Abstract:
A bulk loader including an air inlet, an air-particulates separating chamber in communication with the air inlet, an air outlet in communication with the air-particulates separating chamber, means for moving air and particulates into the air-particulates separating chamber, means for separating air from particulates positioned within the air-particulates separating chamber, means for removing air from the air-particulates separating chamber, an auger, the auger being in communication with the air-particulates separating chamber by way of an auger opening in the air-particulates separating chamber, and a screen positioned across a portion of the auger opening adapted to permit air to flow therethrough and adapted to prevent particulates from flowing therethrough.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to a Canadian Patent Application entitled AUGER SCREEN, filed on Apr. 23, 2007, in the name of Applicant REM Manufacturing Ltd., invented by Gary Lane Francis. The entire content of that application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to bulk loaders for grain, particulates and granular materials (hereinafter referred to as “particulates”) which utilize a source of negative pressure to create a suction air stream that draws particulates into the bulk loader for removal by an auger or screw-type conveyor (hereinafter referred to as an “auger”) to a location remote from the bulk loader and more particularly, the present invention relates to an auger screen for such bulk loaders. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE ART 
       [0003]    In the past, bulk loaders, using suction or negative pressure, move particulates through a suction/vacuum pickup conduit or pipe (hereinafter a “particulate vacuum hose”) into an air-particulate separating chamber within the loader for subsequent removal of the particulates by an auger positioned within an auger conveyor tube (hereinafter “auger tube”) to a location remote from the loader, these bulk loaders typically utilizing a fan or blower to create suction for the vacuum pickup of the particulate materials. Upon arrival in the air-particulate separating chamber within the loader, the particulate material is then moved, for example, by an auger positioned within the auger tube to a position remote from the loader, such as a grain bin or a grain cart or other container. 
         [0004]    Dis-advantageously however, when particulate materials are fed into the particulate vacuum hose at an excessive rate, the particulate vacuum hose may become intermittently restricted or plugged. When this occurs, air may be drawn by way of the auger tube back into the loader&#39;s air-particulate separating chamber, and in the process, as the air travels through the auger tube, it may draw particulate material from the auger and auger tube back into the loader&#39;s air-particulate separating chamber, thereby filling or refilling the air-particulate separating chamber with particulates or preventing maximum loading of the auger, and restricting the output load capacity of the loader. 
         [0005]    There is a need to prevent or reduce the amount of particulate material from being drawn back into the loader&#39;s air-particulate separating chamber when the particulate vacuum hose becomes intermittently restricted or plugged. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a device which when installed on a bulk loader, will prevent, reduce or limit the amount of particulate material which may be drawn back into the bulk loader&#39;s air-particulate separating chamber when the particulate vacuum hose becomes intermittently restricted or plugged. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bulk loader comprising an air inlet, an air-particulates separating chamber in communication with the air inlet, an air outlet in communication with the air-particulates separating chamber, means for moving air and particulates into the air-particulates separating chamber, means for separating air from particulates positioned within the air-particulates separating chamber, means for removing air from the air-particulates separating chamber, an auger, the auger being in communication with the air-particulates separating chamber by way of an auger opening in the air-particulates separating chamber, and a screen positioned across a portion of the auger opening adapted to permit air to flow therethrough and adapted to prevent particulates from flowing therethrough. 
         [0008]    The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device which when installed on a bulk loader, will prevent, reduce or limit the amount of particulate material which may be drawn back into the bulk loader&#39;s air-particulate separating chamber when the particulate vacuum hose becomes intermittently restricted or plugged. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a view, partially in ghost form, of a bulk loader; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a view, partially in ghost form, of a portion of the bulk loader illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view of the auger screen assembly and screen element of one embodiment of the present invention positioned across a portion of the auger opening; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4A  is a view of an auger opening of a bulk loader; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4B  is an exploded view of the auger screen assembly of one embodiment of the present invention positioned across a portion of the auger opening; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the auger screen assembly of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a loader  1  is provided, having a chassis  3  which may have wheels  4  thereon, or not (the latter, for example, for stationary use). In the wheeled embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the chassis has a forwardly extending tongue  5  to permit the loader  1  to be towed by a vehicle (not shown). 
         [0017]    In the version of the loader illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , suction or vacuum is provided by one or more blowers (not shown) positioned within the blower housing  24 , the blower or blowers drawing air and particulates by way of a hose (not shown) through inlet  19  into the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , the air thereafter passes through small perforations within the generally cylindrical rotating drum  41  in the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , and the air is thereafter exhausted through, in one embodiment of the present invention such as is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a secondary air-particulates separation chamber  22 , and thereafter to an air outlet  29  through which the air is expelled from the loader  1  by way of the blowers, the particulates being separated from the air stream after passage through the inlet  19  and remaining withing the air-particulates separating chamber  21  until such time as they are removed by the auger  34 . 
         [0018]    At or near the bottom of the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , an auger opening  101  is provided, to provide access or a passageway between the air-particulates separating chamber  21  and the auger  34 , the auger  34  extending preferably generally upwardly and away from the air-particulates separating chamber  21  through an elongated tubular housing  35 , up to and through an end dump  65  or other similar device through which the particulates pass before falling into a pile or container or vehicle as desired by the user. 
         [0019]    During operation, the auger may be, for example, mechanically driven, for example, by one or more drive shafts  78  and  79  (for example, through an appropriate power transfer case  99 ) and/or chain  125  by means of sprockets  118  and  130  ( and where appropriate, one or more tensioning sprockets  124 ) or other power transfer mechanisms known to a person skilled in the art, the rotating auger lifting the particulates from the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , through the elongated tubular housing  35 , up to and through an end dump  65  or other similar device through which the particulates pass before falling into a pile or container or vehicle as desired by the user. 
         [0020]    The blowers (not shown) positioned within the blower housing  24 , the rotating drum  41 , and the auger  34  may be driven, for example, by means of a main driveshaft  79  attached, for example, to one end of the power take off of a tractor, or other rotary power device, and on the other end to one or more appropriate power-transfer cases  99 , and such other chains (for example  125 ), belts (for example  18 ) and/or drive shafts (for example  81 ) as would be known to a person skilled in the art. 
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an auger screen assembly  103 , such as the one illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 B and  5 , is positioned and securely engaged in a manner more fully described herein, across a portion of the auger opening  101 , preferably at or near that end of the auger opening  101  nearest to the end dump  65  or other opening in the auger tube remote from the air-particulate separation chamber. As illustrated in  FIG. 4A , the auger screen assembly can be readily removed and the loader operated without the auger screen assembly. 
         [0022]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auger screen assembly  103  preferably has a screen element  104  made of 12 gauge mild steel, or other suitable material, it being understood that alternative materials may be utilized as would be known to a person skilled in the art. In the preferred embodiment, an array  105  of a large number of (for example, between 100 and 1000) ⅛ inch diameter circular holes, with 3/16 inch center to center distance therebetween is provided in the screen element  104 , it being understood that the size and shape of the array  105  of holes and the size and shape and number of the holes may be varied according to the size and characteristics of the particulates to be passing through the bulk loader and such other factors as would be known to person skilled in the art. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, slotted (i.e. oval-shaped or non-round) holes may be utilized in place of the above-described circular holes, the hole size and relative distance between the holes being varied as needed, for example, relatively narrow slotted and closely spaced holes may be used for smaller and drier particulates, and whereas wider, less closely spaced holes may be used for larger or wetter particulates). In a further alternative embodiment, wire mesh screen or finally spaced louvers may be used in place of the above-described circular or slotted holes. 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment, the screen element  104  has four holes  108  therein through which, during the installation of the screen element  104  onto the bulk loader, the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods may pass, the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods being welded or otherwise securely fastened to the surface of the air-particulates separating chamber  21 . In the preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4B and 5 , a support frame  100  is provided, preferably made of 12 gauge steel (or other suitable material, it being understood that alternative materials may be utilized as would be known to a person skilled in the art), and having holes  110  substantially corresponding in location to the four holes  108  of the screen element  104 , is installed on top of and securely engaged with the screen element  104 , the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods passing through the holes  110 , and thereafter, the washers  112  and nuts being positioned on the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods, the nuts thereafter being tightened to securely engage the support frame  100  and the screen element  104  to the surface of the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , across a portion of the auger opening  101 . It is understood that a wide range of alternative methods may be used to securely and temporarily (or permanently) engage and support the screen element  104  in an appropriate position across a portion of the auger opening  101  as would be known to a person skilled in the art. 
         [0024]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the screen element  104  is made of heavier gauge or stronger material than the 12 gauge steel of the preferred embodiment, and in this alternative embodiment, the screen element  104  is positioned upon and securely fastened to the surface of the air-particulates separating chamber  21  across a portion of the auger opening  101  without the support frame  100 , the screen element  104  in this embodiment has four holes  108  therein through which, during the installation of the screen element  104 , the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods may pass, the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods being welded or otherwise securely fastened to the surface of the air-particulates separating chamber  21 . Thereafter, the washers  112  and nuts are positioned on the threaded studs  102  or threaded rods, the nuts thereafter being tightened to securely engage the screen element  104  to the surface of the air-particulates separating chamber  21 , across a portion of the auger opening  101 . 
         [0025]    It is understood that the present invention described herein may be used, with appropriate modifications as would be understood by a person skilled in the art, on a wide variety of bulk loaders which vary from the ones illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  herein. 
         [0026]    The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. 
         [0027]    However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.