Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/560,912 filed Nov. 17, 2011. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed toward a grain storage assembly and more specifically to a storage assembly for small farmers to maintain a supply of grain for food. 
         [0003]    Small farmers in foreign countries store grain as food to last throughout the year. With present storage systems, approximately 20-25% of the grain is lost to spoilage. One of the primary causes of the spoilage is from weevils and other rodents who nest within the storage containers and eat the grain. One way to cure this problem is to seal the storage containers as weevils cannot survive without oxygen. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that addresses these needs. 
         [0004]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a storage assembly that reduces spoilage. 
         [0005]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage assembly that has an air tight seal. 
         [0006]    A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage assembly that is easy to load and unload. 
         [0007]    These and other objectives will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art based upon the following disclosure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A rotatable grain storage assembly having adjustable support members slidably connected to front and rear legs. Primary support members, having rollers rotatably attached thereto, are connected to and are positioned transverse to the adjustable support member. A barrel having at least one opening and an air tight lid is positioned on the rollers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a rotatable grain storage assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rotatable grain storage assembly; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a rotatable grain storage assembly during transport. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    Referring to the Figure, the grain storage assembly  10  has a frame  12  preferably made of hollow pipe. The frame  12  includes a base  14 , front and rear legs  16 ,  18  connected to the base  14  and a pair of support members  20  connected to the legs  16 ,  18 . The rear legs  18  are shorter than the front legs  16  such that the support members  20  angle downwardly from the front toward the rear. Rotatably mounted to each support member is at least one, and preferably two rollers  22 . 
         [0013]    Placed upon the support members  20  is a barrel  24 . The barrel  24  is of any size or shape and preferably is a  55  gallon paint barrel. Preferably the barrel  24  has a handle  25  such as a ring that goes around the barrel  24 . For larger barrels  24  a crank is attached to the roller. On at least one end of the barrel  24  is an air tight lid  26 . The lid  26  has an opening  28  that receives a cap  30 . The opening preferably has a diameter of  6  inches. The cap  30  is removably connected to the opening  28  preferably by threads or the like to create an air tight seal. In one embodiment, the opposite end of the barrel  24  has an opening  32  in an air tight lid  34  that receives a cap  36 . In an alternative embodiment, a jack  38  is positioned to raise and lower the rear end of the frame  12 . 
         [0014]    To transport or ship the storage assembly  10 , the frame  12  is disassembled and along with the jack  38  placed inside the barrel  24  which is then resealed. To operate, the frame  12  is assembled and the barrel  24  placed upon the rollers  22 . The barrel  24  is then filled with grain and lid  26  is placed on the front end to create an air tight seal. The angle of the barrel  24  allows for easy loading of the grain. 
         [0015]    When one wishes to remove grain, cap  30  is removed to allow an individual to reach through opening  28  and remove the grain. Once the grain is removed, the opening  28  is resealed with cap  30 . As the level of grain goes down within the barrel  24 , the barrel  24  is rotated so that opening  28  moves closer to a  6  o′clock position and closer to the reduced grain level within the barrel  24 . When the barrel is close to empty, the jack  38  is used to raise the rear legs  18  so that the barrel  24  is angled downwardly from the rear end toward the front end which allows grain to flow toward the front end. 
         [0016]    Alternatively, grain is removed through opening  32  in a similar fashion by rotating the barrel  24  on the rollers  22  as needed when the grain level is reduced. Accordingly, a grain storage assembly has been described that at the very least meets all the stated objectives. 
         [0017]    In an alternative embodiment, the front legs  16  are formed by a continuous U-shaped hollow pipe such that a base portion  40  extends between the legs  16  and contacts the ground. Also included in the frame is a first adjustable support member  42  having hollow cylinders  44  on each end that slidably fit over legs  16 . The cylinders  44  have an opening  46  that aligns with openings  48  in legs  16  to receive a pin  50  for selectively adjusting the height of the support member  42  in relation to the legs  16 . 
         [0018]    A second adjustable support member  52  has hollow cylinders  54  on each end that slidably fit over rear legs  18 . Cylinders  54  also have an opening  56  that aligns with openings  58  in legs  18  to receive a pin  60  for selective adjustment.

Technology Category: 7