Abstract:
A grain for the storage of grain millions of bushels of grain comprises a floor, a peripheral wall and a flexible covering. The grain bin includes an unloading system which enables the grain to be unloaded from the grain bin without the need to remove the covering and which substantially reduces the dust typically produced during unloading of currently used temporary grain bins.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/152,364 filed Feb. 13, 2009, which is entitled “Grain Bin For Temporary Storage of Grain”, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This application relates to the storage of grain, and, in particular, to improvements in grain bins capable of storing millions of bushels of grain. 
         [0004]    As is known, when grain is harvested, it is delivered to a grain elevator facility where the grain is stored in large grain bins for transfer to barges, rail cars, trucks, etc. The yield of grain, such as corn, began to increase during the 1970&#39;s. Although the grain elevator facilities commonly had the capacity to receive two to three million bushels of grain, the increased yields overflowed the capacity of the grain elevator facilities, and the facilities needed to provide temporary storage of the grain. 
         [0005]    Such temporary storage typically comprised a wall that defined an area, for example, of about 200′×400′ (61 m×122 m). Typically, the wall comprised an upper generally vertical portion and a lower inwardly sloping portion. The grain was delivered as far into the center of the area defined by the wall to maximize the amount of grain that could be contained within the perimeter of the wall. Once the area was filled with grain, the grain pile was covered with a tarp. Because the grain was contained in one large pile, the grain could not be easily transferred to rail cars, barges, etc. 
         [0006]    Delivery of the grain from the grain pile to transportation equipment (i.e., barges, rail cars, etc.) required that the grain first be loaded into the grain elevator bins. This is generally accomplished by means of bucket loaders, front end loaders, etc. which deliver the grain from the grain pile to bin loading equipment. From the bin loading equipment, the grain can then be transferred to the transportation equipment. Hence, the grain stored in the temporary storage must be handled twice. Further, the loading and unloading of the grain from the temporary storage generates a significant amount of dust. 
         [0007]    When it is time to transfer the grain from the grain pile, the tarp is removed from the pile. Removal of the tarp typically damages the tarp, and hence, the tarp is commonly disposed of. Once the tarp is removed, the grain is exposed and must be moved as quickly as possible to the grain elevator grain bins to maintain the condition of the grain as best as possible. However, if it should rain while the tarp is removed, the grain may need to be reconditioned. 
         [0008]    Aeration of the grain within the grain pile is important to maintain the condition of the grain. Typically, blowers are provided either above the pile (at the top of a loading tube) or around the wall. These blowers are operated to draw air through the grail pile, and hence also function to hold the tarp down on the grain pile. Typically, a significant amount of dust is withdrawn from the pile and is expelled by the blowers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The storage system described below addresses many of the issues presented above. Briefly, a grain for the storage of grain millions of bushels of grain comprises a floor, a peripheral wall and a flexible covering. The grain bin includes an unloading system which enables the grain to be unloaded from the grain bin without the need to remove the covering and which substantially reduces the dust typically produced during unloading of currently used temporary grain bins. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a storage bin made in accordance with the claims; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  is an enlarged sectional, fragmentary view of the storage bin taken at the circle A-A of  FIG. 1  and showing the communication between the unloading system and a bucket elevator; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along circle B-B of  FIG. 1  showing a blower in a channel of the bin for aeration of grain stored in the bin; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the bin, but with the tarp or covering removed to more clearly show the inside of the bin; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view of an unloading system for the bin; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 4A-C  are perspective, top plan, and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a junction box for the unloading system;  FIG. 4C  being taken along line C-C of  FIG. 4B ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4   d  is a cross-sectional view of the junction box and two conveyors of the unloading system; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a the central point of the unloading system in underground channels beneath a floor of the bin; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is a top plan view of gates positioned above a conveyor of the unloading system to allow grain to fall through into the unloading system; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 6B  and C are top and bottom perspective views of a gate; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a control system for the unloading system. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Corresponding reference numerals will be used throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the claimed invention, including what we presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the claimed invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The claimed invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0023]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-2 , a grain bin  10  comprises a side wall  12  surrounding a floor  14 . The floor  14  is formed on the ground G. Illustratively, the floor and wall are generally circular to define a circle having a diameter of about 400′ (about 120 m). The wall illustratively is 6′ (˜2 m) tall. The wall can comprise a bottom inwardly sloping section  12   a  ( FIG. 1B ) and an upper generally vertical section  12   b . The wall upper section  12   b  can, for example, be made from corrugated sheet metal. Alternatively, the wall  12  can be vertical, i.e., it could be made without the bottom sloping section  12   a . The floor can be made from cement, crushed gravel, or any other material which provides a proper flooring for grain. A cover  16 , such as a tarp, is secured to the top of the wall  12 , and extends inwardly and upwardly from the top of the wall  12  to an apex  16   a . Preferably, the cover  16  is flexible. The tarp cover  16  can, for example, be made from plastic sheeting, canvas, or other flexible materials. Preferably, the tarp material will be impervious to fluids (i.e., rain, snow, etc.) to protect the grain contained in the bin from the weather. The tarp  16 , defines a truncated cone when the bin is filled (as seen in  FIG. 1 ). The truncated top of the tarp is defines an opening  16   b  into the bin area. Illustratively, the tarp defines an incline of about 23°, which corresponds to the angle of repose of a pile of corn. If other grain is to be stored in the bin, the tarp can be configured to define an angle corresponding to the angle of repose of the grain contained within the bin  10 . With the noted dimensions, the apex  16   a  of the tarp  16  is about 87.75° (˜26.75 m) above ground level (i.e. above the floor  14 ). It will be appreciated that grain bins of this size are not delivered in an assembled state. Rather, the components of the grain bin are delivered to the site and the grain bin is constructed at the site. 
         [0024]    The bin  10  is provided with a loading system  30  to deliver grain into the bin. The loading system includes a bucket elevator  32  located outside of the bin wall  12 . The bucket elevator has a lower portion  32   a  which is positioned in an upwardly opening pit P in the ground G. Hence, the lower portion  32   a  is below the surface of the ground (and thus is below the bin floor  14 ). The bucket elevator extends vertically upwardly from the pit P and has an upper end  32   b  which is above the apex of the tarp  16 . A loading system  33  is positioned in the pit P. The loading system  33  receives grain from a transport (i.e., railcar, trailer, barge, etc) and delivers the grain to the bucket elevator  32 . A delivery conveyor  34  (shown in  FIG. 1  to be generally horizontal) receives grain from the bucket elevator  32  by means of a delivery pipe  36 . The delivery conveyor  34  delivers the grain to a centrally positioned drop tube  38  which extends generally vertically through the tarp opening  16   b  to the bin floor  14 . The drop tube is perforated along at least the portion of the drop tube that is below the tarp so that the grain can exit the drop tube along the length of the drop tube. This loading system  30  allows for the grain to be deposited within the bin without the need to remove the tarp from the bin wall  12 . Additionally, the perforated drop tube  38  allows for the grain to fill the bin  10  to its natural angle of repose. 
         [0025]    The tarp  16  is secured to the drop tube  38  at its apex  16   a  by means of cables (which can be comprised of chains, ropes, cords, etc.) (not shown). The cables are connected to a winch system (not shown) to facilitate raising of the tarp  16  during loading, as is known, and to lower the tarp during unloading of the grain from the bin. The ability to raise and lower the tarp allows for the tarp to remain close to the grain, to limit the air gap between the grain pile in the bin  10  and the tarp  16 . The tarp  16  is secured at its periphery to the top of the wall  12  by any conventional means. 
         [0026]    The bin  10  is also provided with an unloading system  50  which enables the bin to be unloaded from beneath the tarp  16 . Thus, unlike conventional temporary storage bins, the tarp  16  does not need to be removed from the bin to unload grain from the bin. Further, as will be described in more detail below, the unloading system  50  allows for delivery of the grain from within the bin directly to transportation equipment (i.e., train cars, boats, barges, trailers, etc.). 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIGS. 2-6 , the bin includes a plurality of channels  52   a - d  in the floor  14  which radiate out from the center of the floor and extend to at least to the wall  12 . Four channels are shown, however more (or fewer) could be provided, as desired. The channels are preferably equally spaced apart. Thus, with the four channels  52   a - d , two adjacent channels define angles of 90°. Illustratively, the channel  52   a  (which extends to the pit P) can be 10′ deep by 10′ wide and the channels  52   b - d  can be 10′ deep by 8′ wide. The channels  52   a - d  are each covered along their length with perforated panels or flooring  54 . Illustratively, the panels  54  span the width of the channels, and a sufficient number of panels are placed across the channels to cover the channels. The perforations in the panels are sufficiently small so as to prevent grain from passing through the perforations. The perforations do, however, allow for air to pass through the panels  54  into the channels  52   a - d.    
         [0028]    An unloading conveyor  56  is positioned in channel  52   a  and extends from the center of the floor to the bucket elevator  32 . The conveyor  56  lies flat along the bottom of the channel  52   a  and delivers grain outwardly to the bucket elevator  32 . Feeding conveyors  58  are received in each of the channels  52   b - d . As will be explained below, feeding conveyors  58  operate to move grain radially inwardly, to deliver the grain to the unloading conveyor  56 . The feeding conveyors  58 , as illustratively shown, only extend about one-half the length of the channels  52   b - d . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the outer ends of the feeding conveyors  58  rests on the bottom of the channels  52   b - d , and the conveyors  58  slope upwardly to the center point, where the inner end of the feeding conveyors  58  are above the unloading conveyor  56 . 
         [0029]    The conveyors  56  and  58  are shown in  FIG. 3  in more detail. The conveyors  56  and  58  are all closed conveyors. As is common, the conveyors  56  and  58  contain elements, such as a moving belt, screw, paddles, etc. which will move grain through the conveyor. The moving elements are controlled by a motor  106  ( FIG. 7 ). Ports or gates  60  (described below) are positioned in the channels  52   a - d  above the conveyors  56  and  58 . Preferably, as seen in  FIG. 6A , a plurality of gates  60  are placed in the flooring above each channel. That is, the gates define part of the flooring above the channels. The gates  60  are preferably spaced along the channels. For example, the gates can be spaced apart about 10′ (˜3 m) on centers. This provides for multiple points for the grain to enter the conveyors along the length of the conveyors. Grain passes from the grain pile into the bin through the gates  60  and into the conveyors  56  and  58 . The conveyors  58  carry the grain radially inwardly toward the center of the bin, in the direction of the arrows A 1  ( FIG. 3 ). The grain carried inwardly by the conveyors  58  is received by the conveyor  56 , and the conveyor  56  carries the grain from the center of the bin outwardly to the bucket elevator  32  in the direction of the arrow A 2 . In addition, the conveyor  56  receives grain directly from the grain pile through gates  60  above the conveyor  56 . 
         [0030]    A junction  62  ( FIGS. 4A-C ) is provided to place the conveyors  58  in communication with the conveyor  56 . The junction  62  includes a central body  64  having a top  64   a  and an open bottom  64   b . The body  64  is closed on one side and on its top. Funnels  66  are shown to extend from three sides of the body. The funnels  66  are each defined by a sloping bottom wall  66   a , opposed side walls  66   b  and are open at their tops  66   c . A rim  68  surrounds the open top to define an opening into the funnel. The rim  68  is above the level of the body top surface  64   a , and hence, a sloping wall  70  extends from the rear of the rim toward a top edge of the body top surface  64   a . As best seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  4   d  and  5 , the conveyors  58  are mounted to the funnel  62 , and have exits  58   a  which overly the open top of the funnels  66 . The junction body  64  is positioned above an inlet  56   a  to the unloading conveyor  56 . Thus, the junction  62  places the conveyors  58  in communication with the conveyor  56 , such that the conveyors  58  will deliver grain to the conveyor  58 , and the conveyor  58  will deliver the grain out of the grain bin, as discussed more fully below. The junction box body is shown to be generally rectangular, with funnels  66  connected to three sides of the body. The body could be formed in other configurations (such as triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.) to provide for more or fewer funnels and thus more or fewer feeder conveyors  58 , as may be desired. 
         [0031]    As is clear, the conveyor  56  receives grain from the conveyors  58 . Additionally, the conveyor  56  receives grain through its own inlet ports  60 . Thus, as can be appreciated, the conveyor  56  has to be able to handle significantly more grain than do the conveyors  58 . To this end, as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the channel conveyor  56  is larger than the conveyors  58 . Similarly, as noted above, the channel  52   a  (which houses the conveyor  56 ) is larger than the channels  52   b - d  (which house the conveyors  58 . 
         [0032]    Turning to  FIG. 1A , the unloading conveyor  56  delivers the grain to the bucket elevator  32 , which as noted above, is outside the bin wall  12 . The bucket elevator  32  includes a grain receiving port  70  into which the conveyor  56  deposits grain. The grain receiving port is in the lower portion  32   a  of the bucket elevator in the pit P adjacent the bin  10 . The bucket elevator  32  carriers the grain up and out of the pit P. An unloading tube  72  ( FIG. 1 ) is provided to receive the grain to be unloaded from the bin, and to deliver the grain to transportation equipment (trailers, train cars, barges, ships, etc.). 
         [0033]    Turning to  FIGS. 6B-C , the gates  60  are preferably the substantially similar to the gates disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,714, which is incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, each gate  60  comprises a frame  60   a  having front, back and side members, a top surface  60   b  which is shorter than the length of the frame, and a sliding plate  60   c . The top surface, in combination with the frame, defines an aperture  60   d  through which grain can flow. The sliding plate is movable by means of a motor  60   e  between a position in which the plate is fully retracted beneath the aperture  60   d  (such that the aperture is fully opened) and a position in which the sliding plate  60   d  is in a forward most position (such that the aperture is fully closed). To facilitate controlling the rate of flow of grain through the gates  60 , the size of the aperture  60   d  can be increased or decreased by controlling the motor  60   e . Although not shown, a chute is provided between each gate  60  and the respective conveyor below the gate. The chute connects to the conveyor at an opening to the conveyor. Hence, the grain will flow through the gate aperture  60   d , through the chute and into the conveyor below the gate. Alternatively, the conveyors could be opened along the length of the tops of the conveyors, thereby eliminating the need for discrete openings into the conveyor. 
         [0034]    As the grain passes through the ports  60  into the conveyors  56  and  58 , the level of the grain will drop, and conical recesses will ultimately form in the grain pile. It is desirable that the level of the grain pile reduces in a generally even manner. To this end, the rate of entry of grain into the conveyors is controlled by means of a control system  100  ( FIG. 7 ), so that the rate of entry of grain at each port is substantially equal. The control system  100  includes a flow meter  102  at each port  60  to determine the rate at which grain enters each of the conveyors. The flow meters  102  transmit a signal indicative of the rate of grain flow to a CPU or processor  104 . The processor  104 , in turn, utilizes the signal from the meters  102  to control the speed of the conveyors and/or the size of the aperture  82  of the ports  86 . To this end, the CPU is in communication with the motors  106  of the conveyors, and the CPU can increase or decrease the speed of the conveyors, as it deems necessary to control the rate of grain entering the conveyors. Additionally, the CPU  104  is in communication with the motor  60   e  of each gate  60 . The CPU can control the gate  60  to increase or decrease the size of their respective apertures  60   d , as deemed necessary, to maintain an equal flow rate of grain through each port  60 . 
         [0035]    As is known, not all the grain will flow into the unloading system under the force of gravity. Rather, without mechanical assistance, the grain would flow under gravity into the unloading system until piles of grain were left that had an angle of repose for the grain to be unloaded. At that time, grain would cease to enter the unloading system under the force of gravity. To this end, the grain bin unloading system can be provided with at least one bin sweep  90  ( FIG. 2 ) located along the path of each channel  52   a - d . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bin sweeps  90  are located approximately mid-way along the length of each channel, such that the sweeps  90  are located proximate the ends of the feeding conveyors  58  and approximately at the mid-point of the unloading conveyor  56 . Although a single bin sweep  90  is shown in conjunction with each channel  52   a - d  (and hence in conjunction with each conveyor), in view of the length of the channels, additional bin sweeps can be positioned along the length of the channels. Further, additional bin sweeps can be located in a spaced relationship from the channels. These additional bin sweeps would be positioned to sweep grain into the path of the first-noted bin sweeps, such that the first noted bin sweeps could then sweep the grain in to the unloading system. Alternatively, the bin could be provided with one single bin sweep which would extend from the center of the bin to the edge of the bin, and which would direct grain to the gates  60  as the sweep rotated about the bin. 
         [0036]    Lastly, the bin  10  includes an aeration system to maintain a flow of air through the grain to maintain the condition of the grain. To this end, blowers  92  ( FIG. 1B ) are provided at the ends of the channels  52   b - d . The blowers  92  direct air outwardly, away from the bin. Thus, air is pulled into the bin from the top of the bin, through the grain pile beneath the tarp, through the perforated floor panels and into the channels  52   b - d.    
         [0037]    As can be appreciated from the above description, the grain bin  10  and its associated loading system  30  and unloading system  50  are too large to be delivered in an assembled condition. Hence, the components of the bin and the loading and unloading system are delivered to the site, and the bin is constructed on site. The various elements that will be delivered include the wall segments to construct the bin wall; the tarp, conveyor sections to construct the conveyors  56 ,  58 , perforated flooring plates  54 , gates  60 , blowers  92 , sections for the feed tube  38  and delivery conveyor  34 , components for the bucket elevator  32  and the various gravity dependent feed tubes  36  and  72 . 
         [0038]    As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the claimed invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.