Metering device and associated unloading methods for hopper-bottomed storage bins

A metering device for metered dispensing of granular material from a hopper bottom storage bin, said metering device comprising:

• a metering housing;
• a housing inlet opening downwardly into the housing for receiving said granular material from a hopper outlet of the hopper bottom storage bin;
• a housing outlet from which the granular material is dispensable from the housing;
• and
• a metering mechanism operable within the housing between the housing inlet and the housing outlet to receive the granular material from the housing inlet and dispense said granular material through the housing outlet in a metered fashion;
• a motor mounted to the meter housing and operably coupled to the metering mechanism for selective driven operation thereof;
• a mounting arrangement from which the metering housing is suspended, said mounting arrangement being configured for attachment to the hopper bottom storage bin in a position suspending the metering housing below the hopper outlet;
• and
• a tilt adjustment mechanism connected between the housing and the mounting arrangement and operable to adjust a tilt angle of the housing in at least one direction, said tilt adjustment mechanism comprising:
• a support shaft that suspends said metering housing from the mounting arrangement and passes through one more elongated slots whose lengths exceed an outer diameter of said shaft;
• and
• one or more adjustment actuators each displaceable in a length direction of a respective one of the elongated slots to move a portion of said shaft in said length direction and thereby adjust a tilt angle at which said shaft penetrates said respective one of the elongated slots, thereby adjusting said inclination angle of the housing in a respective direction.