Pallet with hopper and auguer and method for distributing particular material
AssigneeSudenga Industries, Inc.
InventorLarry D. Kruse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet for use in transporting a container housing a particulate material, the container having a gate for releasing the particulate material from the container. The pallet includes a frame member for receiving the container, a hopper mounted to the frame member for receiving the particulate material from the container when the container gate is open, an conveyor having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end of the conveyor being fixedly mounted to the hopper for transporting the particulate material from the hopper to the discharge end of the conveyor to fill a desired target with the particulate material, and a drive system for driving the conveyor.
Claims24
A pallet for supporting a container containing a particulate material and for transporting the particulate material, the container having a gate thereon for releasing the particulate material from the container, the pallet comprising:
- a frame member for supporting the container;
- a first hopper mounted to the frame member and arranged with respect to the gate to receive the particulate material from the container when the gate is open;
- a conveyor having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end of the conveyor being fixedly mounted to the hopper for transporting the particulate material from the hopper to the discharge end of the conveyor to fill a desired target with the particulate material;
- and
- drive means for driving the conveyor.
A method of distributing particulate material stored in a container having a gate thereon for releasing the particulate material, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a pallet having a frame member receiving the container, a first hopper mounted to the frame member for receiving the particulate material from the container when the container gate is open, a conveyer having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end of the conveyer being fixedly mounted to the first hopper for transporting seed from the first hopper to the discharge end of the conveyer, and drive means for driving the conveyor;
- providing a lift apparatus;
- positioning the container on the pallet;
- positioning the pallet on the lift apparatus with the container on the pallet;
- opening the gate of the container such that the particulate material flows into the hopper;
- positioning the discharge spout of the conveyer over a desired target;
- and
- selectively engaging the drive means to start and stop transport of the particulate material through the conveyer to the desired target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.