Pneumatically operated grain handling apparatus
OwnerNed J. Bond, IIIinventor
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Abstract
For use in a grain feed system at a grain processing plant, the preferred and illustrated embodiment discloses a pneumatically powered control system connected to a gate in the grain processing apparatus to open the gate and further discloses a pneumatically operated grain processing apparatus. The control system responds to the presence of grain. As the grain flows through the processing equipment, the gate and processing apparatus are maintained in an operative state. On sensing the absence of grain, the sensor triggers signals which close the hopper supply system for grain and disables the grain processing equipment.
Claims9
An apparatus for controlling the delivery of grain which comprises:
- (a) a grain hopper having a restricted grain flow outlet;
- (b) movable gate means operatively positioned relative to said grain hopper for selectively controlling the flow of grain from the grain flow outlet thereof, said gate having open and closed positions;
- (c) grain processing equipment connected to receive grain from said grain flow outlet and which is operated by axial movement of a piston rod where extension thereof operates the equipment and retraction thereof modifies the operation of the grain processing equipment;
- (d) grain flow sensor means adapted to be installed in a path of flow for the grain through said hopper and which sensor means forms a pneumatic binary output indicative of the presence or absence of grain flow and further wherein said sensor means is installed in the flow path of grain flowing through said hopper;
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- (e) pneumatically powered control means connected to said sensor means and responsive to the signal provided thereby to form a control signal for operation of said gate means, said gate means being opened in the presence of grain flow and being closed in the absence of grain flow by said control means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.