Loading conveyor with folding hopper for agricultrual commodity carts

• US 20050238469A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Bourgault Industries Ltd.
• Inventors: Thomas, Dean, Cochran, Bob, Cresswell, Mark, Jagow, Scot
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/523
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/003 Bulk fertiliser or grain handling in the field or on the farm
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/006 Hoppers

Abstract

An agricultural commodity cart loading conveyor apparatus comprises a conveyor mounted to an agricultural commodity cart. A hopper is pivotally attached to the lower end of the conveyor tube and a hopper conveyor section is mounted along a bottom of the hopper. The hopper pivots from an extended position to a folded position. In the extended position the hopper is oriented at an angle to the conveyor tube such that the hopper extends along the ground when the conveyor is in the operating position, and is connected to the lower end of the conveyor tube such that the hopper conveyor section conveys material entering the hopper into the lower end of the conveyor tube for conveyance up the conveyor tube. A lock is operative to lock the hopper and conveyor together when the hopper is in the extended position. Hydraulic cylinders can be provided to facilitate use with larger conveyors.

Claims

1. An agricultural commodity cart loading conveyor apparatus comprising:

an agricultural commodity cart comprising at least one tank having a fill hatch located at a top portion of the cart;

a conveyor comprising a conveyor tube and mounted to the cart such that the conveyor can be moved from a transport position wherein a lower end of the conveyor tube is raised off the ground, to an operating position wherein a lower end of the conveyor tube is substantially on the ground and the conveyor tube is inclined upward such that an upper discharge end of the conveyor tube is oriented to direct material discharged there-from into a fill hatch;

a hopper pivotally attached to the lower end of the conveyor tube;

a hopper conveyor section mounted along a bottom of the hopper;

wherein the hopper can pivot from an extended position to a folded position, and wherein in the extended position the hopper is oriented at an angle to the conveyor tube such that the hopper extends along the ground when the conveyor is in the operating position, and in the extended position the hopper is connected to the lower end of the conveyor tube such that the hopper conveyor section conveys material entering the hopper into the lower end of the conveyor tube for conveyance up the conveyor tube;

a lock operative to lock the hopper and conveyor tube together when the hopper is in the extended position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor is a belt conveyor comprising a belt inside the conveyor tube for conveying material through the conveyor tube from the lower end to the discharge end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a conveyor belt extends through the conveyor tube and along the bottom of the hopper.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor is an auger conveyor comprising an auger inside the conveyor tube for conveying material through the conveyor tube from the lower end to the discharge end, and wherein the hopper conveyor section comprises an auger extension that is coupled to a lower end of the auger when the hopper is in the extended position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the auger extension is coupled to the lower end of the auger by an auger section connected at one end to an inner end of the auger extension and adapted at an opposite end to releasably engage the lower end of the auger.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a tube transition section extending from a rear end of the hopper at an angle to the auger extension such that the tube transition section is aligned with the conveyor tube when the hopper is in the lowered position, and wherein the auger section is located inside the tube transition section.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hopper, when in the folded position, is above and substantially aligned with the conveyor tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an extendable hopper actuator attached at one end to the conveyor tube and attached at an opposite end to the hopper;

a hopper control operative to selectively extend the hopper actuator to move the hopper to the extended position and retract the hopper actuator to move the hopper to the folded position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the lock is provided by the hopper actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the hopper actuator comprises a hopper hydraulic cylinder and wherein the lock comprises a hook pivotally attached to the hopper about a hook pivot axis and linked to the hopper hydraulic cylinder, and a crossbar fixed to the conveyor tube and configured such that the hook engages the crossbar to lock the hopper and conveyor tube together when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to a maximum position and such that the hook disengages the crossbar to unlock the hopper and conveyor when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a bias element urging the hook to pivot in a direction to engage the crossbar, and wherein when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to the maximum position the hook is allowed to move into engagement with the crossbar in response to a bias force exerted by the bias element, and wherein when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position the hook is moved against the bias force to disengage the crossbar.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the hopper is pivotally attached to the conveyor tube about a hopper pivot axis located above the conveyor tube and oriented substantially perpendicular to the conveyor tube and wherein the hopper hydraulic cylinder is attached to the hopper at a location above the hopper pivot axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a hopper bracket attached to the hopper and wherein the hopper hydraulic cylinder is attached to the hopper by attachment to a hopper pin extending through a hopper slot defined by the hopper bracket;

and further comprising a release rod linking the hopper pin and the hook.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the hopper pin is located substantially at a first end of the hopper slot when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to the maximum position, and wherein the hopper pin moves along the hopper slot when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position, thereby moving the hook out of engagement with the crossbar, and wherein the hopper pin bears against a second end of the hopper slot to fold the hopper.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mounting bracket attached to the cart and defining a mounting slot, and wherein the conveyor is mounted to the cart by a conveyor pin through the mounting slot;

and further comprising a conveyor hydraulic cylinder pivotally attached to the cart at one end and to the conveyor tube at an opposite end; and

wherein the conveyor hydraulic cylinder and the mounting slot are oriented such that moving the conveyor hydraulic cylinder in a first direction raises the lower end of the conveyor tube to the transport position, and such that moving the conveyor hydraulic cylinder in an opposite second direction lowers the lower end of the conveyor tube to rest on the ground in the operating position, and such that further movement of the conveyor hydraulic cylinder in the second direction raises the discharge end of the conveyor and causes the conveyor pin to move along the mounting slot.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the conveyor hydraulic cylinder is pivotally attached to the cart by pivotal attachment to the mounting bracket.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a swing hydraulic cylinder attached between the cart and the conveyor and operative to move the conveyor laterally about a substantially vertical swing axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a swing hydraulic cylinder attached between the cart and the conveyor and operative to move the conveyor laterally about a substantially vertical swing axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a first swing bracket pivotally attached to the cart about a substantially vertical first swing axis, a second swing bracket pivotally attached to the first swing bracket about a substantially vertical second swing axis, and the mounting bracket is pivotally attached to the second swing bracket about a substantially vertical third swing axis, and the swing hydraulic cylinder is attached to the cart at one end and to the first swing bracket at the opposite end.

20. An agricultural commodity cart loading conveyor apparatus comprising:

an agricultural commodity cart comprising at least one tank having a fill hatch located at a top portion of the cart;

a conveyor comprising an auger inside a conveyor tube wherein the conveyor is mounted to the cart such that the conveyor can be moved from a transport position wherein the conveyor tube is raised off the ground, to an operating position wherein a lower end of the conveyor tube is substantially on the ground and the conveyor tube is inclined upward such that an upper discharge end of the conveyor tube is oriented to direct material discharged there-from into a fill hatch;

a hopper pivotally attached to the lower end of the conveyor tube about a hopper pivot axis located above the conveyor and oriented substantially horizontally and perpendicular to the conveyor tube;

an auger extension rotatably mounted along a bottom of the hopper;

a tube transition section extending from a rear end of the hopper at an angle to the auger extension;

wherein the hopper can pivot from an extended position wherein the tube transition section is aligned with the conveyor tube and the hopper extends along the ground when the conveyor is in the operating position, to a folded position;

an auger section inside the tube transition section and connected at one end to an inner end of the auger extension and adapted at an opposite end to releasably engage a lower end of the auger of the conveyor when the hopper is in the extended position such that rotation of the auger rotates the auger extension and such that the hopper can be pivoted to disengage the auger and auger extension and move the hopper into the folded position; and

a lock operative to lock the hopper and conveyor tube together when the hopper is in the extended position.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the hopper, when in the folded position, is above and substantially aligned with the conveyor.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

a hopper bracket attached to the hopper;

an extendable hopper actuator attached at one end to the conveyor tube and attached at an opposite end to the hopper bracket;

a hopper control operative to selectively extend the hopper actuator to move the hopper to the extended position and retract the hopper actuator to move the hopper to the folded position;

wherein the hopper actuator when extended provides the lock operative to lock the hopper and conveyor tube together when the hopper is in the extended position.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

a hopper bracket attached to the hopper and defining a hopper slot;

a hopper hydraulic cylinder attached at one end to the conveyor and attached at an opposite end to a hopper pin extending through the hopper slot;

a hopper control operative to selectively extend the hopper hydraulic cylinder to move the hopper to the extended position and retract the hopper hydraulic cylinder to move the hopper to the folded position;

wherein the lock is configured to lock the hopper and conveyor together when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to a maximum position and to unlock the hopper and conveyor when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the lock comprises a crossbar fixed to the conveyor and a hook pivotally attached to the tube transition section about a hook pivot axis and configured such that the hook engages the crossbar to lock the hopper and conveyor together, and wherein the hook is linked to the hopper hydraulic cylinder by a release rod attached to the hopper pin such that when the hopper pin moves in the hopper slot the release rod causes the hook to pivot about the hook pivot axis to engage and disengage the crossbar.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a bias element urging the hook to pivot in a direction to engage the crossbar, and wherein when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to the maximum position the hook is allowed to move into engagement with the crossbar in response to a bias force exerted by the bias element, and wherein when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position the hook is moved against the bias force to disengage the crossbar.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the hopper pin is located substantially at a first end of the hopper slot when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is extended to the maximum position, and wherein the hopper pin moves along the hopper slot when the hopper hydraulic cylinder is retracted from the maximum position, thereby moving the hook out of engagement with the crossbar, and wherein the hopper pin bears against a second end of the hopper slot to fold the hopper.

27. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the auger and conveyor tube have a diameter substantially equal to or greater than ten inches, and further comprising a sieve screen covering the hopper, and wherein the hopper has a length sufficient to provide a sieve screen having an area sufficient to allow passage of agricultural products therethough at a rate sufficient to allow the auger conveyor to operate at substantially full capacity.