Patent ID: 9686907
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: A01C,B65G,F16K,Y10T

Claim:
1. A rotary flow divider assembly, comprising: a housing having an inlet passage configured to receive an agricultural product, a first outlet passage configured to discharge the agricultural product, and a second outlet passage configured to discharge the agricultural product, wherein the first and second outlet passages are angled less than 75 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the inlet passage; and a rotary valve disposed within the housing, wherein the rotary valve comprises a first port, a second port, a third port, a first boundary, and a second boundary; wherein the rotary valve is selectively rotatable between a first position that aligns the first port with the inlet passage, the second port with the first outlet passage, and the third port with the second outlet passage to facilitate flow of the agricultural product from the inlet passage to the first and second outlet passages, a second position that aligns the first port with the first outlet passage, the third port with the inlet passage, and the second boundary with the second outlet passage to facilitate flow of the agricultural product from the inlet passage to the first outlet passage and to substantially block flow of the agricultural product from the inlet passage to the second outlet passage, and a third position that aligns the first port with the second outlet passage, the second port with the inlet passage, and the first boundary with the first outlet passage to facilitate flow of the agricultural product from the inlet passage to the second outlet passage and to substantially block flow of the agricultural product from the inlet passage to the first outlet passage; wherein the first boundary, the second boundary, and a body of the rotary valve are contoured to establish a substantially smooth flow path from the inlet passage to the first outlet passage, to the second outlet passage, or a combination thereof; and wherein an inner surface of the first boundary and an inner surface of the second boundary form respective portions of the substantially smooth flow path, the inner surface of the first boundary forms a continuous curve between the first port and the third port, and the inner surface of the second boundary forms a continuous curve between the first port and the second port.