Abstract:
A device is described for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box. The device comprises a portable lightweight structure which is attached to the box and which uses an electrically operated screw actuator or linear actuator to move the discharge door of the box from its closed position to its open position and vice versa. The device is preferably remotely controlled.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box and more particularly to a device which utilizes an electrically operated screw actuator or linear actuator to open and close the discharge door. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Bulk seed systems have been in wide use for many years to eliminate the need for filling row planter boxes and grain drills with seed from individual bags. A popular type of bulk seed box is that which is manufactured by Buckhorn, Inc. of Milford, Ohio, who is the owner of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,845,799 and 6,010,022 relating to bulk seed boxes. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. of Johnston, Iowa, markets agricultural seeds in large bulk seed boxes under the registered trademark PROBOX®. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,094,356 and 7,086,342 which disclose bulk seed boxes having discharge doors or slide gates. 
     The bulk seed boxes of Buckhorn, Inc. and Pioneer have a sliding discharge door at the lower ends thereof through which the seed in the bulk seed box is dumped into a seed system, wagon, truck, etc. When the large bulk seed boxes are delivered to a farmer or the like, the bulk seed box is normally elevated above the ground by means of a forklift or a front end loader so that the contents of the bulk seed box may be dumped into a seed system/wagon/truck so that the seed may be conveyed therefrom into the planting devices. The fact that the bulk seed boxes are elevated above the truck or the like requires that a person climb upwardly on the truck or a ladder to manually open the discharge door. Further, the weight of the seed in the box sometimes causes the bulk seed box to slightly deform which makes it extremely difficult to manually open or close the discharge door. Applicant&#39;s invention described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,137,043 issued Mar. 20, 2012 represents a vast improvement in the art. The instant invention represents a further improvement in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A lightweight portable device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box is disclosed which is removably secured to the lower end of the bulk seed box while the bulk seed box is on the ground or other suitable supporting surface. The inner end of the device of this invention is selectively removably inserted into openings in the lower end of the bulk seed box at opposite sides of the discharge door. The device includes an electrically operated screw actuator or linear actuator which has a generally C-shaped connector mounted on the outer end of the actuator rod thereof which is selectively removably connected to the discharge door and which will pull the discharge door from its closed position to its open position as the actuator rod of the screw actuator is retracted. The C-shaped connector may also be used to push the discharge door from its open position to its closed position upon the extension of the actuator rod of the screw actuator. 
     The device may be remotely controlled which eliminates the need for a person to climb up on a truck or ladder to manually operate the discharge door. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which includes an electrically operated screw actuator for moving the discharge door of the bulk seed box between its closed and open positions and vice versa. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box which may be remotely operated. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box which is portable and lightweight. 
     These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the device of this invention with the actuator rod of the screw actuator being in its retracted position; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the device of this invention with the actuator rod of the screw actuator being in its retracted position; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the device of this invention with broken lines illustrating the screw actuator in its extended position and in its elevated position; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view illustrating the C-shaped connector of the device being connected to the discharge door of a bulk seed box; and 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view illustrating the C-shaped connector of the device connected to the bulk seed box and the discharge door thereof. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The numeral  10  refers to the door opening and closing device of this invention which is designed to open and close the sliding discharge door  12  of a bulk seed box  14  such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,010,022 and 5,845,799, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference thereto. In the &#39;022 patent, the sliding door is identified as a cutoff device  50  which selectively closes the outlet  60  in the bottom wall of the base. In the &#39;799 patent, the sliding discharge door is referred to as a cutoff device or flow control valve  89 . 
     Device  10  includes a frame or support  18  which is shown to be L-shaped with a bottom plate  20  and an upstanding side plate  22 . It should be noted that the support  18  could have other shapes as well. A conventional battery receptacle  24  is mounted on the outer side of plate  22  and is adapted to selectively removably receive a rechargeable battery  26  which in this case of the particular device is an 18-volt rechargeable battery such as marketed by Black &amp; Decker. When positioned in receptacle  24 , the battery  26  is electrically connected to the electrical circuitry of the receptacle  24  in conventional fashion. Electrical leads  27  extend from receptacle  24  which are connected to a terminal block  28  which may include a transformer if necessary. 
     Terminal block  28  is electrically connected to a controller  30 , by leads  31 , which includes an RF receiver. Terminal block  28  is electrically connected to an electrically driven screw actuator  32  or linear actuator, by leads  33 , the base of which is pivotally secured to bottom plate  20 , about a horizontal axis, at  34 . Screw actuator  32  includes an extendable and retractable actuator rod  35 . 
     An elongated support  36  has its rearward end secured to the underside of plate  20  and extends forwardly therefrom. Support  38  is secured to the forward end of support  36  so as to be transversely disposed with respect thereto. 
     The numeral  40  refers to a vertically disposed plate having a rearward end  42  and a forward end  44 . As seen, the upper end of plate  40  is curved at  46 . The upper forward end of plate  40  has a pair of hooks  48  and  50  provided thereon. 
     The numeral  52  refers to a vertically disposed plate having a rearward end  54  and a forward end  56 . As seen, the upper end of plate  52  is curved at  58 . The upper forward end of plate  52  and has a pair of hooks  60  and  62  extending upwardly therefrom. As seen, plates  40  and  52  are welded to the ends of support  38 . 
     A horizontally disposed C-shaped connector  64  is secured to the outer end of rod  35  of screw actuator  32  and has hooks  68  and  70  at the opposite ends thereof. As seen, the body  71  of screw actuator  32  extends through a handle  72  which includes side portions  74  and  76  and an upper portion  78 . The handle  72  not only provides a handle but also serves as a limit to the upward pivotal movement of the screw actuator  32  with respect to the support  36 . 
     The device  10  is used as follows. When the filled bulk seed box  14  is on the ground or other suitable supporting surface, the plates  40  and  52  are extended inwardly through openings in the bulk seed box  14  at opposite sides of the discharge door  12 . The rearward end of the device  10  is then moved downwardly, which is enhanced by the weight of the device  10 , so that the hooks  48 ,  50  and  60 ,  62  on the upper forward ends of the plates  40  and  52  respectively move upwardly into engagement with the bulk seed box  14  to hold the device  10  in place. At this time, the screw actuator  32  will usually be in its retracted position. The forward end of actuator  32  will then be pivotally moved upwardly to the uppermost dotted line position of  FIG. 3 . The remote controller fob  80 , which is an RF transmitter, will then be actuated to extend the actuator rod  35  to the upper dashed line position of  FIG. 3  to position the connector  64  over the central upstanding wall portion  82  of discharge door  12 . The connector  64  is then lowered to engage the wall portion  82 . 
     The bulk seed box  14  may then be raised upwardly by a front-end loader or the like. When the box  14  is properly positioned over a seed system wagon, truck, or the like, the fob  80  will be actuated to cause the actuator rod  35  of actuator  32  to be retracted which will cause the discharge door to be opened. When the seed has been discharged from the box  14 , the fob  80  may be again activated to cause the actuator rod  35  to be extended from actuator  32  which will cause the connector  64  to push the discharge door  12  to its closed position. The instant invention is lightweight, portable and easy to operate. 
     Although the device  10  has been described as being used to open and close the discharge door  12  of a bulk seed box  14  which is to be elevated above a seed system wagon, truck or the like, the device  10  may also be used to open and close the discharge door  12  of a bulk seed box which is positioned on a seed tender such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,971,324 and 6,994,039. 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.