Material delivery system

Claim 2

In a vehicle for transporting particulate material and for delivering the particulate material to a receiving apparatus, the improvement comprising: chassis means; support wheels disposed toward the rear of the chassis means; means at the front of the chassis means for connecting the chassis means to a towing vehicle; a particulate material receiving hopper formed by the chassis means and comprising downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls and a floor disposed between the side walls, said hopper means comprising a rear end open at least to a predetermined height above the floor; endless conveyor means mounted for movement around a course including a portion extending rearwardly through the entire length of the hopper just above the floor; drive means mounted on the chassis means for actuating the endless conveyor means and thereby unloading particulate material from the hopper through the rear end thereof; and control means including a control pad supported on the chassis means for actuation by a portion of the particulate material receiving apparatus to control the operation of the endless conveyor means under the action of the drive means in accordance with the positioning of the chassis means relative to the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the drive means includes a hydraulic motor mounted on the chassis means for operating the endless conveyor means under the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid received from the towing vehicle and wherein the control means includes valve means for controlling the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the source to the hydraulic motor.

Claim 4

A self-unloading particulate material delivery apparatus comprising: chassis means defining a particulate material receiving hopper including generally downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls and a floor extending between the lower ends of the sIde walls; endless conveyor means mounted for movement around a course including a portion extending rearwardly through the bottom of the hopper adjacent the floor; drive means mounted on the chassis means for actuating the endless conveyor means around the course and thereby moving particulate material rearwardly in the hopper and out through the rear end thereof; said conveyor drive means including control means adapted for actuation to start and stop the endless conveyor means; apparatus for receiving particulate material unloaded from the hopper by the endless conveyor means; and means mounted on the particulate material receiving apparatus for actuating the control means to start the operation of the endless conveyor means when the chassis means is in position to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 5

A self-unloading particulate material delivery apparatus comprising: chassis means defining a particulate material receiving hopper including generally downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls and a floor extending between the lower ends of the sIde walls; endless conveyor means mounted for movement around a course including a portion extending rearwardly through the bottom of the hopper adjacent the floor; drive means mounted on the chassis means for actuating the endless conveyor means around the course and thereby moving particulate material rearwardly in the hopper and out through the rear end thereof; said conveyor drive means including control means adapted for actuation to start and stop the endless conveyor means; apparatus for receiving particulate material unloaded from the hopper by the endless conveyor means; and means mounted on the particulate material receiving apparatus for actuating the control means to start the operation of the endless conveyor means when the chassis means is in position to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 6

The self-unloading particulate material delivery apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the member mounted on the particulate material receiving apparatus for actuating the control means further comprises means for selectively actuating the control means and thereby selectively starting and stopping the endless conveyor means while the chassis means remains in position to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus under the action of the endless conveyor means.

Claim 7

The self-unloading particulate material delivery apparatus according to claim 3 further characterized by: wheel means supporting the chassis means for movement over a surface; a control pad supported on the chassis means between the wheel means and operatively connected to the control means; and a prod supported on the particulate material receiving apparatus for engagement with the control pad when the chassis means is positioned to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 8

The self-unloading particulate material delivery apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the prod on the particulate material receiving apparatus is spring loaded so as to maintain engagement between the prod and the control pad on the chassis means notwithstanding relatively minor variations in the relative positioning between the chassis means and the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 9

The self-loading particulate material delivery apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the conveyor actuating means comprises a hydraulic motor for driving the conveyor means and a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid for operating the hydraulic motor, and wherein the control means comprises a valve adapted to control the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the source to the hydraulic motor.

Claim 10

A particulate material delivery system including: chassis means defining a particulate material receiving hopper comprising downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls and a floor extending between the lower ends of the side walls; support wheels disposed toward the rear end of the chassis means; means at the front end of the chassis means for connecting the chassis means to a towing vehicle; endless conveyor means mounted for movement around a course including a portion extending rearwardly through the bottom of the hopper adjacent the floor; means for operating the endless conveyor means around the course and thereby unloading particulate material from the hopper means through the rear end thereof; a control pad pivotally supported on the chassis means between the support wheels; valve means supported on the chassis means and operatively connected to the control pad for actuation between relatively open and relatively closed positions in accordance with the pivotal positioning of the control pad; apparatus for receiving particulate material unloaded from the hopper means by the endless conveyor means; and a prod mounted on the particulate material receiving apparatus for engagement with the control pad on the chassis means when the chassis Means is positioned to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 11

A particulate material delivery system including: chassis means defining a particulate material receiving hopper comprising downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls and a floor extending between the lower ends of the side walls; support wheels disposed toward the rear end of the chassis means; means at the front end of the chassis means for connecting the chassis means to a towing vehicle; endless conveyor means mounted for movement around a course including a portion extending rearwardly through the bottom of the hopper adjacent the floor; means for operating the endless conveyor means around the course and thereby unloading particulate material from the hopper means through the rear end thereof; a control pad pivotally supported on the chassis means between the support wheels; valve means supported on the chassis means and operatively connected to the control pad for actuation between relatively open and relatively closed positions in accordance with the pivotal positioning of the control pad; apparatus for receiving particulate material unloaded from the hopper means by the endless conveyor means; and a prod mounted on the particulate material receiving apparatus for engagement with the control pad on the chassis means when the chassis Means is positioned to unload particulate material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 12

The particulate material delivery system according to claim 8 wherein the prod of the particulate material receiving apparatus is spring loaded so as to maintain contact between the prod and the control pad notwithstanding minor variations in the relative positioning of the chassis means and the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 13

The particulate material delivery system according to claim 8 further including means on the particulate material receiving apparatus for selectively extending and retracting the prod and thereby selectively opening and closing the valve means on the chassis means even though the chassis means remains in position to unload material into the particulate material receiving apparatus.

Claim 14

The particulate material delivery system according to claim 8 wherein the conveyor drive means comprises a hydraulic motor supported on the chassis means for operating the endless conveyor means under the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid received from the towing vehicle, and wherein the valve means is adapted to control the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor in accordance with the pivotal positioning of the control pad.