US 8,770,388 B1 · Sweep conveyor for removal of grain and other materials from bins

Abstract

A sweep conveyor extends along a bin floor between a sump pivot about which the conveyor rotates, and an outer end adjacent the bin wall. During the conveyor's orbit about the floor, flights at the conveyor bottom sweep across the floor toward the sump pivot, whereby bin material in front of the conveyor is swept into a sump. The conveyor is preferably made in modular sections connected end-to-end, whereby different sections are combined to construct conveyors having different lengths and capabilities. Some sections are preferably hinged together, allowing different sections to adopt different inclinations as they travel about a non-level floor. The flights are preferably provided on a belted chain riding on sprockets at opposite ends of the conveyor, and the chain is not supported by idler sprockets along its length, allowing the chain (and its flights) to sag under gravity so the flights ride along the bin floor.

Claims63

Dependent claims

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
and wherein:
(I) the conveyor body is formed of two or more body sections adjacently arrayed along the conveyor length,
(II) each of the body sections includes a portion of the forward inner wall, a portion of the rearward inner wall, and a portion of the rearward outer wall, and
(III) at least two adjacent body sections are hingedly connected, whereby the hingedly connected body sections may pivot with respect to each other in vertical planes;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end.

11 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
and wherein:
(I) the conveyor body is formed of two or more body sections adjacently arrayed end-to-end along the conveyor length, each of the body sections including a portion of the forward inner wall, a portion of the rearward inner wall, and a portion of the rearward outer wall,
(II) the body sections include:
(A) an inner body section:
(i) situated at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot,
(ii) wherein the inner wheel is situated on the inner body section between planes defined by the forward inner wall and the rearward inner wall of the inner body section;
(B) an outer body section:
(i) situated at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end,
(ii) wherein the outer wheel is situated on the outer body section between planes defined by the forward inner wall and the rearward inner wall of the outer body section, and
(iii) wherein the flights spaced along the belt riding on the outer wheel are exposed from both the front and the bottom of the outer body section;
(C) at least one intermediate body section:
(i) situated between the inner body section and the outer body section,
(ii) including a rearward floor extending between the portions of the rearward inner and outer walls of the intermediate body section beneath the flights within the return area of the intermediate body section,
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end.

20 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
(3) a rear floor extending between the rearward inner and outer walls beneath the return area;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end.

8 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
(3) a set of parallel spaced bars extending forwardly from the roof above the sweep area;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end.

8 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
and wherein:
(I) the conveyor body is formed of two or more body sections adjacently arrayed along the conveyor length, each of the body sections including a portion of the forward inner wall, a portion of the rearward inner wall, and a portion of the rearward outer wall,
(II) one of the body sections bears a tensioner translatably received between the forward and rearward inner walls, wherein the tensioner bears one of the inner and outer wheels thereon;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end.

10 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end,
wherein each flight is:
(I) rigid for a major portion of its length extending from the flight inner end, and
(II) flexible for a portion of its length extending from the flight outer end.

10 more elements

A sweep conveyor including:

a. a conveyor body having a conveyor length extending between a conveyor sump pivot and a conveyor outer end, the conveyor body including:
(1) a forward inner wall, a rearward outer wall, and a rearward inner wall situated therebetween, wherein:
i. a space defined between the rearward inner wall and the rearward outer wall defines a return area, and
ii. a space defined in front of the forward inner wall defines a sweep area;
(2) a roof extending over the return area;
b. a pair of wheels oriented to rotate about at least substantially vertical axes, the wheels including an inner wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor sump pivot, and an outer wheel at or adjacent to the conveyor outer end;
c. an endless belt riding on the inner and outer wheels about the forward and rearward inner walls;
d. flights spaced along the belt and within the sweep and return areas, each flight having a length protruding horizontally from the belt between:
(1) a flight inner end at which the flight is affixed to the belt, and
(2) an opposing flight outer end,
wherein each flight:
(I) is formed of a plate of flexible material, and
(II) is fixed to a rigid leg extending outwardly from the belt, the rigid leg extending for a major portion of the flight's length extending from the flight inner end.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sweep conveyor for removal of grain and other materials from bins

Life of this patent

Sweep conveyor for removal of grain and other materials from bins

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims63