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US 7,802,956 B2Granted
Apparatus for automatically unloading agricultural material from a storage bag
OwnerScott F. Schertz, Glen Kempinventors
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Abstract
An unloading mechanism capable of automatically unloading agricultural materials from a storage bag is disclosed. The unloading mechanism includes a collection mechanism, discharge mechanism and a sensor arrangement configured to engage the storage bag. The sensor arrangement controls the unloading mechanism so that it automatically advances in a direction towards the storage bag as material is unloaded therefrom.
Claims4
An apparatus for automatically unloading material from an elongate storage bag, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a collection mechanism configured to remove the material from the storage bag;
- a drive mechanism capable of advancing the apparatus along the direction of the storage bag;
- and
- a sensor arrangement configured to engage the storage bag and to automatically control the drive mechanism according to pressure exerted on the sensor arrangement because of the presence of material within the storage bag, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises:
- an actuator member that is spring-biased;
- a hydraulic switch that actuates the drive mechanism and is operatively manipulated by the actuator member;
- wherein pressure exerted on the actuator member, as the apparatus advances in the direction of the storage bag, causes the actuator member to move against its bias which, in turn, causes the switch to deactivate the drive mechanism and stop advancement of the apparatus;
- and
- wherein spring-driven return movement of the actuator member causes the switch to activate the drive mechanism and resume advancement of the apparatus along the direction of the storage bag.
7 more elements
An apparatus for automatically unloading material from an elongate storage bag, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a collection mechanism configured to remove the material from the storage bag;
- and
- a drive mechanism capable of advancing the apparatus along the direction of the storage bag;
- a sensor arrangement configured to engage the storage bag and to automatically control the drive mechanism according to pressure exerted on the sensor arrangement because of the presence of material within the storage bag, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises:
- an actuator member;
- a hydraulic switch that actuates said drive mechanism;
- a linkage arm that operatively manipulates the switch, wherein the linkage arm is spring-biased and is disposed operatively between the actuator member and the switch;
- wherein pressure exerted on the actuator member, as said apparatus advances in the direction of the storage bag, causes the actuator member to move and the linkage arm to move against its bias which, in turn, causes the switch to deactivate the drive mechanism and stop advancement of the apparatus;
- and
- wherein spring-driven return movement of the linkage arm causes the switch to activate the drive mechanism and resume advancement of the apparatus along the direction of the storage bag.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.