Apparatus and method for loading agricultural material

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus and method for reduced impact loading of impact sensitive materials, such as agricultural seed material, into a bin from above. The loading apparatus includes a door selectively movable between a lower position and an upper position. A guide mounts the door at the bin and provides a predetermined path between the lower and upper positions for the door. A drive is used to selectively vary the position of the door along the path in response to accumulation of material loaded from above. The door is first moved to the lower position for initial loading. A material dispenser having a discharge end is extended through an access opening in the bin at the door for initial loading of material therein. As material accumulates in the bin during loading, the discharge end is selectively raised in the access opening to maintain it within a predetermined distance range above such material. The door is also selectively raised to varying positions above the lower position to cover the access opening as material accumulates in the bin.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.