Auger assembly for feed bin
First Claim
1. A feed bin for holding a quantity of dry material in bulk form, said feed bin having a generally horizontally oriented discharge tube extending inwardly therefrom to dump its contents through a discharge opening and into a hopper therefor, and an auger including an auger flight extending through said discharge tube and in communication with the interior of said feed bin for controllably feeding said dry material out of said feed bin, through said discharge tube, and out of said discharge opening, said auger including a drive motor, and an end bearing mounted to said auger flight at said end opposite said drive motor, said auger thereby being one assembly comprised of said drive motor, auger flight, and end bearing adapted for insertion through said discharge tube, and means for mounting said auger to said discharge tube so that said auger assembly may be readily installed or removed as a one-piece assembly from said discharge tube.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved auger design comprises a one-piece assembly with bearings at both the inboard and outboard ends of the auger flight to self-support the auger flight within a discharge tube of the feed bin. Furthermore, a single mounting plate secures the auger to the discharge tube such that a small number of bolts may be removed to thereby facilitate the ready insertion or removal of the auger from within the discharge tube to aid in its cleanability and maintenance or replacement of failed parts.
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Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A feed bin for holding a quantity of dry material in bulk form, said feed bin having a generally horizontally oriented discharge tube extending inwardly therefrom to dump its contents through a discharge opening and into a hopper therefor, and an auger including an auger flight extending through said discharge tube and in communication with the interior of said feed bin for controllably feeding said dry material out of said feed bin, through said discharge tube, and out of said discharge opening, said auger including a drive motor, and an end bearing mounted to said auger flight at said end opposite said drive motor, said auger thereby being one assembly comprised of said drive motor, auger flight, and end bearing adapted for insertion through said discharge tube, and means for mounting said auger to said discharge tube so that said auger assembly may be readily installed or removed as a one-piece assembly from said discharge tube.
- 7. In a feed bin for containing a quantity of dry material in bulk, said feed bin having a generally horizontally extending discharge tube through which said dry material may be dispensed, the improvement comprising an auger mounted within said discharge tube, said auger comprising a single assembly including a drive motor, an auger flight connected to said drive motor, and a bearing mounted to an end of said auger flight opposite said drive motor, and means for removably mounting said auger to said discharge tube, said auger mounting means being located near said drive motor end of said auger so that said auger mounting means may be released and said auger removed as a one-piece assembly from said discharge tube.
- 12. In a feed bin apparatus for containing a quantity of dry material in bulk, said feed bin apparatus having a plurality of generally horizontally extending discharge tubes through which said dry material may be dispensed into a common weigh hopper, the improvement comprising an auger mounted within each of said discharge tubes, each of said augers comprising a single assembly including a drive motor, the drive motor end of each of said augers being mounted on the outboard end of said discharge tubes, an auger flight connected to said drive motor, bearings mounted adjacent either end of said auger flight to thereby support said auger flight within said discharge tube, and means for mounting said auger to said discharge tube, said auger mounting means comprising a mounting plate on said feed bin apparatus and a matching mounting flange on said auger, and a plurality of bolts to secure said plate to said auger, said auger mounting means being located near said drive motor end of said auger so that said auger may be readily inserted or removed from said discharge tube by releasing said mounting means.
Specification