Telescoping flow control discharge spout assembly for a conveyor of granular material

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a remotely controlled pivotal discharge spout for an auger conveyor projecting from a grain wagon or cart such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,435 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,546 which issued to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. In such a discharge spout, it is highly desirable to provide for significantly increasing the horizontal or lateral reach of the spout when the spout is pivoted upwardly to its upper discharge position. It has also been found desirable to avoid changing the height of the bottom of the pivotal spout when the spout is pivoted downwardly to its downward discharge position in order to accommodate different environments and situations while using the pivotal spout on a grain cart, combine or seed tender. It is further desirable to control pivoting of the spout remotely by the operator, such as a tractor driver, while grain is being discharged from the conveyor, as disclosed in the '546 Patent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a new telescoping spout assembly of the general type of the spout assemblies disclosed in the above patents and which is ideally suited for distributing grain from an inclined discharge auger conveyor of a grain cart and which provides for significantly increasing the side reach of the discharge spout without significantly increasing or decreasing the height of the bottom end of the spout as the spout is pivoted between its upper discharge position and its lower discharge position for distributing grain back and forth across a container such as a semi-trailer which commonly receives grain from a grain cart.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a tubular inner spout section is pivotally connected to the discharge end portion of the housing of an auger conveyor, and the pivoting of the inner spout section is produced by an actuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder remotely controlled, as disclosed in the above '435 and '546 Patents. In accordance with the present invention, a tubular outer spout section is supported by the inner spout section for telescopic movement between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the inner spout section. The telescopic movement of the outer spout section is produced by an actuator, preferably in the form of a pair of elongated link members having outer end portions pivotally connected to the outer spout section and opposite end portions pivotally connected to the conveyor housing.

As the inner spout section is pivoted between its upper and lower discharge positions, the outer spout section automatically telescopes between its extended position and retracted position. Thus, the outer spout section is in its extended position when the inner spout section is pivoted to its upper position so that the spout assembly provides for distributing grain at a greater distance outwardly from the upper end portion of the conveyor. As the outer spout section telescopes to its retracted position when the inner spout section is pivoted to its downwardly projecting position, the bottom end of the outer spout does not move downwardly to interfere with the container receiving the grain, such as a side wall of a semi trailer. As a result, the grain cart and the tow tractor may be moved along the container or semi-trailer receiving the grain without the discharge spout assembly contacting with the grain receiving container or trailer.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an upper end portion of an auger conveyor and also through a telescoping discharge spout assembly constructed in accordance with the invention and in its upper extended discharge position; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 1 and showing the telescoping spout assembly in its downwardly projecting and retracted discharge position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates the upper end portion of a conveyor 10 in the form of an inclined grain unloading auger conveyor, as shown in the above '546 Patent, and including a tubular or cylindrical housing 12 enclosing an auger 14 having a helical flight 16 surrounding a center shaft 18 with an axis A. The upper end portion of the conveyor 10 has a tubular discharge portion 22 defining a rectangular outlet 24. The discharge portion 22 projects laterally or downwardly from the housing 12 and at a substantial angle relative to the axis A of the auger 14. The discharge outlet portion 22 of the housing 12 is preferably rectangular in cross-section and supports a cross shaft 28 having outwardly projecting end portions which pivotally support a telescoping spout assembly 30. The assembly includes a tubular inner spout section 32 which surrounds the discharge portion 22 of the housing 12 and is pivotally supported by opposite end portions of the shaft 28. Preferably, the inner spout section 32 is rectangular in cross-section and closely surrounds the discharge portion 22 of the housing 12.

An actuator 35, preferably in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, is pivotally connected to the conveyor housing 12 by a cross pin 37 and is pivotally connected to the inner spout section 32 by a pivot pin 39. Operation of the remotely controlled actuator 35 is effective to pivot the inner spout section 32 between an upper inclined grain discharge position (FIG. 1) and a downwardly projecting grain discharge position (FIG. 2). Preferably, the actuator 35 is controlled remotely by the operator within the tow vehicle or tractor, as described in the '435 and '546 Patents.

In accordance with the present invention, a tubular outer spout section 42 is slidably supported by the tubular inner spout section 32 for telescopic movement between an extended position (FIG. 1) and a retracted position (FIG. 2). Preferably, the outer spout section 42 also has a rectangular cross-section profile and closely surrounds the inner spout section 32. Nylon glides may be used in between the two spout sections 32 and 42 to provide for smoother sliding. A second actuator 45 operates to slide the outer spout section 42 on the inner spout section 32. Preferably, the actuator 45 comprises a pair of elongated link members 48 having corresponding outer end portions pivotally connected to the outer spout section 42 by a cross shaft 51 secured to the spout section 42. Upper end portions of the link members 48 are pivotally connected to opposite ends of a cross shaft 53 secured to the upper end of the conveyor housing 12.

As apparent from FIGS. 1 & 2, when the inner spout section 32 is pivoted from its upper discharge position (FIG. 1) to its downwardly projecting discharge position (FIG. 2), the outer spout section 42 automatically retracts on the inner spout section 32, as a result of the link members 48, from the outwardly extending spout position (FIG. 1) to its retracted position (FIG. 2). As also apparent, the height H from the top end the conveyor 10 to the bottom end of the outer spout section 42 remains substantially constant due to the telescopic retraction of the outer spout section 42 on the inner spout section 32. While the simple connection of the outer spout section 42 to the conveyor housing 12 by the link members 48 is preferred, the telescopic movement of the outer spout section 42 can also be produced by other means such as by a combination of linkage arms or members and/or mechanical actuators or by an elongated fluid cylinder which is remotely controlled, preferably by the operator who controls the fluid cylinder actuator 15.

While the telescoping spout assembly 30 is ideally suited for use with the inclined discharge conveyor extending from a grain cart or wagon, the assembly may also be used with a grain conveyor extending from a combine or harvester to a grain cart or the discharge conveyor extending from a seed tender, whenever the extended lateral reach of the conveyor discharge is desired without significantly changing the unloading height of the spout assembly when it is pivoted downwardly from its extended upper position (FIG. 1) to its downwardly projecting retracted position (FIG. 2). It is also within the scope of the invention for the spout assembly to have a different cross-sectional profile other than the preferred rectangular profile described above. The retractable spout assembly 30 is movable between an extended position and a retracted position while unloading grain without losing substantial unloading height, which saves time for the total grain unloading operation and prevents collision damages.

While the form of telescoping flow control discharge spout assembly herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of assembly, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.