AU3246097A

AU3246097A - Agricultural hopper

Info

Publication number: AU3246097A
Application number: AU32460/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Cameron Dwight Bodie; Russel J. Memory; Montgomerie B Summach
Original assignee: CNH Industrial Canada Ltd
Current assignee: CNH Industrial Canada Ltd
Priority date: 1997-08-04
Filing date: 1997-08-04
Publication date: 1999-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-04
Also published as: AU746741B2

Description

N~O0/0 11 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Actua--ql Inventor(s): Address for Service: invention Title: Flexi-Coil Ltd Russell J Memory Monty Summach Cameroni Bodie A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 772 Adelaide, SA 5001 Agricultural Hopper The following statement is a full descripti Ion of this invention, including the best method of-performting it known to* us.- 2 l This invention relates generally to agricultural hoppers and more particularly to agricultural hoppers of the type having separate compartments for two different materials such as seed and fertiliser.

Grain drills, seeders and other types of implements often include a hopper having two or more separate compartments for containing two or more materials such as seed graining and fertiliser. Such hoppers are commonly fabricated by welding and/or bolting sheet metal panels in a tank configuration. This sheet metal construction is expensive and is susceptible to corrosion.

An improvement in these prior art metal compartments is disclosed in United States Patent number 4,541,549 in the name of Hadley et al. issued September 17, 1985.

Hadley et al. disclose two moulded cross-linked stackable polyethylene tanks nested together carried by a frame. Although this hopper structure may serve its intended purpose, tests have shown that a structure of this type may not be sufficient to withstand certain pressures and loads. For example, in certain instances it may be necessary to pressurise and load one tank when the adjacent tank is empty and unpressurized.

In these instances, the aforementioned tank may not be sufficient.

S, It is therefore an object of the invention, to provide a tank arrangement that is more suitable to various pressures and loads therewithin.

S It is a further object of the invention, to provide a convenient method and structure for supplying pressure within the tank.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided, a hopper structure for containing a fluid or product, including; a first moulded container having an outer end wall, an opposite S inner end including two spaced apart concave portions separated by a predetermined S 30 distance, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end; a second moulded container having an outer end wall, an opposite inner end including two spaced apart convex portions separated by a predetermined distance, the convex portions being I complementary with the concave portions of the first moulded container, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end of said second moulded 35 container.

A

i; i C.

r ~r r i 'rr 3 In accordance with the invention there is further provided a hopper structure for containing a fluid or product, including; a plurality of complementary stackable moulded containers having outer end walls, and opposite inner ends, at least one of the containers including two spaced apart concave portions separated by a predetermined distance, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end, at least another of the containers having an inner end including two spaced apart convex portions separated by a predetermined distance, the convex portions being complementary with the concave portions of the first moulded container, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end of said second moulded container.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an air cart tank in accordance with the invention; Figure 2a is a top view of a first tank; Figure 2b is an end view of the first tank; Figure 2c is a front elevation of the first tank; Figure 2d is a side elevation of the first tank; Figure 3a is a top view of a second tank; Figure 3b is an end view of the second tank; Figure 3c is a front elevation of the second tank; Figure 3d is a side elevation of the second tank; Figure 4a is a top view of a third tank; Figure 4b is an end view of the third tank; 25 Figure 4c is a front elevation of the third tank; and, Figure 4d is a side elevation of the third tank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to Figure 1 a three tank arrangement is shown, wherein plastic moulded 30 tanks 10, 20, and 30 are nested. The tanks being pressurizable, wherein different ressures could be applied to different tanks, or wherein the tanks were of varying degrees Sof fullness. For example, fertiliser operation may be higher in one tank and a higher r ;i 8i r c:li 1 il 1 4 ,2 4 product flow than Canola. These tanks provide for a 40/60 split in a two-tank system or between two of the three tanks. Of course other ratios can be provided by varying the tanks sizes. As is shown in the figure, the lids are close together and the bottoms are close together, taking up little space.

Turning now to Figures 2a through 2d, the first tank 10 is shown having two segmented wing portions 25 and 27, separated by a curved key portion 30, having a curved face 32 and side portions 34. The curved key mating surface is less deep than the profile of the wings. The curved key shape is deigned to allow clear access from the manway. At an upper end two protruding portions 40 are shown for accommodating top ends of a ladder inside the tank substantially following the curvature of the face 32. The ladder serves as a means of preventing buckling of the segmented wing portions 25 and 27 when under load S from complementary convex wings 35 and 37 in the tank Turning now to Figures 3a to 3d the tank 20 is shown in a plurality of views. The wings and 37 are comprised of flat triangular segments or planar segmented domes to provide sufficient strength; each segmented surface being in planar tension when the tank is S.pressurised, i.e. the stresses in the wall segment are distributed along the plane of the segment in tension.

Each tank is designed to be able to withstand loading on its own. If this were not the case, the tanks would be prone to pushing away from one another under load, making it difficult to contain them within a frame.

A ladder 50 (indicated by a dashed line in Figure 3d) is removably placed within the tank The ladder fits up into protrusions 40 or ladder pockets and follows the curved key curvature but doesn't go outside the boundary of the wings. In the absence of the ladder under extreme pressure the structure would invert, wherein the wings would buckle in; the presence of the ladder 50 serves to prevent crushing or collapsing inward. The width of the ladder 50 is approximately the same as the width of the curved key section with the Sladder touching the sides 34. Tests have shown that at times the wings do put pressure Supon the ladder. However, the curved key 32, 34 serving as a rib, on its own aids to prevent substantial buckling and provides extra stiffness.

At the bottom of the tank( accommodating the ladder(s) is a structure (not shown) that the ladder sits on. To histall the ladder it is lifted up into the pockets and is dropped down, I; 1 providing a no-bolt removable installation. The pressurisation air for the tank is fed from below into one or both of the upright ladder sides that serve as conduits. The upper end has openings to allow the pressurised air to escape into the tank. As well the ladder serves as a means of venting the tank in the area of the pockets 40. This arrangement also prevents product within the tank from entering the ladder sides serving as the conduit Furthermore, this method and apparatus for venting and providing pressure obviates providing additional tubing typically done.

Although the two end tanks 10 and 30 appear to be of the same size, it is sometimes required for the tanks to have different storage capacities. By doming one tank into another, the internal tank dimensions can be varied without changing the outer dimensions of the thanks. Doming one tank into another allows one tank to borrow space from an adjacent one.

Of course numerous other embodiments may be envisaged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Multiple tanks may be tied together with a catwalk frame as well as the frame of the cart 20 A metal ring is bolted to the hatch rim of each tank, which is in turn, tied to the catwalk frame.

'The tanks may be symmetrical about the longitudinal centre line.

Preferably, the tank walls are stiffer at bends than along curved surfaces.

S*1* i O.

Claims

1. A hopper structure for containing a fluid or product, including; a first moulded container having an outer end wall, an opposite inner end including two spaced apart concave portions separated by a predetermined distance, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end; a second moulded container having an end wall, an opposite inner end including two spaced apart convex portions separated by a predetermined distance, the convex portions being complementary with the concave portions of the first moulded container, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end of said second moulded container.

2. The hopper structure as defined in claim I, further including a curved key portion disposed between the two spaced apart concave portions.

3. The hopper structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the curved key portion has a H concave face and side walls, said portion protruding outward from the two spaced apart concave portions, the concave portions and the concave face of the curved key portion i 20 defining end face walls of the opposite inner end.

4. The hopper structure as defined in claim 2, further comprising a recess between the two spaced apart convex portions of the second container complementary to and for receiving the curved key portions.

5. The hopper structure as defined in claim 3, further comprising a recess between the S. two spaced apart convex portions of the second container complementary to and for receiving the curved key portions.

6. The hopper structure as defined in claim I including means for receiving and supporting a ladder within the first compartment in a space between the two spaced apart C convex portions.

S7. The hopper structure as defined in claim 1 including a ladder for being disposed 35 within the tank between the two spaced apart concave portions and for substantially preventing bulking I t S j 7

8. The hopper structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the ladder in an upright position, includes vertical members and horizontal members, at least one of the vertical members serving as a conduit for carrying a fluid into the tank.

9. The hopper structure as defined in claim 8, including means for coupling to a bottom end of the at least one vertical member serving as a conduit, said coupling means for coupling to a fluid supply.

The hopper structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the fluid supply is for pressurising said container.

11. The hopper structure as defined in claim 5 including ladder means for climbing into and out of the first container, said ladder being disposed between the two spaced apart concave portions for substantially preventing substantial inward buckling of the convex S portions beyond a predetermined amount when under a substantially load or pressure.

.12. The hopper structure as defined in claim I1, wherein the ladder means is 20 removable.

13. The hopper structure as defined in claim I, wherein the second container has means within a ceiling portion for accommodating and containing upper ends of said ladder means.

14. A hopper structure as defined in claim I having a third moulded container having an outer end wall, an opposite inner end including two spaced apart concave portions separated by a predetermined distance, the concave portions being complementary with convex portions of the one of the firstand second moulded containers, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end of said third moulded container. S-

15. A hopper structure as defined in claim 1 having a third a moulded container having an outer end wall, an opposite inner end including two spaced apart convex portions 35 searated by a predetermined distance, the convex portions being complementary with 8 concave portions of the one of the first and second moulded containers, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite innerend of said third moulded container.

16. A hopper structure for containing a fluid or product, including; a plurality of complementary stackable moulded containers having outer end walls, and opposite inner ends, at least one of the containers including two spaced apart concave portions separated by a predetermined distance, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end, at least another of the containers having an inner end including two spaced apart convex portions separated by a predetermined distance, the convex portions being complementary with the concave portions of the first moulded container, and side walls connecting the outer end wall and the opposite inner end of said second moulded container.

17. A hopper structure as defined in claim 16, wherein a curved key portion is disposed between one of the spaced apart convex portions and the space apart convex portions, and having a complementary portion for receiving the curved key portion an said other of the one of the spaced apart convex portions and the space apart convex portions.

18- A hopper structure as defined in claim 17 including a ladder for being disposed 20 within the container between spaced apart concave portions, for preventing inward buckling of the convex portions.

19. A hopper structure substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 4th day of August 1997 FLEXI-COIL LTD 30 By their Patent Attorneys 30 Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys