US3736667A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Grain dryer
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-06-28
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Granted: 1973-06-05
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Expires: 1991-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A batch dryer for conditioning grain having a clock driven control system including a plurality of successively activated electric circuits for regulating drying bin temperature. The successively activated circuits maintain successively lower drying bin temperature levels defined by individual termostats in each temperature regulating circuit. A clock drive controls a plurality of cam actuated switches which turn the temperature regulating circuits on and off. The control system prevents the loading of wet grain into the drying bin late in the control cycle so that all grain then in the bin has ample time for thorough drying. The purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, or practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms of phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Inventors
- 👤 J Mcclaren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:50
CPC Classifications
F; F26; F26B; F26B21/00; F26B21/30; F26B21/35; F26B17/00; F26B17/12; F26B17/122; F26B25/00; F26B25/001; F26B25/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan mounted to said frame to heat and circulate air through the drying bin; a clock drive including at least one clock motor and a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock motor for rotation thereby; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch actuated by one of the cams to close and open the circuit at predetermined times in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by the thermostat in the circuit when the switch is closed and the circuit energized; and a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits; a loading auger system for loading grain into the drying bin; and a loading circuit responsive to said clock drive and controlling said loading auger system to load grain into the bin during the control cycle so that additional grain is loaded as the grain in the drying bin shrinks in response to heating, said loading circuit having a cam operated switch arranged to prevent the loading of wet grain after elapse of a predetermined time in the control cycle thus permitting ample remaining time in the cycle for all wet grain then in the bin to be thoroughly conditioned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan mounted to said frame to heat and circulate air through the drying bin; a clock drive including at least one clock motor and a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock motor for rotation thereby; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch actuated by one of the cams to close and open the circuit at predetermined times in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by the thermostat in the circuit when the switch is closed and the circuit energized; and a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits; a loading auger system for loading grain into the drying bin; and a loading circuit responsive to said clock drive and controlling said loading auger system to load grain into the bin during the control cycle so that additional grain is loaded as the grain in the drying bin shrinks in response to heating, said loading circuit having a cam operated switch arranged to prevent the loading of wet grain after elapse of a predetermined time in the control cycle thus permitting ample remaining time in the cycle for all wet grain then in the bin to be thoroughly conditioned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of drying bin temperature regulating circuits includes successively operating first, second, and third circuits whose thermostats define three successively lower temperature levels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
143 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein the switches of said first, second, and third drying bin temperature regulating circuits include first and second single pole double throw cam actuated switches, said first single pole double throw switch when in a first position closing the first drying bin temperature regulating circuit and opening a circuit leading to a second single pole double throw switch, and when in a second position opening said first heater temperature regulating circuit and closing the said circuit leading to The second single pole double throw switch, the second single pole double throw switch when in a first position closing a second drying bin temperature regulating circuit and opening a third drying bin temperature regulating circuit and when in a second position opening the second drying bin temperature regulating circuit and closing the third drying bin temperature regulating circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the control system includes a heater time controlling circuit through which power to said drying bin temperature regulating circuits flows, said heater time controlling circuit including a heater power switch actuated by one of the cams to connect the heater time controlling circuit to a power source for a predetermined time interval and then disconnect.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination according to claim 4 including a shunt making said heater time controlling circuit by passable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination according to claim 4 wherein the control system has a ventilating circuit for energizing the fan, said ventilating circuit further including a cam actuated switch to open and close the ventilating circuit, the ventilating circuit supplying power to the heater power switch of said heater time controlling circuit and therethrough to said heater regulator so that the heater can operate only when the ventilating circuit is closed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said heater is energized by a fluid fuel and said regulator is an electro mechanical transducer responsive to said temperature regulating circuits to control fuel flow through a valve to supply said fluid fuel to the heater at a plurality of different rates to thereby establish and maintain a plurality of different heating levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said control system includes a recycle switch located in the drying bin and a clock controlling thermostat, the recycle switch closing when the grain level in the bin reaches the switch, said recycle switch electrically connected to a thermal time delay relay arranged to trigger the release of a cam shaft permitting a switch actuated by a cam on the cam shaft to energize the clock controlling thermostat, said clock controlling thermostat closing to energize the clock motor when a predetermined drying temperature is reached thereby permitting a timed heating period to commence when the bin reaches the said predetermined drying temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination according to claim 8 wherein said clock controlling thermostat is shunted to permit the clock motor to have full control of the heating period.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
219 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan mounted to the frame to heat and circulate air through the drying bin; a loading auger system for loading grain into the drying bin; a clock drive including a clock motor and a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock motor for rotation thereby; circuit means including switches operated by said cams for controlling operation of said heater and fan; a loading circuit responsive to said clock drive and responsive to the level of grain in the dryer and controlling said loading auger system to load grain into the bin during the control cycle so that additional grain is loaded as the grain in the drying bin shrinks in response to heating, said loading circuit having a clock drive controlled cam operated switch arranged to prevent the loading of wet grain after elapse of a predetermined time in the control cycle, said fan and heater circuit means continuing operation of said fan and heater for a predetermined time after said loading circuit has been interrupted thus permitting ample remaining time in the cycle for all wet grain then in the bin to be thoroughly conditioned.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
219 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan mounted to the frame to heat and circulate air through the drying bin; a loading auger system for loading grain into the drying bin; a clock drive including a clock motor and a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock motor for rotation thereby; circuit means including switches operated by said cams for controlling operation of said heater and fan; a loading circuit responsive to said clock drive and responsive to the level of grain in the dryer and controlling said loading auger system to load grain into the bin during the control cycle so that additional grain is loaded as the grain in the drying bin shrinks in response to heating, said loading circuit having a clock drive controlled cam operated switch arranged to prevent the loading of wet grain after elapse of a predetermined time in the control cycle, said fan and heater circuit means continuing operation of said fan and heater for a predetermined time after said loading circuit has been interrupted thus permitting ample remaining time in the cycle for all wet grain then in the bin to be thoroughly conditioned.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination according to claim 10 wherein the cam operatEd switch is a single pole double throw switch which energizes and de-energizes the said switch energizing said loading circuit when in first position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 11 wherein said loading circuit includes a relay operated switch which remains in an open condition when the clock drive is energized.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination according to claim 10 wherein said switch also energizes said loading circuit when in a second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
165 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan adjacent the drying bin to circulate air therethrough; a clock drive including a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock drive for rotation thereby; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch activated by one of the cams to close and open the circuit at predetermined times in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by its thermostat when the switch is closed and the circuit energized; and a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits thereby providing a plurality of different drying bin temperature levels for conditioning grain.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
165 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan adjacent the drying bin to circulate air therethrough; a clock drive including a plurality of cams rotatably coupled to the clock drive for rotation thereby; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch activated by one of the cams to close and open the circuit at predetermined times in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by its thermostat when the switch is closed and the circuit energized; and a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits thereby providing a plurality of different drying bin temperature levels for conditioning grain.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
74 words
The combination according to claim 14 and further including a clock controlling thermostat for sensing the temperature at the drying bin and arranged to close a circuit supplying electrical power to the clock motor when a predetermined temperature is sensed, so a timed heating period is commenced by the clock motor after a given amount of grain conditioning has already occurred during the time elapsing for the bin to reach the said predetermined temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
189 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan adjacent the drying bin to circulate air therethrough; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch to be activated to close and open the circuit at predetermined stages in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by its thermostat when the switch is closed and the circuit is energized; a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits thereby providing a plurality of different drying bin temperature levels for conditioning grain; and means to operate said switches of the temperature regulating circuits after the heated air has been circulated through the grain in the bin for a time to dry the grain and then change the temperature level of the air circulated through the grain.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
189 words
A grain dryer having a control cycle for conditioning wet grain comprising: a supporting frame; a grain drying bin attached to the frame to hold a supply of wet grain to be conditioned; a heater and fan adjacent the drying bin to circulate air therethrough; a plurality of drying bin temperature regulating electric circuits, each circuit including a thermostat and a switch to be activated to close and open the circuit at predetermined stages in the control cycle, each regulating circuit maintaining a predetermined drying bin temperature level defined by its thermostat when the switch is closed and the circuit is energized; a heater regulator responsive to the said regulating circuits to vary heat output of the heater so as to maintain predetermined temperature levels defined by the temperature regulating electric circuits thereby providing a plurality of different drying bin temperature levels for conditioning grain; and means to operate said switches of the temperature regulating circuits after the heated air has been circulated through the grain in the bin for a time to dry the grain and then change the temperature level of the air circulated through the grain.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
The grain dryer according to claim 16 and including a plenum through which the heated air from the fan travels to the grain drying bin, said thermostats of the bin temperature regulating electric circuit being disposed in said plenum to sense the temperatures of the air at the predetermined drying bin temperature levels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-04 | 1976-12-04 | 1977-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-04 | 1980-12-04 | 1981-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-04 | 1984-12-04 | 1985-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |