Pneumatic grain sample transport system
OwnerGregory DiFrank, Jan M. Elzey +1inventors
InventorsGregory DiFrank, Jan M. Elzey, Bryan E. Krupp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present apparatus relates to a pneumatic transport system to transport samples of grain between a filling station in a grain handling and storage structure and a receiving station in an office or inspection laboratory.
Claims14
A pneumatic transport system to transport samples of grain along a pipeline between a carrier filling station in a grain handling and storage structure and a receiving station in an office or inspection laboratory, the system comprising:
- a hopper assembly including a surge hopper and an isolation hopper and having interposed there between a sample surge gate and positioned below the isolation hopper a sample isolation gate;
- a carrier having a first end and a second end, the first end of the carrier including a self-closing, spring biased door for automatic filling of the carrier in the carrier filling station, the second end of the carrier including an end-cap that may be manually removed to empty the contents of the carrier at the receiving station;
- a carrier filling station including a carrier filling assembly having a transport line, cushion assembly and a carrier clamp assembly, the transport line in communication with the pipeline and extending the length of the carrier filling station, the transport line including longitudinal slots to allow for pressurization of the pipeline from a blower and to guide the cushion assembly for decelerating the travel of the carrier and openings to operatively receive the carrier clamp assembly, the cushion assembly including piston members having parallel extending rods and a perpendicular interconnecting yoke attached thereto, the carrier clamp assembly includes pivotable locking arms to hold the carrier firmly against the bottom of the yoke during filling of the carrier;
- a receiving station to receive the carrier when the carrier is moved from the carrier filling station;
- and
- a pipeline operatively interconnecting the carrier filling station and the receiving station.
A method pneumatically transporting samples of grain along a pipeline between a carrier filling station in a grain handling and storage structure and a receiving station in an office or inspection laboratory, the method comprising the steps of:
- filling a hopper assembly including a surge hopper and an isolation hopper and having interposed there between a sample surge gate and positioned below the isolation hopper a sample isolation gate with grain;
- automatically filling a carrier with the grain from the hopper at the carrier filling station, the carrier filling station including a carrier filling assembly having a transport line, cushion assembly and a carrier clamp assembly, the transport line in communication with the pipeline and extending the length of the carrier filling station, the transport line including longitudinal slots to allow for pressurization of the pipeline from a blower and to guide the cushion assembly for decelerating the travel of the carrier and openings to operatively receive the carrier clamp assembly, the cushion assembly including piston members having parallel extending rods and a perpendicular interconnecting yoke attached thereto, the carrier clamp assembly includes pivotable locking arms to hold the carrier firmly against the bottom of the yoke during filling of the carrier;
- and
- transporting the carrier to the receiving station through a pressurized pipeline.
A pneumatic transport system to transport a grain sample, the system comprising:
- a carrier for transporting the grain sample;
- a hopper assembly including a spout for metering the grain sample;
- a carrier filling station in communication with the hopper assembly and adapted to automatically receive the grain sample and fill the carrier via the spout, the carrier filling station including a carrier filling assembly having a transport line in alignment with the spout extending a length of the carrier filling station, a cushion assembly for decelerating the travel of the carrier, and a carrier clamp assembly for holding the carrier during filling of the carrier;
- and
- a receiving station capable of receiving the carrier when the carrier is moved from the carrier filling station;
- and
- a pipeline operatively interconnecting the carrier filling station and the receiving station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.