Bulk Materials Cart Having Dual Unload Capability

• US 20100290878A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Ricketts, Jonathan E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/505
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 90/105 Automatic side-emptying forage wagons
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/36 using endless chains or belts thereon

Abstract

The bulk materials cart has a dual unload system including at least two inclined belt conveyors bounding an enclosed cavity. A first belt conveyor is operable for conveying bulk materials from the cavity to an unloading conveyor extendable from that side of the cart. A second belt conveyor is operable for conveying bulk materials upwardly and over another side of the cart. The dual unload system is automatically operable in a first mode operating the first belt conveyor and the unloading conveyor for conveying the bulk materials away from the cart, and in a second mode operating the second belt conveyor for conveying the bulk materials over the side of the cart.

Claims

1. A cart for holding and conveying bulk materials, comprising:

a mobile structure including a floor and plurality of upstanding walls extending upwardly around the floor defining a cavity, the walls including upper peripheral edge portions, respectively, extending about an upper region of the cavity, at least a portion of the floor comprising a conveyor operably movable for conveying bulk materials thereon toward at least one of the upstanding walls, and the at least one of the upstanding walls comprising a belt conveyor operably movable in cooperation with the conveyor of the floor for conveying bulk materials upwardly along the at least one of the upstanding walls and over upper peripheral edge portion thereof; and

a second conveyor disposed in connection with another of the upstanding walls and including an unloading conveyor configurable in an operating position for extending outwardly from said another of the upstanding walls, for conveying a flow of bulk materials from the cavity to a location spaced from the cart.

2. The cart of claim 1, wherein the second conveyor includes a belt conveyor comprising at least a portion of said another of the upstanding walls, the second belt conveyor being operably movable for conveying bulk materials upwardly along said another of the upstanding walls and over the upper peripheral edge portion thereof to the unloading conveyor.

3. The cart of claim 2, wherein the second conveyor includes a transfer conveyor disposed in connection with the upper peripheral edge portion of said another of the upstanding walls and configured and operable for transferring bulk materials from the belt conveyor thereof to the unloading conveyor.

4. The cart of claim 1, wherein the conveyor of the floor comprises a belt conveyor selectably controllably operable for movement toward said one of the upstanding walls and said another of the upstanding walls, respectively.

5. The cart of claim 4, wherein said one of the upstanding walls and said another of the upstanding walls are located adjacent to opposite first and second ends of the floor, respectively, and the belt conveyor of the floor is selectably operable for moving toward the first end and the second end, respectively.

6. The cart of claim 1, wherein the unloading conveyor is mounted to the cart for movement between the operational position and a stored position extending along said one of the upstanding walls.

7. The cart of claim 1, wherein the unloading conveyor comprises a belt conveyor.

8. The cart of claim 1, wherein said at least one of the upstanding walls and said at least another of the upstanding walls are inclined upwardly and outwardly relative to the floor.

9. The cart of claim 1, further comprising a deflector disposed in spaced relation above the peripheral edge portion of said at least one of the walls, configured for deflecting materials conveyed by the conveyor of said at least one of the walls outwardly therefrom.

10. A bulk materials cart having a dual unload capability, comprising:

a mobile structure including a floor and plurality of upstanding walls extending upwardly around the floor defining a cavity, the walls including upper peripheral edge portions, respectively, extending about an upper region of the cavity, at least a portion of the floor comprising a conveyor selectably operably movable for conveying bulk materials thereon toward a first one of the upstanding walls and a second one of the upstanding walls, respectively;

the first one of the upstanding walls comprising a first belt conveyor inclined upwardly from the floor and configured to be controllably operable for conveying bulk materials upwardly and over the upper peripheral edge portion thereof;

the second one of the upstanding walls comprising a second belt conveyor inclined upwardly from the floor and configured to be controllably operable for conveying bulk materials upwardly and over the upper peripheral edge portion thereof; and

an unloading conveyor disposed adjacent to the upper peripheral edge portion of the second one of the upstanding walls, configurable in an operating position extending outwardly from the cart in cantilever relation thereto in position for receiving the materials conveyed by the belt conveyor of the second one of the walls and conveying the materials outwardly therefrom.

11. The bulk materials cart of claim 10, wherein the unloading conveyor is mounted for pivotal movement between the operational position and a stored position beside said second one of the walls.

12. The bulk materials cart of claim 10, comprising a transfer conveyor disposed adjacent to the upper peripheral edge portion of said second one of the walls, the transfer conveyor being configured and operable for transferring bulk materials from the belt conveyor of said second one of the walls to the unloading conveyor.

13. The bulk materials cart of claim 12, wherein the second belt conveyor has a width about coextensive with a width of said second one of the upstanding walls, the transfer conveyor has a length about coextensive with the width of the second conveyor for receiving the bulk materials therefrom along the length of the transfer conveyor, and the transfer conveyor is configured and operable for conveying the bulk materials from opposite ends thereof to a center portion thereof, and the unloading conveyor is disposed adjacent to the center portion of the transfer conveyor in position for receiving the bulk materials therefrom.

14. A bulk materials cart, comprising:

a dual unload system comprising a mobile structure defining and enclosing a cavity for holding a quantity of bulk materials, the structure including at least two belt conveyors bounding the cavity at an inclined orientation, one of the belt conveyors extending and operable for conveying bulk materials from the cavity to an unloading conveyor mounted to the structure for movement to a position extending outwardly therefrom, and another of the belt conveyors being operable for conveying bulk materials upwardly and thereover from the cavity; and

wherein the dual unload system is automatically operable in a first unload mode operating said one of the belt conveyors for conveying the bulk materials to the unloading conveyor, while operating the unloading conveyor for conveying the bulk materials away from the cart, and the unload system being automatically operable in a second unload mode operating said another of the belt conveyors for conveying the bulk materials outwardly from the cavity over said another of the belt conveyors.

15. The bulk materials cart of claim 14, wherein the dual unload system comprises a transfer conveyor disposed between said one of the belt conveyors and the unloading conveyor.

16. The bulk materials cart of claim 15, wherein said one of the belt conveyors has a width, the transfer conveyor has a length about coextensive with said width for receiving the bulk materials therefrom along the length of the transfer conveyor, and the transfer conveyor is configured and operable for conveying the bulk materials from opposite ends thereof to a center portion thereof, and the unloading conveyor is disposed adjacent to the center portion of the transfer conveyor in position for receiving the bulk materials therefrom.

17. The bulk materials cart of claim 14, further comprising a deflector disposed in spaced relation above an upper outer peripheral edge portion of said another of the belt conveyors, configured for deflecting materials conveyed thereover outwardly therefrom.

18. The bulk materials cart of claim 14, wherein the unloading conveyor is mounted for pivotal movement between the operational position and a stored position beside said one of the belt conveyors.

19. The bulk materials cart of claim 14, wherein the belt conveyors comprise slats extending across a width thereof adapted for conveying corn cobs.

20. The bulk materials cart of claim 14, further comprising a conveyor floor disposed between bottom portions of the belt conveyors and selectably operable for conveying bulk materials in the cavity toward the belt conveyors, respectively.