Supercharging feed system and method for a belt in tube conveyor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9371187-B2
Application number	US-201313949596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2013
Priority date	Jul 24, 2013
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for supercharging the feed system for a belt in tube conveyor for agricultural products, which enables achieving a full or near full fill level of the conveyor belt entering the intake end of the conveyor tube. The invention uses a crop delivery apparatus operable to propel an airborne flow of the crop material at least largely in a direction of movement of the conveyor belt, onto the belt surface after formation into a concave shape conforming to a lower portion of the conveyor tube. Additional capabilities include the ability to propel the crop material into an intake end of the conveyor tube, and provision of enclosing structure for containing and focusing the crop material flow. The system can accommodate various angles of tilt and sideward pivotal movement of the conveyor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A belt in tube conveyor system, comprising:
a conveyor tube having an open intake end in connection with a passage through the tube, and a lower portion bounding a lower periphery of the intake end and the passage, having an upwardly facing concave shape;
an endless belt having a concave portion extending into the passage through the intake end, supported on the lower portion of the tube, and a transition portion outwardly of the intake end wherein the belt transitions from a flat shape to the upwardly facing concave shape of the lower portion of the tube, the transition portion disposed between a crop delivery apparatus and the concave portion;
a drive configured and Operable to move the belt at a feed velocity and in a feed direction through the intake end into the passage; and
the crop delivery apparatus configured and positioned to propel a flow of crop material at a crop velocity vector at least a majority of which is in the feed direction onto the concave portion of the belt or crop material previously deposited on the concave portion in a generally horizontal direction over the transition portion, as the belt is moved at the feed velocity in the feed direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crop delivery apparatus is configured and operable to propel at least some of the crop material in an airborne manner over the transition portion of the belt, onto the concave portion thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crop delivery apparatus is configured and operable to propel at least some: the crop material in an airborne manner through the intake end of the tube into an upwardly facing crop receiving cavity bounded by the concave portion of the belt.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a structure defining and enclosing a flow path for flow of the propelled crop material between the crop delivery apparatus and the intake end, and wherein the intake end has a generally converging shape configured to focus the flow of the propelled crop material onto the concave portion of the belt.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor tube extends upwardly from the intake end to a discharge end at an acute angle relative to horizontal such that the concave portion of the belt is similarly inclined, and the crop delivery apparatus is configured and operable to propel the crop material airborne generally horizontally over the transition portion of the belt onto the concave portion.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a structure defining and enclosing a flow path for flow of the propelled crop material between the crop delivery apparatus and the intake end, wherein the structure comprises a tapered or frusto-conical shape converges in the feed direction.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the conveyor tube is pivotable about a point near the intake end.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crop delivery apparatus comprises a centrifugal discharge elevator, configured and operable to lift and accelerate the crop material, and propel the crop material generally horizontally, at least partially into the intake end of the conveyor tube.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the centrifugal discharge elevator is disposed on an agricultural vehicle in connection with a grain tank thereof, for receiving the crop material from the grain tank, and the conveyor tube is configured to extend outwardly from the vehicle.

10. A belt in tube conveyor system, comprising:
a conveyor tube having an open intake end in connection with a passage through the tube, and a lower portion bounding a lower periphery of the intake end and the passage, having an upwardly facing concave shape;
an endless belt having a concave portion extending into the passage through the intake end, supported on the lower portion of the tube, and a transition portion outwardly of the intake end wherein the belt transitions from a flat shape to the upwardly facing concave shape of the lower portion of the tube;
a drive configured and operable to move the belt at a feed velocity and in a feed direction through the intake end into the passage; and
a crop delivery apparatus configured and operable to propel a flow of crop material at a crop velocity at least largely in the feed direction onto the concave portion of the belt or crop material previously deposited oh the concave portion, as the belt is moved at the feed velocity in the feed direction; and
wherein the transition portion has a length about equal to one to two times a width of the conveyor tube.

11. A supercharged: belt in tube conveyor system on an agricultural vehicle for unloading a grain tank thereof, comprising:
a conveyor tube having an open intake end in connection with a passage through the tube, and a lower portion bounding a lower periphery of the intake end and the passage, having an upwardly facing concave shape;
an endless belt having a concave :portion extending into the passage through the intake end and supported on the lower portion of the tube, defining an upwardly open crop receiving cavity within the passage; and
a feed system comprising a crop delivery apparatus configured to receive crop material from the grain tank and accelerate and propel a flow of the crop material through an outlet in an airborne manner in the feed direction wherein at least a majority of a directional vector of the crop material is in the horizontal direction into the crop receiving cavity and onto the concave portion of the belt or crop material previously deposited on the concave portion; and
wherein a structure defines and encloses a flow path for flow of the propelled crop material from the crop delivery apparatus wherein the structure has a generally vertically aligned crop discharge opening toward the intake end and the intake end of the tube has a generally narrowing and downward tapered shape converging to focus the flow of the propelled crop material onto the concave portion of the belt.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the belt additionally comprises a transition portion which transitions the belt from a flat shape to the upwardly facing concave shape, disposed between the crop delivery apparatus and the concave portion, and the crop delivery apparatus is configured to propel the crop material in the airborne manner over the transition portion.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the crop delivery apparatus comprises a centrifugal discharge elevator, configured and operable to lift and accelerate the crop material, and propel the crop material generally horizontally in the feed direction.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the conveyor is pivotable sidewardly relative to the crop delivery apparatus.

15. A method of supercharging a belt in tube conveyor system on an agricultural vehicle for unloading a grain tank thereof, comprising steps of:
providing a conveyor tube having an open intake end in connection with a passage through the tube, and a lower portion bounding a lower periphery of the intake end and the passage, having an upwardly facing concave shape;
providing an endless belt having a concave portion extending into the passage through the intake end and supported on the lower portion of the tube, defining an upwardly open crop receiving cavity within the passage, and a drive for moving the belt into the intake end and through the passage;
providing a feed system comprising a crop delivery apparatus configured to receive crop material from the grain tank and propel a flow of the crop material in an airborne manner therefrom onto the belt; and
operating the feed system during the movement of the belt, to propel the flow of the crop ma

Assignees

• Cnh America Llc
• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Priepke Edward H
• Wilson Scott D
• Borsdorf John J
• Ricketts Jonathan E

Classifications

• B65G15/08 Primary

  the load-carrying surface being formed by a concave or tubular belt, e.g. a belt forming a trough · CPC title

• A01D41/1217 Primary

  Unloading mechanisms · CPC title