Manure transfer system having a pull pump

A manure transfer and storage system for transferring manure or the like from a first location to a second remote storage location, which comprises:

• (a) a manure collection hopper positioned at the first location, wherein the collection hopper includes an open upper end through which manure may be loaded into the collection hopper and a closed bottom for retaining the manure in the collection hopper;
• (b) a manure transfer pipe for transferring manure from the collection hoper to the remote storage location;
• and
• (c) a pull pump for pumping manure from the collection hopper into the manure transfer pipe, wherein the pull pump comprises:
• (i) an elongated hollow cylinder fixedly disposed at least partially inside the collection hopper, wherein the cylinder includes an open inlet end located inside the collection hopper above the bottom thereof and an outlet end which is operatively connected to the manure transfer pipe, wherein the inlet end of the cylinder includes a valve which is opened by manure being forced into the cylinder and which is closed by the weight of the manure in the cylinder,
• (ii) an elongated pump piston having a piston body which is cooperable with the cylinder for pumping manure from the collection hopper into the cylinder, wherein the piston body is located generally between the bottom of the collection hopper and the inlet end of the cylinder, wherein the piston body is pivotably mounted inside the collection hopper for rotation about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, the piston body being movably mounted in the collection hopper for movement in an upward direction towards the cylinder and a downward direction away from the cylinder, and wherein the piston body includes at least one manure confining surface which retains each manure charge between the surface and the manure collection hopper during its downward movement and for dispensing the loaded manure charge into the cylinder during its upward movement such that the manure is pulled upwardly from the bottom of the collection hopper into the cylinder, and wherein the manure confining surface is arcuate about the pivot axis and is arranged relative to the cylinder such that the manure confining surface engages the cylinder along a single line to minimize sliding friction therewith;
• and
• (iii) power means connected to the piston body for reciprocating the piston body in its upward and downward directions to pump a plurality of manure charges through the cylinder and into the manure transfer pipe.

A pull pump for use in a manure transfer and storage system for transferring meanure from a first location to a second remote storage location, in which the system includes a manure collection hopper having transversely spaced side walls connected together by a bottom wall, wherein the hopper has an open upper end for loading manure into the hopper and wherein the bottom wall defines a bottom of the hopper for retaining the manure therein, which comprises:

• (a) an elongated hollow cylinder fixedly disposed at least partially inside the collection hopper, wherein the cylinder includes an open inlet end located inside the collection hopper above the bottom thereof, and wherein the inlet end of the cylinder includes a valve which is opened by manure being forced into the cylinder and which is closed by the weight of the manure in the cylinder;
• (b) an elongated pump piston having a piston body which is cooperable with the cylinder for pumping manure from the bottom of the collection hopper into the cylinder, wherein the piston body is located generally between the bottom of the collection hopper and the inlet end of the cylinder, the piston body being pivotably mounted in the collection hopper for rotation about a substantially horizontal pivot axis for movement in an upward direction towards the cylinder and a downward direction away from the cylinder, the piston body comprising a substantially arcuate manure confining surface having inlet and outlet ends, wherein the inlet end of the manure confining surface has a gate valve which opens during downward movement of the piston body to load a charge of manure between the manure confining surface and the walls of the collection hopper and which closes during upward movement of the piston body to dispense the loaded manure charge through the inlet end of the cylinder, wherein the outlet end of the confining surface is open and engages the exterior of the cylinder along a single line to minimize sliding friction therewith during movement of the piston body;
• and
• (c) power means for reciprocating the piston body in the upward and downward directions to pump a plurality of manure charges through the cylinder.