ROTOR ARM FOR SILO DISCHARGING DEVICES

• US 3,703,967 A
• Filed: 01/13/1971
• Issued: 11/28/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Gessler
• Original Assignee: Hans Gessler
• Inventors: Gessler, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheridan, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/106,039
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 214/17D,17DA 198/212 222/228 267/53
• US Class Current: 414/324
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 25/2018 Bottom unloading units for tower silos

Abstract

A rotor arm for connection to the motor of silo discharging devices with a packet of spring leaves which in their longitudinal direction are slidably held together by holding means while pressure exerting means exert upon those surfaces of said spring leaves which slidably engage each other a pressure slidably holding said spring leaves together over those sections which are located in front and behind said holding means.

Claims

1. A rotor arm for connection to a rotor of silo discharging devices, which includes:

a plurality of relatively long and narrow spring leaves of different lengths slidably arranged one above the other, said spring leaves extending in one and the same direction to be free at one end thereof, holding means respectively arranged in spaced relationship to each other in the longitudinal direction of said rotor arm and embracing said spring leaves so as to hold said spring leaves together at only one fastening end thereof, and pressure exerting means associated with said rotor arm and subjecting said spring leaves to a compressing pressure in a direction at least approximately perpendicularly to those surfaces of said spring leaves which are slidable upon each other so as to hold adjacent spring leaf surfaces in firm sliding engagement with each other at a location more remote from said holding means and nearer the free end of said spring leaves.

2. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said pressure exerting means is formed by spring means.

3. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said pressure exerting means is supported by said holding means.

4. A rotor arm according to claim 2, in which said spring means slidably engages the free outer surface of one of said spring leaves.

5. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said holding means includes a supporting arm substantially parallel to and engaging that spring leaf of said rotor arm which is spaced farthest from said pressure exerting means, thereby forming a counter bearing with regard to said pressure exerting means.

6. A rotor arm according to claim 2, in which said spring means is in the form of a leaf spring having its central portion supported by said holding means and having lateral arms curved toward said rotor arm and having the free ends thereof resting under preload against the adjacent outer spring leaf.

7. A rotor arm according to claim 6, in which said spring means is pivotable about an axis extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of said rotor arm.

8. A rotor arm according to claim 5, in which said holding means includes two legs respectively arranged on opposite ends of said supporting arm and together therewith forming a U-shaped bracket, said legs being laterally slightly spaced from the respective adjacent edges of said spring leaves, and which includes bolt means supported by the free ends of said legs and supporting said pressure exerting means.

9. A rotor arm according to claim 8, in which said pressure exerting means is in the form of a spring leaf provided with a central portion having a contour corresponding to the circumferential contour of said bolt means and pivotably supported thereby, the free ends of said last mentioned spring leaf resiliently and under preload engaging the respective adjacent outermost spring leaf of said rotor arm.

10. A rotor arm according to claim 9, in which said bolt means near its ends has two reduced neck portions, and in which the free ends of said legs have cutout means engaging and supporting said neck portions.

11. A rotor arm according to claim 8, in which said bolt means has one end portion angled off and movably extending through one of said legs and has its other end portion movably extending through the other leg and forming a bayonet joint therewith for selectively locking said bolt means to said holding means.

12. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said holding means and said pressure exerting means form a single unitary structure.

13. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said holding means has at least one edge portion pointing toward the axis of rotation of said rotor arm inclined toward the central longitUdinal axis of said rotor arm.

14. A rotor arm according to claim 2, in which said spring means includes helical torsion spring means arranged laterally of said spring leaves and having free arms respectively extending in opposite directions while under preload engaging the two outermost spring leaves.

15. A rotor arm according to claim 4, in which at least one of said free arms is positively connected to one of the outer spring leaves.

16. A rotor arm according to claim 2, in which the spring means forming said pressure exerting means tapers from a central portion towards its ends in the manner of a cantilever of equal strength along its length, said central portion having a width approximately equalling the width of said spring leaves.

17. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said pressure exerting means is in the form of a spring leaf convexly curved with regard to the adjacent outermost spring leaf of the rotor arm and having its free ends under preload in resilient engagement with said last mentioned outermost spring leaf of the rotor arm, said convexly curved spring leaf together with the spring leaf of the rotor arm engaged thereby defining a hollow chamber, elastic filling material filling said hollow chamber.

18. A rotor arm according to claim 17, in which said elastic filling material includes soft rubber material vulcanized to at least one of the walls defining said hollow chamber.

19. A rotor arm according to claim 17, in which the overall width of said filling material approximately equals the width of said rotor arm.

20. A rotor arm according to claim 1, in which said pressure exerting means is located on the leading edge side of the rotor arm.