Grain bin bolt cover

• US 9,303,414 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daryl B. Keiser
• Original Assignee: Daryl B. Keiser
• Inventors: Keiser, Daryl B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barlow, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/617,107
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 52/58, 52/60, 521/92, 522/73, 522/871, 522/881, 522/90, 527/180.1, 527/180.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 25/14 Containers specially adapted for storing
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 25/163 in tower silos
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/0459 characterised by the fixing method
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/0486 Corner filling pieces
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2019/0413 of metal

Abstract

A grain bin bolt cover prevents a shovel, a broom, or other tool from being caught on an exposed bolt in the interior of a grain bin. The cover has a vertical side, an angled side, and a horizontal base. The vertical side contains at least one opening for accommodation of the bolt.

Claims

1. A grain bin comprising:

(a) a horizontal floor having a perimeter;

(b) a vertical wall extending upwardly from the perimeter of the floor;

(c) a plurality of flashing sections along the perimeter of the floor, each of which has a vertical portion attached to the wall with at least one bolt and a horizontal portion resting upon the floor; and

(d) a plurality of bolt covers, each cover comprising a sheet of material being perforated throughout with uniformly sized and spaced holes and having a vertical side, an angled side, and a horizontal base and wherein;

(i) the vertical side is mounted against the vertical portion of the flashing, the vertical side having an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least one opening for accommodation of a bolt;

(ii) the angled side has an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge of the angled side being connected to the upper edge of the vertical side, the angled side forming an angle to the horizontal floor of about 10 to 80 degrees, and (iii) the horizontal base rests on the horizontal portion of the flashing or the floor.

2. The grain bin of claim 1 wherein each sheet of material for the bolt cover is made of metal.

3. The grain bin of claim 1 wherein the vertical side of each bolt cover has a single opening for accommodation of a bolt.

4. The grain bin of claim 1 wherein the angled side of each bolt cover has at least one opening to provide access for installing a nut upon a bolt.

5. A grain bin comprising:

(a) a horizontal floor having a perimeter;

(b) a vertical wall extending upwardly from the perimeter of the floor; and

(c) a plurality of integral grain bin bolt cover and flashing sections attached to the grain bin along the perimeter of the floor, each integral cover and flashing section comprising a sheet of material having a plurality of uniformly sized and spaced perforations, a vertical side, an angled side, and a horizontal base and wherein;

(a) the vertical side is mounted against the wall and wherein the vertical side has an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least one opening for accommodation of a bolt;

(b) the angled side has an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge of the angled side being connected to the upper edge of the vertical side, the angled side forming an angle to the horizontal floor of about 10 to 80 degrees, and (c) the horizontal base is connected to the lower edge of the angled side and rests on the grain bin floor.

6. The grain bin of claim 5 wherein the base extends away from the vertical side.

7. The grain bin of claim 5 wherein the sheet of material is made of metal.

8. The grain bin of claim 5 wherein the vertical side has a single opening.

9. The grain bin of claim 5 wherein the angled side has at least one opening to provide access for installing a nut upon a bolt.

10. A grain bin comprising:

(a) a horizontal floor having a perimeter;

(b) a vertical wall extending upwardly from the perimeter of the floor;

(c) a plurality of flashing sections having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion and that are secured to the vertical wall with at least one bolt; and

(d) a plurality of covers for the bolts attaching the flashing sections to the vertical wall, each cover comprising;

(i) a vertical side mounted against the vertical portion of a flashing section, the vertical side having an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least one opening for accommodation of a bolt;

(ii) an angled side having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge of the angled side being connected to the upper edge of the vertical side, the angled side forming an angle to the horizontal of about 10 to 80 degrees; and

(iii) a horizontal base resting on the horizontal portion of a flashing section or on the floor, the horizontal base having a proximate end connected to the lower edge of the angled side, the horizontal base extending away from the vertical side;

and wherein the angled side and the horizontal base of the covers are substantially completely perforated with a series of uniformly sized perforations arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns to facilitate air flow through the angled side and the horizontal base.