GB2129266A

GB2129266A - Feed bin

Info

Publication number: GB2129266A
Application number: GB08226238A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Standish Harvey
Original assignee: HARVEY DIANE MARGARET
Current assignee: HARVEY DIANE MARGARET
Priority date: 1982-09-15
Filing date: 1982-09-15
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: GB2129266B

Abstract

A bin (10) for feed or other flowable material has a wall (11) of tubular fibreglass reinforced plastics material with a coating of heat reflective colour extending part-way but not all the way round its circumference to leave an exposed uncoated vertical sightstrip (13). The plastics material is sufficiently translucent so that the contents of the bin can be seen through the sight strip. Two bins (10) may be arranged side by side having converging discharge conduits depending from the bottom thereof which meet at a discharge valve. Each bin (10) is supported in a stand (16) so that the valve is above the base of said stand. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved feed bin This invention relates to improvements to a bin useful for the containing and dispensing of particulate foodstuffs, for example poultry pellets, grain or other particulate substances used in feeding poultry or livestock, although the invention is also applicable to use for other flowable material of the particulate nature.

In our earlier filed application, there was described a feed bin formed from translucent fibreglass reinforced plastics material which had an upper portion with a sloping side wall terminating at its lower edge in an outstanding flange, an intermediate portion also having a sloping side wall terminating at its upper edge in an outstanding flange contiguous with the upper portion flange, a lower portion also having a sloping side wall which terminates at its lower end in discharge means, suspension means suspending the lower portion from the intermediate portion, and a support frame which supports the portion by engagement with the lower flange of the contiguous flanges.

This invention is directed to improvements in feed bins of the general type described therein, and has as its main object improvements whereby damage to feed is less likely to occur than in prior art feed bins, including that described in said application.

Sometimes feed which is stored in large containers is subjected to "sweating". if for example the moisture content of the feed is high and the feed is heated during the day, the moisture content of the air in the bin will rapidly rise, and upon cooling at night condensation will occur on the inner wall surfaces of the bin, and after reheating mould can develop. This effect is particularly marked in steel bins which may remain unpainted or may have been painted a dark colour, since the steel is a good conductor of heat and the dark non-reflective surface will absorb a large amount of heat.

The main object of this invention is to provide a bin wherein the formation of mould is less likely to occur, and in this invention the improvements comprise a generally tubular bin wall of fibreglass reinforced plastics material having a coating of a heat reflective colour extending part-way but not all the way around its circumference so as to leave an exposed uncoated vertical sight strip, said plastics material being sufficiently translucent that the level of feed bin content is visible through said sight strip.

By having a coating of light reflective colour (for example a gel coat of white) much of the heat is reflected during the day resulting in less rise of temperature, and the relatively low conductivity of the fibreglass reinforced plastics material also assists in this regard. The tendency of condensation to occur on the wall inner surface is much reduced. However the maintenance of the vertical sight strip enables an operator to readily determine the content level within the bin.

It is desirable that a bin should be readily transported from place to place and in a further improvement, a feed bin comprises a pair of mouldings joined together at their peripheries, the bin side walls diverging towards these peripheries.

This enables a plurality of mouldings to be transported when stacked compactly and to be quickly and easily assembled on site. A further problem encountered is the discharge of particulate material, particularly when a plurality of bins are used. In one embodiment of the invention further improvements comprise a discharge chute depending from the generally tubular bin walls and terminating in a collar which can swivel within the lower end of the bin. The collar can be secured to a downwardly sloping conduit which terminates in the discharge valve at its lower end, the discharge valve also supporting the lower end of a similar conduit sloping downwardly from a similar bin.

An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of bins each having a downwardly sloping conduit which terminates in the discharge valve, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of portion of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through the discharge valve drawn to an enlarged scale.

In this embodiment each of a pair of bins 10 has generally tubular bin walls 11 of fibreglass reinforced plastics material which has a gel coat 12 extending around most but not all of its circumference so as to leave a sight strip 1 3 of translucent material which is sufficiently translucent that the level of the feed bin content is visible there through. In this regard it should be noted that some resin/hardener mixtures are more suitable than others. The gel coat 12 is white and therefore heat reflective.

Each bin comprises a pair of mouldings with side walls diverging towards contiguous flanges 15, so that the mouldings can be compactly stacked for transport purposes but the flanges 1 5 provide stiffening means.

Each bin is supprted by its respective stand 1 6 which terminates at its upper end in a ring 17, said ring supporting the lower end of the side walls 11.

A discharge chute 1 9 extends downwardly from the lower portion of each respective bin, the chute 1 9 terminating in an upwardly diverging portion 20 surrounded by a steel band 21. A collar 22 has an upper wall 23 of complementary shape and size to the inrier surface of portion 20, and this is initially swivelled into the required position and then locked by lock bolt 24.

The pair of conduits 26 depend from respective collars 22 and slope towards one another, terminating in a valve member 27 containing a pair of butterfly valves 28 which are separately controlled for the discharge of particulate material from the two bins. The discharge chute then extends downwardly through the funnel 30.

Claims

1. A feed bin for the containing and dispensing of particulate material, comprising: a generally tubular bin wall of fibreglass reinforced plastics material having a coating of a heat reflective colour extending partway but not all the way around its circumference so as to leave an exposed uncoacted vertical sight strip, said plastics material being sufficiently translucent that the level of feed bin content is visible through said sight strip.

2. A bin according to claim 1 wherein said feed 6jncomprises a pair oimouldings joined together at their peripheries, the bin side walls diverging towards those said peripheries.

3. A bin according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a discharge chute depending from the generally tubular bin walls and terminating at its lower end in a collar which can swivel within that lower end.

4. A bin according to claim 3, wherein the swivel collar has an upwardly diverging sleeve at its upper end engaging a chute surface in said chute lower end which is of complementary tapered shape, and a bolt which, when positioned through said collar and chute lower end, inhibits further swivelling movement.

5. A pair of bins according to claim 1, each bin having a conical discharge chute at its lower end with a collar on the lower end thereof, a downwardly sloping conduit extending from said collar, the two conduits sloping towards each other, and a discharge valve member joining the lower ends of said conduits, said valve member containing two valves, one in communication with each said conduit.

6. A bin according to any one of claims 3, 4 or 5, comprising a stand which supports the bin from a zone adjacent the upper end of said discharge chute, and at such a height that said valve is above the base of said stand.

7. A bin substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.