Alignment assembly for a modular tower dryer
AssigneeSukup Manufacturing Company
InventorDavid J. Brownmiller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment and bracing assembly and method of using the same to erect a bucket elevator. The assembly has first and second cross braces that are attached to trunking members of a bucket elevator in spaced relation where a plate is secured to each of the cross braces. The plate includes diagonal sections for additional bracing and in addition alignment openings so that alignment pins can be disposed therethrough to align additional sets of trunking members with one another during the erection process. The alignment pins are also used for the erection of a modular tower dryer.
Claims13
A modular grain storage or drying device formed of a plurality of vertically stacked modules having an alignment assembly, comprising:
- a first module having an exterior wall;
- a second module having an exterior wall;
- the first module having a first column having a first alignment bracket;
- the first alignment bracket having a support section that engages the first column, and an alignment pin having a tapered portion at one end, the alignment pin secured to the first alignment bracket;
- the second module having a second column having a second alignment bracket;
- the second alignment bracket having an opening;
- wherein when the first module and the second module are stacked the opening of the second alignment bracket receives the alignment pin.
A modular grain drying device formed of a plurality of vertically stacked modules having an alignment assembly, comprising:
- a first module having an exterior wall and a plenum wall in spaced alignment thereby forming a grain drying path;
- a second module having an exterior wall and a plenum wall in spaced alignment thereby forming a grain drying path;
- the first module having a first column having a first alignment bracket;
- the first alignment bracket having a support section that engages the first column, and an alignment pin having a tapered portion at one end, the alignment pin secured to the first alignment bracket;
- the second module having a second column having a second alignment bracket;
- the second alignment bracket having an opening;
- wherein when the first module and the second module are stacked the opening of the second alignment bracket receives the alignment pin.
A method of assembling a modular grain storage or drying device formed of a plurality of vertically stacked modules having an alignment assembly, comprising:
- providing a first module having an exterior wall and a first alignment bracket connected to the first module;
- connecting an alignment pin having an elongated shaft and a tapered end to the first alignment bracket;
- providing a second module having an exterior wall and a second alignment bracket connected to the second module, the second alignment bracket having an opening;
- stacking the first module and the second module in vertical alignment with one another;
- aligning the alignment pin of the first alignment bracket with the opening of the second alignment bracket;
- receiving the alignment pin of the first alignment bracket in the opening of the second alignment bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.