US3090506A

US3090506A - Leveling structure

Info

Publication number: US3090506A
Application number: US44508A
Authority: US
Inventors: Floyd E Buschbom
Original assignee: Vandale Corp
Current assignee: Vandale Corp
Priority date: 1960-07-21
Filing date: 1960-07-21
Publication date: 1963-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-21

Description

May 21, 1963 F. E. BUSCHBOM LEVELING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1960 M m m TH m a Vw T m5 m 5% m m w May 21, 1963 F. E. BuscHBoM 3,090,506

LEVELING STRUCTURE Filed July 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. Fwmf. BUSOIBOM AT aRNE vs 2%m wsM M y 1963 F. E. BUSCHBOM LEVELING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 21. 1960 INVENTOR. FLOYD f. Bl/SCHBOM BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent i 3,090,506 LEVELING STRUCTURE Floyd E. Buschhom, Long Lake, Minn, assignor to Vandale Corporation, Long Lake, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed July 21, 1960, Ser. No. 44,508 15 laims. (Cl. 214-17) This invention is a silo unloader leveling means. Broadly it comprises vertically movable elevating structure mounted at the outboard end of an unloader collecting structure that is pivoted, at its inboard end, about a horizontal axis on a support member. A sensing means (a fixed length cable in the specific form shown) directs the vertically movable elevating structure to maintain the outboard end of the collecting structure at a predetermined elevation relative to the support member, i.e., controls the elevation provided by the vertically movable elevating structure. It is a new and useful improvement for silo unloaders of the type exemplified in US. Patents 2,719,058; 2,794,560 and 2,877,907.

Much has been accomplished in providing practical silo unloaders as shown by the structures of the foregoing patents which have been commercially accepted. Nevertheless continued improvements are desirable.

Previous attempts to control the relative position of the flighting with respect to a vertical for example have been predicated on either manual adjustment which is not satisfactory and requires much inconveniences or on leveling devices which are cumbersome and inefficient.

Accordingly it is the principal object of this invention to provide a leveling device for silo unloading mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such leveling that is automatic by employing means comprising a sensing device which responds to changes in angular disposition relative to the horizontal of the silo unloading conveyor.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a leveling means which has a fixed reference member with respect to which one end of the unloader flighting may change elevation and in so doing adjust the support means for that end of the flighting to cause it to return to the desired elevation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an automatic leveling means of a simple mechanical nature in which there is little chance of malfunctioning.

Other objects are inherent in the specific structures disclosed and described herein.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the featurm hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the leveling structure and of so much of a silo unloader as is necessary to illustrate the operation of the leveling device; broken lines illustrate hidden parts;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 With broken lines illustrating hidden parts.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; broken lines illustrate hidden arts. p Referring to the drawings, specifically to FIGURE 1, a representation of the silo wall is seen at which encloses the ensilage 11. On top of the ensilage 11 is shown the silo unloader of this invention comprising a 3,090,500 Patented May 21, 1963 suspension or supporting assembly or means generally designated 9 and a collecting arm or gathering means generally designated 8, as shown in more detail in Patent No. 2,794,560. Supporting means 9 is substantially rotatively stationary and gathering means 8 is rotative over the ensilage surface as described in Patent No. 2,794,560 being driven by drive means (not shown) of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,794,560 but which is not described in detail here since it forms no part of the invention per se. The usual conveyor flighting 12 is rotatably supported in its frame 13. At the outer end of the flighting is seen the wall cleaner 14 and the guide wheels 15. The flighting frame 13 is rigidly secured to the impeller housing 16. Seen in fragment above the impeller is the discharge conduit 17 supported by ring 18 to which the cables 19, shown in fragment, are secured and extend upward to the top of the silo. The vertical position of cables 19 and hence of ring 18 is determined by a suitable winch (not shown) under the control of the operator. Ring 18 may, therefore, be supported at a fixed elevation and provide a frame of reference for the collar 20.

Collar 20 is rotatably supported by ring v18 and has secured to it rigidly the arm 21 by suitable means such as the bolts 22. Impeller housing 16 and, therefore, also flighting frame 13 and flighting 12 are pivotally supported in collar 20 at a single pivot axis comprising as here shown a pair of diametrically oppositely positioned bolts one of which designated 24 appears in FIG- URE 1 and both of which may be seen in FIGURE 2; the second one is designated 25.

Arm 21 may be advantageously made from a pair of angle members that are secured to opposite sides of collar 20 and converge to a single point 26 as seen in FIGURE 2.

A central spine 27 over the flighting 12 is a rigid portion of flighting frame 13 and provides a suitable support for a sheave carrying means 28 in which sheave 29 is rotatably supported. Spine 27 also supports an outboard sheave holding structure 30 which rotatably supports a sheave 31. A suitable elongated flexible element such as cable 32 is secured to arm 21 as at 34 is reeved under sheave 29 and over sheave 3-1. The outboard end of the elongated flexible member 32 is secured by suitable means to the leveling vertically movable supporting structure generally designated 35 and which will be described in more detail in relation to FIGURE 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, frame 13 is seen to be supplied at its outer end with strut pivot supports 36 and 37 between which the

leveling wheel struts

38 and 39 are suitably pivoted as by the nut and

bolt assemblies

40 and 41. The two leveling wheel struts carry guides here shown as

sleeves

42 and 44 secured to their outboard end so as to be in an approximate vertical position when the unloading mechaism flighting 12 is in an approximately level position. Vertical elements 45 and 46 slidably engage and are vertically adjustable within

guides

42 and 44. Suitable means such as the set screws 47 and 43 are provided to determine the position of vertical elements 45 and 46 within the

sleeves

42 and 44.

Each of the two vertical elements 45 and 46 rotatably supports a

wheel

49 and 50 respectively by means of

suitable axles

51 and 52 respectively.

The upper end of each leveling wheel strut is articulated by suitable means such as the U-members 54 and 55 to a cross member 56. Cable 32 is secured to cross member 56 in a suitable manner here illustrated as an eye formed by a U-bolt 57 rigidly secured to cross member 56.

Suitable pivots are provided for connecting the articulated members 54 and 55 to the upper ends on the leveling wheel struts and shown illustratively here as the nut and 3

bolt assemblies

58 and 59.

Similar pivots

60 and 61 connect the articulated members to the cross piece 56.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it is pointed out that all of the leveling structure is secured to and carried by the frame of the fiighting structure except the fixed reference arm 21; Since the

sheaves

29 and 31 remain fixed to spine 27, the amount of cable 32 necessary to reach between them remains fixed. As the cable length itself is fixed, therefore, the amount of cable that extends from pulley 31 to cross piece 56 and from pulley 29 to arm 21 will be a" fixed amount, being the total length of cable less the amount of cable extending from sheave to sheave.

When the unloader gathering means 12-15 pivots so as to raise its outboard end, the sheave support 28 and sheave 29'move closer to arm 21 which means that a greater amount of the cable is available to reach between sheave 31 and cross piece 56. To the contrary, however, when the gathering structure lowers at its outboard end, a greater portion of cable 32 than previously is required to extend from arm 21 to sheave 29, and a smaller amount of cable is available to reach from sheave 31 to cross piece 56.

When the outer end of the gathering arm raises with respect to arm 21, therefore, the element 56 is lowered which in turn permits the wheels to rise and cause. more of the Weight of the outboard end of the gathering arm to be supported by the augers and less by the wheels. The augers under these conditions, dig into the ensilage more deeply at the outboard end than they previously did thus causing the ensilage nearer the wall of the silo to be removed at a more rapid rate than previously. Contrariwise, when the gathering arm dips down at its outer end and more of cable 32 is required to reach from ari'n 21to' sheave 29, then cross piece 56 is necessarily moved closer to sheave 31 because of the smaller amount of cable available at this point under those conditions. With the lifting of the cross piece'56, as will be clear from viewing FIGURE 3, the supporting

wheels

49 and 50 are forced downward against the top of the end ensilage which reduces the amount of weight of the gathering arm being supported by the augers, and hence reduces the amount of ensilage being conveyed from the outer end of the angers. As the greater amount of ensilage nearer the impeller housing 11 is gradually conveyed away so that the gathering arm begins to approach level again there is a constant readjustment of the amount 'of gathering arm Weight supported by

wheels

49 and 50 as a result in the change of elevation of the auger with respect to arm 21. In this manner the leveling structure tends to keep. the gathering arm horizontal at any given disposition of

ring V Wheels

49 and 50 are independently adjustable vertically so that they may be'accommodated in height to the. fact that the surface of the ensilage behind the moving gathering arm may be lower than that in front of it. either wheel is raised by encountering a portion of the ensilage that is higher than its surface generally, it will roll up overit and simultaneously pull down on cross piece 56-. Cross piece 56 will pivot in response to such a pull, as it is pivotally secured to the articulating links and suspended from cable 32. Such pivoting of cross piece 56 lowers the opplosite wheel which causes it'to assume its share of the loa It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by Way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms" of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: r

1. A silo unloader comprising a depending support means, a gathering arm means pivoted about a horizontal axis and about a vertical axis to said depending support means and extending therefrom to a free end, a vertically movable supporting structure means adapted for engaging the surface of ensilage and secured to the free end of said gathering arm means for supporting it on the surface of said ensilage, and flexible means interconnecting said vertically movable supporting structure means and said depending support means for controlling the vertical position of said vertically movable supporting structure.

2. A leveling device for a silo unloader including a support member, a reference means secured to said support member, a vertically movable support means secured to a silo unloader at a distance from said reference means, and means continuously interconnecting said reference meansnnd said vertically movable support member for continuous vertical adjustment thereof.

3. A silo unloader comprising a support means, means secured to said support means for suspending it in a silo, a gathering means pivoted about a horizontal axis to said support means and extending therefrom to a free end, a vertically'm-ovable supporting structure means secured to the free end of said gathering means, a reference means rigidly secured to said support means, and means interconnecting said reference means and said vertically movable supporting structure means for control thereof.

" 4. The silo unloader of claim 3 in which said means interconnecting said reference means and said vertically movable supporting structure means continuously interconnects them.

5. In combination, a radial gathering means, having an interior end and an exterior end, said gathering means journalled for rotation in ahorizont-al direction about its interior end, supporting means for supporting said interior end, a first portion of said gathering means being pivoted adjacentsaid interior end for movement in a vertical direction by pivoted attachment to a second portion of said gathering means, vertically movable supporting means adapted to engage a. supporting surface and positioned adjacent said exterior end, and fixed length flexible means connected-at one end to said second portion of said gathering means and at the other end to said supporting means for movement thereof.

6. A leveling device for a silo unloader comprising a suspended reference means connected to one end of a silo unloader gathering means, a vertically movable supporting means adapted to be secured to the other end of said gathering means for the support thereof and fixed length means fixedly secured to said reference means and said vertically movable support means for control thereof.

7. The leveling structure of claim 6 in which said vertically movable supporting means includes a pair of wheels, each of said wheels being movably secured to said vertically movable supporting means, and means for moving each of said wheels independently and vertically with respect to the balance of said vertically movable supporting. means.

8. A silo unloader comprising a gathering arm pivoted near one end about a horizontal axis to a first supporting means, a vertically movable second supporting means adapted to be secured to one end of said gathering arm and cable meansinterconnecting said first and second supporting means for control of said second supporting means by said first supporting means.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which direction changing means is provided for engaging said cable means for changing the direction thereof.

10. A silo unloader having a support means, a gathering means pivoted near one of its ends to said support means and for movement about a horizontal axis, strut means pivoted to the end of said gathering means remote from its point of attachment with said support means, cable means interconnecting said support means and a portion of said strut mean-s above its pivot, and a wheel rotatably secured to the lower end of said strut means.

11. The silo unloader of claim 10 in which there is provided a she-ave supporting means rigidly secured to said gathering means and extending to a point above said strut, a sheave rotatably secured to said sheave supporting means, a second sheave supporting means secured to said gathering means near said unloader support means, a sheave rotatably secured to said second sheave supporting means and a cable reeved around said sheaves and extending between the upper end of said strut means and said unloader support means.

12. The silo unloader of claim 11 in which said wheel is vertically movable with respect to said strut means.

13. The silo unloader of claim 10 in which said wheel is vertically movable with respect to said strut means.

14. The silo unloader of claim 10 in which there are two struts pivoted to said gathering means, a cross piece, articulating links pivoted to said cross piece and the upper ends of said struts, said cable means being secured to said cross piece, and a wheel rotatably secured to each strut.

15. In combination, a radial gathering means, having an interior end and an exterior end, said gathering means journalled for rotation in a horizontal direction about its interior end, supporting means for supporting said interior end, a first portion of said gathering means being pivoted adjacent said interior end for movement in a vertical direction by pivoted attachment to a second portion of said gathering means, vertical-1y movable supporting means adapted to engage a supporting surf-ace and positioned adjacent said exterior end, and fixed length flexible means connected at one end to said second portion of said gathering means and at the other end to said supporting means for movement thereof, and said supporting means including a cable means including a plurality of members secured to a frame means at spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,651,438 Peterson Sept. 8, 1953 2,858,033 Hofer Oct. 28, 1958 2,863,576 Trask Dec. 9', 1958 2,978,121 Chapman Apr. 4, 1961