Grain unloading assembly

Claim 2

In a grain handling apparatus of the type which includes a grain storage tank having a grain discharge end and means located inside said tank for delivering grain in said tank to said discharge end, said tank delivering means having an end with a rotatable driving element disposed at said discharge end, an improved unloading assembly comprising: a tube located outside said tank and having an end for receiving grain delivered to said discharge end of said tank; means mounting said tube at its receiving end generally below and in communication with said discharge end of said tank to thereby allow grain upon being delivered to said discharge end to flow with the aid of gravity from said tank into said tube; means rotatably mounted in said tube for receiving at an end thereof the delivered grain which flows into said tube receiving end from said tank discharge end and for conveying the grain within said tube away from said tank to thereby unload the grain from said tank; and drive transmission means coupling said driving element of said tank delivering means with said grain receiving end of said tube conveying means and including drive shaft means which extends generally downwardly from adjacent said driving element at said tank discharge end and transversely across said tube past and offset from the rotational axis of said tube conveying means so as to assume a position in general alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end into said tube receiving end, said drive shaft means further being rotatable about an axis which inteRsects with the rotational axis of said driving element.

Claim 3

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: said tube conveying means includes helical flighting for receiving the delivered grain which flows into said tube receiving end from said tank discharge end, said flighting being interrupted for a short distance along the rotational axis of said tube conveying means at said tube receiving end to define a passageway through said flighting; and said drive shaft means extends through said flighting passageway.

Claim 4

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means rotatably mounts said tube at its receiving end to said discharge end of said tank about an axis coincident with said rotational axis of said drive shaft means for allowing pivoting of said tube between a storage position and an unloading position without interfering with the drive coupling of said drive transmission means with said grain receiving end of said tube conveying means and said driving element of said tank delivering means.

Claim 5

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said tube conveying means is an auger having a central shaft rotatably mounted in said tube and helical flighting attached about said auger shaft for receiving the delivered grain which flows into said tube receiving end from said tank discharge end and for conveying the grain within said tube away from said tank, said auger flighting being interrupted for a short distance along said auger shaft at said tube receiving end to define a passageway through said auger flighting adjacent said auger shaft; and said drive shaft means extends through said auger flighting passageway past said auger shaft adjacent to, but offset from, said auger shaft.

Claim 6

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive transmission means further includes first means drivingly coupling said driving element to one end of said drive shaft means, said first means being generally positioned in alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end, and second means drivingly coupling said grain receiving end of said tube conveying means to an opposite end of said drive shaft means.

Claim 7

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said second coupling means is located outside of said tube.

Claim 8

In a grain handling apparatus of the type which includes a grain storage tank having a grain discharge end and means rotatably mounted inside said tank for delivering grain in said tank to said discharge end, said tank delivering means having an end located at said discharge end, an improved unloading assembly comprising: a tube located outside said tank and having an end for receiving grain delivered to said discharge end of said tank; means mounting said tube at its receiving end generally below and in communication with said discharge end of said tank to thereby allow grain upon being delivered to said discharge end to flow with the aid of gravity from said tank into said tube; an auger having a central shaft rotatably mounted in said tube and helical flighting attached about said auger shaft for receiving the delivered grain, which flows into said tube receiving end from said tank discharge end, at an end of said auger and for conveying the grain within said tube away from said tank to thereby unload the grain from said tank, said auger flighting being interrupted for a short distance along said auger shaft at said auger receiving end to define a passagway through said auger flighting adjacent said auger shaft; and drive transmission means coupling said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means with said auger shaft at said grain receiving end of said auger, said drive transmission means including drive shaft means which extends generally downwardly from adjacent said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means and transversely across said tube through said auger flighting passageway adjaCent said auger shaft so as to assume a position in general alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end into said tube receiving end, said drive shaft means further being rotatable about an axis which intersects with the rotational axis of said tank delivering means and extends transversely past and offset from the rotational axis of said auger shaft, first means drivingly coupling said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means to one end of said drive shaft means, said first means being generally positioned in alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end, and second means drivingly coupling said auger shaft at said grain receiving end of said auger to an opposite end of said drive shaft means.

Claim 9

In a grain handling apparatus of the type which includes a grain storage tank having a grain discharge end and means rotatably mounted inside said tank for delivering grain in said tank to said discharge end, said tank delivering means having an end located at said discharge end, an improved unloading assembly comprising: a tube located outside said tank and having an end for receiving grain delivered to said discharge end of said tank; means mounting said tube at its receiving end generally below and in communication with said discharge end of said tank to thereby allow grain upon being delivered to said discharge end to flow with the aid of gravity from said tank into said tube; an auger having a central shaft rotatably mounted in said tube and helical flighting attached about said auger shaft for receiving the delivered grain, which flows into said tube receiving end from said tank discharge end, at an end of said auger and for conveying the grain within said tube away from said tank to thereby unload the grain from said tank, said auger flighting being interrupted for a short distance along said auger shaft at said auger receiving end to define a passagway through said auger flighting adjacent said auger shaft; and drive transmission means coupling said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means with said auger shaft at said grain receiving end of said auger, said drive transmission means including drive shaft means which extends generally downwardly from adjacent said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means and transversely across said tube through said auger flighting passageway adjaCent said auger shaft so as to assume a position in general alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end into said tube receiving end, said drive shaft means further being rotatable about an axis which intersects with the rotational axis of said tank delivering means and extends transversely past and offset from the rotational axis of said auger shaft, first means drivingly coupling said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means to one end of said drive shaft means, said first means being generally positioned in alignment with the path of gravity-aided grain flow from said tank discharge end, and second means drivingly coupling said auger shaft at said grain receiving end of said auger to an opposite end of said drive shaft means.

Claim 10

The grain handling apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said mounting means rotatably mounts said tube at its receiving end to said discharge end of said tank about an axis coincident with said rotational axis of said drive shaft means for allowing pivoting of said tube between a storage position and an unloading position without interfering with the drive coupling of said drive transmission means with said discharge end of said rotatable tank delivering means and said auger shaft at said grain receiving end of said auger.