US1065237A - Grain-bin. - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I] INVENTOR w r w n ATTORNEYS J. T. GRAHAM.

GRAIN BIN.

APPLICATION IILED 00T.30, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

WITNESSES J. T. GRAHAM.

GRAIN BIN.

APPLICATION FILED 00130, 1911.

Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASIHNGTON, n. c.

JOHN TWEDIJLE GRAHAM, OF BELFRY, MONTANA.

GRAIN-BIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1'7, 1913.

Application filed October 30, 1911. Serial No. 657,597.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Belfry, in the county of Carbon and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Grain-Bin, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention is a grain bin of the portable type, so designed that it can be readily set up by a single farm-hand wherever it is needed for use, and as readily taken down and packed for shipment to another location when the need for it in any given place has ceased to exist.

It is constructed of light but strong material, so as to be easily and cheaply made, even in cases where grain bins of consider able capacity are required.

lVith the above objects in view, my inven tion is designed to comprise a suitable framework which is covered with wire cloth of the required mesh. The framework is set up on a fabric floor and is provided with a fabric top to act as a roof. The parts can be quickly put together so as to be set up by one man alongside of a separator; and when the bin is once finished the contents thereof will be completely protected from fire, weather and insects.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which the same characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im proved grain bin set up and ready for use; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the framework thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one side of the framework near the bottom; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through part of the framework near the top thereof, showing the manner in which the canvas cover or roof is attached; Fig. is a vertical section through the side of the bin taken about a point midway of the height thereof; Fig. 6 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. a, taken through the point at which the ends of the gauze forming the side wall of the bin overlap each other; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective, showing the parts appearing on Fig. 6 in section; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the coupling which unites the diagonal braces for the bin on the interior of the same.

My improved bin as illustrated on the drawings comprises a number of stays arranged in pairs, each pair of stays comprising an outer stay 1 and an inner stay 2, and connected together at their ends and adjacent their mid points by means of straps or hoops 8. These straps or hoops 8 pass between the inner and outer stays l and 2, and are preferably circular in form, as shown, to give the bin a substantially cylindrical appearance.

Braces 4, preferably four in number, are connected to the inner stays 2 at equi-distant points around the circumference of the bin, about on the level of the middle hoop 3, these braces slanting downward and inward and being connected at their lower ends by a coupling 5, this coupling consisting of a central plate or disk, from the circumference of which projects outward and upward a number of sockets into which the lower ends of the braces 4 are inserted. These braces a add strength and rigidity to the framework and at the same time take up practically none of the free space on the inside of the same.

On the top of the bin is a number of rafters 6, preferably four in number, connected to the inner stays 2 at the top. These rafters slope upward and inward and are connected at their inner ends to a ring 7. Over these rafters 6 is placed a canvas roof or cover 8, the edge of this cover overlapping the upper hoop or strap 3, and being secured in place by means of a draw string 9. This cover makes a sloping coni cal roof for the bin and effectually screens the interior fr m rain.

10 indicates wire cloth of suitable mesh, which forms a side wall of the bin, this wire cloth being arranged between the stays 1 and 2 on the inside of the hoops 3. The entire bin rests upon a canvas floor 11; and se cured to the bottom of the framework between the lower ring 3 and the wire cloth 10 is a circular strip of cloth 12, this cloth being provided with a draw string along its inner edge to enable the ends thereof to be drawn together. When the bin is filled with grain this circular strip 12 of cloth will be pressed down upon the canvas floor 11 and effectually prevent the entrance of rodents or insects into the grain through the bottom.

Supported by a convenient pair of outer stays 1 is a number of rungs 13, which form therewith a ladder leading from the bottom of the bin to the top. Adjacent the lower part of this ladder is a spout or hopper 1 1 having a detachable inner extension 15 open at the top, this spindle or hopper being supported by a perforated plate 16 mounted on the stays forming the sides of the ladder. The spout let has a flange 1 1 extending around the same on the bottom and sides, and the extension 15 has a similar flange 15 extending around the bottom and sides thereof, these two flanges 1 1 and 15 facilitating the mounting of the spout and the extension on the plate 16, respectively. The numerals 17 indicate hooks projecting outward from the stays forming the sides of the ladder justabove the spout 14-, these hooks being intended to support the upper edge of a bag in position to receive the spout let in the open upper end or mouth thereof, to convey the grain from the inside of the bin into the bag or sack.

The flange 15 connected to the extension 15 is shown as provided with a number of slots 21. These slots 21 receive a number of buttons 22, to enable the extension 15 to be readily hung on the inside of the plate 16. The slots may be made wider at the bottom than at the top to give free passage to the buttons 22; and it will be understood that the shanks connecting the buttons 22 to the plate 16 will be of somewhat smaller diameter than the buttons 22, to enter the narrow portions of the slots 21 when the extension 15 is allowed to sink a short space. The buttons 22 will now engage the lateral edges adjacent the upper end of the slots 21, and hold the extension 15 in place. In order to remove it it will only be necessary to lift it sufficiently to bring the members 22 into registry with the wider portions of the slots at the lower ends, when the extension 15 can be dismounted. Similar means may be used to detachably secure the spout 1 1 to the front of the plate 16.

The acent ends of the cloth 10 forming the side wall of the bin overlap each other between one pair of stays 1 and 2, and so do the ends of the hoops 3. The manner in which the oint is made is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the ends of the hoops 3 are shown located between the stays 1 and 2; and the two overlapping layers of wire cloth 10 are also located between the stays 1 and 2, and inward of the adjacent ends of the hoops 3 to which they are respectively attached.

18 is a bolt passing through the upper ends of the stays, the wire cloth and the hoops 3, to make the joint tight. This bolt has apivoted head 19 secured thereto on the inside of the bin; and 20 is a lock-nut which engages the bolt on the outside, to bind the parts together.

The manner in which the braces t are secured to the stays 1 and 2 is shown in Fig.

5, the middle hoop 3 being shown between the braces and to the outside of the cloth 10. Likewise, the manner in which the rafters (i are secured to the top of the framework of the bin is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the rafters are illustrated as being provided with down-turned ends and secured to the inside of the stays 2 by means of bolts which pass through these down-turned ends, the stays 2, the cloth 10, the hoop 3 and the outer stays 1.

The wire cloth 10 is preferably 8x8 meshes to the inch, and made of galvanized 18-gagc wire. The vertical stays 1 and 2 are preferably of hard wood, and the hoops 3 may be of flexible iron, similar to the material used for barrel hoops. The middle hoop 3 will be riveted to the wire cloth at points six inches apart between the stays, and the lower hoop 3 will be bolted to the stays 1 and 2 all the way around, to allow the insertion of the flap of canvas 12 between the bottom hoop and the wire cloth. By using bolts instead of rivets, this canvas flap or strip can be removed for repairs or renewal. The upper hoop will likewise be bolted to the stays and the rafters 6.

I have found that wire cloth of the mesh mentioned will give ample strength to resist the outward pressure of the grain when the bin is loaded, and, therefore, it is unnecessary to provide any additional reinforcing, except on the upper and lower edges of the cloth. At the point where the vertical edges of the wire cloth overlap each other, however, I prefer to secure the vertical edges of the wire cloth and the ends of the hoops 3 to strips of galvanized iron. hese strips of galvanized iron are shown at 1. and 2 on Fig. 7, riveted to the inner and outer stays respectively in such a way that they will be between the two stays at the point where the joint is made.

The cover and floor of the bin will be made of water-proof canvas, and the canvas floor 11 will project several inches beyond the bottom hoop 3, so that, when the bin is set up, earth can be heaped around the bottom, as shown in Fig. 1. The cou pling plate will be secured to the ground by means of wooden pegs around its edges; or, if desired, these wooden pegs may be dispensed with and the plate 5 allowed simply to rest upon the floor oi the bin; and when a bin constructed as described is set np, it forms a light, compact, rigid and tightlyclosed structure which can be readily taken down and moved from place to place, as is required in certain parts of the country where grain fields are extensive and shipping facilities few. The banking of the soil on the outside edge of the canvas 11 will prevent flooding in with rain water; the roof will prevent rain from getting into the top, and the wire cloth 10 will be treated wit-h a flexible waterproof paint to make it resist the disintegrating action of the weather and last for a very long time. One layer of the wire cloth 10-1 find enough, as I prefer it to be. The paint will fill the space between the strands and form a continuous water proof surface.

My improved bin can be set up by one man in a field alongside of a separator, and is so light that a bin of five hundred bushels capacity will not exceed one hundred and twenty-five pounds in weight, At the same time, the cost of a bin of this size will be no greater than the expense of providing gunny sacks for the same quantity of grain.

It will be understood that the ends of the cloth 10 are secured together by the bolts 18 along the entire length of the stays 1 and 2 at the point where the joint is formed, as shown in Fig. 1. Further, the bin can be readily filled from the top, and the spout or hopper 1% will facilitate the unloading of the grain by shovel when the supply of grain in the bin sinks below the level of the grain in the extension 15. In loading the bin, the braces 1 may be loosened and taken out when the surface of the grain has risen to a certain point, as these braces are only intended to keep the framework of the bin in perpendicular position until it is partly filled.

I have shown and described my bin as being intended for the storage of grain, but it is obvious that I may use it for the storage of other things than grain as well.

It will be understood that the stays forming the sides of the ladder which are connected to the rungs 13, will be located a sufiicient distance apart to serve the purpose in question, and without interfering with either the setting up or taking down of the bin in practice.

In practice, I may make the hoops shown at 3 flexible enough to enable the body of the bin to be rolled up after being taken down, so as to occupy the smallest possible space for storage or shipment.

I wish to have it understood that I may make certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts, such as fairly fall within the scope and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A storehouse of the kind described comprising a plurality of upright supports arranged in pairs, the members of each pair occupying inner and outer positions with respect to each other, said uprights being connected together at their lower ends by means of a hoop received between the members of said pairs, means forming the side walls of said storehouse, received between said pairs and supported in position thereby, and a flap of fabric, the inner edge of which extends inward and the outer edge of which is received between the lower ends of said uprights to form a closure for the bottom of said storehouse.

2. A storehouse of the kind described comprising a plurality of upright stays arranged in pairs, hoops connecting said pairs together at their upper and lower ends, means received between said stays forming the side walls of said storehouse, a fabric floor for said storehouse projecting beyond the periphery thereof, and a flap of fabric, the inner edge of which extends inward into said storehouse and rests upon said floor, and the outer edge of which is received between said stays to be secured in position, whereby, when the earth is heaped upon the outer edge of said fabric floor around said storehouse, access to the interior of the storehouse through the bottom from without will be closed.

8. In a storehouse of the kind described, the combination of a plurality of upright stays, means received between said stays to form the side walls of said storehouse, hoops connecting said stays together at their upoer and lower ends and u )ri ht stri s connecting the ends of said hoops together, said strips being received between a pair of said stays to form a tight joint for the overlapping ends of the cloth forming the side walls of the bin.

l. A storehouse of the kind described com prising a plurality of inner and outer stays arranged in pairs, hoops connecting said pairs together at their upper and lower ends and arranged between the same, means forming the side walls of said storehouse, received between said stays and supported thereby, upright strips joining the ends of said hoops together, said strips lying be tween a pair of said stays, the edges of said means forming the side walls of the store house being joined to said hoops and to said strips, and a plurality of bolts passing through said pair of stays and said strips to form a tight joint for the overlapping edges of the means forming the said side walls.

5. A storehouse of the kind described com prising a plurality of upright stays arranged in pairs, the members of each pair occupying inner and outer positions with respect to each other, means forming the side walls of said storehouse supported by said stays, and a flap of fabric, the inner edge of which extends inward and the outer edge of which is received between the lower ends of said stays to form a closure for the bottom of said storehouse.

6. In a storehouse of the kind described, the combination of a plurality of upright stays, means secured to said stays to form the side walls of the storehouse, flexible bands connecting said stays together, and

upright strips to connect the ends of said bands, said strips being secured to each other when the storehouse is set up.

7. In a storehouse of the kind described, the combination of a plurality of upright stays arranged in pairs, the members of each pair occupying inner and outer positions with respect to each other when the storehouse is set. up, means forming the side Walls 10 of said storehouse received between said stays, and a plurality of flexible bands re ceived between said stays.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN TWVEDDLE GRAHAM.

Witnesses T. S. GRAHAM, JANE GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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