MATERIAL HANDLING TOWER USING COLUMN AND STUB CONNECTIONS

A material handling tower includes a plurality of vertical column trees forming corners of the tower. Each of the plurality of column trees forms a moment connection including a pair of stub connectors. The stub connectors are perpendicular and extend in a direction of an adjacent column tree. Each stub connector has a proximal end welded to the column tree and a distal end having a connecting plate. The tower has at least one interior platform connecting to the plurality of column trees. Each of the at least one interior platforms has a plurality of outer girders with the outer girders connected to the stub connectors of the moment connections. Each girder has a connecting plate at each of its ends and each of the moment connections is completed by connecting the connecting plate of the stub connectors to the connecting plate of the girder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a material handling tower, and more particularly, the disclosure concerns a tower constructed with columns having moment connections without diagonal cross braces.

Description of Related Art

Material handling towers are commonly used in the agricultural industry to distribute grain, fertilizer and other products. The towers store the materials in bins high above the ground so that gravity is used during the distribution process. Because of the significant weight of the materials stored in the bins, towers must be designed to support such weight. Typically, towers have included significant diagonal cross bracing to reach compliance with structural requirements.

It would be desirable to have a tower in which lateral loads are resisted by means of frame action providing for no need for diagonal members to take these loads. This would allow for increased flexibility to service and maintain supported equipment on the leveled platforms within the tower. Additionally, erection of the tower would also be simplified.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, one aspect of the invention is directed to a material handling tower in which at least a portion of the tower is constructed without diagonal cross braces. The portion of the tower includes a plurality of vertical column trees forming corners of the tower. Each of the plurality of column trees forms a moment connection including a pair of stub connectors. The stub connectors are perpendicular and extend in a direction of an adjacent column tree of the plurality of column trees. Each stub connector has a proximal end welded to the column tree and a distal end having a connecting plate. The tower has at least one interior platform connecting to the plurality of column trees. Each of the at least one interior platforms has a plurality of outer girders with the outer girders connected to the stub connectors of the moment connections. Each girder has a connecting plate at each of its ends and each of the moment connections is completed by connecting the connecting plate of the stub connectors to the connecting plate of the girder.

The invention is also directed to a method for constructing a material handling tower in which at least a portion of the tower is constructed without diagonal cross braces. The method includes forming a plurality of vertical column trees at the corners of a tower, each of the plurality of column trees forming a moment connection comprising a pair of stub connectors, wherein the stub connectors are perpendicular and extend in a direction of an adjacent column tree of the plurality of column trees, and each stub connector having a proximal end welded to the column tree and a distal end having a connecting plate. The plurality of moment connections on the plurality of column trees form at least one platform connection site. The method also includes forming at least one interior platform at a location remote from the platform connection site. The at least one interior platform includes a plurality of outer girders, wherein each girder has a connecting plate at each of its ends. The at least one interior platform is lifted to the at least one platform connection site so that each one of the connecting plates of the stub connectors is adjacent to one of the connecting plates of the girders. The method also includes completing the moment connections by connecting the connecting plates of the stub connectors to adjacent connecting plates of the girders.

This summary is provided to introduce concepts in simplified form that are further described below in the Description of Preferred Embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the disclosed or claimed subject matter and is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the disclosed or claimed subject matter. Specifically, features disclosed herein with respect to one embodiment may be equally applicable to another. Further, this summary is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Many other novel advantages, features, and relationships will become apparent as this description proceeds. The figures and the description that follow more particularly exemplify illustrative embodiment.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the figures,FIG. 1illustrates a material handling tower10supporting one or more material storage bins12used for the distribution of various materials such as grains, fertilizer, and the like. As is known in the art, an elevator14such as a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, is used to transport the material from a lower level to a distributor (not shown), which sends the individual materials to their proper storage bin. When desired, the bins14are desirably emptied by gravity flow and conveyed, blended and weighted into trucks, railroad cars or barges, and shipped to a desired destination. As the use of elevators, storage bins, distributors, and the accompanying valves, scales and piping are of known design understood to those skilled in the art, further discussion of these items will not be included herein.

The tower10ofFIG. 1shows a lower section20that includes conventional construction using a plurality of diagonal cross braces22. The tower10also includes an upper section30, which according to the invention, is free of diagonal cross braces. While the illustrated tower10has a conventional portion20with diagonal cross braces22and a portion30without such braces, it is to be understood that the entire tower10may be constructed as described below such that diagonal cross braces are not needed.

Turning now toFIG. 2which illustrates the portion30of the tower10constructed without diagonal cross braces according to the invention, the tower10includes a plurality of vertical column trees32forming corners of the tower10. In the illustrated embodiment, the tower10also has column trees32located end to end such that there is a lower grouping34of column trees32and an upper grouping36of column trees32connected by flanges38so as to increase the overall height of the tower10. Each column tree32is formed of a main support column40and forms moment connections42comprising a pair of stub connectors44. In the illustrated embodiment, the stub connectors44are general perpendicular and extend in the direction of the adjacent column trees32. A proximal end46of the stub connector is welded to the main column40. A distal end48of the stub connector44has a connecting plate50welded thereto. Desirably, the column trees32are fabricated in a shop and transported to the tower site with the stub connectors44already welded to the main column40.

Any number of interior platforms60are connected to the column trees32at the corners of the tower10. Each interior platform60comprises outer girders62that are connected to the stub connectors44. In the illustrated embodiment, each girder62has a connecting plate64at its ends. The moment connection is42completed by connecting the connecting plate50of the stub connectors44to the connecting plate64of the girder62using suitable bolts66. Other means of connecting the connecting plates may also be used such as suitable rivets, welds or other known joining means using sound engineering judgment. One or more platforms60may be connected to each grouping of column trees32. Referring toFIGS. 5A-C, desirably, the interior platform60is assembled on the ground as shown inFIG. 5B. With the column trees32in place as shown inFIG. 5Aand forming a platform connection site, the interior platform60may then lifted into place at the platform connection site at the appropriate elevation and bolted into place as shown inFIG. 5C. This is advantageous as the work is done at ground level with greater efficiency and erected with greater speed.

FIG. 3illustrates an embodiment with flange girders62and stub connectors44whileFIG. 4illustrates an embodiment with tubular girders62and stub connectors44. One skilled in the art will understand that other known structural shapes may be used for the girders and stub connectors.

While the illustrated example shows column trees32only at the corners of the tower10, it is to be understood that larger towers may have column trees32intermediate the column trees32at the corners. Such intermediate column trees32would have stub connectors44extending generally180degrees from the column40.

In the illustrated column tree design, the moment connection42allows for better transference of seismic loading in the tower10, and removes the need for the traditional cross bracing22currently seen in the industry. Fewer members and connections are required than the traditional design, which desirably makes installation quicker and easier. Lateral loads are resisted by means of frame action providing for no need for diagonal braces22designed to take these loads.

The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.