Hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like

• US 4,896,615 A
• Filed: 08/26/1987
• Issued: 01/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clemson University
• Original Assignee: Clemson University
• Inventors: DuBose, Charles R., Garrett, Thomas R., Hood, Clarence E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Application Number:
  US07/091,289
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 111/86, 111/77, 111/34, 222/333, 222/63, 222/216, 222/221, 222/222, 222/225, 222/226
• US Class Current: 111/177
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/08 with pushers or stirrers in the slots
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/16 Seeders with other distributing devices, e.g. brushes, discs, screws or slides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/925 Tank and hopper trailers

Abstract

A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like comprises a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in the lower portion; a rotatable shaft located within the housing; a drive shaft transferring rotational energy to the shaft from a low horsepower, low rpm, electric motor; a brush having a plurality of tufts of flexible bristles held in an annular member mounted on the shaft above each dispensing opening for feeding seed, grain and the like to the dispensing opening during rotation of the shaft; a marked metering plate having a metering hole therethrough and extending into a slot formed in a first side portion of the housing; and a mechanism for selectively stopping rotation of the shaft whereby when rotation of the shaft is stopped, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to the dispensing opening, the mechanism including a cam adjustably mounted on the shaft, a cam follower for engaging the cam and a microswitch connected to the cam follower and deactivating the electric motor to stop rotation of the shaft when the cam follower engages a predetermined point of the cam.

Claims

1. A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like, the hopper comprising:

a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in said lower portion;

a rotatable shaft located within said housing;

means for rotating said shaft;

flexible metering means mounted on said shaft above each said dispensing opening for agitating seed, grain and the like and for translocating same to said dispensing opening during rotation of said shaft;

means for selectively stopping rotation of said shaft, whereby when rotation of said shaft is stopped by said selective shaft rotation stopping means, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to said dispensing opening; and

said selective shaft rotation stopping means comprises a cam mounted on said shaft, a cam follower mounted to engage said cam, and switch means connected to said follower whereby said switch means is activated when said follower engages a preselected point of said cam.

2. A hopper as in claim 1, wherein:

said flexible metering means comprises a brush having at least three rows of discrete tufts of flexible bristles, and said brush is mounted on said shaft such that said bristles are slightly bent as said bristles traverse said dispensing opening.

3. A hopper as in claim 2, wherein:

said shaft is adjustably mounted.

4. A hopper as in claim 2, further comprising:

at least a second bristled brush mounted on said shaft;

at least one dividing wall mounted inside said housing to separate said housing into a first compartment and a second compartment;

a second dispensing opening in said lower portion of said housing;

one of said dispensing openings and one of said brushes being located inside said first compartment and another of said dispensing openings and another of said brushes being located inside said second compartment.

5. A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like, the hopper comprising:

a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in said lower portion;

a rotatable shaft located within said housing;

means for rotating said shaft;

flexible metering means mounted on said shaft above each said dispensing opening for agitating seed, grain and the like and for translocating same to said dispensing opening during rotation of said shaft;

means for selectively stopping rotation of said shaft, whereby when rotation of said shaft is stopped by said selective shaft rotation stopping means, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to said dispensing opening;

a metering plate having a metering hole formed therethrough;

wherein said housing has a first side portion and a second side portion extending substantially transversely relative to said lower portion, said first side portion having at least one slot extending therethrough and positioned in alignment with said dispensing opening, said housing further having a bottom portion extending substantially parallel to said lower portion and connected at each end to one of said side portions, said bottom portion having a bottom opening at least as large as and aligned with said dispensing opening; and

wherein said metering plate extends through said slot and is movable through said slot for varying the degree of alignment between said metering hole and said dispensing opening.

6. A hopper as in claim 5, further comprising:

means for preventing sliding movement of said metering plate during the dispensing of seed through said dispensing opening;

means for calibrating the degree of alignment between said dispensing opening and said metering hole; and

wherein said metering hole is cone-shaped.

7. A hopper as in claim 6, wherein:

said calibrating means comprises a support plate attached to said bottom portion and having a spacer plate thereon flush with the lower edge of said slot;

said calibrating means further comprising a side flange permanently attached atop said spacer plate on one peripheral side edge thereof, said side flange having an indicator mark, said metering plate having a plurality of index marks for aligning with said indicator mark of said side flange.

8. A hopper as in claim 8, wherein:

said means for preventing sliding movement of said metering plate includes a clip for applying pressure against said metering plate and said support plate.

9. A hopper for dispensing seed, grain or the like, the hopper comprising:

a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in said lower portion;

a rotatable shaft extending lengthwise inside said housing;

means for rotating said shaft;

flexible metering means located along said shaft above each said dispensing opening for moving seeds, grain and the like to said dispensing opening during shaft rotation;

a cam mounted on said shaft, a cam follower mounted to engage said cam, a microswitch connected to said follower whereby said microswitch is activated when said follower engages a preselected point of said cam, whereby activation of said microswitch deactivates said means for rotating said shaft and stops rotation of said shaft, and whereby when rotation of said shaft is stopped by activation of said microswitch, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to each said dispensing opening.

10. A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like, the hopper comprising:

a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in said lower portion;

a rotatable shaft located inside said housing;

means for rotating said shaft;

at least one brush mounted on said shaft and aligned with each said dispensing opening, each said brush having at least one row of discrete tufts of flexible bristles, and said brush being mounted on said shaft such that said bristles are slightly bent as said bristles traverse said dispensing opening;

means for selectively stopping rotation of said shaft at a position such that each said brush blocks access of the seed, grain and the like to each said dispensing opening;

said means for selectively stopping rotation of said shaft comprises;

a cam mounted on said shaft;

a cam follower mounted to engage said cam;

switch means connected to said follower whereby said switch means is activated when said follower engages a preselected point of said cam; and

said cam is adjustably mounted on said shaft.

11. A hopper as in claim 10, wherein:

activation of said switch means deactivates said means for rotating said shaft and stops further rotation of said shaft when said bristles of said brush are positioned to block access of any seed, grain or the like to said dispensing opening.

12. A hopper as in claim 11, further comprising:

a metering plate having a metering hole formed therethrough;

a support plate having a spacer plate attached thereon;

a side flange attached atop said spacer plate on one peripheral side edge thereof;

wherein said housing has a first side portion extending substantially transversely from said lower portion, a second side portion extending substantially transversely from said lower portion, and a bottom portion extending substantially parallel to said lower portion and connected at each end to one of said side portions, said bottom portion having a bottom opening at least as large as and aligned with said dispensing opening;

wherein said lower portion has a substantially flat milled grooved portion surrounding said dispensing opening for receiving said metering plate;

wherein at least one of said first side portion and said second side portion has a slot extending therethrough and positioned in alignment with said dispensing opening and said grooved portion of said lower portion; and

wherein said metering plate extends through said housing slot and into said groove of said lower portion and between said lower portion and said bottom portion, said metering plate being movable through said housing slot and said groove for varying the degree of alignment between said metering hole and said dispensing opening.

13. A hopper as in claim 12, further comprising:

a support plate attached to said bottom portion and having a spacer plate thereon, the thickness of said spacer plate being equal to the thickness of said bottom portion and having a side flange attached thereon on one peripheral edge thereof;

means for preventing sliding movement of said metering plate during the feeding of seed, grain or the like through said metering hole;

wherein said metering hole is shaped substantially like a cone and said metering plate has a plurality of index marks at one end thereof; and

wherein said side flange has an indicator mark for aligning with said index marks of said metering plate.

14. A hopper as in claim 13, wherein:

the larger end of said metering hole has a radius of curvature of approximately one half inch.