Abstract:
In one aspect, an apparatus includes an elongated housing, first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings in a top wall of the housing, an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing, a first conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening, and a second conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening. The outlet opening is longitudinally disposed between the first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings. In another aspect, an apparatus includes a housing having first and second opposite ends and an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing. The first end is configured to receive a portion of a first conveyor and the second end is configured to receive a portion of a second conveyor. The first and second conveyors are configured to move material toward the outlet opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/599,772, filed Jan. 19, 2015, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,382,075 on Jul. 5, 2016; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/605,300, filed Sep. 6, 2012, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,960,412 on Feb. 24, 2015, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a low-profile drive-over conveyor assembly for use in moving grain and other particulate material. Grain and other particulate products are typically transported in vehicles known as “belly-dump” and/or “side-dump” trucks or in similarly functioning trailers. Such trucks or trailers open from the bottom and/or side of the grain hopper basin and empty their contents using the force of gravity. These trucks or trailers were originally designed to empty their contents into pits built into the ground. However, it often is not feasible for a pit to be excavated into the ground; thus, an alternative device is needed to receive the contents of such trucks or trailers. In a drive-over grain hopper for this purpose, a low profile is desired, since belly-dump and side-dump trucks and trailers are designed with low ground clearance. Additionally, it is advantageous if a drive-over grain hopper is capable of moving large amounts of grain in order to facilitate rapid unloading of such trucks or trailers. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, this disclosure describes an apparatus comprising an elongated housing, first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings in a top wall of the housing, an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing, a first conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening, and a second conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening. The outlet opening is longitudinally disposed between the first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings. 
     In another aspect, this disclosure describes an apparatus comprising a housing having first and second opposite ends and an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing. The first end is configured to receive a portion of a first conveyor and the second end is configured to receive a portion of a second conveyor. The first and second conveyors are configured to move material toward the outlet opening. 
     In yet another aspect, this disclosure describes an apparatus comprising a horizontally-disposed rectangular plate and a raised portion that extends from the plate. The plate is symmetrical about a vertical plane and comprises a plurality of apertures. The raised portion comprises an apex located on the vertical plane. 
     This summary is provided to introduce concepts in simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. 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 embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosed subject matter will be further explained with reference to the attached figures, wherein like structure or system elements are referred to by like reference numerals throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art drive-over conveyor. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplary tandem drive-over conveyor assembly of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the tandem conveyor assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the tandem conveyor assembly of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a head assembly of the exemplary tandem conveyor assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a distributor plate optionally disposed within the tandem conveyor assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     While the above-identified figures set forth one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the disclosure. In all cases, this disclosure presents the disclosed subject matter by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of this disclosure. 
     The figures may not be drawn to scale. In particular, some features may be enlarged relative to other features for clarity. Moreover, where terms such as above, below, over, under, top, bottom, side, right, left, etc., are used, it is to be understood that they are used only for ease of understanding the description. It is contemplated that structures may be oriented otherwise. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to a low-profile tandem drive-over conveyor for grain or other material that is emptied from hoppers of a grain truck or trailer or similar reservoir. In an exemplary method of use, a truck or trailer having two full hoppers drives over the tandem conveyor, which is installed in a ground excavation in an exemplary embodiment. The truck or trailer is positioned so that the two hopper outlets are above two spaced-apart intake grates of the tandem conveyor. The truck empties its loads simultaneously into the two spaced-apart grates. The tandem conveyor uses dual conveyors, such as side chains with paddles, to move the material from each of the two spaced-apart grates toward a central dump-through opening over a single grate of a single conveyor positioned generally orthogonal to the tandem conveyor. A distributor, which in an exemplary embodiment is in the form of a plate with a raised triangular central portion and surrounding slots, is placed between the dump-through opening of the tandem conveyor and the intake of the single conveyor to prevent clogging as material from both of the spaced-apart intake grates of the tandem conveyor comes together and is deposited onto the single conveyor. The material then travels on the grain moving mechanism of the single conveyor, to be directed to a desired location. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art drive-over conveyor  10  having a tail  12 , horizontal section  14 , curve section  16 , incline section  18 , and head  20 . Such a conveyor is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,566 to Stewart et al., of Sudenga Industries, Inc., the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference. Intake opening  22  typically covered by a grid or grate to allow particulate material to pass therethrough is positioned over an opening in an upper wall of horizontal section  14 . 
     A side wall of the conveyor  10  is not shown so that the drive mechanism is visible in the illustration. The drive mechanism of conveyor  10  includes a motor  24  operably connected to chain sprocket  26 . Paddles  36  in an exemplary embodiment are supported on an endless chain linkage  38  of a type commonly known in the art, having discrete longitudinal lengths connected by lateral pivot pins. The endless conveyor chain linkage  38  is configured to form an endless loop which extends around chain sprockets  26  and  40  and over and under grain transfer bed  30 . Paddles  34  moves in the direction indicated by arrows  34 , thereby moving grain along grain transfer path  28  on a top surface of grain transfer bed  30 . More details on the configuration of endless conveyor chain linkage  38  can be found in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,566, which is hereby incorporated by its reference in its entirety. 
     Grain transfer path  28  is defined on an upper surface of grain transfer bed  30  from intake opening  22  to discharge outlet  32 . While the discussed embodiment refers to grain in particular, it is to be understood that the apparatuses and methods of this disclosure also apply to other particulate material. After the grain falls by gravity through discharge outlet  32 , the endless conveyor chain linkage  38  continues with no grain thereon under grain transfer bed  30 , around sprocket  40 , and back under intake opening  22 , where incoming grain is then conveyed along grain transfer path  28 . In an exemplary embodiment, conveyor  10  is designed to move particulate material from inlet opening  22  to head  20  at a rate of about ten thousand bushels per hour. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplary tandem drive-over conveyor assembly  42  of the present disclosure. Tandem conveyor assembly  42  includes tandem conveyor  44  arranged in a manner to feed particulate material to transverse conveyor  10 , which is positioned orthogonal to tandem conveyor  44 . In the illustrated embodiment, tandem conveyor  44  comprises lateral conveyors  46  and  48  connected to head assembly  50 . Each of lateral conveyors  46  and  48  includes tail  112  and horizontal section  114 . Head assembly  50  contains the heads of each of lateral conveyors  46 ,  48 . Tandem conveyor  44  includes an elongated housing  52 , a side panel of which is removed in the illustrated embodiment for viewing of the drive mechanisms of lateral conveyors  46  and  48 . Each lateral conveyor  46 ,  48  includes an intake opening  54  disposed on a top wall of housing  52 . Thus, tandem conveyor  44  includes two spaced apart material inlet openings, at intake openings  54 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, spaced apart intake openings  54  (covered, for example by a grid or grate to allow particulate material to pass therethrough) are positioned to allow for simultaneous receipt of the contents of double hopper trailers or trucks, which have two spaced-apart hoppers on a single wagon or trailer. In an exemplary embodiment, the spacing between intake openings  54  is adjustable to accommodate different spacing between the two hoppers of double-hopper trailers and trucks. The grain flowing through each of the intake openings  54  is conveyed along its respective endless conveyor chain linkage  138  toward outlet opening  53  (shown in  FIG. 5  and discussed below). Each endless conveyor chain linkage  138  is supported on chain sprockets  126  and  140  to move paddles  136  in the directions indicated by arrows  134  in an endless loop around grain transfer bed  130 . Motors associated with each of endless conveyor chain linkages  138  are not shown, but their operation is similar to that discussed above with endless conveyor chain linkage  38 . Lateral grain transfer paths  128  extend from each intake opening  54  along a top surface of grain transfer bed  130  to central opening  56 . The endless conveyor chain linkages  138  are each configured to form an endless loop which extends around chain sprockets  126  and  140  and over and under grain transfer beds  130 . Other details of a conveyor drive mechanism of this type are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,566, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, housing  52  includes head assembly  50  longitudinally disposed between spaced-apart intake openings  54 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an exemplary head assembly  50  to which the lateral conveyors  46 ,  48  are connected. In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal section  114  of each of the lateral conveyors  46 ,  48  is fastened to head assembly  50  at end flanges  61 . Central opening  56  extends vertically though head assembly  50  and thereby includes an inlet opening  51  in a top surface of head assembly  50  and an outlet opening  53  in a bottom surface of head assembly  50 . Central opening  56  is flanked by funnel flaps  62 , each disposed at an angle of 45° from the horizontal, to facilitate the draining of particulate material through central opening  56 . Grain entering head assembly  50 , whether by direct deposit through inlet opening  51  or by conveyance from intake openings  54 , flows out of outlet opening  53 . In an exemplary embodiment, chain sprockets  126  are disposed within assembly  50  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     In one exemplary embodiment, such grain then flows onto and through distributor  58  before entering intake opening  22  (i.e., an opening in a top wall of horizontal section) of conveyor  10 . In another embodiment, distributor  58  is omitted, and grain flows directly through central opening  56  and into conveyor  10 . As described in more detail below, distributor  58  is designed to evenly spread the flow of grain across a width of grain transfer bed  30 , thereby facilitating a high flow rate while minimizing a potential for clogging. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are top plan and side elevation views, respectively, of tandem conveyor assembly  42 . Each of lateral conveyors  46 ,  48  is supported in exemplary embodiment at tails  112  by height-adjustable casters  60  on a ground surface. Thus, even if the ground surface is not level, that tandem conveyor  44  can be disposed in a generally level horizontal position. In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary length L of tandem conveyor  44  is approximately 22 feet; an exemplary width W of tandem conveyor  44  is about 57 inches; and an exemplary depth D of tandem conveyor  42  is approximately 33 inches. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an exemplary distributor  58 , which is positioned between central opening  56  of tandem conveyor  44  and intake opening  22  of conveyor  10  in an exemplary embodiment. A discussion of upstream and downstream directions with reference to  FIG. 6  will be with reference to the flow direction of grain transfer path  28  of conveyor  10 , onto which the grain will flow after flowing through distributor  58 . Distributor  58  is designed so that grain flowing through central opening  56  is distributed evenly across a width of conveyor  10 . In the illustrated design, distributor  58  is symmetrical about vertical plane  63 , which transversely bisects distributor  58 . In an exemplary embodiment, distributor  58  includes plate or surface  64  having a plurality of apertures in the form of slots  66  therethrough. Slots  66  are arranged on plate  64  around a raised triangular portion  68 . In an exemplary embodiment, triangular portion  68  has a narrow upstream dimension (as at  68   a ) and a wider downstream dimension (as at  68   b ). In an exemplary embodiment, plate  64  is about 43 inches square and raised triangular portion  68  has a pyramidal configuration with a height of about 6.5 inches at apex or peak  70 . Each of two sloped faces  74  rises at a shallow angle from intersections  72  on plate  64  to peak  70  on plane  63 . 
     Grain entering through central opening  56  impinges upon distributor  58  at faces  74 , plate  64 , or flows directly down through slots  66 . Two exemplary flow paths  76  are illustrated, though many other paths are possible. A function of distributor  56  is to evenly spread the flow of particulate material across a width of intake opening  22  of conveyor  10  to allow for the highest processing flow rate without undue clogging. In an exemplary embodiment, this is accomplished by the positioning of elongated slots  66   a  about a perimeter of raised triangular portion  68  proximate intersections  72 . Other sets of elongated slots  66   b  extend from upstream corners  78  of plate  64  toward a midpoint of the line of slots  66   a . In an exemplary embodiment, each of the slots  66  has a width of about 3 to about 4 inches. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, tandem conveyor assembly  42  is installed to be driven over by a truck or trailer. In a typical installation, tandem conveyor assembly  42  is positioned in a trough excavated into the ground. The low profile of tandem conveyor assembly  42  is particularly advantageous where a high water table resides under the ground surface. Use of the disclosed tandem conveyor assembly  42  is also economical because little site preparation is required. In another installation, ramps can be used on which the truck or trailer can travel to position the hopper openings of the truck or trailer over the intake openings  54  of the tandem conveyor  44 . 
     The tandem conveyor assembly  42  of the present disclosure accommodates the simultaneous unloading of hoppers on trailers and trucks where there are two hoppers (using both intake openings  54 ), those where there is a single hopper (using central opening  56 , which lies above intake openings  22  of single conveyor  10 ), and those where there is a triple hopper (using both intake openings  54  and central opening  56 ). In an exemplary embodiment of tandem assembly  42 , each of lateral conveyors  46  and  48  is designed to move particulate material from each of intake opening  54  to central opening  56  at a rate of about five thousand bushels per hour, thereby feeding single conveyor  10  material at a rate of about ten thousand bushels per hour. Thus, tandem conveyor assembly  42  is capable of moving large amounts of grain in order to facilitate rapid unloading of truck or trailer hoppers. 
     In an exemplary method of use, a truck or trailer containing particulate material such as grain is driven over tandem conveyor  44  so that outlets of the hoppers of the truck/trailer are positioned over the intake openings  54  and/or central opening  56 . The hopper outlet doors are opened, thereby allowing the grain to flow into the intake openings  54  and/or central opening  56 . The grain is moved along grain transfer paths  28  to central outlet opening  53  of tandem conveyor assembly  42  to feed into conveyor  10 . In transverse conveyor  10 , the grain moves on grain transfer path  28  and out discharge outlet  32 , for deposit into a desired receptacle. Once the hoppers are empty, the truck/trailer is driven away. Another truck/trailer with full hoppers is driven over tandem conveyor  44  so that outlets of the full hoppers of the truck/trailer are positioned over the intake openings  54  and/or central opening  56 , and the process of grain deposition and movement is repeated. 
     Although the subject of this disclosure has been described with reference to several 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 disclosure. In addition, any feature disclosed with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated in another embodiment, and vice-versa.