CA2198673A1 - Auger with vacuum pickup - Google Patents
Auger with vacuum pickupInfo
- Publication number
- CA2198673A1 CA2198673A1 CA002198673A CA2198673A CA2198673A1 CA 2198673 A1 CA2198673 A1 CA 2198673A1 CA 002198673 A CA002198673 A CA 002198673A CA 2198673 A CA2198673 A CA 2198673A CA 2198673 A1 CA2198673 A1 CA 2198673A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- transportation tube
- tube
- transportation
- door flap
- particulate material
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Landscapes
- Air Transport Of Granular Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Le précis n'est pas disponible en Abstract Not Yet Available ce moment
Description
~ 2 ~ 98 67 3 AUGER WITH VACUUM PICKUP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for transporting particulate material which includes a transportation tube with an auger 5 flighting which can be converted from an auger flight intake to a vacuum nozzle arrangement for carrying particulate material into the auger flighting.
Augers which include an elongate tube with a flighting mounted in the tube for carrying particulate material along the tube are well known and widely used particularly in agriculture for carrying the crop materials 10 from a storage bin to a transportation truck and vice versa. The auger is advantageous because it uses little power to transport the material.
However the auger is unsatisfactory in that it must be fed with the particulate material to a particular location at the feed end of the tube so that it is necessary to use a bin sweep or simple shoveling to unload the last 15 parts of a bin.
Grain vacs are also widely used which have the advantage that they can suction the grain into a flexible hose so that the intake of the system is much more flexible. However these devices are disadvantageous in that they require high power and because the high pressure air flow 20 necessary to generate high flows requires the use of close tolerance parts in an air pump which are rapidly worn when dust and other materials enter those parts. Generally the grain vac uses a cyclone for separation of the particulate material from the air together with an airlock which allows the particulate material to escape from the bottom of the cyclone back into the 25 air flow downstream of the pump or into an auger system.
One proposal has been made for mounting of a cyclone of this type directly on top of a conventional auger tube. This device also has proposed the use of a fan for generating the air flow rather than the close tolerance pump. However the device has not been successful due to the fact that only a low volume of the material can be transported. This is particularly due to the low pressure which can be generated using the fan and the relatively great height necessary to move the material to the top of 5 the cyclone for separation.
Another proposal uses a fan and a cyclone with the material being discharged from the bottom of the cyclone through an airlock directly into an auger flighting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved transportation system for particulate material which allows conversion from an auger flighting to a vacuum pickup.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising; a transportation 15 tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end; an auger flight portion; means for mounting the auger flight portion at the feed end of the tube; means for driving the auger flight portion to feed particulate material into the tube; the auger flight portion being removable from the feed end; a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle at one end; means for mounting the 20 vacuum tube on the feed end of the transportation tube in replacement for the auger flight portion; and means for drawing air into the transportation tube so as to draw air and particulate material into the vacuum tube through the nozzle thereof and into the feed end of the transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided a second transportation tube 25 arranged alongside the transportation tube and at least partly overlapping the transportation tube and including means for transferring particulate material from the transportation tube to the second transportation tube.
~ 2~ 98673 Preferably the second transportation tube has an auger flight therealong for transporting the particulate material from the transportation tube to a discharge end of the second transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided a first transfer location between the 5 transportation tube and the second transportation tube and a second transfer location spaced from the first longitudinally of the transportation tube and the second transportation tube.
Preferably the first transfer location is positioned adjacent the auger flight portion such that material carried by the auger flight portion is 10 transferred through the first location into the second transportation tube.
Preferably the means for drawing air is connected to the transportation tube and the second transportation tube at the second location for extracting air from the transportation tube while depositing the particulate material through the second location into the second 15 transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided an auger flight portion in the transportation tube at the second location with an air permeable screen surrounding the auger flight portion at the second location and allowing the extraction of air therefrom and preferably the auger flight portion includes 20 bristles thereon for sweeping.
Preferably the transportation tube is arranged on top of the second transportation tube such that material extracted by the screen falls downwardly into the second transportation tube and the second transportation tube includes two side panels each attached to a respective 25 side of a bottom part of the tube and standing upwardly therefrom and wherein the screen is connected to the top of the side panels and is arched over the top of the auger flight portion.
~ ~ ~i 98 673 According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising: a first transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end; a second transportation tube alongside the first transportation tube and at 5 least partly overlapping the first transportation tube; an auger flight mounted in the second transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong; vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle with the vacuum tube including means for connection to a feed end of the first transportation tube;
means for drawing air into the first transportation tube to draw air and 10 particulate material through the nozzle into the vacuum tube and into the first transportation tube; and means for transferring particulate material from the first transportation tube into the second transportation tube.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising: a 15 transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed discharge end; an auger flight mounted within the transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong to the discharge end; means for drawing air from the transportation tube so as to pull air and particulate material into thetransportation tube; a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door 20 assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, the flaps being arranged so as to be biased into a closed position, 25 stop means for locating the first door flap in the closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a transportation apparatus 5 according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through a lower part of the apparatus of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the attachment of a feed auger portion.
Figure 3 is a similar cross sectional view to that of Figure 2 10 showing the attachment of a feed vacuum nozzle.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view through the second transfer zone of the apparatus of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view along the lines 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a cross sectional view along the lines 6-6 of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a vertical cross sectional view through the closure flap at the discharge spout of the apparatus of Figure 1.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate 20 corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a main auger tube 10 which extends from a lower feed end generally indicated at 11 to an upper discharge end 12. At the upper discharge end is provided a 25 discharge spout 13. Within the main tube 10 is mounted an auger flighting 14 mounted on a shaft 15 for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the tube 10 for transporting particulate material from the lower feed end 11 to the discharge spout 13. The auger tube is mounted on an undercarriage ~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 generally indicated at 16 including an axle 17 carrying a pair of ground wheels 18. The axle 17 is attached to the auger tube by two pairs of support legs 19 and 20 with the position of the latter being adjustable longitudinally of the tube on a slide 21. On top of the main tube 10 is mounted a feed tube 22 which is vertically above the main tube 10 parallel to the main tube and partly overlaps the main tube with a lower end portion 23 projecting beyond the lower end 24 of the main tube. The first or feed tube 22 includes a longitudinally extending shaft 25 extending from a hanger bearing 26 at a lower end through an upper end 26 of the first feed tube 22 and longitudinally along the upper face of the main tube 10 in a drive portion 27 which connects to a gear drive 28 at the upper end 29 of the second or main tube 10 with the gear drive 28 acting to drive the shaft 15. The shaft 25, 27 is driven by a two speed gear box 30 from a drive shaft 31 thus providing main drive to the shafts 25 and 15 within the first and second tubes. The shaft 31 is driven from a gear box 32 which is in turn driven by a shaft 33 from a sprocket 34 driven by a belt 35 from a pto drive system 36. The pto drive system 36 is mounted on the undercarriage with the belt or chain 35 extending from a sprocket 37 at the undercarriage along one side of the tubes 10 and 22 to the sprocket 34.
The tubes 22 and 10 are interconnected by a first transfer zone 40 and a second transfer zone 41. The second transfer zone 41 is connected to a fan 42 suspended from the main tube on a frame structure 43 in between the undercarriage with the fan having an outlet duct 44 for air drawn by the fan from the second transfer zone 41. A duct 45 is connected to the bottom of the second transfer zone and extends to the housing of the fan 42 for communication of air therebetween. The fan 42 is driven by a sprocket 46 carrying a belt 47 driven by a second sprocket on ~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 the shaft 33. The pto drive system 36 therefore drives both the shafts to the auger system and also the fan.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower end of the first or feed tube 22 includes an open mouth 48 into which particulate material can be 5 fed.
In Figure 2 there is shown a feed auger element 49 for mounting on the lower end of the tube 22 at the open mouth 48.
In Figure 3 is shown a vacuum element 50 which can be mounted on the lower end of the tube at the open mouth 48 in replacement 10 for the feed auger element. These elements therefore constitute alternatives and are supplied with the apparatus for ready attachment to the lower end of the tube 22.
The feed auger element 49 comprises a mounting band 51 which is clamped to the lower end of the tube 22 by clamping bolts 52, 15 which can be readily removed for removal and replacement of the feed auger element. On the band 51 is mounted a support frame 53 which extends from the band beyond the open mouth 48 to support a bearing 54 carrying a shaft portion 55. On the shaft portion 55 is mounted a flight 56 which thus extends from the bearing 54 through the band 51 to an upper 20 end 56A of the flight at an upper end 55A of the shaft. The upper end 55A
of the shaft portion engages into a lower end of the shaft 25 at the hanger bearing 25A. The shaft portion 55 is keyed to the shaft 25 so as to be driven in rotation therewith as the shaft 25 is driven by the gear box 30.
With the feed auger element therefore in place, rotation of the shaft 25 25 causes a rotation of the flight 56 to carry particulate material from the area outside the open mouth 48 into the open mouth for transportation along the tube 22 to the upper end 56A of the flight.
~ 2~ 98673 As shown in Figure 3, with the feed auger element removed, the vacuum section 50 can be attached in replacement for the feed auger element. The vacuum section 50 therefore comprises a clamping band 57 which is clamped onto the lower end of the tube 22 by bolts 58 in 5 replacement for the clamping band 51 and the bolts 52. The clamping band 57 is attached to an elbow section 59 which turns at an angle to the feed tube 22 so as to lie substantially horizontal along a ground surface. A
forward end 59A of the elbow is attached to a flexible hose 60 which is of sufficient length to allow movement of a nozzle 61 to different locations to 10 pickup particulate material for transportation through the tube 22. The nozzle 61 comprises a formed rigid metal tube with a slot shaped nozzle 62 at one end and deformed to form a circular rear opening 63 attached to a forward end 64 of the flexible hose 60. The nozzle 61 is carried on a support frame 65 carried on an axle 66 with a pair of ground wheels 67 so 15 that the nozzle can be rolled across the ground to the required locations.
The nozzle includes a handle 68 with a manually graspable T-bar 69 so the nozzle can be wheeled to the required location. The nozzle is angled so that the particulate material drawn into the mouth 62 extends in an inclined direction upwardly and rearwardly toward the rear end 63 of the nozzle.
20 The nozzle however only lifts the material sufficiently so that it is raised up from the ground to pass over the wheeled axle 66 and back down into the horizontal flexible hose portion 60 which is generally Iying across the ground and joins into the horizontal elbow 59. The particulate material is thus lifted very little by a distance approximately six to nine inches before reaching the 25 open mouth 48 which is essentially at ground level.
With the vacuum system 50 in place, the tube 22 is free from auger flighting at its lower end so that the shaft 25 is freely rotating and is not connected to any driven element at that location.
~all ~867 3 Turning now to Figures 2 and 6, the first transfer zone 40 is shown in cross section. It will be noted that the tubes 22 and 10 are supported in slightly spaced position along their full length so that the peripheral wall of each of the tubes is spaced by a relatively narrow gap of 5 the order of one to two inches. Except at the transfer zones 40 and 41, the tubes are intact and maintain the material therein flowing longitudinally of the tube.
At the first transfer zone, the bottom half of the tube 22 as indicted at 22A is cut away to form a semi cylindrical opening in the tube 22. Similarly the top half of the tube 10 is cut away as indicated at 10A
and 10B to form two semi cylindrical openings divided by a tube portion 10C which remains intact to maintain structural stability of the tube.
The tubes are interconnected at the transfer zone 40 by a pair of side plates 70 and 71 which are welded from the bottom edge 72 of the 15 remaining portion of the tube 22 and extend therefrom to the top edge 73 of the remaining portion of the tube 10. The plates 70 and 71 are thus rectangular and extend along the full length of the transfer zone.
At the upper end of the transfer zone is welded a plate 74 which has two vertical sides each welded to a respective one of the plates 20 70 and 71, an upper edge 74A welded to the bottom surface of the tube 22 and a lower edge 74B welded to the upper edge of the tube 10. The upper and lower edges are thus semi circular in shape.
At the lower end of the transfer zone 40 is provided an end plate 75 which forms a lower end of the tube 10. The end plate 75 thus 25 includes a circular lower portion welded to the end of the tube 10 around itsperiphery. The end plate 75 then includes two vertical sides each welded to a respective one of the side plates 70 and 71 and a semi circular top edge which is welded to the bottom of the tube 22.
~Z~I~8673 The transfer zone 40 thus forms a container interconnecting the first feed tube 22 and the second main tube 10 and allows particulate material transported alon~ the feed tube 22 to fall through the transfer zone into the lower end of the main tube 10 and onto the auger flight 14.
When the feed auger element as shown in Figure 2 is used, the particulate material is transported to the upper end 56A of the flight 56 at which point it is discharged from that flight through the transfer zone onto the flight 14 for transportation along the main auger tube 10. As there is no flight at or above the end 56A on the shaft 25, no material is transported along the tube 22 beyond the transfer zone 40 when the feed auger element 49 is being used. All the material thus falls into the second main tube 10 for transportation therealong. The system therefore operates as a conventional auger to transport the particulate material through the auger to the discharge spout.
Turning now to Figures 4 and 5, the second transfer zone 41 is shown interconnecting the tubes 22 and 10. The transfer zone 41 comprises a surrounding housing 75 which interconnects and surrounds the tubes 22 and 10. The housing includes flat sides 76 and 77 together with a semi cylindrical upper portion 78 and a semi cylindrical lower portion 79.
The sides 76 and 77 thus spaced by a distance greater than the diameter of the tubes so as to form spaces between the outside of the tubes and the inside of the housing. Similarly the semi-cylindrical sections have a diameter greater than that of the tubes so as to form an annular spacing therebetween. The housing is closed at its upper end by an end plate 80 which is shaped to match the end edges of the wall portion 76, 77, 78 and 79 but with a hole 81 which is circular to allow the tube 10 to pass through.
The housing is closed at its lower end by a similar end plate 83 which is again shaped to match the edges of the wall 76, 77, 78 and 79 but has two holes 84 and 85 which are circular to allow the walls of the tubes 22 and 10 to pass through. The housing 75 is thus closed and has the duct 5 45 attached to a lower part of the semi cylindrical lower portion 79 for air to be drawn from the housing 75 to the fan 42.
The upper end 26 of the tube 22 extends just through the end wall 84 to form a cylindrical flange 26A projecting into the housing 75. At the end wall 80 is provided a similar cylindrical flange 86 projecting into the 10 housing from the end wall 80.
Within the housing, the upper half of the tube 10 is cut away as indicated at 10C so as to form a semi cylindrical opening in the tube 10 defined by end edges 10D and at 10E. This cut out defines top edges of the remaining part of the tube as indicated at 87 and 88. At each of these top edges 87 and 88 is welded a strip of vertical metal sheet 89 and 90 which thus stand vertically upwardly from the edges 87 and 88 to form a channel to maintain the particulate material within the tube as the material is carried by the flight 14. The height of the strips 89 and 90 is sufficient to keep the material within the tube and to limit or prevent the material from 20 being flipped upwardly and out of the tube.
A supporting strap 91 which is arch shaped is welded to the top edges of the strips 89 and 90 and extends upwardly and over the area between the strips defining a semi cylindrical arched top portion 92 which lies on a common cylinder with a tube 22, the flange 26A and the flange 25 86.
The flange 26A, the strap 91 and the flange 86 thus form a support for a flexible screen layer 93 which extends along the full length of the housing and bridges the area of the tube 22. The bottom edges of the ~ 2 ~ 9 8 6 7 3 screen 93 are attached to the top of the strips 89 and 90. The sides of the screen are thus vertical and the top portion of the screen is semi-cylindrical.
On the shaft 25 within the second transfer zone 41 is attached a flight 94 which has a length substantially equal to the length of the 5 housing. The flighting 94 is of the type which carries bristles 95 extending radially outwardly from an outer edge 96 of the flighting. Such flighting is commercially available and is generally used for the transportation of delicate material so as to prevent crushing of those materials. In this case, however, the bristles are used to sweep the inside surface of the screen in 10 the area of the semi cylindrical portion thereof. The flighting is selected to be oversized relative to the size of the tube so as to provide a significant brushing or sweeping effect in which the bristles are slightly compressed as they pass over the inside surface of the screen.
In the situation as shown in Figure 3 where the suction nozzle 15 is used, the fan 42 is actuated by operating a clutch (not shown) at the shaft 33. The fan thus acts to draw air from the housing 75 at high volume and relatively low pressure. That air is drawn outwardly through the screen and thus acts to pull air longitudinally of the tube 22 from the feed end and the nozzle attached thereto so that particulate material picked up by the 20 nozzle is transported through the open mouth 48 of the tube to the first transfer zone where some of the material falls out of the air flow by gravity and drops through the first transfer zone onto the auger flight 14.
As the tube 22 is open and free from flight in the area from the open mouth 48 to the second transfer zone, air is free to flow through that 25 tube past the first transfer zone to the second transfer zone. Any remaining particulate material in the air at the second transfer zone is extracted from the air by the screen. The screen is thus selected to have perforations which are sized to allow the air to freely pass through while venting the ~ ? ~ 98 6~ 3 passage through the screen of the material to be transported. The screen can allow dust to pass through since the fan is resistant to dust in the air and is not damaged by such dust or relatively small particles. However the material to be collected remains inside the screen and is swept from the 5 screen by the rotation of the flighting 94 and the bristles 95. The swept material thus falls from the screen and drops into the tube 10 through the opening 10C and onto the flight 14 for transportation thereby.
The apparatus can therefore be readily modified from the conventional auger transportation system using the feed auger element to a 10 vacuum system simply by removing the feed auger element, attaching the nozzle system 60 and by actuating the fan 42.
At the same time, as the amount of material transported by the system reduces when the suction nozzle is used, the gear box 30 is switched to the low speed condition to drive the auger flight 14 at slow 15 speed to accommodate the reduced quantity of material to be transported without losing the lubricant effect of the transported material between the auger flight and the tube.
When the auger flight 14 is filled with material, the flight and the material act as a seal to prevent air flow along the tube 10 from the 20 discharge spout.
However at start up or when the flight 14 is not filled, the spout can allow entry of air which would interfere with the main flow of air through the nozzle 60. In order to prevent this back flow of air, therefore, the discharge spout includes a closure flap shown in Figures 7. The spout 25 13 comprise a generally rectangular housing defined by a rear wall 95, a front wall 96 and two side walls 97 and 98. The front and rear walls are substantially vertical when the auger is in the inclined position shown in Figure 1 so they are arranged at a slight angle to the underside of the tube - 2 ~ 98 6~ 3 10. The side walls 97 and 98 are recessed to define generally V-shaped bottom edge 100, 101 converging upwardly and inwardly to an apex 102.
At the bottom of the front wall 96 is defined an inclined portion 103 which extends downwardly and rearwardly relative to a bottom edge 96A of the wall 96.
At the apex 102 is mounted a transverse pivot pin 99 which extends through the side walls and is pivotally mounted relative thereto.
Attached to the pivot pin 99 is a first flap member 104 which extends from the pivot pin 99 along the lower edge 101 of the sides 97, 98 to an outer edge of the flap 104 which ends at the bottom edge of the wall portion 103.
The width of the flap 104 is greater than the width between the side walls 97 and 98 so that in the closed position as shown the upper surface of the flap butts against the bottom edges 101. Also attached to the pivot pin 99 is a second flap arrangement 105 which includes two flaps 106 and 107 each attached to the pivot pin and extending therefrom toward the rear wall 95. The length of the flap 106 and the angle of the flap 106 is arranged so that in a closed position of the flap 104 the flap 106 extends to a position immediately adjacent the rear wall 95. The width of the flaps 106 and 107 is less than the spacing between the side walls 97 and 98 so that the flaps 106 and 107 pass inside the side walls. The flap 107 is spaced angularly around the pivot pin 99 from the flap 106. The flap 107 is provided at a position such that in an open position of the flap 104 indicated at the dotted line 104A, the flap 107 moves to the position initially taken by the flap 106 and the flap 106 moves to the position indicated at 106A.
In an equilibrium position with no air flow and no material, the weight of the two flaps 106 and 107 is greater than the flap 104 so that the pivot pin is rotated in a counter clock wise direction so that the flap 104 ~ 2 ~ 9 8 6 7 3 moves to the closed position butting the stops provided by the bottom edges 101.
When the fan 42 is started, air is drawn through the empty tube 10 from the upper end and thus tends to flow into the discharge spout 5 13. This generates a pressure drop across the flaps and thus applies a force on the upper surfaces of the flaps. As the flap 104is longer than the flap 106, it is a larger surface area so that the air pressure pulling on the flap 104 tends to maintain it in the closed position. In this closed position, therefore, the pressure drop across the flaps holds the flaps in the closed 10 position and thus restricts the amount of air flow to the small leakage which occurs around the flaps.
A guide baffle 108 is provided in the discharge spout and has an upper end 1 08A commencing at the rear wall 95 and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom to a forward end 108B positioned just 15 forward of the pivot pin 99. The baffle extends across the full width of the spout and is welded to the side walls 97, 98. When particulate material therefore is fed from the tube 10 through the upper opening 109 in the tube wall, the material falls into the spout and is directed by the baffle 108 forwardly to the flap 104 and to the area 110 between the flap 104 and the 20 wall portion 103. When the weight of the material in the area 110 exceeds the force on the door flap 104 from the air pressure differential and the weight differential, the weight acts to open the door flap 104 and thus allow the material to escape. When the auger flight in the tube 10 is filled with material, the air cannot flow through the tube and hence the air pressure 25 differential disappears but the weight differential maintains the flap 104 inthe closed position except that it opens sufficiently to allow the material to escape.
~ 2~ ~67~
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the 5 accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for transporting particulate material which includes a transportation tube with an auger 5 flighting which can be converted from an auger flight intake to a vacuum nozzle arrangement for carrying particulate material into the auger flighting.
Augers which include an elongate tube with a flighting mounted in the tube for carrying particulate material along the tube are well known and widely used particularly in agriculture for carrying the crop materials 10 from a storage bin to a transportation truck and vice versa. The auger is advantageous because it uses little power to transport the material.
However the auger is unsatisfactory in that it must be fed with the particulate material to a particular location at the feed end of the tube so that it is necessary to use a bin sweep or simple shoveling to unload the last 15 parts of a bin.
Grain vacs are also widely used which have the advantage that they can suction the grain into a flexible hose so that the intake of the system is much more flexible. However these devices are disadvantageous in that they require high power and because the high pressure air flow 20 necessary to generate high flows requires the use of close tolerance parts in an air pump which are rapidly worn when dust and other materials enter those parts. Generally the grain vac uses a cyclone for separation of the particulate material from the air together with an airlock which allows the particulate material to escape from the bottom of the cyclone back into the 25 air flow downstream of the pump or into an auger system.
One proposal has been made for mounting of a cyclone of this type directly on top of a conventional auger tube. This device also has proposed the use of a fan for generating the air flow rather than the close tolerance pump. However the device has not been successful due to the fact that only a low volume of the material can be transported. This is particularly due to the low pressure which can be generated using the fan and the relatively great height necessary to move the material to the top of 5 the cyclone for separation.
Another proposal uses a fan and a cyclone with the material being discharged from the bottom of the cyclone through an airlock directly into an auger flighting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved transportation system for particulate material which allows conversion from an auger flighting to a vacuum pickup.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising; a transportation 15 tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end; an auger flight portion; means for mounting the auger flight portion at the feed end of the tube; means for driving the auger flight portion to feed particulate material into the tube; the auger flight portion being removable from the feed end; a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle at one end; means for mounting the 20 vacuum tube on the feed end of the transportation tube in replacement for the auger flight portion; and means for drawing air into the transportation tube so as to draw air and particulate material into the vacuum tube through the nozzle thereof and into the feed end of the transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided a second transportation tube 25 arranged alongside the transportation tube and at least partly overlapping the transportation tube and including means for transferring particulate material from the transportation tube to the second transportation tube.
~ 2~ 98673 Preferably the second transportation tube has an auger flight therealong for transporting the particulate material from the transportation tube to a discharge end of the second transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided a first transfer location between the 5 transportation tube and the second transportation tube and a second transfer location spaced from the first longitudinally of the transportation tube and the second transportation tube.
Preferably the first transfer location is positioned adjacent the auger flight portion such that material carried by the auger flight portion is 10 transferred through the first location into the second transportation tube.
Preferably the means for drawing air is connected to the transportation tube and the second transportation tube at the second location for extracting air from the transportation tube while depositing the particulate material through the second location into the second 15 transportation tube.
Preferably there is provided an auger flight portion in the transportation tube at the second location with an air permeable screen surrounding the auger flight portion at the second location and allowing the extraction of air therefrom and preferably the auger flight portion includes 20 bristles thereon for sweeping.
Preferably the transportation tube is arranged on top of the second transportation tube such that material extracted by the screen falls downwardly into the second transportation tube and the second transportation tube includes two side panels each attached to a respective 25 side of a bottom part of the tube and standing upwardly therefrom and wherein the screen is connected to the top of the side panels and is arched over the top of the auger flight portion.
~ ~ ~i 98 673 According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising: a first transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end; a second transportation tube alongside the first transportation tube and at 5 least partly overlapping the first transportation tube; an auger flight mounted in the second transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong; vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle with the vacuum tube including means for connection to a feed end of the first transportation tube;
means for drawing air into the first transportation tube to draw air and 10 particulate material through the nozzle into the vacuum tube and into the first transportation tube; and means for transferring particulate material from the first transportation tube into the second transportation tube.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising: a 15 transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed discharge end; an auger flight mounted within the transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong to the discharge end; means for drawing air from the transportation tube so as to pull air and particulate material into thetransportation tube; a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door 20 assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, the flaps being arranged so as to be biased into a closed position, 25 stop means for locating the first door flap in the closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a transportation apparatus 5 according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through a lower part of the apparatus of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the attachment of a feed auger portion.
Figure 3 is a similar cross sectional view to that of Figure 2 10 showing the attachment of a feed vacuum nozzle.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view through the second transfer zone of the apparatus of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view along the lines 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a cross sectional view along the lines 6-6 of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a vertical cross sectional view through the closure flap at the discharge spout of the apparatus of Figure 1.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate 20 corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a main auger tube 10 which extends from a lower feed end generally indicated at 11 to an upper discharge end 12. At the upper discharge end is provided a 25 discharge spout 13. Within the main tube 10 is mounted an auger flighting 14 mounted on a shaft 15 for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the tube 10 for transporting particulate material from the lower feed end 11 to the discharge spout 13. The auger tube is mounted on an undercarriage ~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 generally indicated at 16 including an axle 17 carrying a pair of ground wheels 18. The axle 17 is attached to the auger tube by two pairs of support legs 19 and 20 with the position of the latter being adjustable longitudinally of the tube on a slide 21. On top of the main tube 10 is mounted a feed tube 22 which is vertically above the main tube 10 parallel to the main tube and partly overlaps the main tube with a lower end portion 23 projecting beyond the lower end 24 of the main tube. The first or feed tube 22 includes a longitudinally extending shaft 25 extending from a hanger bearing 26 at a lower end through an upper end 26 of the first feed tube 22 and longitudinally along the upper face of the main tube 10 in a drive portion 27 which connects to a gear drive 28 at the upper end 29 of the second or main tube 10 with the gear drive 28 acting to drive the shaft 15. The shaft 25, 27 is driven by a two speed gear box 30 from a drive shaft 31 thus providing main drive to the shafts 25 and 15 within the first and second tubes. The shaft 31 is driven from a gear box 32 which is in turn driven by a shaft 33 from a sprocket 34 driven by a belt 35 from a pto drive system 36. The pto drive system 36 is mounted on the undercarriage with the belt or chain 35 extending from a sprocket 37 at the undercarriage along one side of the tubes 10 and 22 to the sprocket 34.
The tubes 22 and 10 are interconnected by a first transfer zone 40 and a second transfer zone 41. The second transfer zone 41 is connected to a fan 42 suspended from the main tube on a frame structure 43 in between the undercarriage with the fan having an outlet duct 44 for air drawn by the fan from the second transfer zone 41. A duct 45 is connected to the bottom of the second transfer zone and extends to the housing of the fan 42 for communication of air therebetween. The fan 42 is driven by a sprocket 46 carrying a belt 47 driven by a second sprocket on ~ ~ ~ 98 67 3 the shaft 33. The pto drive system 36 therefore drives both the shafts to the auger system and also the fan.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower end of the first or feed tube 22 includes an open mouth 48 into which particulate material can be 5 fed.
In Figure 2 there is shown a feed auger element 49 for mounting on the lower end of the tube 22 at the open mouth 48.
In Figure 3 is shown a vacuum element 50 which can be mounted on the lower end of the tube at the open mouth 48 in replacement 10 for the feed auger element. These elements therefore constitute alternatives and are supplied with the apparatus for ready attachment to the lower end of the tube 22.
The feed auger element 49 comprises a mounting band 51 which is clamped to the lower end of the tube 22 by clamping bolts 52, 15 which can be readily removed for removal and replacement of the feed auger element. On the band 51 is mounted a support frame 53 which extends from the band beyond the open mouth 48 to support a bearing 54 carrying a shaft portion 55. On the shaft portion 55 is mounted a flight 56 which thus extends from the bearing 54 through the band 51 to an upper 20 end 56A of the flight at an upper end 55A of the shaft. The upper end 55A
of the shaft portion engages into a lower end of the shaft 25 at the hanger bearing 25A. The shaft portion 55 is keyed to the shaft 25 so as to be driven in rotation therewith as the shaft 25 is driven by the gear box 30.
With the feed auger element therefore in place, rotation of the shaft 25 25 causes a rotation of the flight 56 to carry particulate material from the area outside the open mouth 48 into the open mouth for transportation along the tube 22 to the upper end 56A of the flight.
~ 2~ 98673 As shown in Figure 3, with the feed auger element removed, the vacuum section 50 can be attached in replacement for the feed auger element. The vacuum section 50 therefore comprises a clamping band 57 which is clamped onto the lower end of the tube 22 by bolts 58 in 5 replacement for the clamping band 51 and the bolts 52. The clamping band 57 is attached to an elbow section 59 which turns at an angle to the feed tube 22 so as to lie substantially horizontal along a ground surface. A
forward end 59A of the elbow is attached to a flexible hose 60 which is of sufficient length to allow movement of a nozzle 61 to different locations to 10 pickup particulate material for transportation through the tube 22. The nozzle 61 comprises a formed rigid metal tube with a slot shaped nozzle 62 at one end and deformed to form a circular rear opening 63 attached to a forward end 64 of the flexible hose 60. The nozzle 61 is carried on a support frame 65 carried on an axle 66 with a pair of ground wheels 67 so 15 that the nozzle can be rolled across the ground to the required locations.
The nozzle includes a handle 68 with a manually graspable T-bar 69 so the nozzle can be wheeled to the required location. The nozzle is angled so that the particulate material drawn into the mouth 62 extends in an inclined direction upwardly and rearwardly toward the rear end 63 of the nozzle.
20 The nozzle however only lifts the material sufficiently so that it is raised up from the ground to pass over the wheeled axle 66 and back down into the horizontal flexible hose portion 60 which is generally Iying across the ground and joins into the horizontal elbow 59. The particulate material is thus lifted very little by a distance approximately six to nine inches before reaching the 25 open mouth 48 which is essentially at ground level.
With the vacuum system 50 in place, the tube 22 is free from auger flighting at its lower end so that the shaft 25 is freely rotating and is not connected to any driven element at that location.
~all ~867 3 Turning now to Figures 2 and 6, the first transfer zone 40 is shown in cross section. It will be noted that the tubes 22 and 10 are supported in slightly spaced position along their full length so that the peripheral wall of each of the tubes is spaced by a relatively narrow gap of 5 the order of one to two inches. Except at the transfer zones 40 and 41, the tubes are intact and maintain the material therein flowing longitudinally of the tube.
At the first transfer zone, the bottom half of the tube 22 as indicted at 22A is cut away to form a semi cylindrical opening in the tube 22. Similarly the top half of the tube 10 is cut away as indicated at 10A
and 10B to form two semi cylindrical openings divided by a tube portion 10C which remains intact to maintain structural stability of the tube.
The tubes are interconnected at the transfer zone 40 by a pair of side plates 70 and 71 which are welded from the bottom edge 72 of the 15 remaining portion of the tube 22 and extend therefrom to the top edge 73 of the remaining portion of the tube 10. The plates 70 and 71 are thus rectangular and extend along the full length of the transfer zone.
At the upper end of the transfer zone is welded a plate 74 which has two vertical sides each welded to a respective one of the plates 20 70 and 71, an upper edge 74A welded to the bottom surface of the tube 22 and a lower edge 74B welded to the upper edge of the tube 10. The upper and lower edges are thus semi circular in shape.
At the lower end of the transfer zone 40 is provided an end plate 75 which forms a lower end of the tube 10. The end plate 75 thus 25 includes a circular lower portion welded to the end of the tube 10 around itsperiphery. The end plate 75 then includes two vertical sides each welded to a respective one of the side plates 70 and 71 and a semi circular top edge which is welded to the bottom of the tube 22.
~Z~I~8673 The transfer zone 40 thus forms a container interconnecting the first feed tube 22 and the second main tube 10 and allows particulate material transported alon~ the feed tube 22 to fall through the transfer zone into the lower end of the main tube 10 and onto the auger flight 14.
When the feed auger element as shown in Figure 2 is used, the particulate material is transported to the upper end 56A of the flight 56 at which point it is discharged from that flight through the transfer zone onto the flight 14 for transportation along the main auger tube 10. As there is no flight at or above the end 56A on the shaft 25, no material is transported along the tube 22 beyond the transfer zone 40 when the feed auger element 49 is being used. All the material thus falls into the second main tube 10 for transportation therealong. The system therefore operates as a conventional auger to transport the particulate material through the auger to the discharge spout.
Turning now to Figures 4 and 5, the second transfer zone 41 is shown interconnecting the tubes 22 and 10. The transfer zone 41 comprises a surrounding housing 75 which interconnects and surrounds the tubes 22 and 10. The housing includes flat sides 76 and 77 together with a semi cylindrical upper portion 78 and a semi cylindrical lower portion 79.
The sides 76 and 77 thus spaced by a distance greater than the diameter of the tubes so as to form spaces between the outside of the tubes and the inside of the housing. Similarly the semi-cylindrical sections have a diameter greater than that of the tubes so as to form an annular spacing therebetween. The housing is closed at its upper end by an end plate 80 which is shaped to match the end edges of the wall portion 76, 77, 78 and 79 but with a hole 81 which is circular to allow the tube 10 to pass through.
The housing is closed at its lower end by a similar end plate 83 which is again shaped to match the edges of the wall 76, 77, 78 and 79 but has two holes 84 and 85 which are circular to allow the walls of the tubes 22 and 10 to pass through. The housing 75 is thus closed and has the duct 5 45 attached to a lower part of the semi cylindrical lower portion 79 for air to be drawn from the housing 75 to the fan 42.
The upper end 26 of the tube 22 extends just through the end wall 84 to form a cylindrical flange 26A projecting into the housing 75. At the end wall 80 is provided a similar cylindrical flange 86 projecting into the 10 housing from the end wall 80.
Within the housing, the upper half of the tube 10 is cut away as indicated at 10C so as to form a semi cylindrical opening in the tube 10 defined by end edges 10D and at 10E. This cut out defines top edges of the remaining part of the tube as indicated at 87 and 88. At each of these top edges 87 and 88 is welded a strip of vertical metal sheet 89 and 90 which thus stand vertically upwardly from the edges 87 and 88 to form a channel to maintain the particulate material within the tube as the material is carried by the flight 14. The height of the strips 89 and 90 is sufficient to keep the material within the tube and to limit or prevent the material from 20 being flipped upwardly and out of the tube.
A supporting strap 91 which is arch shaped is welded to the top edges of the strips 89 and 90 and extends upwardly and over the area between the strips defining a semi cylindrical arched top portion 92 which lies on a common cylinder with a tube 22, the flange 26A and the flange 25 86.
The flange 26A, the strap 91 and the flange 86 thus form a support for a flexible screen layer 93 which extends along the full length of the housing and bridges the area of the tube 22. The bottom edges of the ~ 2 ~ 9 8 6 7 3 screen 93 are attached to the top of the strips 89 and 90. The sides of the screen are thus vertical and the top portion of the screen is semi-cylindrical.
On the shaft 25 within the second transfer zone 41 is attached a flight 94 which has a length substantially equal to the length of the 5 housing. The flighting 94 is of the type which carries bristles 95 extending radially outwardly from an outer edge 96 of the flighting. Such flighting is commercially available and is generally used for the transportation of delicate material so as to prevent crushing of those materials. In this case, however, the bristles are used to sweep the inside surface of the screen in 10 the area of the semi cylindrical portion thereof. The flighting is selected to be oversized relative to the size of the tube so as to provide a significant brushing or sweeping effect in which the bristles are slightly compressed as they pass over the inside surface of the screen.
In the situation as shown in Figure 3 where the suction nozzle 15 is used, the fan 42 is actuated by operating a clutch (not shown) at the shaft 33. The fan thus acts to draw air from the housing 75 at high volume and relatively low pressure. That air is drawn outwardly through the screen and thus acts to pull air longitudinally of the tube 22 from the feed end and the nozzle attached thereto so that particulate material picked up by the 20 nozzle is transported through the open mouth 48 of the tube to the first transfer zone where some of the material falls out of the air flow by gravity and drops through the first transfer zone onto the auger flight 14.
As the tube 22 is open and free from flight in the area from the open mouth 48 to the second transfer zone, air is free to flow through that 25 tube past the first transfer zone to the second transfer zone. Any remaining particulate material in the air at the second transfer zone is extracted from the air by the screen. The screen is thus selected to have perforations which are sized to allow the air to freely pass through while venting the ~ ? ~ 98 6~ 3 passage through the screen of the material to be transported. The screen can allow dust to pass through since the fan is resistant to dust in the air and is not damaged by such dust or relatively small particles. However the material to be collected remains inside the screen and is swept from the 5 screen by the rotation of the flighting 94 and the bristles 95. The swept material thus falls from the screen and drops into the tube 10 through the opening 10C and onto the flight 14 for transportation thereby.
The apparatus can therefore be readily modified from the conventional auger transportation system using the feed auger element to a 10 vacuum system simply by removing the feed auger element, attaching the nozzle system 60 and by actuating the fan 42.
At the same time, as the amount of material transported by the system reduces when the suction nozzle is used, the gear box 30 is switched to the low speed condition to drive the auger flight 14 at slow 15 speed to accommodate the reduced quantity of material to be transported without losing the lubricant effect of the transported material between the auger flight and the tube.
When the auger flight 14 is filled with material, the flight and the material act as a seal to prevent air flow along the tube 10 from the 20 discharge spout.
However at start up or when the flight 14 is not filled, the spout can allow entry of air which would interfere with the main flow of air through the nozzle 60. In order to prevent this back flow of air, therefore, the discharge spout includes a closure flap shown in Figures 7. The spout 25 13 comprise a generally rectangular housing defined by a rear wall 95, a front wall 96 and two side walls 97 and 98. The front and rear walls are substantially vertical when the auger is in the inclined position shown in Figure 1 so they are arranged at a slight angle to the underside of the tube - 2 ~ 98 6~ 3 10. The side walls 97 and 98 are recessed to define generally V-shaped bottom edge 100, 101 converging upwardly and inwardly to an apex 102.
At the bottom of the front wall 96 is defined an inclined portion 103 which extends downwardly and rearwardly relative to a bottom edge 96A of the wall 96.
At the apex 102 is mounted a transverse pivot pin 99 which extends through the side walls and is pivotally mounted relative thereto.
Attached to the pivot pin 99 is a first flap member 104 which extends from the pivot pin 99 along the lower edge 101 of the sides 97, 98 to an outer edge of the flap 104 which ends at the bottom edge of the wall portion 103.
The width of the flap 104 is greater than the width between the side walls 97 and 98 so that in the closed position as shown the upper surface of the flap butts against the bottom edges 101. Also attached to the pivot pin 99 is a second flap arrangement 105 which includes two flaps 106 and 107 each attached to the pivot pin and extending therefrom toward the rear wall 95. The length of the flap 106 and the angle of the flap 106 is arranged so that in a closed position of the flap 104 the flap 106 extends to a position immediately adjacent the rear wall 95. The width of the flaps 106 and 107 is less than the spacing between the side walls 97 and 98 so that the flaps 106 and 107 pass inside the side walls. The flap 107 is spaced angularly around the pivot pin 99 from the flap 106. The flap 107 is provided at a position such that in an open position of the flap 104 indicated at the dotted line 104A, the flap 107 moves to the position initially taken by the flap 106 and the flap 106 moves to the position indicated at 106A.
In an equilibrium position with no air flow and no material, the weight of the two flaps 106 and 107 is greater than the flap 104 so that the pivot pin is rotated in a counter clock wise direction so that the flap 104 ~ 2 ~ 9 8 6 7 3 moves to the closed position butting the stops provided by the bottom edges 101.
When the fan 42 is started, air is drawn through the empty tube 10 from the upper end and thus tends to flow into the discharge spout 5 13. This generates a pressure drop across the flaps and thus applies a force on the upper surfaces of the flaps. As the flap 104is longer than the flap 106, it is a larger surface area so that the air pressure pulling on the flap 104 tends to maintain it in the closed position. In this closed position, therefore, the pressure drop across the flaps holds the flaps in the closed 10 position and thus restricts the amount of air flow to the small leakage which occurs around the flaps.
A guide baffle 108 is provided in the discharge spout and has an upper end 1 08A commencing at the rear wall 95 and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom to a forward end 108B positioned just 15 forward of the pivot pin 99. The baffle extends across the full width of the spout and is welded to the side walls 97, 98. When particulate material therefore is fed from the tube 10 through the upper opening 109 in the tube wall, the material falls into the spout and is directed by the baffle 108 forwardly to the flap 104 and to the area 110 between the flap 104 and the 20 wall portion 103. When the weight of the material in the area 110 exceeds the force on the door flap 104 from the air pressure differential and the weight differential, the weight acts to open the door flap 104 and thus allow the material to escape. When the auger flight in the tube 10 is filled with material, the air cannot flow through the tube and hence the air pressure 25 differential disappears but the weight differential maintains the flap 104 inthe closed position except that it opens sufficiently to allow the material to escape.
~ 2~ ~67~
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the 5 accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
Claims (24)
1. An apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising;
a transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end;
an auger flight portion;
means for mounting the auger flight portion at the feed end of the tube;
means for driving the auger flight portion to feed particulate material into the tube;
the auger flight portion being removable from the feed end;
a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle at one end;
means for mounting the vacuum tube on the feed end of the transportation tube in replacement for the auger flight portion;
and means for drawing air into the transportation tube so as to draw air and particulate material into the vacuum tube through the nozzle thereof and into the feed end of the transportation tube.
a transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end;
an auger flight portion;
means for mounting the auger flight portion at the feed end of the tube;
means for driving the auger flight portion to feed particulate material into the tube;
the auger flight portion being removable from the feed end;
a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle at one end;
means for mounting the vacuum tube on the feed end of the transportation tube in replacement for the auger flight portion;
and means for drawing air into the transportation tube so as to draw air and particulate material into the vacuum tube through the nozzle thereof and into the feed end of the transportation tube.
2. The apparatus according to Claim 1 including a second transportation tube arranged alongside the transportation tube and at least partly overlapping the transportation tube and including means for transferring particulate material from the transportation tube to the second transportation tube.
3. The apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the second transportation tube has an auger flight therealong for transporting the particulate material from the transportation tube to a discharge end of the second transportation tube.
4. The apparatus according to Claim 2 including a first transfer location between the transportation tube and the second transportation tube and a second transfer location spaced from the first longitudinally of the transportation tube and the second transportation tube.
5. The apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the first transfer location is positioned adjacent the auger flight portion such that material carried by the auger flight portion is transferred through the first location into the second transportation tube.
6. The apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the means for drawing air is connected to the transportation tube and the second transportation tube at the second location for extracting air from the transportation tube while depositing the particulate material through the second location into the second transportation tube.
7. The apparatus according to Claim 6 including an auger flight portion in the transportation tube at the second location.
8. The apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein there is provided an air permeable screen surrounding the auger flight portion at the second location and allowing the extraction of air therefrom.
9. The apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the auger flight portion includes bristles thereon for sweeping.
10. The apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the transportation tube is arranged on top of the second transportation tube such that material extracted by the screen falls downwardly into the second transportation tube.
11. The apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein the second transportation tube includes two side panels each attached to a respective side of a bottom part of the tube and standing upwardly therefrom and wherein the screen is connected to the top of the side panels and is arched over the top of the auger flight portion.
12. The apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the second transportation tube includes a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, stop means for locating the first door flap in a closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
13. An apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising:
a first transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end;
a second transportation tube alongside the first transportation tube and at least partly overlapping the first transportation tube;
an auger flight mounted in the second transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong;
a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle with the vacuum tube including means for connection to a feed end of the first transportation tube;
means for drawing air into the first transportation tube to draw air and particulate material through the nozzle into the vacuum tube and into the first transportation tube;
and means for transferring particulate material from the first transportation tube into the second transportation tube.
a first transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed end;
a second transportation tube alongside the first transportation tube and at least partly overlapping the first transportation tube;
an auger flight mounted in the second transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong;
a vacuum tube having a vacuum nozzle with the vacuum tube including means for connection to a feed end of the first transportation tube;
means for drawing air into the first transportation tube to draw air and particulate material through the nozzle into the vacuum tube and into the first transportation tube;
and means for transferring particulate material from the first transportation tube into the second transportation tube.
14. The apparatus according to Claim 13 including a first transfer location between the first transportation tube and the second transportation tube and a second transfer location spaced from the first longitudinally of the first transportation tube and the second transportation tube.
15. The apparatus according to Claim 14 wherein the first transfer location is positioned adjacent the auger flight portion such that material carried by the auger flight portion is transferred through the first location into the second transportation tube.
16. The apparatus according to Claim 14 wherein the means for drawing air is connected to the first transportation tube and the second transportation tube at the second location for extracting air from the first transportation tube while depositing the particulate material through the second location into the second transportation tube.
17. The apparatus according to Claim 16 including an auger flight portion in the first transportation tube at the second location.
18. The apparatus according to Claim 17 wherein there is provided an air permeable screen surrounding the auger flight portion at the second location and allowing the extraction of air therefrom.
19. The apparatus according to Claim 18 wherein the auger flight portion includes bristles thereon for sweeping.
20. The apparatus according to Claim 18 wherein the first transportation tube is arranged on top of the second transportation tube such that material extracted by the screen falls downwardly into the second transportation tube.
21. The apparatus according to Claim 20 wherein the second transportation tube includes two side panels each attached to a respective side of a bottom part of the tube and standing upwardly therefrom and wherein the screen is connected to the top of the side panels and is arched over the top of the auger flight portion.
22. The apparatus according to Claim 20 wherein the second transportation tube includes a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, stop means for locating the first door flap in a closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
23. An apparatus for transporting particulate material comprising:
a transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed discharge end;
an auger flight mounted within the transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong to the discharge end;
means for drawing air from the transportation tube so as to pull air and particulate material into the transportation tube;
a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, the flaps being arranged so as to be biased into a closed position, stop means for locating the first door flap in the closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
a transportation tube having a feed end at one end and an opposed discharge end;
an auger flight mounted within the transportation tube for transporting particulate material therealong to the discharge end;
means for drawing air from the transportation tube so as to pull air and particulate material into the transportation tube;
a discharge spout at the discharge end and a door assembly in the discharge spout for preventing entry of air into the discharge spout, the door comprising a transverse pivot member, a first door flap and a second door flap each mounted on the pivot member for common pivotal movement, the first door flap having a larger area than the second door flap, the flaps being arranged so as to be biased into a closed position, stop means for locating the first door flap in the closed position and material guide means for directing particulate material onto an upper surface of the first door flap such that the weight of material on the first door flap opens the first door flap to release the material for discharge.
24. The apparatus according to Claim 23 wherein the second door flap is shaped so that it remains substantially closed as the first door flap is moved to the open position.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US62754596A | 1996-04-04 | 1996-04-04 | |
| US08/627,545 | 1996-04-04 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2198673A1 true CA2198673A1 (en) | 1997-10-05 |
Family
ID=24515103
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002198673A Abandoned CA2198673A1 (en) | 1996-04-04 | 1997-02-27 | Auger with vacuum pickup |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2198673A1 (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-02-27 CA CA002198673A patent/CA2198673A1/en not_active Abandoned
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6966506B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for harvesting crops | |
| US4274790A (en) | Granular material unloading vehicle with pressure-relief box | |
| US4614080A (en) | Grass collector blower | |
| US3881215A (en) | Surface cleaning apparatus | |
| US4110864A (en) | Sweeper hood with transverse air duct and broom compartments | |
| US7862260B2 (en) | High capacity particulate loader and transfer apparatus | |
| RU2001135796A (en) | Method and assembly for harvesting | |
| US10390489B2 (en) | Grain cart with air nozzle | |
| US3813725A (en) | Vacuum cleaner construction | |
| EP2482635A1 (en) | Corn cob conveying and cleaning system using induction and air flow from a harvester for separating and spreading light crop residue | |
| US4881855A (en) | Vacuum particulate transfer apparatus | |
| US11167930B1 (en) | Auger conveyor for removing unwanted contaminants from a granular material | |
| US4662800A (en) | Grain and fertilizer collector | |
| US3777327A (en) | Litter pick-up machine | |
| CN214059011U (en) | Plate type feeding machine capable of preventing material blockage | |
| US4345655A (en) | Rock picker with storage conveyors | |
| CA2198673A1 (en) | Auger with vacuum pickup | |
| US2717076A (en) | Potato harvesting machine | |
| CA2400859C (en) | Method and apparatus for harvesting crops | |
| US3968997A (en) | Feed material handling apparatus | |
| US4091972A (en) | Forage wagon apparatus | |
| AU2006200940B2 (en) | Intake feeding for agricultural vacuum conveyors | |
| CA2985232C (en) | Grain cart with air nozzle | |
| US3594047A (en) | Feed-material-handling apparatus | |
| US2542910A (en) | Loading device |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |