Apparatus and method for loading agricultural material

• US 6,347,920 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Justin Place
• Original Assignee: Justin Place
• Inventors: Place, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/739,481
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 414/295, 414/296, 414/397, 414/398, 414/399, 414/414, 414/519, 414/793.8, 414/794.6, 414/808, 414/809, 414/787, 220/345.1, 220/349, 220/351, 220/661, 220/676, 198/301, 198/535, 198/560, 532/48, 534/75
• US Class Current: 414/787
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/16 Preventing pulverisation, deformation, breakage, or other mechanical damage to the goods or materials

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus and method for reduced impact loading of impact sensitive materials, such as agriculture seed material, into a bin from above. The loading apparatus includes a door selectively movable between a lower position and an upper position. A guide mounts the door at the bin and provides a predetermined path between the lower and upper positions for the door. A drive is used to selectively vary the position of the door along the path in response to accumulation of material loaded from above. The door is first moved to the lower position for initial loading. A material dispenser having a discharge end is extended through an access opening in the bin at the door for initial loading of material therein. As material accumulates in the bin during loading, the discharge end is selectively raised in the access opening to maintain it within a predetermined distance range above such material. The door is also selectively raised to varying positions above the lower position to cover the access opening as material accumulates in the bin.

Claims

1. A bin to reduce loading impact for use with a loading apparatus that is capable of loading material from different vertical heights by dropping the material into the bin, the bin comprising:

a door movable between a lower position and an upper position to allow a loading apparatus to extend over the door at different vertical positions for loading across the door;

a guide for mounting the door and providing a predetermined path between the lower and upper positions; and

a drive communicating with the door to selectively vary the position of the door along the path from the lower position to the upper position in response to accumulation of material in the bin such that material does not substantially escape the bin over the door and that the dropping distance is able to be maintained at a predetermined minimum relative to the accumulated material to minimize impact force on the material as it is being dropped into the bin from above.

2. A bin in accordance with claim 1 wherein the guide includes a pair of spaced rails to guide movement of the door along the path.

3. A bin in accordance with claim 2 wherein the rails each define a channel along the path and further comprising rollers mounted to the door that roll in the channel as the door is selectively moved along the path.

4. A bin in accordance with claim 3 wherein the predetermined path is substantially vertical between the lower and upper positions.

5. A bin in accordance with claim 2 further comprising an actuator arm between the drive and the door, the drive selectively moving the arm to raise and lower the door along the path.

6. A bin in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a support structure for the drive and actuator arm, the actuator arm being pivotally mounted to the support structure and pivotally mounted to the door.

7. A bin in accordance with claim 6 wherein the drive is connected to the actuator arm intermediate the pivotal mounting to the support structure and the door.

8. A bin in accordance with claim 7 wherein the actuator arm defines a slot, the slot allows the arm to move arcuately relative to the path of the door as the door moves along the path.

9. A bin in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a control in communication with the drive to selectively activate the drive.

10. A bin in accordance with claim 9 wherein the control coordinates with material accumulation to vary the position of the door along the path.