Bulk seed handling system

The combination comprising:

• a bin assembly comprising—
• a particulate bin having an upper inlet and a lower outlet;
• a plurality of spaced apart, upright legs operably secured to said bin to support the bin above and on a support surface;
• a transport trailer separate from said bin assembly and operable to move the bin assembly to a use site, and to unload particulate material from the bin at said use site, said trailer comprising—
• an elongated mobile lower frame having a forward end and a rearward end and wheels operable to support the lower frame on said support surface, said lower frame having a longitudinal axis extending along the length thereof;
• a lift frame operably coupled with said lower frame and selectively moveable relative to said lower frame between a lower position and an elevated position,
• said lower frame and said lift frame in the lower position thereof movable to a bin-engaging location beneath said bin and between said legs, said lift frame including structure operable to elevate and support said bin assembly when the lift frame is moved to said elevated position thereof at said bin-engaging location, in order to permit transport of said bin assembly to said use site;
• a conveyor assembly operable to unload particulate from said bin at said use site, comprising an intermediate conveyor having an inlet and an outlet, and a delivery conveyor having an inlet and an outlet, said intermediate conveyor being elongated and presenting a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with said lower frame longitudinal axis;
• shifting structure supporting said intermediate conveyor for selective translatory axial movement of the intermediate conveyor along said longitudinal axis thereof at said use site with the lift frame engaging and supporting said bin, between a retracted lower travel position and an extended unloading position where the intermediate conveyor inlet is below said bin assembly lower outlet and said intermediate conveyor outlet communicates with said delivery conveyor inlet;
• pivot structure supporting said delivery conveyor for pivoting movement thereof about an upright pivot axis independent of said intermediate conveyor,
• said shifting and pivot structures supporting said intermediate and delivery conveyors such that said particulate material at said use site follows a path of travel from said bin along the longitudinal axes of the intermediate and delivery conveyors for delivery of the particulate material forwardly of said forward end of said lower frame.

A particulate bin assembly comprising:

• a particulate bin having an upper inlet and a lower outlet;
• a frame assembly supporting said bin above a support surface and including a plurality of spaced apart, upright, substantially vertically oriented tubular leg mounts rigidly secured to said bin, and a number of elongated cross rails extending laterally between and rigidly connected to said leg mounts;
• a substantially vertically extending leg telescopically received within each of said leg mounts and including a lowermost pad for engaging said support surface, and an obliquely extending telescopic arm including first and second telescopically interfitted arm sections pivotally coupled to each leg and a cross rail of said frame assembly,
• said legs and arms oriented to form an unimpeded through-space below said bin and between said legs of a size to permit a transport trailer to be positioned within said through-space and between said legs;
• a spring within each leg mount and operably coupled with the associated leg in order to bias the leg to a retracted position,
• each of said legs being substantially vertically shiftable within the corresponding mount between said retracted position and an extended position, said oblique arm pivoting to accommodate such shifting of the leg;
• and
• locking structure operable to alternately hold each of said legs in said retracted and extended positions thereof, including a first releasable lock operatively attached to one of said leg mounts and the corresponding leg, in order to selectively lock the corresponding leg relative to the one leg mount, and a second releasable lock operatively attached to one of said oblique arms in order to selectively lock the corresponding first and second arm sections relative to each other.