AU723664B2

AU723664B2 - Grain elevator apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU723664B2
Application number: AU10060/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian David Grant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-01-09
Filing date: 1997-01-08
Publication date: 2000-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-08
Also published as: AU1006097A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED:

ACCEPTED:

PUBLISHED:

RELATED ART: a *0 as a.

s o .000 NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR: ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: IAN DAVID GRANT Applicant LORD COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA.

"GRAIN ELEVATOR APPARATUS" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: PN7472 filed January 9, 1996 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2

TITLE

GRAIN ELEVATOR APPARATUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a grain elevator apparatus.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Grain elevators are used to transport grain from a storage device typically mounted on the rear of a vehicle to a grain silo.

Grain elevators typically include a conveyor belt mounted on a chute or trough. Grain elevators suffer from the disadvantage that particles of grain, metal and other refuse become attached between the underside of the conveyor belt and the chute or trough. If these particles are not regularly removed from the under side of the belt then the particles may cause damage to the belt.

Hence, the belt must be dismounted from the trough and cleaned to ensure that the particles cause no premature damage to the belt. This periodic cleaning of the belt adds g• to the service downtime of the grain elevator.

The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the disadvantages of the known grain elevators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 20 In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a grain elevator •00 :apparatus including a grain delivery means wherein the grain delivery means includes a o~o conveyor belt having a self cleaning means arranged to clean the underside of the *.o conveyor belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which Figure 1 is a side view of a grain elevator apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figure l b is a plan view of a transportable base means shown in Figure 1; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional end view of the grain elevator apparatus as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the grain elevator apparatus as shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an expanded upper perspective view of the grain delivery means of the grain elevator apparatus as shown in figure 1; and Figure 5 is a lower perspective view of the grain delivery means as shown in figure 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figures 1, lb and 3, there is shown a grain elevator apparatus 10. The apparatus includes a transportable base means 12 and a grain delivery means 32.

The transportable base means 12 includes a lower and upper pair of"A" frame members 14 and 15 respectively. The frame members 14 and 15 have a first end 16 and a second end 18 respectively. The frame members 14 and 15 are joined at their 20 respective second ends 18 by an axle member 17. A pair of wheels 20 are rotatably mounted on the axle member 17.

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4 The frame members 14 and 15 also include mounting members 22 mounted towards their respective first ends 16. Further, a plurality of post members 24 extend upwardly from the lower frame member 14. A plurality of post members 24 extend downwardly from the upper frame member 15. The members 24 are joined at their end remote from the frame members 14 and 15 by a guide rail members 26 which end in respective downwardly or upwardly sloping portions towards the axle member 17.

The grain delivery means 32 includes a conveyor belt arrangement 34, a motor 36, and an elongated support member 38. The grain delivery means 32 has a first end 39 and a second end 41. The motor 36 is located towards the first end 39 of the grain delivery means 32.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the conveyor belt arrangement 34 comprises a trough member and a pair of roller drums (not shown) with an endless belt 35 mounted thereon. The trough member 40 is mounted on the elongated support member 38. The trough member has a feeding chute 51 located towards the first end 39.

•OO:tThe endless belt 35 may be of conventional shape such as substantially flat, crescent shape late or the like. However, a preferred shape of the endless belt 35 is a substantially W shape see* oo*S in cross section whereby the grain on the belt is more evenly distributed across the entire a width of the belt.

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The support member 38 is comprised of a plurality of panels. Each panel is made in the ~shape of a frame with a pair of substantially opposed sides. Each panel further has a pair 0060o ooooo

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a a of rods 48 mounted diagonally across the face of each panel except for the panels located towards the first and second ends 39 and 41 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

In Figure 2 there is shown an end view of the trough member 40. The trough member includes a plurality of base members 52 spaced longitudinally along the elongated support member 38. Each base member 32 comprises a pair of side members 50 and a cross member 42 arranged such that the base member 52 is substantially H-shaped.

The trough member 40 further includes a pair of elongate side members 54. The elongate side members 54 each include a portion 56 which is at an inward angle X as shown in Figure 2 with respect to the upright direction. The portion 56 has an inwardly extending flange 58 which extends towards the centre of the trough member 40. Each elongate side member 54 also has a base portion 60 which is at a substantially right angle to the portion 56. Each elongate side member 54 also has a lower portion 62 which downwardly extends at a substantial right angle to the base portion 60. Each lower portion 62 also has o a flange 64 which extends away from the centre of the trough member 40. The elongate 15 side members 54 are arranged so that the lower portion 62 rests on the cross members 42 of base members 52.

The pair of elongate side members 54 are mounted such that there is a gap 66 formed between the elongate side members 54. The endless belt 35 is then mounted on the trough member 40 and the pair of roller drums.

20 The grain delivery means 32 is mounted on the transportable base means 12 by suitable mounting means that engages the mounting members 22.

.i 6 In use, the apparatus 10 is positioned such that the feeding chute 51 is located under a grain containing vehicle. The grain is fed into the feeding chute 51 and the motor 36 turned on. The motor drives the roller drum (not shown) on which is mounted the endless belt 35 The roller drums and endless belt 35 in the conveyor belt arrangement 34 will transport the grain from the first end 39 of the trough member 40 to the second end 41 of the trough member 40 where the grain is dumped into a grain silo (not shown). As stated previously, the endless belt 35 is preferably of substantially shape in cross section.

If there are any particles of grain, pieces of metal or other refuse trapped between the under side of the belt 35 and the elongate side members 54 then as the belt travels the entire length of the trough 40 the particles will collect towards the gap 66 and fall to the ground surface. The elongate side members 54 thus act as a self cleaning means.

The problem of disengaging the grain elevator apparatus and having to clean between the underside of the belt and the trough is thus reduced.

1 5 Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

1. A grain elevator apparatus including a grain delivery means, wherein the grain delivery means includes a conveyor belt having a self cleaning means arranged to clean the underside of the conveyor belt.

2. A grain elevator apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the grain delivery means includes a trough member, said trough member having a gap formed in a lower side thereof

3. A grain elevator apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the trough includes a pair of elongate side members arranged such that the gap is located between the elongate side members.

4. A grain elevator apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the elongate side members each have a base portion, the said base portions supporting the conveyor belt.

A grain elevator apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the base portions slope :oo :transversely and inwardly towards the gap. 0000 00 15

6. A grain elevator apparatus according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the elongate side *0* *000 o 0 members each have a lower portion depending from an inner edge of the base portion adjacent the gap.

7. A grain elevator apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein ooo. the grain, elevator apparatus is transportable. S 20 8. A grain elevator apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference S to any one of the accompanying drawings.

8 DATED THIS 20 DAY OF JUNE 2000 IAN DAVID GRANT By His Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA sa. *.000 0#09a