Valve systems, particularly for use with agricultural equipment
AssigneeAmerican Cyanamid Company
InventorKeith F. Woodruff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for converting linear movement into rotary movement includes a pair of pulleys mounted to a linearly movable supporting element. Selective linear movement of the supporting element drives a rotary element by a drive cable engaging the pulleys and the rotary element. The device is particularly adapted for use as a rotary valve for controlling the flow of product from an upper storage container to a lower hopper of an agricultural dispensing vehicle. An agricultural vehicle incorporating the rotary valve system of the present invention is provided with vertical supports for the product container enabling the vehicle to carry containers of larger size and increased storage capacity.
Claims18
A device for converting linear motion into rotary motion, said device comprising:
- a supporting element selectively movable in a substantially linear orientation,
- a pair of pulleys mounted to said supporting element for conjoint linear movement therewith,
- a rotatable element operatively associated with said supporting element, and
- a cable engaging said pair of pulleys and said rotatable element for driving said rotatable element in a rotating movement in response to linear movement of said supporting element.
A granular applicator device comprising:
- a hopper including means for dispensing granular material therefrom,
- a container mountable atop said hopper for storing and providing to said hopper said material to be dispensed from said hopper,
- and valve means disposed between said container and said hopper for controlling the flow of said material from said container into said hopper, said valve means comprising means for converting selective linear movement into corresponding rotary movement in one of two preselected rotational directions for selectively opening and closing said valve means when said container is mounted atop said hopper.
An agricultural vehicle comprising:
- a hopper for dispensing material from said vehicle;
- a container mounted atop said hopper for storing said material and for supplying said material to said hopper therebelow;
- supporting means for said container, said supporting means providing structural support for said upwardly extending container for counteracting forces on said container as a result of movement of said vehicle;
- said supporting means comprising a plurality of protuberances extending upwardly from a top surface of said hopper, said protuberances being provided proximate to said container;
- valve means separate from said supporting means, said valve means disposed between said hopper and said container for controlling the flow of said material from said container downwardly into said hopper;
- and
- means for actuating said valve means, said means for actuating said valve means being received, at least in part, in said supporting means for said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.