Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-06
2002-12-24
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
C414S335000, C414S505000, C198S536000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497546
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved grain wagon of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,265 which issued to the Assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. As generally disclosed in this patent, a grain receiving hopper or container is mounted on a wheel supported frame having a hitch connected to a tow vehicle or tractor. The grain wagon includes an inclined grain discharge auger having an outer section pivotally connected to a lower section and moved by a hydraulic cylinder between a stored position adjacent the front wall of the container and a forwardly and laterally outwardly projecting position for unloading grain from the container. The outer section of the inclined auger has a downwardly projecting discharge spout through which the grain is discharged from the auger into a semi-trailer located adjacent the grain wagon.
It has been known to connect a flexible discharge tube to an auger discharge spout so that the tube depends from the spout. As grain is unloaded from the grain wagon into an adjacent open top semi-trailer, a person standing on the trailer or on the grain within the trailer can move the flexible tube so that the semi-trailer may be fully loaded and “topped-off” by rounding the grain at the top of the semi-trailer. However, the maneuvering of the flexible tube requires an additional person on or within the semi-trailer or the operator of the tractor must step down and climb up on the semi-trailer. Such additional person or operator time adds to the cost of transferring the grain from the wagon to the trailer.
It has been found desirable to provide a grain wagon with a foldable unloading auger such as disclosed in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,265 and wherein the auger has a moveable and power operated discharge spout on its outer or upper end portion. It is also desirable for the spout to have sufficient movement in order to discharge the grain from the auger back and forth across the entire width of the semi-trailer in order for the trailer to be fully loaded with grain and for the grain to be rounded at the top of the semi-trailer. It is also desirable for the discharge spout to have sufficient movement in order to correct for an unloading position due to the tractor operator error in spacing the grain wagon either too close or too far away from the semi-trailer during his approach to the semi-trailer. It has further been found desirable for the power operated moveable or pivotal discharge spout to be controllable by the towing tractor operator so that as the operator moves the tractor and grain wagon along the length of the semi-trailer in incremental steps, the operator may also conveniently and precisely direct the grain back and forth across the width of the semi-trailer.
Such a structure enables the unloading auger to be efficiently operated at maximum speed in order to minimize the time required to transfer the grain from the grain wagon to the semi-trailer and to load the semi-trailer uniformly along its length. While it is known to have pivotable or adjustable discharge spouts or deflectors on grain conveyors, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,798,231, U.S. Pat. No. 1,847,433 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,995, no one has previously recognized the significant advantages of having a grain wagon discharge auger with a power operated moveable discharge spout which is remotely controllable by the operator of the towing tractor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved wheel supported grain wagon with an inclined unloading auger having a moveable or pivotal discharge spout which is remotely moveable back and forth by the operator of the towing vehicle or tractor. Thus the present invention enables the operator of the tractor to direct the grain precisely while unloading the grain from the grain wagon into an adjacent semi-trailer as the wagon is pulled along the length of the trailer. As a result, a grain wagon constructed in accordance with the present invention provides for efficiently and quickly unloading the grain wagon into a semi-trailer with only one operator and in a manner that assures that the semi-trailer is fully filled with the grain and the grain is uniformly rounded or “topped off” along the top of the semi-trailer.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a wheel supported grain wagon is connected to a towing vehicle or tractor and includes a hopper or container with an inclined discharge auger having a folding outer section which pivots between a stored position adjacent the container and an extended operable position projecting upwardly and laterally outwardly from the container. The outer end portion of the auger or a telescopic auger housing extension is provided with a fixed discharge spout section which supports a pivotal discharge spout section and a pivotal baffle member within the pivotal spout section. The pivotal spout section has a tapered lower end portion, and a double acting fluid cylinder extends between the fixed spout section and the pivotal spout section. Hydraulic lines extend from the cylinder down the auger and forwardly to the standard hydraulic coupler fittings at the rear of the tractor which tows the grain wagon. Thus the operator of the tractor may positively move the pivotal discharge spout section back and forth as the operator pulls the grain wagon slowly or in incremental steps along the length of the open top semi-trailer which receives the grain from the auger. As a result, the operator of the towing tractor may selectively direct the grain from the auger into the semi-trailer and back and forth across the width of the trailer to assure optimum loading of grain within the trailer. The telescopic auger housing extension is extended and retracted by a double acting hydraulic cylinder connected to operate in unison with the hydraulic cylinder which folds the outer auger section between its extended position and its stored position.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
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Grieshop Scott M.
Wood James E.
Bratlie Steven A.
J. & M. Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Jacox Meckstroth & Jenkins
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