CA1181356A

CA1181356A - Clean-up hopper and grain auger assembly

Info

Publication number: CA1181356A
Application number: CA000395738A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Henry O. Redfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-02-09
Filing date: 1982-02-08
Publication date: 1985-01-22

Abstract

AUXILIARY HOPPER FOR AUGER
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
An auger assembly for use at an acute angle for unloading grain bins is provided with a clean-up opening on the top thereof at position adjacent but spaced from the inlet end of the assembly. A hopper box is affixed over the clean-up opening to receive and transmit to the auger blade residual grain deposited therein by a grain scoop shovel after the auger assembly has conveyed away most of the grain through its inlet end.

Description

3~16 CLEAN-UP HOPPER AND GRAIN AUGER ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to secondary inlet feeds to conveyor augers.

2. Description of Prior Art . . .
It has already been proposed in the prior art to supply secondary openings in the housings of conveyors. For example, U. S. Patent 3,031,064 to K]ine shows a pivoted plate which controls discharge from the auger. The openings in the Kline patent are not for input to the auger conveyor. U. S. Patent 3,074,534 to Thiele and U. S. Patent 3,077,975 to Hobbs also show discharge ports. In neither of these patents is a port used for secondary input. U. S. Patent 3,134,478 to Haen shows a plurality of discharge ports along the conveyor housing. None of these ports are used for input to the conveyor.
It has also been proposed in the prior art to use a hopper for input to a conveyor. U. ~. Patent 4,170,293 to Campbell shows an input hopper at the inlet end of a conveyor belt, not an auger. This hopper is the initial feed to the conveyor. No secondary input is shown. An opening further along the conveyor i~ shown, but is for maintenance and not for input.
U. S. Patent 3,074,534 to Thiele has a hopper used for input. This is used by the primary input to a horizorltal auger. It is not a secondary input.
Covers for openings Oll auger housinc~s have

3~6 been shown in the prior art. U. S. Patent 3,40~,119 to Mayrath shows a sliding cover fox -the inlet to an auger assembly. ~. S. Patent 3,67~,046 shows a screen and cover for an inle-t to an auger assembly. Neither of these relates to a secondary inlet.
The patents discussed above were found in a search. Neither the inventor nor those in privity with him know of any closer prior art or any prior art which anticipates the claims herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a clean-up hopper box which is attached to the cylindrical housing of a conveyor auger assembly in encompassing relation to an opening in the housing. Such assemblies are inserted into storage areas or bins at acute angles to empty particulate, discrete materials from such bins.
When the bin materials are sufficiently empty so that the auger can no longer feed, the residual materials are manually scooped up and deposited into the clean-up hopper. These tailings enter the auger houslng and are conveyed out by the auger assembly, thus efficiently emptying the bin.
In the form of the invention as shown, the input hopper is attached to the auger housing by strapping mear,s around an opening in the housing. A cover on the hopper box seals the hopper box when it i5 not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TH~ DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a conveyor auger assembly, with an attached clean-up hopper box, in a bin from which the auger is drawing grain;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view -taken on line 2--2 in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
A conveyor auger assembly 6, contains an auger blade 8 inside of a cylindrical auger housing 10.
Conveyor auger assembly 6 extends on an acute angle down into a grain bin 12 containing grain 14 which it is removing. The auger assembly of the invention is particularly well suited to convey wheat, corn, oats or any other discrete,particulate materials. As shown, grain 14 is drawn into the conveyor auger assembly 6 through an inlet end 16 by auger blade 8, and is then carried throuyh conveyor auger assembly by the blade. When the amount of grain is reduced ~o a low level, it cannot be drawn into inlet end 16.
In prior art conveyor assemblies, this resulted in waste of the residue.
To eliminate this waste in the present lnvention, the cylindrical auger housing 10 is provided with a material-receiving clean-up opening 18 located close to, but spaced from, inlet end 16. Clean-up opening 18 is a generally rectangular hole through the top surface of cylindrical auger housing 10. A hopper bo~ 20 is attached to auger housing 10, in completely encompassing relation ~o clean-up opening 18, by ~trapping means 22A and 22B which engage curved flanges 3~

23,23 of -the hopper box 20. In one preferred embodimen~, these strapping means are elongated versions of common radiator hose clamps. In another embodimen~ (not shown), hopper box 20 is welded -to auger housing 10. In still other embodiments, hopper box 20 is attached by other permanent bonding means. It is sometimes more desirable that hopper box 20 be permanently attached and sometimes better that it be removable.
As shown in FIG. 3, a top opening 26 of the hopper box is longer and wider than clean-up opening 18, giving hoppex box 20 a tapered shape, somewhat li]ce a funnel.
The residue of grain 14 in the bottom of grain bin 12 which cannot be picked up through auger assembly inlet end 16, can be scooped up and poured into hopper box 20. In FIG. 2, a scoop shovel 24 is shown pouring this residue into hopper box opening 26. Grain 14 ~alls khrough housing clean~up opening 18 and is engaged by auger blade 8 and carried along the conveyor auger assembly 6 to an appropriate discharge point associated with a housing dischaxge end 17. This assures the user of a way to completely clean the bottom of grain bin 12.
In FIG. 3, hopper box 20 is shown as being covered by a hopper box cover 28, which has a handle 30. This cover 28 prevents deleterious objects from falling into clean-up opening ]8 when the hopper box is nok being used to receive residue or tailings which cannot be handled by khe inlek end of the assernbly 6.
In FIG. 3, clean-up opening 18 is shown as --'I--~ 3t~;~

being smaller than bottom opening of hopper box 20 and as being located at the end of hopper box closest to inlet end 16 of assembly 6. This permits easy loading into the hopper box without overloadiny the auger.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. For use in unloading discrete, particulate material from a bin, an auger assembly including an auger blade rotatably mounted in a cylindrical auger housing, said housing having an inlet end open to the auger blade and a discharge end, the axis of said auger assembly lying at an acute angle to the horizontal, the improvements wherein:
A. the auger housing is provided with a material-receiving clean-up opening through an upper portion thereof, adjacent and spaced from said housing inlet end; and B. a hopper box is affixed to said upper portion of said auger housing in encompassing relation to said clean-up opening.

2. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein:
C. the hopper box is removably attached to cylindrical auger housing by strapping means.

3. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein:
C. the hopper box has a bottom larger than the housing clean-up opening, and the clean-up opening is positioned at an end of the hopper box closest to the inlet end of the auger assembly.

4. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein:
C. the hopper box has a top opening wider than its bottom opening, thereby giving hopper box a funnel-like tapered shape.

5. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein:
C. cover means is provided to seal the top opening of the hopper box when not in use.

6. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein:
C. the hopper box is removably attached to cylindrical auger housing by strapping means;
D. the hopper box has a bottom larger than the housing clean-up opening, and the clean-up opening is positioned at an end of the hopper box closest to the inlet end of the auger assembly; and E. the hopper box has a top opening wider than its bottom opening, thereby giving hopper box a funnel-like tapered shape.

7. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein:
F. cover means is provided to seal the top opening of the hopper box when not in use.