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US 4,875,820 AGranted
Convertible grain bin sweep unloader
OwnerHenry P. Lepp, Herman P. Leppinventors
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OwnerHenry P. Lepp, Herman P. Leppinventors
Estimating the term…
This invention relates to a discharge apparatus for storage bins and tanks having a central bottom outlet opening to allow a discharge conveyor to remove bulk material and a sweep conveyor within the storage bin, the improvement is that the outlet opening is adapted so that the sweep conveyor can be driven by its own motor or through gearing means driven by the discharge conveyor motor. A bearing support is provided for mounting the sweep conveyor with its own motor, and a structure is provided to mount a gear box connectably drivable by the discharge conveyor. The gear box arrangement comprises an upper and lower conventional gear box, together with a clutch to engage or disengage the sweep conveyor as required. Another improvement resides in having the sweep auger of the single drive system detachable. A further improvement lies in supplying a broom auger, in parallel with the sweep auger. The invention allows conversion of a discharge conveyor arrangement using a portable sweep conveyor, to an arrangement using a permanent sweep conveyor, without rebuilding or reconstructing the outlet opening of the discharge conveyor, previous discharge conveyors were not convertible. Further embodiments allow a double sweep auger system, and a portable sweep auger system attachable to the double gearbox arrangement.
In an apparatus for discharging bulk material through a central bottom outlet opening of a storage bin, said outlet opening being connected by a discharge sleeve, adapted to contain a discharge conveyor, to a discharge port, said outlet opening having mounting means for a sweep conveyor within said bin, the improvement wherein said mounting means comprises first means to mount a sweep conveyor having drive means independent of said discharge conveyor and second means to mount gearing means drivably connecting said discharge conveyor to a sweep conveyor.
In an apparatus for discharging bulk material through a central bottom outlet opening of a storage bin, said outlet opening being connected by a discharge sleeve, adapted to contain a discharge conveyor, to a discharge port, said outlet opening having mounting means for a sweep conveyor within said bin, the improvement wherein said mounting means comprises first means to mount a sweep conveyor having drive means independent of said discharge conveyor, and second means to mount gearing means drivably connecting said discharge conveyor to a sweep conveyor, said first means comprising means to engageably receive a bearing support having a bearing member adapted to rotatably support said sweep conveyor.
In an apparatus for discharging bulk material through a central bottom outlet opening of a storage bin, said outlet opening being connected by a discharge sleeve, adapted to contain a discharge conveyor, to a discharge port, said outlet opening having mounting means for a sweep conveyor within said bin, the improvement wherein said mounting means comprises first means to mount a sweep conveyor having drive means independent of said discharge conveyor and second means to mount gearing means drivably connecting said discharge conveyor to said sweep conveyor, said gearing means comprising an upper portion rotatably mounted on a lower portion of said gearing, means drivably connecting said upper portion of said gearing to said sweep conveyor, means drivably connecting said lower portion of said gearing to said discharge conveyor.
In an apparatus for discharging bulk material through a central bottom outlet opening of a storage bin, said outlet opening being connected by a discharge sleeve, adapted to contain a discharge auger, to a discharge port, said outlet opening having mounting means for a sweep auger within said bin, the improvement wherein said mounting means comprises first means to mount sweep auger means having drive means independent of said discharge auger and second means to mount gearing means drivably connecting said discharge auger to said sweep auger means, said gearing means comprising an upper gear box having an upper generally horizontal rotatory drive shaft, and a reduction ratio less than one, mounted upon a vertical rotatory drive shaft which is in substantial alignment with the centre of said bin, within the bottom outlet opening, said vertical drive shaft being driven by a lower gear box mounted in said outlet opening said lower gear box having a reduction ratio of substantially about one and being driven by a lower generally horizontal shaft in direct drivable rotatable connection with said discharge auger, said sweep auger means comprising a first sweep auger aligned with and drivably connected to said upper drive shaft, and a second parallel spaced apart broom auger drivably connected to said first sweep auger, said second auger rotating in an opposite sense to said first auger, and supporting means whereby said first and second augers are maintained in cooperating relationship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.