Sweep auger drive shield with gravity reclaim

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10654668-B2
Application number	US-201815885208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Feb 1, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A sweep auger system having a driveshaft with auger flighting and a backboard extending a length from an inward end to an outward end. An input of a gearbox is connected to an outward end of the drive shaft and a sweep wheel having a plurality of notches, arms and feet is connected to an output of the gearbox. A drive shield is placed around a rearward side of the sweep wheel that forms a channel that is configured to capture grain agitated by the drive wheel. A guide plate is connected to the gearbox and covers a portion of the gearbox. The guide plate angles from an upper outward edge downward and forward to a lower inward edge that is configured to urge the grain captured within the channel of the drive shield to move in front of the sweep auger system reducing grain left in the grain bin.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for unloading grain out of a grain bin, comprising:
a sweep auger;
the sweep auger extending a length from an inward end to an outward end;
the sweep auger having a forward side and a rearward side;
the sweep auger having a drive shaft with fighting extending around the drive shaft;
the sweep auger having a backboard positioned rearward of the driveshaft;
a gearbox adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a sweep wheel connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a drive shield connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
wherein the drive shield forms a pocket around the sweep wheel;
a guide plate positioned within the pocket;
wherein the sweep wheel spins within the pocket of the drive shield, such that grain is captured within the pocket and the guide plate directs grain into the path of the sweep auger;
wherein the guide plate at least partially overlaps the gearbox in a vertical plane.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein when the sweep wheel spins within the pocket of the drive shield, grain piles up within the pocket until the level of the grain is at or above the guide plate, at which point the grain flows by the force of gravity over the guide plate and downward into the path of the sweep auger.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the gearbox is positioned between the drive shaft and the sweep wheel.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sweep wheel includes a plurality of feet.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sweep wheel includes a plurality of notches, wherein the plurality of notches of the sweep wheel are separated by arms that extend inward and include feet on the arms.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox is connected to the drive shaft and the sweep wheel, wherein the gearbox is positioned within the pocket of the drive shield, wherein the guide plate connects to the gearbox and covers a portion of the gearbox.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the sweep wheel includes feet, wherein the feet include teeth that provide traction.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the sweep wheel includes feet, wherein the feet include teeth that mesh with corresponding features in a floor of the grain bin.

9. A system for unloading grain out of a grain bin, comprising:
a sweep auger;
the sweep auger extending a length from an inward end to an outward end;
the sweep auger having a forward side and a rearward side;
the sweep auger having a drive shaft with fighting extending around the drive shaft;
the sweep auger having a backboard positioned rearward of the driveshaft;
a gearbox connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a guide plate directly connected to the gearbox;
a sweep wheel connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a drive shield connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
wherein the drive shield forms a pocket;
the sweep wheel is positioned within the pocket of the drive shield;
wherein the sweep wheel spins within the pocket of the drive shield, such that grain is captured within the pocket and flows out into the path of the sweep auger.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the guide plate is positioned within the pocket, wherein the guide plate directs grain piled up within the pocket to move by gravity into the path of the sweep auger.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the gearbox is positioned between the drive shaft and the sweep wheel.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the sweep wheel includes a plurality of feet.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the sweep wheel includes a plurality of notches, wherein the plurality of notches of the sweep wheel are separated by arms that extend inward and include feet on the arms.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the gearbox is connected to the drive shaft and the sweep wheel, wherein the gearbox is positioned within the pocket of the drive shield, wherein a guide plate covers a portion of the gearbox.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the sweep wheel includes feet, wherein the feet include teeth that provide traction.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the sweep wheel includes feet, wherein the feet include teeth that mesh with corresponding features in a floor of the grain bin.

17. A system for unloading grain out of a grain bin, comprising:
a sweep auger;
the sweep auger extending a length from an inward end to an outward end;
a sweep wheel connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a gearbox adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
a drive shield connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
wherein the drive shield forms a pocket;
the sweep wheel positioned within the pocket of the drive shield;
a guide plate at least partially overlapping the gearbox in a vertical plane;
the guide plate positioned within the pocket of the drive shield;
wherein the sweep wheel spins within the pocket of the drive shield such that grain piles up within the pocket and moves by gravity over the guide plate and in the path of the sweep auger.

18. A system for unloading grain out of a grain bin, comprising:
a sweep auger;
the sweep auger extending a length from an inward end to an outward end;
a sweep wheel connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
wherein the sweep wheel includes a plurality of arms,
wherein the arms includes feet,
wherein the feet include teeth;
a drive shield connected adjacent the outward end of the sweep auger;
wherein the drive shield forms a pocket;
the sweep wheel positioned within the pocket of the drive shield;
wherein the sweep wheel rotates, such that the teeth of the feet of the sweep wheel mesh with corresponding features in a floor of the grain bin thereby providing traction and drive;
wherein the features in the floor of the grain bin are positioned in a strip of flashing positioned around the exterior of the grain bin floor, wherein the strip of flashing includes perforations that facilitate air movement through the grain bin floor.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a guide plate;
the guide plate positioned within the pocket of the drive shield;
wherein the sweep wheel spins within the pocket of the drive shield, such that grain is captured within the pocket and moves by gravity over the guide plate and in the path of the sweep auger.

Assignees

• Olson Ryan Thomas
• Sukup Mfg

Inventors

• Olson Ryan Thomas

Classifications

• B65G33/18

  with multiple screws in parallel arrangements {, e.g. concentric} · CPC title

• B65G65/463

  arranged vertically or substantially vertically within the container (B65G65/466 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01F25/2018

  Bottom unloading units for tower silos · CPC title

• B65G33/10 Primary

  with non-enclosed screws · CPC title

• B65G65/4836

  and moving material over a stationary surface, e.g. sweep arms or wheels · CPC title