Grain bin clump remover

A clump reducer kit for use with a train storage bin comprising:

• a. a beater member shaft of a length corresponding to the size of a gated discharge opening formed through a floor surface of the storage bin;
• b. a plurality of knife assemblies adapted to be affixed to the beater member shaft in a spaced apart and angularly offset configuration, each of said knife assemblies comprising a collar surrounding the beater member shaft and knives projecting radially from the collar, each of the knives comprising a leading edge and a tapered portion;
• c. a blade assembly adapted to be attached to a movable gate member;
• and
• d. means for detachably joining the beater member shaft in driving relation to a shaft of a sweep auger,
• wherein blades on the blade assembly are adapted to project upward into the gated discharge opening, and wherein the beater member shaft is adapted to be operatively coupled to means for journaling the beater member shaft for rotation in overlaying relation with respect to the gated discharge opening, and means for rotating the beater member shaft.

A method of breaking up clumps of compacted grain reaching a gated discharge opening in the floor of a grain storage bin during gravity flow of grain through the discharge opening comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a beater member having a beater member shaft of a length sufficient to span a length dimension of the discharge opening, a plurality of radially projecting knifes affixed to the beater member shaft along a length dimension of the beater member shaft, and a first flange member affixed to a first end of the beater member shaft, wherein each of said knives of said plurality of radially projecting knifes has a leading edge and a tapered section;
• (b) providing a sweep auger having a central shaft with a second flange member on a first end of the central shaft;
• (c) coupling a second end of the beater member shaft to a rotational drive source for solely driving the beater member during gravity flow of loose grain with clumps of compacted grain to and through the discharge opening where the plurality of radially projecting knifes affixed to the beater member shaft are effective to reduce the size of any clumps engaged by the beater member;
• (d) providing a blade assembly having a plurality of sharpened, serrated blades affixed to and projecting normally from a base;
• and mounting the base on a gate that is slidable to selectively cover and uncover the gated discharge opening where the blades extend through the discharge opening for reducing any grain clumps that may not be engaged by the beater member and may partially block the gated discharge opening;
• (e) subsequently joining the first flange to the second flange after gravity flow of grain ceases to thereby drive both the beater member and the sweep auger for moving grain from the floor of the grain storage bin into the gated opening.

A clump reducer for use with a grain storage bin comprising:

• (a) a beater member shaft of a length corresponding to the size of a gated discharge opening formed through a floor surface of the storage bin;
• (b) a sweep auger comprising a sweep auger shaft and sweep auger flighting;
• (c) a plurality of knife assemblies affixed to the beater member shaft, each of said knife assemblies comprising a collar surrounding the beater member shaft and knives projecting radially from the collar, each of the knives comprising a leading edge and a tapered portion;
• (d) first and second bearing blocks affixed to a rotatable sweep frame, the first bearing block supporting a first end portion of the beater member shaft and the second bearing block supporting a first end of the sweep auger shaft, wherein said first bearing block is adapted to permit the beater member shaft to rotate in overlaying relation with respect to the gated discharge opening;
• (e) a gear box having an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft coupled to an electric motor and the output shaft coupled through a universal joint to said beater member shaft;
• (f) a first flange having a first aperture and joined to a first end of the beater member shaft, a second flange having a second aperture and attached to a first end of the sweep auger shaft, and at least one bolt adapted for insertion through said first aperture and said second aperture to detachably joining the beater member shaft in driving relation with the sweep auger shaft;
• and
• (g) a blade assembly attached to a movable gate member wherein blades on the blade assembly project upward into the gated discharge opening.