Coupling and process for screw conveyors

Claim 2

A screw conveyor, comprising: screw conveyor sections operatively connected and cooperating with each other for conveying material selected from the group consisting of rice, grain, raw food products, processed food, cereal, granular material, semi-solid material, and solid material; said screw conveyor sections including shafts operatively associated with each other for rotation in unison in the same direction, said shafts having end portions positioned in general alignment with each other, and said shafts defining plug-welding apertures in proximity to the end portions of said shafts; screw blades providing flights extending radially from said shafts for engaging and conveying said material; and a removable coupling assembly for detachably connecting said screw conveyor sections together in the absence of bolts, nuts, locking pins, and springs said coupling assembly comprising a pair of internally threaded bushings positioned in said shafts of said screw conveyor sections: plug welds substantially filling said plug-welding, apertures for securely connecting said internally bushings to said shafts: a double ended threaded stud having externally threaded studs extending axially from an intermediate bearing supporting section for matingly engaging said internally threaded bushings in said shafts of said screw conveyor sections, and a bearing seated on and positioned about said intermediate bearing supporting section of said double ended threaded stud.

Claim 3

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said screw conveyor comprises an auger conveyor; and said internally threaded bushings are plug welded to said shafts of said screw conveyor.

Claim 4

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shafts have flexible portions.

Claim 5

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shafts comprise hollow shaft sections.

Claim 6

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said blades comprise spiral blades.

Claim 7

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said blades comprise helical blades.

Claim 8

A screw conveyor, comprising: a pair of elongated pipes comprising and providing hollow shaft sections with portions positioned in coaxial alignment and registration with each other, spiral blades providing flights securely connected to and extending spirally outwardly from said shaft sections for spirally conveying comestible material or other products, said shaft sections having an outside diameter and an inside diameter, said shaft sections including a left hollow shaft section and a right hollow shaft section, said spiral blades comprising left spiral blades and right spiral blades, said left spiral blades extending from said left shaft section, said right spiral blades extending from said right shaft section, said left spiral blades having a maximum span substantially similar to the outside diameter of said right shaft section, said left shaft section having an inside diameter substantially similar to the inside diameter of said right shaft section, said left shaft section having a right end portion positioned in proximity to said right shaft section, said right end portion of said left shaft section defining a left set of plug-welding radial apertures, said right shaft section having a left end portion positioned in proximity to said left shaft section, and said left end portion of said right shaft section having a right set of plug-welding radially apertures; a coupling assembly for securely detachably connecting said end portions of said shaft sections in coaxial alignment and registration with each other, said coupling assembly comprising a pair of internally threaded bushings comprising hollow elongated members with a cylindrical outer surface having an outside diameter and an internally threaded inner surface, said bushings included a left bushing and a right bushing, said left bushing having a maximum outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the right end portion of the left shaft section to slidably engage and be inserted into said right end portion of said left shaft section, said left bushing having an axial length greater than the distance between the plug-welding apertures of said right end portion of said left shaft section, said right bushing having a maximum outside diameter slightly less than the inside maximum diameter of the left end portion of the right shaft section to slidably engage and be inserted into said left end portion of said right shaft section, said right bushing having an axial length greater than the distance between the plug-welding apertures of said left end portion of said right shaft section; said plug-welding apertures of said right end portion of said left shaft section cooperating with said outer surface of said left bushing to form left plug-welding cavities, and said plug-welding apertures of said left end portion of said right shaft section cooperating with said outer surface of said right bushing to form right plug-welding cavities; plug welds for securely connecting said bushings to said shaft section including left plug welds and right plug welds, said left plug welds substantially filing said left plug-welding cavities and firmly attached to said outer surface of said left bushing and to said right end portion of said left shaft section about said plug-welding apertures on said right end portion, and said right plug welds substantially filling said right plug-welding cavities and firmly attached to said outer surface of said right bushing and to said left end portion of said right shaft section about said plug-welding apertures on said left end portion; a double ended threaded stud having a central intermediate bearing-supporting section with an outer bearing--supporting surface, said double ended threaded stud having externally threaded studs extending axially outwardly of said central intermediate bearing-supporting section, said externally threaded studs including a left stud and a right stud, said left stud having external threads for matingly engaging said internally--threaded surface of said left bushing to interlockingly connect said left stud to said left bushing during rotation of said left shaft section and spiral blades in the forward axial direction of movement of said comestible material or other products, said right stud with having external threads for matingly engaging said internally--threaded surface of said right bushing to interlockingly connect said right stud to said right bushing during rotation of said right shaft section and spiral blades in the forward axial direction of movement of said comestible material or other products, and said double ended threaded stud being manually rotatable in an opposite direction for removing said studs from said bushing to detach said shaft sections from said double ended threaded stud so as to accommodate quick disassembly and interchange with other shaft sections; and a bearing seated on and about said bearing--supporting surface of said double ended threaded stud, said bearing positioned and spaced between the left spiral blades in proximity to the right end portion of said left shaft section and the right spiral blades in proximity to the left end portion of said right shaft section.

Claim 9

A screw conveyor, comprising: a pair of elongated pipes comprising and providing hollow shaft sections with portions positioned in coaxial alignment and registration with each other, spiral blades providing flights securely connected to and extending spirally outwardly from said shaft sections for spirally conveying comestible material or other products, said shaft sections having an outside diameter and an inside diameter, said shaft sections including a left hollow shaft section and a right hollow shaft section, said spiral blades comprising left spiral blades and right spiral blades, said left spiral blades extending from said left shaft section, said right spiral blades extending from said right shaft section, said left spiral blades having a maximum span substantially similar to the outside diameter of said right shaft section, said left shaft section having an inside diameter substantially similar to the inside diameter of said right shaft section, said left shaft section having a right end portion positioned in proximity to said right shaft section, said right end portion of said left shaft section defining a left set of plug-welding radial apertures, said right shaft section having a left end portion positioned in proximity to said left shaft section, and said left end portion of said right shaft section having a right set of plug-welding radially apertures; a coupling assembly for securely detachably connecting said end portions of said shaft sections in coaxial alignment and registration with each other, said coupling assembly comprising a pair of internally threaded bushings comprising hollow elongated members with a cylindrical outer surface having an outside diameter and an internally threaded inner surface, said bushings included a left bushing and a right bushing, said left bushing having a maximum outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the right end portion of the left shaft section to slidably engage and be inserted into said right end portion of said left shaft section, said left bushing having an axial length greater than the distance between the plug-welding apertures of said right end portion of said left shaft section, said right bushing having a maximum outside diameter slightly less than the inside maximum diameter of the left end portion of the right shaft section to slidably engage and be inserted into said left end portion of said right shaft section, said right bushing having an axial length greater than the distance between the plug-welding apertures of said left end portion of said right shaft section; said plug-welding apertures of said right end portion of said left shaft section cooperating with said outer surface of said left bushing to form left plug-welding cavities, and said plug-welding apertures of said left end portion of said right shaft section cooperating with said outer surface of said right bushing to form right plug-welding cavities; plug welds for securely connecting said bushings to said shaft section including left plug welds and right plug welds, said left plug welds substantially filing said left plug-welding cavities and firmly attached to said outer surface of said left bushing and to said right end portion of said left shaft section about said plug-welding apertures on said right end portion, and said right plug welds substantially filling said right plug-welding cavities and firmly attached to said outer surface of said right bushing and to said left end portion of said right shaft section about said plug-welding apertures on said left end portion; a double ended threaded stud having a central intermediate bearing-supporting section with an outer bearing--supporting surface, said double ended threaded stud having externally threaded studs extending axially outwardly of said central intermediate bearing-supporting section, said externally threaded studs including a left stud and a right stud, said left stud having external threads for matingly engaging said internally--threaded surface of said left bushing to interlockingly connect said left stud to said left bushing during rotation of said left shaft section and spiral blades in the forward axial direction of movement of said comestible material or other products, said right stud with having external threads for matingly engaging said internally--threaded surface of said right bushing to interlockingly connect said right stud to said right bushing during rotation of said right shaft section and spiral blades in the forward axial direction of movement of said comestible material or other products, and said double ended threaded stud being manually rotatable in an opposite direction for removing said studs from said bushing to detach said shaft sections from said double ended threaded stud so as to accommodate quick disassembly and interchange with other shaft sections; and a bearing seated on and about said bearing--supporting surface of said double ended threaded stud, said bearing positioned and spaced between the left spiral blades in proximity to the right end portion of said left shaft section and the right spiral blades in proximity to the left end portion of said right shaft section.

Claim 10

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 7 wherein said shaft sections, spiral blades and double ended threaded stud are constructed of food grade metal.

Claim 11

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 7 wherein said bushings comprise annular cylindrical shells.

Claim 12

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 7 wherein said studs are about the same length as said bushings.

Claim 13

A screw conveyor in accordance with claim 7 wherein said outer bearing supporting surface of said double ended threaded stud is in coaxial alignment with said outer surfaces of said bushings, and the outside diameters of said bushings are similar to the outside diameter of said outer bearing - supporting surface of said double ended threaded stud.

Claim 14

A food conveying process, comprising the steps of: preventing bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs from being conveyed with and contaminating comestible material comprising rice, grain or other food products intended for human consumption, so as to avoid injuring persons and damaging downstream processing equipment with said contaminated comestible material, by preventing shearing and failure of bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs, on a conveyor transporting, carrying and conveying said comestible material, said conveyor being selected from the group consisting of a screw conveyor and an auger conveyor; coupling shaft sections of said conveyor without the use of bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs, by welding internally threaded bushings to adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor; securely locking said shaft sections of said conveyor together by screwing an externally threaded stud of a double ended threaded stud to one of said internally threaded bushings welded to one of said adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor and screwing another externally threaded stud of said double ended stud to the other internally threaded bushing welded to the other of said adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor; and placing a bearing about an intermediate bearing supporting section of said double ended threaded stud.

Claim 15

A food conveying process, comprising the steps of: preventing bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs from being conveyed with and contaminating comestible material comprising rice, grain or other food products intended for human consumption, so as to avoid injuring persons and damaging downstream processing equipment with said contaminated comestible material, by preventing shearing and failure of bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs, on a conveyor transporting, carrying and conveying said comestible material, said conveyor being selected from the group consisting of a screw conveyor and an auger conveyor; coupling shaft sections of said conveyor without the use of bolts, nuts, locking pins and springs, by welding internally threaded bushings to adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor; securely locking said shaft sections of said conveyor together by screwing an externally threaded stud of a double ended threaded stud to one of said internally threaded bushings welded to one of said adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor and screwing another externally threaded stud of said double ended stud to the other internally threaded bushing welded to the other of said adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor; and placing a bearing about an intermediate bearing supporting section of said double ended threaded stud.

Claim 16

A process in accordance with claim 12 including unlocking and detaching said shaft sections by unscrewing said studs from said internally threaded bushings welded to said adjoining shaft sections of said conveyor.

Claim 17

A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein said comestible material is conveyed substantially horizontally by said conveyor.

Claim 18

A process in accordance with claim 12 including unloading comestible material with said conveyor from a storage facility selected from the group consisting of a truck, trailer, railway car, bin, and storage silo.

Claim 19

A process in accordance with claim 12 including transporting and feeding comestible material with said conveyor to a facility selected from the group consisting of a storage silo, a bin, milling equipment, separation equipment, food processing equipment, a truck, a trailer, and a railway car.

Claim 20

A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein said shaft sections comprise pipes providing hollow shaft sections with plug-welding apertures; said internally threaded bushings are inserted into the hollow interior of said hollow shaft sections and are positioned closely adjacent internal walls of said pipes before said welding; and said welding comprises substantially filing said plug-welding apertures with plus welds for securely connecting said internally threaded bushings to said shaft sections.

Claim 21

A process in accordance with claim 17 wherein said welding comprises plug welding said internally threaded bushings to said pipes of said conveyor.