Patent ID: 11926470
Assignee: VALCO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 9:
10. A lifting mechanism operably attachable to a support leg of a bin for dispensing particulate material that comprises a plurality of support legs, the lifting mechanism comprising:
at least one rotationally driven stepped cam having a cam surface, and a cam follower assembly that comprises two cam followers and a cam follower roller provided between the two cam followers, wherein the cam followers support the one of the plurality of support legs and are positioned above the stepped cam and in contact with the cam surface,
wherein the cam follower roller is lower than or approximately tangential to the bottom surface of the cam followers, whereby the cam follower is in contact with the cam surface throughout at least a portion of the rotation of the stepped cam;
wherein the cam and the cam follower rollers are in rolling contact, thereby reducing the sliding friction between the cam surface and the cam follower when the stepped cam is rotating.