Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02348190 2006-12-20
UNLOADING CHUTE AND AERATION SYSTEM FOR A PARTICULATE
MATERIAL STORAGE BIN
FiELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an unloading chute for a particulate
material storage bin arranged to receive an auger tube therethrough and to an
aeration system for the storage bin which can be used with the unloading
chute.
BACKGROUND
Storage bins are commonly used for storing particulate material
therein, for example grain and the like. Particulate material storage bins of
this type
generally have a circular bin floor with a cylindrical bin wall at a periphery
of the
floor.
When storing grain in such bins, it is a known practice to provide an
aeration system for passing air through the grain to maintain the quality of
the
material stored In the bin. Known aeration systems however can restrict access
to
the bin floor when it is desired to unload the bin.
When unloading large bins it is desirable to unload the materiai
towards a center of the bin. When large bins are unloaded from one side, the
imbalance of the load of particuiate material acting on the bin walls can
cause failure
of the bin walls or even cause the bin to tip over. Center unloading of large
bins
however generally requires expensive center unloading equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a chute for a
storage bin having a circular bin floor, a cylindrical bin wall extending
upwardly from
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the bin floor and a door opening in the cylindrical bin wall, the chute
comprising:
a pair of spaced apart side members; and
a cover member spanning between the pair of side members adjacent
a top end of the side members;
the chute extending from an open end which is arranged to be
supported at the bin wall in alignment with the door opening to a free end,
with the
chute arranged to project inwardly in a working position from the bin wall
towards a
center of the bin floor and spaced above the bin floor;
the side members being suitably spaced apart for receiving an auger
therebetween.
Preferably there is provided a plurality of support members mounted
on the chute and being arranged to support the chute on the bin floor spaced
thereabove.
Preferably there is provided an open end of the chute arranged to span
substantially across a full width of the door opening.
Preferably the chute is tapered from the open end to the free end
which is narrower in lateral dimension than the open end.
Preferably the chute is arranged to be pivotally supported on the bin
wall so as to be movable between the working position projecting inwardly from
the
bin wall towards the center of the bin floor and a raised position extending
generally
upwardly from the open end supported on the bin wall.
Preferably there is provided a lifting mechanism arranged to lift the
chute upwardly from the working position to the raised position.
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Preferably there is provided a door panel arranged to span
substantially across a full width of the door opening having an opening
therein in
communication wfth the open end of the chute, the door panel being movable
with
the chute between the respective working and raised positions,
Preferably there is provided a door panel arranged to span
substantially across a full width of the door opening having an opening
therein in
communication with the open end of the chute.
Preferably the free end of the chute is arranged to be supported above
the center of the bin floor when the open end of the chute is supported in
alignment
with the door opening.
Preferably at least a part of the cover member of the chute is
perforated to allow the passage of air and there is provided a fan and an air
supply
duct arranged to communicate air from the fan at the door opening to the cover
member when the open end of the chute is supported in alignment with the door
opening.
Preferably there is provided a plurality of IongiEudinal sections which
are at least partly perforated to allow escape of air into the bin which are
connected
end to end with an end of an end one of the longitudinal sections being
connected to
the inner end of the cover member to receive the air therefrom.
Preferably the longitudinal sections are movable relative to one
another between a working position for extending across the bin and a
collapsed
position.
Preferably there is provided at least one additional duct section
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arranged for extending across the bin floor which is at least partly
perforated to allow
escape of air into the bin with an end of the duct section being connected to
the
inner end of the cover member to receive the air therefrom.
In an altemative arrangement of importance there is provided a fan
and an air supply duct arranged to oommunicate air from the fan at the door
opening
to the oover member when the open end of the chute is supported in alignment
with
the door opening and wherein there is provided a plurality of longitudinal
sections
which are at least partly perforated to allow escape of air into the bin which
are
connected end to end with an end of an end one of the longitudinal sections
being
connected to the inner end of the cover member to receive the air therefrom.
Preferably the longitudinal sections are movable relative to one
another between a working position for extending aoross the bin and a
collapsed
position.
In an afternative arrangement of importance there is provided a fan
and an air supply duct arranged to communicate air from the fan at the door
opening
to the cover member when the open end of the chute is supported in alignment
with
the door opening and wherein there is provided a at least one additional duct
section
arranged for extending across the bin floor which is at least partly
perforated to allow
escape of air into the bin with an end of the duct section being connected to
the
inner end of the cover member to receive the air therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
CA 02348190 2006-12-20
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a chute arranged to mount within
a particulate material storage bin.
Figure 2 Is an isometric view of the chute according to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a chute according to a second
5 embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of the chute
including an aeration tube mounted thereon in a working position.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the chute according to Figure 4 in
a raised position.
Figure 6 is a partly section view along the line 6-6 of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of the
aeration tube illustrated in a working position and shown in doffed line in a
raised
position.
Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a yet further embodiment of the
cover and aeration tube illustrated in a working position.
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of figure 8
mounted in the bin and moved to a raised position,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2 there is illustrated a chute
generally indicated by reference numeral 10, The chute is intended for use
with a
particulate material storage bin 12 of the type commonly used for storing
grain
therein.
The bin 12 includes a generally circular floor 14 and a cylindriCal bin
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wall 16 extending upwardly from a periphery of the bin floor. The bin wall
includes a
rectangular door opening 18 therein adjacent the floor which is arranged to
support a
door 20 thereon for movement between a closed positicro spanning across the
door
opening and an opened position in which the door opening is unobstructed.
The chute 10 is pivotally mounted at an open end 22 of the chute on
the bin wall 16. A pivotal mounting member 24 adjacent the top side of the
door
opening 18 supports the chute 10 thereon for pivotal movement about a lateral
axis
extending horizontally across the top of the door between a working position
shown
in solid line in Figure I and a raised position shown in dotted line in that
same figure.
] 0 The chute 10 Includes a pair of side members 26 which are suitably
spaced apart for receiving a grain auger 28 therebetween. At the open end 22
of the
chute the side members 26 are spaced apart sufficiently to define an opening
therebetween which spans substantially the full width of the door opening 18.
When
the chute 10 is positioned in the working position in alignment with the door
opening
18, the side members 26 therefore restrict passage of grain through the door
opening 18.
In the working position the side members 26 project inwardly from the
opening in the side wall of the bin towards a free end 30 of the chute spaced
directly
above the center of the bin floor. The spacing between the side members 26
becomes narrower as the side members are tapered towards the free end 30 of
the
chute which is approximately the width of a conventional grain auger for
receiving a
feed section 32 of the auger flight projecting from the tube 34 of the auger.
The
auger flight at the feed section 32 of the auger is thus exposed at the center
of the
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bin floor for center unloading of the storage bin.
The chute 10 further includes a cover member 36 spanning between
the side members 26 adjacent a top end thereof. The cover member in the
working
position extends inwardly from the top of the door opening 18 at a downward
incline
towards the free end 30 of the chute. Similarly to the spacing between the
side
members 26 the width of the cover member 36 becomes narrower as it tapers
towards the free end 30 of the chute.
A bottom side of each side member 26 extends generally horizontally
across the bin floor spaced upwardly therefrom. The side members 26 extend
downwardly from the top end of the door opening to the bottom end thereof
spaced
just below the bottom of the door opening 18 to prevent spillage of material
in the bin
12 from spilling through the door opening 18 when the door 20 is open and the
chute
10 is in place in the working position. A plurality of support legs 38 are
mounted
along the bottom side of each side member 26 for supporking the chute in the
working position spaced above the bin floor.
A gas assisted shock 40 is mounted on each side of the door opening
18 between the bin wall and a respective one of the side members 26 for
pivoting
the chute upwardly as the shocks 40 are extended. As shown in dotted line in
Figure 1 when the shocks 40 are extended, the chute in the raised position
extends
generally upwardly at an inward inci!ine from the top of the door opening 18
so as to
permit access to the bin floor for cleaning out the bin in the raised
position.
For center unloading of a particulate material storage bin, the chute 10
is mounted in the bin in the working position before the bin has been filled
with
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particulate material. When it is desired to unload the bin, the bin door is
opened and
an auger is inserted through the chute towards the center of the bin. The
funnel
shape of the chute tapered from the open end to the free end at the center of
the bin
assists in guiding the feed section of the auger to the center of the bin. The
free end
of the chute being raised upwardly from the bin floor in the working posi#ion
permits
the flow of particulate material to pass under the free end of the chute where
the
feed section of the auger then conveys the material up the auger tube to a
discharge
end of the auger. Once the particulate material has been unloaded from the bin
for
the most part, the chute can be moved into the raised position permitting
access for
persons to clear the remaining particulate material from the bin floor.
Tuming now to Figure 3 a second embodiment of a chute 50 is
iiiustrated. The chute 50 projects inwardly towards the center of the bin from
a door
panel 52 which spans substantially the full width and height of the door
opening 18.
The door panel 62 is pivotally mounted at a top end across a top end of the
door
opening 18 about a laterally extending axis for movement of the chute 50
between a
working position and a raised position similarly to the previous embodiment.
The door panel 52 includes an opening therein spaced upwardly from
the bottom end thereof in communication with an open end 54 of the chute 50.
The
chute 50 includes a pair of side members 56 which extend inwardly from the
door
panel at the bin wall only partway towards a center of the bin. A cover member
58
spans between the side members 56 adjacent a top end thereof and extends at a
downward inciine from the open end 54 to a free end 60 of the chute 50. A
bottom
edge of the side members 56 extend generally horizontally spaced above the bin
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floor to the free end 60 of the chute spaced above the bin floor partway
between one
side of the bin wall and the center of the bin.
In use, similarly to the first embodiment, the bin is unloaded through
the door opening in the bin wall when the bin door is opened by inserting the
auger
28 through the chute such that a feed section of the auger is positioned more
closely
to the center of the bin than would normally be permitted if the chute at the
door
opening 18 was not provided. When the bin has substantially been unloaded of
particulate material the chute 50 is pivoted upwardly with the door panel 52
about a
iateral axis extending across the top of the door opening 18 to permit access
to the
bin floor through the door opening to clean out the remainder of the
particulate
material in the storage bin.
Tuming now to Figures 4 through 6 there is illustrated a further
embodiment of a chute generally indicated by reference numeral 70. Similarly
to the
first embodiment the chute 70 Is tapered from an open end 72 at the door
opening of
the bin to a free end 74 spaced towards the center of the bin floor. The side
members 76 of the chute 70 are spaced apart at the open end 72 substantially
the
full width of the door opening of the bin but are spaced below the top end of
the door
opening at a top end 78 of the chute 70. The cover member spanning between the
side members 76 thus extends inwardly from the bin wall at a downward incline
from
the top end 78 of the chute spaced just below the top end of the door opening
18.
As illustrated in Figure 6 the spacing between the side members 76 and the
width of
the cover member 80 become narrower towards the free end 74 of the chute. The
bottom end of the chute is supported horizontally above the bin floor just
below a
CA 02348190 2006-12-20
bottom end of the door opening simitarly to the first embodiment.
At a top end 78 of the chute 70 and the top end of the door opening 18
the cover of the chute is perforated to form an aeration duct. The air duct 82
extends in the iongitudinai direction of the chute inwardly from the bin wall
along the
5 cover member 80 of the chute.
The perforated air discharge duct 84 includes a first section 86 which
extends tongitudinaily from an inlet air duct portion 82 along the cover
member 80 of
the chute. The duct 84 extends from a irst end 88 which is coupled to the air
duct
82 at a position spaced between respective ends of the chute to a second end
90 at
10 the free end 74 of the chute which Is spaced generally above the center of
the bin
floor.
The second end 90 of the first sec#ion of the perforated air discharge
duct is arranged to communicate with an inner end 92 of a second section 94 of
the
perforated air discharge duct. The second section 94 extends substantiafiy
horizontaiiy across the bin floor spaced above the bin floor substantially the
same as
the chute 70. The second section 94 extends in the iongitudinai direction of
the
chute from the inner end 92 generally adjacent the center of the bin floor to
a free
end 96 towards an opposing side of the bin wall 16 from which the free end 98
is
spaced therefrom.
The free end 96 of the second section and the first end 88 of the first
section are arranged to be substantially equidistant from the center of the
bin floor
such that the perforated air discharge duct 84 is generally centered wi#hin
the bin in
the working position. The perforated air discharge duct 84 is thus arranged to
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discharge air through perforations therein which is received through the inlet
portion
82 from a fan mounted outside the bin. The free end 96 of the second section
is
capped for discharging the air through the perforations in the tube evenly
between
the two sections.
Similarly to the previous embodiments, the chute is pivotatly supported
at the top end of the door opening in the bin wall for movement between a
working
position and a raised posifion for cleaning the bin. A mounting plate 98 is
provided
which spans between the opening from the top end 78 of the chute to the top
end of
the door opening 18 for supporting the chute 70 on the top end of the door
opening.
The mounting plate 98 includes a suitable opening therethrough in
communication
with an open end of the air duct 82 which comprises a solid round tube
extending
from the mounting plate 98 to the first end 88 of the first section of the
perforated air
discharge tube.
In the working position the chute thus extends to the center of the bin
as in the first embodiment for receiving an auger through the door opening to
unload
particulate material from a center of the storage bin. The chute 70 as well as
the air
duct 82 and the first section 86 of the perforated air discharge tube are
pivotal
together with the mounting plate 98 about a laterally extending axis across
the top of
the door opening 18 into the raised position wherein the chute extends at a
generally
upward and inward incline.
The inner end 92 of the second section of the perforated air discharge
duct is arranged to be pivotatly coupled to a second end 90 of the first
section at the
free end of the chute 70 along a bottom side of the perforated air discharge
tube to
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permit the tube to be collapsed in the raised position. As the chute 70 is
pivoted
upward into the raised position, the second section of the perforated air
discharge
duct 84 is thus pivoted downwardly at a free end 96 thereof for reducing the
length
of the perforated air discharge tube in the raised position.
S A stop member 100 is coupled between the sections of the perforated
air discharge tube along a top side thereof to limit the amount of pivotal
displacement between the two. In the raised position the stop member 100 is
thus
supported in tension to suspend the second section of the perforated air
discharge
tube to extend downwardly at an outward incline from the free end 74 of the
chute
located centrally within the storage bin. A plurality of support legs 102 are
provided
along a bottom side of the chute 70 and the second section 94 of the
perforated air
discharge duct for supporting both parts spaced horizontally above the bin
floor in
the working position.
The combination of the chute 70 and the perforated air discharge duct
84 provided thereby permif either center unloading of a storage bin or
aeration of the
bin through the door opening in the bin wall. As in previous embodiments
pivoting
the chute upwardly into the raised position permits the bin floor to be
cleaned out.
As illustrated in Figure 7 a further embodiment of the perl'orated air
discharge tube 110 is illustrated. The perforated air discharge tube 110
comprises a
round tube which is perforated and is connected co-axially and end to end with
a
solid round air duct 112. The duct 112 and the tube 110 are arranged to extend
longitudinally inwardly from the bin wall 16 in communication with a circular
opening
114 in the bin wall.
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The air supply duct 112 is pivotally supported on the bin wall above the
circular opening 114 by a pivotal mount 116 secured to a first end 118 of the
air
supply duct adjacent a top side thereof. The air supply duct 112 is thus
pivotal
between a working position in which the opening at the first end 11$ thereof
is in
alignment with the circular opening 114 in the bin wall and a raised position
in which
the air supply duct extends generally upwardly at an inward incline from the
bin wall.
The perforated air discharge tube 110 extends from a second end 120
of the air supply duct across a center of the bin floor to a free end of the
tube which
is spaced intermediately between the center of the bin and an opposing side of
the
bin wall. The length of the air supply duct 112 is arranged such that the
perforated
air discharge tube is positioned generally centered about the center of the
storage
bin extending horizontaiiy spaced above the bin floor in the working posi#ion
with
ends thereof being substantieiiy equidistant from the center of the bin.
The tube 110 is pivotal with air supply duct 112 about the pivotal mount
116 secured to the bin wall above the circular opening 114. A plurality of
support
legs 122 are mounted along a bottom side of the perforated air discharge tube
110
in the supply duct 12 for supporting the tube and duct above the bin floor in
the
working position.
A lift mechanism 124 is provided for raising the perforated air
discharge tube into the raised position when it is desired to clean out the
bin floor.
The lift mechanism generally includes a winch 126 mounted on the bin wall for
use
in co-operation with a pulley 128 also mounted on the bin wall spaced above
the
circular opening 114. A cable extends from the winch 128 and around the pulley
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128 to be anchored at a free end 130 of the cable on the free end of the
perforated
air discharge tube 110. Actuating the winch 126 through either a motor or a
hand
crank perrnits the cable to be wound thereon to raise the free end of the
perforated
air discharge tube so that the tube is pivoted about the pivotal mount above
the
circular opening 114 into the raised posi#ion.
In use the perforated air discharge tube 110 is normally positioned in
the working position shown in solid line in Figure 7 before the bin is filled
with
particulate material. When aeration of the particulate material is required a
fan is
coupled to the circular opening 114 on the outside of the bin wall for
directing air
through the air duct 112 to be subsequentiy discharged through perforations in
the
tube 110 to aerate the particuiate material. Subsequently when the bin is
unloaded
the tube 110 may be raised into the raised position for cleaning out the bin
floor as
desired. When using a perforated air discharge tube which is in the order of
two feet
In diameter, the duct is preferably supported in the order of three to four
feet from
the floor to reduce static pressure build-up of air within the tube and the
surrounding
particulate material.
In Figures 8 and 9 is shown a similar arrangement in which the cover
for the discharge auger also acts as an aeration system for the bin. Thus the
cover
comprises a semi-cylindrical upper section 200 which is formed from perforated
metal so as to allow air to escape from under the cover upwardly into the
grain within
the bin. The semi-cylindricai portion extends from an inner end 201 adjacent
one
side wall 202 of the bin to a second end 203 adjacent the opposite side wall
204.
The ends 201 and 203 are substantially equal distantly spaced from the side
walls
CA 02348190 2006-12-20
extending across a diameter of the bin so that the aeration effect occurs
acrross the
full width of the perforated arched cover section 200 substantially
symmetrically
within the bin.
The arched cover section is mounted on the plurality of legs 205 which
5 extend downwardly from a bottom horizontai side edge of the arched cover
section
to the floor 206 of the bin with each side of the arched cover section being
supported
by a respective set of legs which are arranged in pairs along the length of
the cover
section.
At the end 201, the cover Is attached to an inlet section 209 which
10 converges in width and height from an end 210 at the door which matches the
shape
of the door to a second end 211 which matches the width of the arched cover
section 200 and is attached at the innermost legs 205A. The inlet section 209
is
formed from imperforate sheet metal including an upper cover section 213 and
two
side paneis 214 extending downwardly from the cover section to a position
adjacent
15 to but spaced from the floor 206. In addition between the first three sets
of legs
there are provided depending side panels 215 which extend downwardly from the
arched cover section to a positiion adjacent to but spaced from the floor 206.
Thus in this embodiment the arched cover section instead of being
inclined downwardly in a first portion and then horizontal in the second
portion forms
a constant horizontal portion at a height spaced from the floor, The side
cover
panels 215 extend from the position at the inlet section 209 to a center C of
the bin
so as to define the chute previously described into which the auger A can be
inserted for extracting material from the center of the bin as previously
described.
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ie
Thus during discharge, the inlet section and the first three sections of the
arched
cover act as the chute for discharging the materiai and allowing the auger to
be
readily inserted to the center of the bin. For this purpose the side panels
215
prevent the grain from entering undemeath the arched cover section so as to
leave a
space between the side cover panels for receiving the auger A.
When the system is used for aeration, air is injected through an air
supply duct 216 on the door 217 from a sui#abie fan arrangement. The air
enters
into the inlet section 209 and is communicated into the area underneath the
perforated arched cover 200. The air thus escapes upwardly from the arched
cover
through the perforations in the arched cover while preventing the grain from
faiiing
through the perforations into the interior of the cover or chute. Air can also
escape
of course downwardly. The bottom of the arched section is open so that the air
can
escape into the grain undemeath the arched section either at the bottom of the
side
panels 215 or directly underneath the arched cover section in the end two
sections
were there are no cover panels.
As shown in Figure 9, the structure is sufficiently rigid so that the whole
of the structure can be raised upwardly by pivotal action about a hinge 218
pulled by
a hydraulic lifting device 219. Thus when the grain from the bin has been
discharged sufficiently so that the level of grain is below the arched cover
section,
the chute and aeration duct assembly as shown in Figure 9 can all be raised as
a
single element to a position upwardly in the bin al(owing a bin sweep 220 to
be
operated within the bin for transporting the remaining grain material to the
auger at
the center of the bin.
CA 02348190 2006-12-20
17
The center of the bin can include a discharge pit of the arrangement
shown in Canadian application Seriai No: 2,2$1,970 filed September 7, 1999.
Attention is directed to this prior application for further detaiis of the bin
floor and pit
arrangement.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in
the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible
within the
scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by
the scope
of the appended claims.
