Pneumatic grain conveying apparatus and method for selectively discharging grain or by-passing the discharge of grain into a grain bin

A pneumatic conveying system for conveying a particulate fluent product from an inlet device to a selected one of a plurality of vessels, said conveying system including a blower for forcing air under pressure into a piping system, said inlet device being located downstream from said blower, said piping system having a portion leading from said inlet device to an inlet in a first one of said vessels, a discharge/bypass valve connected to said portion of said piping system leading from said inlet so as to receive said fluent product being conveyed therethrough, said valve being installed on said vessel and having a discharge outlet in communication with the interior of said vessel for discharging of said particulate fluent product into said vessel, said valve having an inlet coupling operatively connected to said piping system and an outlet coupling connected to another portion of said piping system downstream of said valve leading to another of said vessels, said valve having a valve member movable between a first discharge position in which said fluent product flowing into said valve is discharged into said vessel and a by-pass position in which said particulate fluent product is conveyed through said valve from said inlet coupling to said outlet coupling and into said piping system downstream from said valve;

• wherein said valve member is a sleeve generally coaxial with said inlet and outlet couplings, wherein, when said sleeve is in said discharge position, a discharge space is defined between an outlet of said sleeve and one of said inlet and outlet couplings and which is in communication with said discharge outlet of said valve, and when said sleeve is in said bypass position, said sleeve connects said inlet and outlet couplings such that said discharge outlet is bypassed.