Material handling apparatus

Claim 1

A BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS FOR USE IN A SILO HAVING A SIDE WALL WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING SECTION COMPRISING: (A) AN UPRIGHT DRIVE SHAFT POSITIONED IN THE SILO ABOVE THE BULK MATERIAL STORED THEREIN, (B) A POWER UNIT OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATING THE SAME, (C) LATERALLY DISPOSED COLLECTOR MEANS FOR COLLECTING THE TOP-SURFACE OF THE BULK MATERIAL STORED IN THE SILO AND CARRYING SAID TOP SURFACE MATERIAL TO THE CENTER AREA OF THE SILO, (D) GEAR MEANS CONNECTING THE COLLECTOR MEANS WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT AND OPERABLE TO ROTATE THE COLLECTOR MEANS TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF BULK MATERIAL RADIALLY INWARD AND TO WALK THE COLLECTOR MEANS AROUND THE SILO, (E) HOUSING MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND ENCLOSING SAID GEAR MEANS, AND (F) AUGER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND POSITIONED CONCENTRICALLY ABOUT SAID HOUSING MEANS WHEREBY THE BULK MATERIAL CARRIED BY SAID COLLECTOR MEANS IS FED INTO THE SIDE OF THE AUGER MEANS AND MOVED IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION BY SAID AUGER MEANS.