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 to move the discharge door of the box from its closed position to its open position and vice versa. The device also includes a spreader mechanism which relieves the stress or tension on the supporting slide or track for the discharge door so that the discharge door may be more easily opened and closed.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of the provisional application entitled DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE DISCHARGE DOOR OF A BULK SEED BOX, Ser. No. 60/993,169, filed Sep. 10, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    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 to open and close the discharge door. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    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 boxes. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. of Johnston, Iowa, markets agricultural seeds in large bulk 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. 
         [0006]    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 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 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 seed box to slightly deform which makes it extremely difficult to manually open or close the discharge door. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    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. 
         [0008]    A device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box is disclosed which includes a lightweight portable device which is removably secured to the lower end of the seed box while the seed box is on the ground or other suitable supporting surface. 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 which has a support mounted on the outer end of the actuator rod thereof which includes a claw-like member thereon which is 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 support also includes a generally C-shaped portion which is brought into engagement with the outer end of the discharge door and which will push the discharge door from its open position to its closed position upon extension of the actuator rod of the screw actuator. 
         [0009]    The device also includes a spreader means thereon which may be used to relieve stress on the slide supports for the discharge door so that the discharge door may be more easily moved between its closed and open positions. The device may be remotely controlled which eliminates the need for a person to climb up a truck or ladder to manually operate the discharge door. 
         [0010]    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. 
         [0011]    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. 
         [0012]    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. 
         [0013]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box which includes a spreader device for relieving the stress between the discharge door and its support slides. 
         [0014]    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. 
         [0015]    These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    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. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the device of this invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the device of this invention with the screw actuator in its retracted position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a top view similar to  FIG. 2  except that the screw actuator has been extended and the inner ends of the side frames of the device having been spread outwardly to relieve stress on the sliding discharge gate; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view illustrating a portion of a bulk seed box and the device of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    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. 
         [0022]    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 of a bulk seed box 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 . 
         [0023]    Device  10  includes a horizontally disposed generally U-shaped frame  12  having a base portion  14  and horizontally spaced-apart legs  16  and  18  extending from the opposite ends thereof. A cross-brace  19  is secured to and extends between legs  16  and  18 , as seen in the drawings. A generally U-shaped handle  20  has its leg portions  22  and  24  secured to legs  16  and  18 , respectively, to provide a convenient means for carrying and positioning the device  10 . 
         [0024]    Enlarged foot portions  26  and  28  are secured to the free ends of legs  18  land  20  by welding or the like. Bracket  30  is secured to foot portion  26  at the inner side thereof and extends horizontally towards foot portion  28 . An internally threaded sleeve  32  is pivotally connected, about a vertical axis, to the foot portion  28  by a pivot pin  33  and has externally threaded bolt or stud  34  threadably received therein. The outer end of stud  34  is threadably received within nut  36  which is welded to nut  38 . The effective combined length of studs  34  and  40  may be selectively changed by threadably rotating stud  34  inwardly or outwardly with respect to nut  36  and by threadably rotating stud  40  inwardly or outwardly with respect to nut  38 . 
         [0025]    A linkage  42  has one end thereof pivotally connected to bracket  30  about a vertically disposed pivot pin  43  and has its other end pivotally secured to a cam or over-center lever  44  by pivot pin  55  to enable foot portions  26  and  28  to be spread apart as will be discussed hereinafter. 
         [0026]    The numeral  46  refers to a conventional screw actuator mechanism which may be driven by a 12-volt D.C. motor. Mechanism  46  will either utilize a self-contained 12-volt battery or a connecting cable extending to the electrical system of a forklift or tractor. The mechanism  46  may be used with a remote control  48  or a simple on/off controller  50  mounted on the frame  12 . One end of mechanism  46  is pivotally secured to the base portion  14  of frame  12  by pivot pin  47 . A bracket  52  is secured to cross-brace  19  and has a pin  54  extending between the upper ends of the legs of the bracket  52 , as seen in the drawings. As seen in  FIG. 3 , one end of pin  54  extends laterally outwardly of bracket  52 . The body portion  56  of mechanism  46  is positioned in bracket  52  below pin  54 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0027]    The actuator rod  58  of mechanism  46  has a generally C-shaped support  60  secured thereto by pin  62 . A claw or latch  64  is pivotally secured to support  60  by pin  66 . The outer end of latch  64  has a downwardly extending latch portion  68 . A spring is operatively associated with latch  60  to yieldably urge the outer end of latch  60  downwardly into the latching position seen in  FIG. 1 . A pin  70  is secured to support  60  and extends over latch  64  to limit the upward movement thereof. 
         [0028]    An elongated angular guide or support  72  has its forward end secured to support  60  by bolts or screws  74 . The side of support  72  has an elongated slot  76  formed therein which receives the protruding end of pin  54 . A retainer  78  is secured to the end of pin  54  to maintain the protruding end of pin  54  in slot  76 . 
         [0029]    The bottom portion of a typical bulk seed box or container  80  is partially shown in  FIG. 4  and includes a discharge door  82  which is slidably positioned on a pair of horizontally spaced guide rails  84  in conventional fashion. Box  80  also has a pair of spaced-apart openings  86  formed therein. 
         [0030]    In use, the components of the device  10  will normally be in the position illustrated in  FIG. 2  prior to it being attached to the bulk seed container or box  80 . The lever  44  will be in the position as seen in  FIG. 2  which enables the foot portions  26  and  28  to be inserted into the openings  86  at the side of the container on opposite sides of the sliding discharge gate or door  82 . This step is normally accomplished while the bulk seed box  80  is positioned on the ground or suitable supporting surface. Once the foot portions  26  and  28  have been inserted into the openings  86  in the box  80 , the lever  44  is pivotally moved from its position of  FIG. 2  to its position of  FIG. 3  so that the foot portions  26  and  28  are spread slightly outwardly which tends to relieve the binding forces between the sliding discharge gate or door  82  and its supporting track or slides  84 . 
         [0031]    The bulk box  80  with the device  10  attached thereto will then be lifted by a forklift or front end loader to position the box over a seed system, wagon or truck. The screw actuator mechanism  46  is then controlled by either the controller  48  or the controller  50 . The device will only work after the locking device on the box has been pivotally moved out of the way. The actuator rod  58  of the mechanism  46  is then extended which causes the support  60  and the latch  64  to move inwardly with respect to the bulk box  80  until the outer end of the discharge door  82  is received within the generally C-shaped opening at the forward end of the support  60 . At that time, the latch  64  will pivotally move downwardly from its normally horizontally disposed position so that the latch portion  68  moves downwardly into the hand pull area  88  of the gate  82 . Once the latch portion  68  is received in the hand pull area  88 , the screw actuator mechanism  46  is retracted or reversed which causes the latch  64  to pull the sliding discharge door  82  outwardly with respect to the box so that the door  82  is moved from its closed position to its open position. When it is desired to close the discharge door  82 , the screw actuator is actuated so that the support  60  pushes the door or gate  82  gate inwardly from its open position to its closed position. 
         [0032]    When the box  80  has been emptied or the desired amount of seed has been discharged therefrom, the box with the device  10  will then be lowered onto the ground. The device  10  may then be removed, after the spreading forces on the foot portions  26  and  28  have released. 
         [0033]    Thus it can be seen that a novel device has been provided for opening and closing the discharge door of a bulk seed box which eliminates the need of a person climbing up on a ladder or truck to manually force the discharge gate open or closed. The device of this invention may be operated remotely from the device so that the person does not have to position himself or herself beneath the bulk seed box which will normally be positioned over a truck or the like. 
         [0034]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
         [0035]    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.