding surface of said well such that said strap is coupled to said first member thereby facilitating said manifold to be coupled to said first member when said strap is wrapped around said manifold; and a plurality of disks, each of said disks having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface corresponding to each of said disks being coupled said mounting unit, said first surface corresponding to each of said disks magnetically engaging said outer surface of said housing corresponding to said seed treater such that said mounting unit is releasably coupled to said housing, said plurality of disks including a first disk, a second disk and a third disk, said first disk being positioned on said forward surface of said third member, each of said third and second disks being positioned on said front surface of said second member.