Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This application relates to an apparatus for transporting
seed grain and/or fertilizer from storage to field machinery.
BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
Increased size of farms and increased mechanization,
including the incorporation of new technology, makes it increasingly
important that all facets of the farm operation be upgraded. Overall
efficiency can thus be improved with obvious benefits to the farmer.
There have heretofore been difficulties in efficiently
moving seed and fertilizer from storage to the seed drill. This has
presented particular difficulties where it would have been preferred
to transport different kinds of seed or seed and fertilizer at the
same time and to be able to transfer the load to the equipment at the
field location without difficulty.
The present invention is directed to the alleviation of
these difficulties.
PRIOR ART
The most common solution to the problems discussed above is
to use several trucks or a single truck making several trips to
accomplish the desired result. This is undesirable as being wasteful
of time and expensive.
The most pertinent prior art of which the applicant is
aware is found in Canadian Patent 818,948. That patent discloses a
gravity bed grain carrier having multiple compartments and a side
mounted screw conveyor. The patent also discloses a rear mounted
conveyor for a truck but in a non-compartmentalized box. It is noted
- that such compartmentalization of the box itself can present serious
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problems of load imbalance.
Generally, side mounted and over-the-top conveyors offer
their own operational problems. The difficulty in tarping the load
is one such problem area. Others include the overhead weight and the
requirement for a more complicated hydraulic line system.
A further patent of some interest in the area is United
States Patent 3,482,721. Many differences over the present invention
are apparent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention deals with a standard dump box grain
truck and modifications to the dump box to enable such a truck to
carry multiple seed types or seed and fertilizer in a single load.
The dump box is compartmentalized in a way that will eliminate or
alleviate some of the problems arising in prior methods and with
prior equipment.
In particular, problems associated with load imbalance and
load tarping are eased or eliminated. These are in addition to the
important advantage of being able to convert a standard dump type
grain carrier to this advantageous configuration and to revert in
whole or in part when necessary.
Thus, the invention provides, for installation in the dump
box of a dump type grain carrier, an apparatus for converting the
said box to carry and dispense two different bulk cargoes,
comprising: a box-like structure within the dump box; a plate member
located in the tailgate of the dump box, said plate member forming
the rear wall of the box-like structure; and a set of gates in said
plate member, at least one of which communicates with said box-like
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structure and at least one of which communicates with the interior of
the dump box.
In a further embodiment the invention includes, attached to
the rear of the dump box and into which said gates empty, a hopper
and a screw conveyor fed by the hopper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the
invention;
Figure 2 shows detail of part of the embodiment illustrated
in Figure l; and
Figure 3 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 1 in the
transport position.
While the invention will be described in connection with an
example embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to
limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as
may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INvENTION
In the following description, similar features have been
given similar reference numerals.
Figure 1 shows a rear perspective of a standard dump type
grain truck. The dump box 10 includes a tailgate 12 from which a
centre section has been removed. A central tailgate section, usually
removeable, is commonly a part of a standard grain truck. The
invention includes as well, however, the situation where the tailgate
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is originally of full width and must be modified to remove a centre
section. The said centre section has been replaced by the plate
member 14.
Attached to the member 14 and extending forwardly therefrom
in the dump box 10 is the box-like structure 16. The structure 16
rests on the floor of box 10.
The structure 16 is preferably symmetrical about the
longitudinal centre line of the box 10. Such an arrangement
decreases the possibility of unbalanced loads particularly in
situations where one or other of the box 10 and the structure 16 is
not fully loaded.
The structure 16 is further preferably designed to allow
ready dumping movement of the load in the box 10 around structure 16
and to allow similar ready dumping of the structure 16 itself. Thus,
as illustrated in the drawings, where the structure 16 has a shorter
length than the box 10, the forward end of structure 16 is preferably
rounded or pointed in configuration as at 18 to allow flow of the
load in box 10 around either side of structure 16.
Similarly, the rearward section 20 of the structure 16 may
be tapered toward the tailgate section to promote ease of unloading.
The structure 16 is preferably bolted to the floor of the
box 10 as at 17.
The plate member 14 forms the rear wall of the structure 16
but extends beyond the side walls 22 and 24 of structure 16 as at 26
and 28. The plate member 14 is preferably wider than the centre
section of the tailgate that it replaces and overlaps the inside of
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the outer tailgate sections 12. The plate 14 can then conveniently
be bolted to the sections 12 as at 13.
The plate member 14 preferably contains three gates 30, 32
and 34. The centre one of the three, gate 32, opens to structure 16,
while the outer gates 30 and 34 open to the box 10 on respective
opposite sides of the end of structure 16. The number and
arrangement of gates may pe varied as required, but is shown in a
preferred design.
The gates 30, 32 and 34 are preferably constructed simply
of flat plates which are slidable in corresponding sets of guide
rails 36, 38 and 40. Handles 42, 44 and 46 are provided for opening
and closing respectively gates 30, 32 and 34.
In a preferred embodiment the box 10 has secured to the
rear thereof the hopper and screw conveyor assembly 48. The hopper
50 is placed to receive the outflow from the gates 30, 32 and 34 and
to then feed the outflow by gravity flow directly onto the screw
conveyor 52. The conveyor is preferably powered by a hydraulic motor
positioned adjacent the lower end of the conveyor.
The screw conveyor 52 in its extended position is
preferably about 4.5 metres in length. It is preferably foldable
about the break point 54 in known manner for transport.
At its upper end, the screw conveyor 52 is provided with a
short downspout 56, and the downspout 56 is in turn connected through
a flexible coupling 58 to a telescopic downspout 60. The last is
capable of reaching ground level when the conveyor 52 is in its
extended position. The coupling 58 is preferably comprised of a
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length of flexible tubing secured by clamps 62 and 64 to downspouts
56 and 60 respectively.
In operation the structure 16 and the box 10 may be filled
at a storage facility with the desired load. At the field location
the dump box 10 is raised and the required ones of the gates 30, 32
and 34 opened. Where the unit includes the hopper and screw
conveyor, the conveyor is activated and the selected load delivered.
Where the hopper and conveyor are omitted, the load is delivered to
alternate receiving means as may be provided.
When it is desired to change the unloading from one to the
other of compartments 10 and 16, the presently opened gates are
closed, the system cleaned as required, the new gates opened, and the
unloading recommenced. The conveyor 52 is reversible in known manner
for cleaning purposes.
It will be apparent that the grain carrier can be converted
among various configurations as required. Thus, for example, the
standard truck box may be used; or the standard box with the hopper
and conveyor; or the compartmentalized box without the hopper and
conveyor; or the complete unit including the compartmentalized box,
and the hopper and conveyor. The configuration may be varied as
required, for example, for different tasks in different seasons of
the year.
Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention an apparatus for transporting seed
grain and/or fertilizer from storage to field machinery that fully
satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While
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the invention has been described in conjunction with specific
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the
art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended
claims.
