Automatic silo door construction

Silo door apparatus adapted to be mounted on a silo, said silo comprising at least one silage discharge orifice, said door apparatus comprising:

• a door member for selectively blocking a first pre-defined silo door orifice;
• door hinge means for revolvably mounting said door member to said silo whereby said door may be moved between closed and open positions;
• retractable gun means for selectively opening said door member, said gun means comprising:
• a first rigid elongated member;
• a second rigid elongated member coupled to said first elongated member and axially movable with respect thereto;
• means coupling one of said first and second elongated members to said door member;
• and
• means for biasing one of said first and second elongated members outwardly with respect to the other of said first and second elongated members, thereby urging said door member toward an open position;
• and
• movable trigger means for selectively activating said gun means when it is desired to open said door member, said trigger means comprising a first end portion thereof releasably coupled to said gun means for actuating said gun means and a second end portion responsive to mechanical deflection for releasing said first trigger end portion.

Silo door apparatus for attachment to a silo provided with a plurality of predefined vertically spaced apart silo door orifices, said apparatus comprising:

• a door member for selectively blocking a first predetermined silo door orifice;
• door hinge means for revolvably mounting said door member to said silo whereby said door may be moved between closed and open positions;
• gun means for selectively opening and closing said door member;
• and
• trigger means for automatically activating said gun means to open said door in response to a predetermined silage level within said silo.

In an upright vertical silo comprising a plurality of predefined vertically spaced apart silo door orifices, and a plurality of door members selectively receivable within said orifices, the improvement comprising an automatic silo door opening system, said system comprising:

• door hinge means for revolvably mounting at least one of said door members to said silo whereby said door may be moved between open and closed positions;
• retractable gun means for selectively opening said doors, said gun means comprising:
• a first rigid, elongated member;
• a second rigid elongated member coupled to said first elongated member and axially movable with respect thereto;
• means coupling one of said first and second elongated members to said door member;
• and
• means for biasing one of said first and second elongated members outwardly with respect to the other of said first and second members, thereby urging said door toward an open position;
• and
• trigger means for selectively activating said gun means when desired to open said door;
• and
• gun hinge means for revolvably securing said gun means to said silo, said gun hinge means facilitating pivoting of said gun means against a portion of said silo in response to retraction of said gun means whereby said door member is wedged into a closed position firmly abutting said silo door orifice.

In an upright vertical silo comprising a plurality of predefined vertically spaced apart silo door orifices, and a plurality of door members selectively receivable within said orifices, the improvement comprising an automatic silo door opening system, said system comprising:

• door hinge means for revolvably mounting at least one of said door members to said silo whereby said door may be moved between open and closed positions;
• retractable gun means for selectively opening said doors said gun means comprising:
• a first rigid, elongated member;
• a second rigid elongated member coupled to said first elongated member and axially movable with respect thereto;
• means coupling one of said first and second elongated members to said door member;
• and
• means for biasing one of said first and second elongated members outwardly with respect to the other of said first and second members, thereby urging said door toward an open position;
• and
• trigger means pivotally mounted to said silo for selectively activating said gun means when it is desired to open said door, said trigger means comprising a first end portion releasably coupled to said gun means for actuating said gun means and a second end portion responsive to mechanical deflection to actuate said gun means by releasing said first trigger end portion.

In an upright vertical silo having a plurality of predefined silo door orifices, the improvement comprising automatically openable door apparatus operably associated with said silo, said door apparatus comprising:

• at least one door member for selectively blocking a first predetermined silo door orifice;
• door hinge means for revolvably mounting said door member to said silo whereby said door member may be moved between closed and open positions;
• gun means for selectively opening said door member;
• and
• trigger means for automatically activating said gun means to open said door in response to a predetermined silage level within said silo.