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US 11,111,080 B2Granted
Bin sweep auger unplugging system
AssigneeSuperior Manufacturing LLC
InventorsClaire M. Rauser, Jory T. Skalsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bin sweep auger unplugging system for unplugging a central unloading sump in a storage bin. The bin sweep auger unplugging system generally includes an auger having a driven shaft with auger fighting, a drive unit having a drive shaft, and a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The clutch selectively transfers the rotation of the drive shaft to the driven shaft of the auger. The drive shaft includes a clump breakup component that breaks up the clump of granular material above the unloading sump when the drive shaft is rotated. The clutch is disengaged when breaking up a clump of granular material to prevent the rotation of the auger.
Claims20
A bin sweep auger, comprising:
- a backboard;
- a drive shaft having an inner end and an outer end;
- a first fighting extending from the drive shaft;
- a drive unit connected to the inner end of the drive shaft;
- a driven shaft having an inner end and an outer end, wherein the driven shaft is rotatably connected to the backboard;
- a second flighting extending from the driven shaft;
- and
- a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is configured for engaging or disengaging to selectively lock or unlock the rotation of the drive shaft with the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is engaged when the drive shaft is rotated in the first direction so that the drive shaft rotates the driven shaft in the first direction, and wherein the clutch is disengaged when the drive shaft is rotated in a second direction so that the drive shaft does not rotate the driven shaft in the second direction;
- wherein the first flighting and the second flighting are adapted to unload grain from a grain bin when rotated in the first direction;
- wherein the first flighting breaks up a grain clump when rotated in the second direction.
9 more elements
A bin sweep auger, comprising:
- a backboard;
- a drive shaft having an inner end and an outer end;
- wherein the drive shaft is positioned above an unloading sump in a storage bin;
- a first fighting extending from the drive shaft;
- a drive unit connected to the inner end of the drive shaft;
- a driven shaft having an inner end and an outer end, wherein the driven shaft is rotatably connected to the backboard;
- a second flighting extending from the driven shaft;
- and
- a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is configured for engaging or disengaging to selectively lock or unlock the rotation of the drive shaft with the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is engaged when the drive shaft is rotated in the first direction so that the drive shaft rotates the driven shaft in the first direction, and wherein the clutch is disengaged when the drive shaft is rotated in a second direction so that the drive shaft does not rotate the driven shaft in the second direction;
- wherein the first flighting and the second flighting are adapted to unload grain from a grain bin when rotated in the first direction;
- wherein the first flighting breaks up a grain clump when rotated in the second direction;
- wherein the first fighting and the second flighting have the same flighting direction;
- wherein the first fighting and the second fighting have the same pitch and the same diameter.
12 more elements
A bin sweep auger, comprising:
- a backboard;
- a drive shaft having an inner end and an outer end;
- wherein the drive shaft is positioned above an unloading sump in a storage bin;
- a first fighting extending from the drive shaft;
- a drive unit connected to the inner end of the drive shaft;
- a driven shaft having an inner end and an outer end, wherein the driven shaft is rotatably connected to the backboard;
- a second flighting extending from the driven shaft;
- a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is configured for engaging or disengaging to selectively lock or unlock the rotation of the drive shaft with the driven shaft;
- wherein the clutch is engaged when the drive shaft is rotated in the first direction so that the drive shaft rotates the driven shaft in the first direction, and wherein the clutch is disengaged when the drive shaft is rotated in a second direction so that the drive shaft does not rotate the driven shaft in the second direction;
- wherein the first flighting and the second flighting are adapted to unload grain from a grain bin when rotated in the first direction;
- and
- a plurality of projections extending from the drive shaft, wherein the plurality of projections and the first fighting break up a grain clump when rotated in the second direction.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.