Abstract:
A bulk feed delivery system includes a bulk body having a dispensing opening extending along a bottom end thereof; a pair of gates arranged adjacent the dispensing opening, the gates being movable between a first position to close the dispensing opening and a second position to open the dispensing opening; a gate cover; a plurality of gate supports fictionally supporting the gates under the gate cover, each gate support having a surface; and a gate guide mechanism mounted to an underside of each of the pair of gates, each of the gate guide mechanisms being operable with the respective surface of the gate supports for controlling the movement and orientation of the gates during movement between the first and second positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bulk feed delivery system which is used to transport and dispense feed or other particular material for farm animals or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gate mechanism within a bulk feed body compartment of the delivery system. 
     Bulk feed delivery systems and gate mechanisms therefore are well known in the art. These systems are used to haul livestock feed from a mill to the farms. A plurality of bulk feed body compartments are typically arranged together to haul a variety of different feeds at the same time. 
     It is known to provide a bulk feed delivery system, such as is available from Warren Manufacturing, Inc. of Birmingham, Ala., which includes a bulk feed body compartment having a dispensing opening, an auger pan surrounding the dispensing opening, an auger within the auger pan for transporting the particulate material, and a gate mechanism for controlling the flow of the particulate material through the dispensing opening. The gate mechanism includes a gate cover mounted to the bulk feed body compartment in a inverted &#34;V&#34; shape and oriented at a 120° angle, a pair of gates arranged under the gate cover, a plurality of gate supports, and a rack and pinion gear system for moving the gate to a first position for opening the dispensing opening and second position for closing the dispensing opening. The gates supports have an open V-shaped frame construction. 
     However, one of the problems associated with such gates mechanisms is that gate movement is actuated from the center of the gates. In such an arrangement, the ends of the gates simply rest on the gate supports and ride against the walls of the compartment. Accordingly, it is difficult to control the lateral movement of the gates as they are raised and lowered. In other words, as the gates are raised or lowered from their center position the ends of the gate tend to either rise or fall unevenly with the center, thereby creating an uneven flow of feed through the dispensing opening. The uneven movement of the gates may also cause the gates to jam against the compartment body. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a bulk feed delivery system includes a bulk body having a dispensing opening extending along a bottom end thereof; a pair of gates arranged adjacent the dispensing opening, the gates being movable between a first position to close the dispensing opening and a second position to open the dispensing opening; a gate cover; a plurality of gate supports frictionally supporting the gates under the gate cover, each gate support having a surface; and a gate guide mechanism mounted to an underside of each of the pair of gates, each of the gate guide mechanisms being operable with the respective surface of the gate supports for controlling the movement and orientation of the gates during movement between the first and second positions. 
     In one embodiment, the gate guide mechanism in provided in the form of a plurality of wheels mounted on a base plate. The width of the base plate is less than the diameter of the wheels to assure that the gate and the gate guide mechanism have a tight fit with the gate supports. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the bulk feed delivery system showing the gates in a first position wherein the dispensing opening is open. 
     FIG. 2 is a section view of the bulk feed delivery system, similar to FIG. 1, showing the gates in a second position wherein the dispensing opening is dosed. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the gate mechanism and a portion of the bulk feed body compartment. 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the gate guide mechanism controlling movement of a gate with respect to a gate support. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a gate guide mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1-3, generally, the present invention relates to a bulk feed body delivery system 10 which includes a bulk feed body compartment 12, a transport system 14, and gate mechanism 16. 
     The bulk feed body compartment 12 is approximately 4 feet in length and has an interior volume to hold a sufficient amount of livestock feed for delivery to a plurality of locations. The bulk feed body compartment 12 includes a first wall 20, second wall 22, a back wall 24 and a front wall (not shown). The walls are arranged to form a dispensing opening 30 at a bottom end of the compartment 12. 
     The transport system 14 includes auger pan 34 and an auger 36. The auger pan 34 is bolted or otherwise mounted to an underside of the bulk feed body compartment 12 around the dispensing opening 30. The ends of the auger pan are angled parallel to the first and second compartment walls 20 and 22 so that feed is free to flow through the dispensing opening 30. The auger 36 is arranged within the auger pan 34 along a longitudinal axis 38 of the bulk feed body compartment 12 for transporting feed within the auger pan 34. A well known drive mechanism (not shown) is used to power the auger 36. 
     The gates mechanism 16 includes a gate cover 40, a pair of gates 42 and 44, a plurality of gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52 (see FIG. 3), a rack and pinion gear controller 60, and a gate guide mechanism 62. 
     The gate cover 40 has an inverted V-shape wherein a first leg and a second leg thereof are spaced about 120° apart from each other. The gate cover 40 extends along the longitudinal axis 38 and is attached to the bulk feed body compartment 12 by end brackets 70 (shown in FIG. 3). The gate cover 40 has a length of approximately 4 feet which is approximately equal to the length of the gates 42 and 44 and the compartment 12. The gate cover 40 is mounted to the front and back ends of the bulk feed body compartment 12 a distance above the dispensing opening 30 which is sufficient for the gate cover 40 to overlap the gates 42 and 44 when the gates are in an extended position. The gate cover 40 has an opening 74 (see FIG. 3) for the rack and pinion gear controller 60 to engage the gates 42 and 44. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52 frictionally support the gates 42 and 44 under the gate cover 40. Each gate support 46, 48, 50 and 52 is fructo-triangular in shape and includes a first leg 78, a second leg 80, and a solid face 82 forming the fructo-triangular shape. The first and second legs 78 and 80 engage a lip of the auger pan 34 adjacent to the dispensing opening 30 of the bulk feed body compartment 12. End gate supports 46 and 52 include a lip surfaces 84 and 86 which extend in a direction towards the front and rear ends, respectively, of the compartment 12. The lip surfaces 84 and 86 extend perpendicular to the solid face 82 and provide additional support for the gate ends 46 and 52 which interact with the gate guide mechanism 62. 
     The gates 42 and 44 are arranged to frictionally engage the gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52 as they are raised and lowered between a first or retracted position (See FIG. 1) wherein the dispensing opening 30 is open and a second or extended position where the dispensing opening 30 is dosed (See FIG. 2). The gates 42 and 44 are arranged to slide between the gate cover 40 and gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52 so that in the retracted position the gates are maintained almost entirely under the gate cover 40. In the extended position, the ends of the gates 42 and 44 are sealed behind a lip 53 of the first and second compartment walls 20 and 22, respectively, so that the gates 42 and 44 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the end of the auger pan 34. The gates 42 and 44 are spaced apart from the gate cover 40 so that the gate cover 40 absorbs the downward gravitational weight of the feed within the bulk feed body compartment 12, thereby permitting the gates 42 and 44 to move more freely between the first and second positions. Each gate 42 and 44 includes a hook 100 at its center position for engaging the rack and pinion controller 60 which controls operation of the gates 42 and 44. 
     The rack and pinion controller 60 includes a housing 120, a rack guide 122, rack gear 124, a pinion gear 130, a pinion shaft 132, a U-joint shaft and handle arrangement 134 and a pair of linkage rods 142 and 144. The housing 120 is mounted to an upper surface of the gate cover 40 over the gate cover opening 74. The housing 120 encloses the entire rack and pinion controller 60 with the exception of the U-joint shaft and handle arrangement 134 which extends from the housing 120 to an exterior surface of the bulk feed body compartment 12 for user actuation. 
     The guide rack 122 is fixably mounted to a wall of the housing 120 and includes a track 150 operable with the rack gear 124. The rack gear 124 rides within the track 150 in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 38. The pinion gear 130 engages the rack gear 124 and is rotatably mounted within the housing 120 on the pinion shaft 132 for engagement of the rack gear 124. The pinion shaft 132 is fixably mounted within brackets 152 for rotation about an axis thereof. The pinion shaft 132 is connected to the U-joint shaft and handle arrangement 134. The linkage rod 142 is connected between a lower end of the gear rack 124 and the hook 100 of gate 42. The linkage rod 144 is connected between the lower end of the gear rack 124, at the same place as the linkage rod 142, and the hook 100 of gate 44. The linkage rods 142 and 144 each have an arcuate shape so that the linkage rods 142 and 144 cross over each other when moving the gates 42 and 44 between the extended and retracted positions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Referring specifically to FIGS. 4 and 5, a gate guide mechanism 62 is provided at each end of each gate 42 and 44 to control the lateral movement of the gates 42 and 44 as they are raised and lowered between the first and second positions. Each gate guide mechanism 62 includes a base plate 158, a plurality of wheels 160, a roller pin 162 for each wheel, a retainer clip 164 for each roller pin 162. The wheels 160, preferably three of them, are equally spaced on the underside of both ends of the gates 42 and 44 and are operable with the solid face 82 of the respective gate support 46 and 52. A tight tolerance is provided between the wheels 160 and the gate supports 64 and 52 to control the lateral movement of the gate 42 and 44 and ensure an even movement of the gates 42 and 44 between the first and second position to thereby provide a more even flow of grain through the dispensing opening and to prevent jamming of the gate ends against the walls of the compartment body. 
     The base plate 158 is preferably assembled with the wheels 160 and then welded to the underside of the gates 42 and 44. The width of the base plate 158 is smaller than the diameter of the wheel 160 so as not to interfere with the engagement of the wheels 160 to the gate supports 46 and 52. The roller pins 162 have a diameter of approximately 0.500 inches and are each welded perpendicularly on the base plate 158. Each of the wheels 160 are then rotatably mounted on a respective roller pin 162. The respective retainer dip 164 engages a groove (not shown) in the roller pins to lock each of the respective wheel 160 on the respective roller pin 162. The base plate 158 and the roller pins 162 are preferably made of aluminum. The wheels 160 are preferably polyethylene sump rollers with an inner diameter of 0.515 inches, an outer diameter of 11/2inches, and a thickness of 0.475 inches. The front and back circumferential surfaces of each wheel may be provided with a 45° beveled surface 170 over a width of 0.03 inches. 
     In operation, the gates 42 and 44 are in the closed position shown in FIG. 2 for filling the bulk feed body compartment 12 with livestock feed for transportation to a desired location. At the desired location, a user activates the U-joint shaft and handle 134 for rotation of the pinion shaft 132. Rotation of the pinion shaft 132 turns the pinion gear 130 about its fixed axis. Rotation of the pinion gear 130 then moves the rack gear 124 upward within the rack guide 122 so that the linkage rods 142 and 144 pull the gates 42 and 44, respectively, upward along the gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52 to the first position under the gate cover 40, thereby exposing the dispensing opening 30. With particular reference to FIG. 4, as the gates 42 and 44 are raised the plurality of wheels 160 ride against the solid surface 82 of the gate supports 46 and 52 to provide an even and controlled lateral displacement of the gates 42 and 44 during the raising operation. With the dispensing opening 30 exposed, the livestock feed flows into the auger pan 34 and is transported out of the bulk feed body compartment 12 with the auger 36. 
     When the desired amount of feed has been released through the dispensing opening 30 and transport system 14, the user turns the U-joint shaft and handle 134 in an opposite direction thereby rotating the pinion gear 130 in opposite direction. The pinion gear 130 moves the rack gear 124 downward within the rack guide 122 so that the linkage rods 142 and 144 lower the gates 42 and 44, respectively, along the gate supports 46, 48, 50 and 52. With particular reference to FIG. 4, as the gates 42 and 44 are lowered the plurality of wheels 160 ride against the solid surface 82 of the gate supports 46 and 52 to provide an even and controlled lateral displacement of the gates 42 and 44 during the lowering operation. This arrangement also reduces the likelihood of the gate jamming within the bulk feed body compartment 12. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.