Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02496967 2006-04-21
AUGER ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an auger assembly of the type
commonly used far conveying particulate material, for example grain and the
like, and
more particularly relates to an auger assembly having auger tubes which are
pivotal
relative to one another.
BACKGROUND
It is common to use grain augers and the like to transfer grain or other
particulate material from a source area to a target area, for example from a
transport
container to a bin or other storage type container, Transport containers
generally
involve a container supported for rolling movement slang the ground by wheels
spaced apart at opposing ends of the container. A hopper type discharge is
then
typically located befinreen the wheels below the container for discharging
into the
auger which subsequently conveys the material to the storage container.
United States Patents 5,184,715 to Feterl, 5,305,866 and 5,188,055
bath to Stewart et al and 4,983,066 to Boppart disclose various examples of
grain
augers used for conveying particulate materials. In each instance a main auger
is
supported on a wheeled frame for positioning of the discharge in alignment
with the
target area. A swing auger is provided at the inlet of the main auger far
alignment with
the source area. The happen at the inlet of the swing auger however is
restricted to
positioning along an arced path which is difficult to align with the discharge
hopper of
a transport container, Often due to the narrow space between wheel sets within
which
a discharge hopper an a transport container is located, it is not possible to
displace
the swing auger is an arcing motion under the transport container parked
beside the
main auger without multiple steps of advancing and subsequent reversal of the
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vehicle position for proper alignment with the discharge hopper on the vehicle
with the
inlet hopper on the swing auger, The swing augers are thus difficult and time
consuming to set up and may result in lost material being transferred due to
its poor
alignment.
On a much larger scale, for example when excavating earth in mines
and the like, large conveyor systems can be used which involve multiple
conveying
sections connected in series as exemplified by US patent 5,234,094 to Weyerman
et
al which discloses such a conveyor system. These conveyor systems however are
much too large with far too many sections for the simple task of effectively
transferring
material from a small source such as a transport container to a suitable
storage
container at the target area with minimal set up time required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an auger
assembly comprising:
a main auger tube containing a main auger therein to transport material
from an inlet end to an outlet end of the main auger tube;
a wheeled frame supporting the main auger tube thereon at an upward
incline from the inlet end to the outlet end for rolling movement along the
ground in a
longitudinal direction of the frame and the main auger tube supported thereon;
an intermediate swing auger tube containing an intermediate auger
therein to transport material from an inlet end at an upward incline to an
outlet end of
the intermediate swing auger tube;
the ou#et end of the intermediate swing auger tube being pivotally
coupled to the inlet of the main auger tube for pivotal movement relative to
the main
auger tube arid the wheeled frame such that material from the intermediate
swing
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auger tube is discharged to the main auger tube;
a loading swing auger tube containing a loading auger therein to
transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the loading swing
auger tube;
the outlet end of the loading swing auger tube being pivotally coupled to
the inlet of the intermediate swing auger tube for pivotal movement relative
to the
intemnediate swing auger tube such that material from the loading swing auger
tube is
discharged to the intermediate swing auger tube;
a loading hopper having an open top end coupled to the inlet of the
loading swing auger tube for loading the material through the open top end of
the
loading hopper; and
gearboxes maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and
the intermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading
auger as
the auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another; and
the main auger tube being longer than the Intermediate swing auger
tube and the loading swing auger tube combined.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided
a method of transferring particulate material from a source area to a target
area, the
method comprising:
providing an auger assembly including a main auger, an intermediate
auger and a loading auger connected in series with one another in which the
main
auger is supported at an upward incline an a wheeled frame, the intermediate
auger is
pivotal relative to the main auger at an inlet end of the main auger and the
loading
auger is pivotal relative to the intermediate auger at an inlet end of the
intermediate
auger;
aligning an outlet end of the main auger with the target area;
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positioning the inlet end of the loading auger below the source area by
pivoting both the loading auger relative to the intermediate auger and the
intermediate
auger relative to the main auger;
the intermediate auger being pivoted relative to the main auger using a
power assisted drive;
the loading auger being freely pivoted relative to the intermediate auger;
maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and the
intermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading auger as
the
auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another; and
driving rotation of the augers to convey the particulate material from the
inlet of the loading auger to the outlet of the main auger.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an
auger assembly comprising:
a main auger tube containing a main auger therein to transport material
95 from an inlet end to an outlet end of the main auger tube;
a wheeled frame supporting the main auger tube thereon at an upward
incline from the inlet end to the outlet end for rolling movement along the
ground in a
longitudinal direction of the frame and the main auger tube supported thereon;
an intermediate swing auger tube containing an intermediate auger
28 therein to transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the
intermediate
swing auger tube;
the outlet end of the intermediate swing auger tube being pivotally
coupled to the inset of the main auger tube for pivotal movement relative to
the main
auger tube and the wheeled frame such that material from the intermediate
swing
25 auger tube is discharged to the main auger tube;
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a loading swing auger tube containing a loading auger therein to
transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the loading swing
auger tube;
the outlet end of the loading swing auger tube being pivotally coupled to
the inlet of the intermediate swing auger tube for pivotal movement relative
to the
intermediate swing auger tube such that material from the loading swing auger
tube is
discharged to the intermediate swing auger tube;
a loading hopper having an open top end coupled to the inlet of the
loading swing auger tube for loading the material through the open top end of
the
loading hopper; and
gearboxes maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and
the intermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading
auger as
the auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another;
the loading swing auger tube being supported substantially below the
main auger tube in elevation.
1 b According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided
an auger assembly comprising:
a main auger tube containing a main auger therein to transport material
from an inlet end to an outlet end of the main auger tube;
a wheeled frame supporting the main auger tube thereon at an upward
2ta incline from the inlet end to the outlet end for rolling movement slang
the ground in a
longitudinal direction of the frame and the main auger tube supported thereon;
an intermediate swing auger tube containing an intermediate auger
therein to transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the
intermediate
swing auger tube;
25 the outlet end of the intermediate swing auger tube being pivotally
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coupled to the inlet of the main auger tube for pivotal movement relative to
the main
auger tube and the wheeled frame such that material from the intermediate
swing
auger tube is discharged to the main auger tube;
a loading swing auger tube containing a loading auger therein to
transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the loading swing
auger tube;
the outlet end of the loading swing auger tube being pivotally coupled to
the inlet of the intermediate swing auger tube for pivotal movement relative
to the
intem~ediate swing auger tube such that material from the loading swing auger
tube is
discharged to the intermediate swing auger tube;
'10 a loading hopper having an open top end coupled to the inlet of the
loading swing auger tube for loading the material through the open top end of
the
loading hopper;
gearboxes maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and
the infiermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading
auger as
the auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another; and
an actuator coupled between the intermediate swing auger tube and the
main auger tube for driving pivotal movement of the intermediate swing auger
tube
relative to the main auger tube;
wherein the loading swing auger tube is freely pivoted relative to the
intermediate swing auger tube.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided
an auger assembly comprising:
a main auger tube containing a main auger therein to transport material
from an inlet end to an outlet end of the main auger tube;
a wheeled frame supporting the main auger tube thereon at an upward
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incline from the inlet end to the outlet end for rolling movement along the
ground in a
longitudinal direction of the frame and the main auger tube supported thereon;
an intermediate swing auger tube containing an intermediate auger
therein to transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the
intermediate
swing auger tube;
the outlet end of the intermediate swing auger tube being pivotally
coupled to the inlet of the main auger tube for pivatal movement relative to
the main
auger tube and the wheeled frame such that material from the intermediate
swing
auger tube is discharged to the main auger tube;
a loading swing auger tube containing a loading auger therein to
transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the loading swing
auger tube;
the outlet end of the loading swing auger tube being pivotally coupled to
the inlet of the intermediate swing auger tube for pivotal movement relative
to the
intermediate swing auger tube such that material from the loading swing auger
tube is
discharged to the intermediate swing auger tube;
a loading hopper having an open top end coupled to the inlet of the
loading swing auger tube for loading the material through the open top end of
the
loading hopper; and
gearboxes maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and
the intermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading
auger as
the auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another;
wherein pivotal movement between the intermediate swing auger tube
and the loading swing auger tube is pem~itted about at least two axes.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided an auger assembly comprising:
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a main auger tube containing a main auger therein to transport material
from an inlet end to an outlet end of the main auger tube;
a wheeled frame supporting the main auger tube thereon at an upw2~rd
incline from the inlet end to the outlet end for railing movement along the
ground in a
longitudinal direction of the frame and the main auger tube supported thereon;
an intermediate swing auger tube containing an intermediate auger
therein to transport material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the
intermediate
swing auger tube;
the outlet end of the intermediate swing auger tube being pivotally
coupled to the inlet of the main auger tube for pivotal movement relative to
the main
auger tube and the wheeled frame such that materiel from the intermediate
swing
auger tube is discharged to the main auger tube;
a loading swing auger tube containing a loading auger therein to
transpork material from an inlet end to an outlet end of the loading swing
auger tube;
the outlet end of the loading swing auger tube being pivotally coupled to
the inlet of the intermediate swing auger tube for pivotal movement relative
to the
intermediate swing auger tube such that material from the loading swing auger
tube is
discharged to the intermediate swing auger tube;
a loading hopper having an open top end ooupled to the inlet of the
loading swing auger tube for loading the material through the open top end of
the
loading hopper; and
gearboxes maintaining a driven connection between the main auger and
the intermediate auger and between the intermediate auger and the loading
auger as
the auger tubes are pivoted relative to one another;
' the loading hopper being pivotal about a longitudinal axis of the loading
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swing auger tube relative to the intermediate swing auger tube,
The combination of a single main auger with only two swing augers is
particularly suited for proper alignment of the inlet hopper with the
discharge of a
transport container unlike prior art auger assemblies which rely on a single
swing
auger ~nfiguration. By combining two swing augers, the inlet hopper is
permitted to
be placed any number of positions in all directions relative to the inlet of
the main
auger once the main auger is already in alignment with the target area.
There may be provided gearboxes coupling the main auger to the
intermediate auger and coupling the intermediate auger to the loading auger
such that
the augers are commonly driven. Preferably the main auger is connected to an
input
drive shaft having a power take off coupling for driving the main auger
directly. The
intem~ediate auger and the loading auger can thus be driven off rotation of
the main
auger through the gearboxes.
Preferably the main auger tube is supported on a wheeled frame having
a hitch and is much longer than the intem~ediate swing auger tube and the
loading
swing auger tube combined.
The loader hopper preferably includes an enclosed bottom and side
walls extending upwardly to the open top end. The loader hopper can be
supported
adjacent the ground by supporting the loading swing auger tube substantially
below
the main auger tube in elevation.
Pivotal movement of the intermediate swing auger tube relative to the
main auger tube is preferably restricted about.one axis and may be power
assisted by
providing a hydraulic actuator coupled between the intermediate swing auger
tube
and the main auger tube.
Preferably pivotal movement between the intermediate swing auger tube
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and the loading swing auger tube is permitted freely about at least two axes,
The intermediate swing auger tube may be supported for pivotal
movement across the hitch, but the inlet of the loading swing auger tube is
preferably
lower in elevation than the hitch.
The swing auger tubes may be pivotal into a transport position in which
the intermediate swing auger tube and the main auger tube are posi~oned end to
end
substantially in the longitudinal direction and the loading swing auger tube
extends
alongside the intermediate swing auger tube from the inlet of the intermediate
swing
auger tube towards the main auger tube.
In addition, the swing auger tubes may be pivotal into a loading position
in which the loading swing auger tube extends across the frame in a loading
direction
perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the main auger tube in which
the
loading swing auger tube is movable in the loading direction by pivoting the
intermediate swing auger tube relative to the main auger tube.
The intermediate swing auger tube and the main auger tube are
preferably parallel with one another when oriented in a generally common
vertical
plane.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTIaN aF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is side elevation view of the auger assembly according to the
present invention,
Figure 2 and Figure 3 are top plan and end elevation views of the auger
assembly in the position according to Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the auger assembly in which the inlet
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hopper has been displaced in a liner direction perpendicular to the main auger
in
relation to the position shown in Figure 2.
Figure ~ is a end elevation view of the auger assembly in the position of
Figure 4.
Figure fi is a top plan view of the auger assembly in a transport position.
Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the auger assembly in a fully
extended position.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated an auger
assembly generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The assembly 10
generally
comprises a main auger tube 12, an intermediate swing auger tube 14 and a
loading
swing auger tube 18 connect in series with one another for conveying
particulate
material therethrough.
The main auger tube 12 is elongate in a longitudinal direction from an
inlet end 18 to an outlet end 20 thereof, A main auger is contained within the
main
auger tube for conveying the material from the inlet to the outlet. A wheeled
framed 22
is provided for supporting the main auger for rolling movement along the
ground. The
frame 22 supports the main auger at an upward inclined towards the outlet
which
supports a discharge hopper 24 thereon. The frame 22 is similar to
conventional
frames for grain augers which may include a height adjustment mechanism and
the
like.
The frame 22 extends in the longitudinal direction of the main tube and
includes a hitch bar which extends from the inlet end of the main auger beyond
the
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main auger. The frame 22 slopes downwardly at the same slope as the main auger
to
meet the hitch bar spaced bellow the inlet end 18,
The intermediate swing auger tube 14 contains an intermediate auger
therein for conveying material therethrough in the longitudinal direction of
the tube
from inlet end 28 to the outlet end 30 of the intermediate swing auger tube.
The outlet
end 30 is pivotally coupled to the inlet end of the main auger for pivotal
movement
about a single axis of rotation extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction of
each of the tubes 12 and 14 respectively.
A crank arm 32 projects laterally outwardly from the outlet end of the
intermediate swing auger tube 14 for connection of a hydraulic actuator 34
coupled
between the inlet end 18 of the main auger 12 and the free end of the crank
arm 32.
Pivotal movement of the intermediate swing auger tube 14 relative to the main
auger
tube 12 is thus controlled by linear contraction and extension of the actuator
34 which
provides some power assistance to the motion.
The intermediate swing auger tube 14 lies parallel to the main auger
tube when both iie in a generally common vertical plane wherein the
intermediate
swing auger tube extends at a downward incline from the inlet end of the main
auger
tube, at a slope similar to the frame and main auger tube, towards the hitch
bar. 'fhe
intermediate swing auger tube 14 terminates above the hitch bar so that the
tube 14
can be pivoted in a side to side lateral motion across the hitch bar of the
frame
because the inlet 28 at the bottom end is spaced above the hitch bar of the
frame.
Two gear boxes 36 are mounted at the outlet 30 of the intermediate
swing auger tube 14 and the inlet of the main auger tube 12 respectively far
linking
the auger shafts of the main auger and intermediate auger for common rotation
together. The gear boxes are suitably arranged to maintain a driven connection
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between the augers as the intermediate swing auger tube is pivoted relative to
the
main auger tube. In this arrangement rotation of the intermediate auger is
driven by
rotation of the main auger.
The loading swing auger tube 16 contains a loading auger therein for
conveying the particulate material from the inlet end 38 to the outlet end 4Q
in the
longitudinal direction thereof. The outlet end 40 is pivotally connected to
the inlet end
28 of the intem~ediate swing auger tube for relative pivotal movement
therebetween.
The loading swing auger tube 16 is pivotal about an upright axis perpendicular
to both
the tubes 14 and 16 as well as being pivotal about a lateral axis at the
connection of
the loading auger and intermediate auger to permit both side to side pivoting
motion
and up and down pivoting motion of the loading swing auger tube 16 relative to
the
intermediate swing auger tube 14.
Two gear boxes 42 similarly couple the shafts of the loading auger and
intermediate auger at the tubes 14 and 16 respectively, The gear boxes 42 are
arranged to maintain a linked connection between the loading auger and the
intermediate auger as the loading swing tube is pivoted relative to the
intermediate
swing auger tube so that rotation of the loading 8uger is driven off of
rotation of the
intermediate auger which is in turn driven by rotation of the main auger.
The loading swing auger tube 16 is supported substantially below the
main auger tube in elevation with the inlet end 38 being positioned below the
hitch bar
of the frame, adjacent the ground. A loading hopper 44 is mounted at the inlet
end 38
to receive the particulate material discharged from the source area to be
conveyed to
the target area,
The loading hopper includes an enclosed bottom 46 with four side walls
48 extending upwardly therefrom to an open top end 50. The bottom and side
walls
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fully surround the inlet end 38 of the loading auger. Either the .inlet hopper
is pivotal
relative to the loading swing auger tube 16 or the loading swing auger tube 16
is
pivotal relative to the gear box which couples it to the intermediate swing
auger tube,
or a combination thereof to ensure that the loading hopper 44 is pivotal about
the
longitudinal axis of the loading auger relative to the gearboxes 42. In this
arrangement
the loading hopper has three degrees of freedom to permit the loading hopper
to
remain level as it is displace anywhere along the ground about the inlet end
of the
main auger.
A drive line 52 couples through the gear boxes 36 for directly driving the
main auger within the main auger tubes. It is desirable to drive the main
auger directly
as the main auger is typically much longer then the intermediate swing auger
tube
and the loading swing auger tubes combined. The drive line 52 extends near the
frame at a downward slope below the intermediate swing auger tube at a similar
incline thereto up to the hitch bar of the frame to ensure that there is
sufficient
clearance for the intemrediate swing auger tube to be pivotally displaced
across the
drive line 52 as well. The drive line 82 continues along the hitch bar towards
the hitch
at the free end thereof whid~ connects to the towing vehicle. The free end of
the drive
line 52 includes a suitable coupling 54 thereon of the type which readily
connects the
power takeoff shaft connector of the towing vehicle sa that all of the augers
can be
commonly driven through the gear boxes by the power takeoff of the towing
vehicle.
In use, the augers are operated commonly by driving rotation thereat so
that material received in the loading hopper is conveyed through the loading
swing
auger tube to the intermediate swing auger tube and in turn to the main auger
tube
which discharges the material at the outlet end thereof. Typically the auger
assembly
its moved about on its wheeled frame for first aligning the main auger with
the target
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area, ante in position a transport container comprising source particulate
material is
positioned along side the auger assembly.
By pivoting bath the loading swing auger tube relative to the
intermediate swing auger tube and the intermediate swing auger tube relative
to the
5 main auger tube, the loading hopper at the inlet end of the loading swing
auger tube
can be positioned below the discharge hopper of the source material. For
transport, it
may be desirable to position the swing auger tubes as illustrated in Figure S
in which
the intermediate swing auger tube and the main auger tube are positioned end
to end
substantially in the longitudinal direction and the loading swing auger tube
extends
1 Q along side the intermediate swing auger tube from the inlet thereof
towards the main
auger tube. The hitch bar extends beyond the inlet of the main auger tube
longer than
the intermediate swing auger tube so that the hitch at the free end thereof is
unobstructed for connection to the towing vehicle.
Alternatively the swing auger tubes may be pivotal into a loading
9 5 position in which the loading swing auger tube extends across the frame in
a loading
direction, as illustrated In Figure 2, in which the loading auger lies
perpendicularly to
the longitudinal direction of the main auger tube. In this position the
loading swing
auger tube is moveable in the loading direction towabs the position
illustrated in
Figure 4, by simple pivoting the intermediate swing auger to relative the main
auger
tube. The loading hopper at the inlet of the loading swing auger tube can thus
be
displaced substantially linearly in a lateral direction of the main auger for
insertion
within narrow spaces such as when accessing the discharge hopper of a
transport
container which is confined between two wheel sets below the container.
When positioned as shown in Figure t through 3, in which the
intemlediate swing auger tube extends at an incline in a first lateral
direction from the
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frame and the loading swing auger tube extends back across the frame in an
opposing lateral direction, pivoting the intermediate swing auger tube further
away
from the frame supporting the main auger tube thereon causes the loading swing
auger tube to ride up on the high bar for automatically lifting the loading
hopper up off
the ground.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodimEnts of same made
within the spirit and scope of the claims wkhout department from such spirit
and
scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the aecampanying
specification shall
be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
