Ctb, Inc.

Adam K Gutwein

Mark S Dingeldein

Jeffrey E Walker

Nathan W Strehler

A method of positioning a grain bin unload conveyor auger within a grain bin unload conveyor trough includes positioning an auger hanger on a pair of hanger support shelves at an open exterior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough to support the grain bin unload conveyor auger away from adjacent interior surfaces of the grain bin unload conveyor trough, and pushing the grain bin unload conveyor auger through the open exterior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough to cause the auger hanger to continuously support the grain bin unload conveyor auger away from the interior surfaces of the grain bin unload conveyor trough as the auger hanger moves longitudinally along the pair of hanger support shelves from the open exterior end to a final operational position of the auger hanger between the open exterior end and an interior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough.

Grain bin unload trough conveyor auger hanger assembly and method

A grain bin unload conveyor trough can have a wall profile including a lowermost curved wall portion. Lower portions of a pair of side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a first interior lateral width, and upper portions of the side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a second interior lateral width that is greater than the first interior lateral width. A shelf portion of each side wall can extend laterally outwardly from the lower to the upper portion of the side walls. An auger hanger can extend laterally across the conveyor trough and can be supported on the shelf portions of the side walls. The auger hanger can extend down to hold an auger shaft of a grain bin unload conveyor auger in the conveyor trough centrally within the first interior lateral width between the lower portions of the side walls.

A lock-out pinion can be coupled to a center sump control shaft to rotate therewith. A lock-out slide can include a rack and a blocking cover. A lock-out guide can be coupled to the sump control housing and can form a guide channel. The lock-out slide can be received in the guide channel with the lock-out pinion drivingly coupled to the rack to move the lock-out slide along the guide channel from a lock-out position in which the blocking cover prevents rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, to an unlocked position in which the blocking cover permits rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, in response to manual rotation of the center sump control shaft in the center sump opening direction.

Grain bin sump control with automatic intermediate sump lock-out assembly

An auger can be drivingly coupled to an input shaft of a wheel reduction gearbox. The wheel reduction gearbox can drivingly couple the input shaft to an output shaft of the wheel reduction gearbox. The output shaft can be drivingly coupled to a sweep end wheel. The sweep end wheel can include a plurality of tread brackets, a wheel plate, and an adjustable coupling corresponding to each of the tread brackets. Each adjustable coupling can selectively couple one of the tread brackets to the wheel plate in one of a plurality of radial positions. Each of the plurality of radial positions can correspond to the tread bracket being located at a different radial distance from a central axis of rotation of the wheel plate.

Grain bin powersweep with sweep conveyor end wheel

An unload conveyor and a sweep conveyor can be positioned below and above a floor of the grain bin, respectively. A below floor gearbox and an above floor gearbox can be positioned below and above a sloped wall, respectively, of a sump. The sloped wall can be designed to shed grain toward a sump basin. A coupling shaft can extend through a non-circular sump shaft aperture in the sloped wall to couple the below floor gearbox to the above-floor gearbox. The coupling shaft can extend vertically. A pair of seal cover plates can form a horizontal wall extending perpendicular to the coupling shaft. The horizontal wall can have a circular sealing aperture therein and through which the coupling shaft extends. A washer can be provided adjacent the circular sealing aperture that can be free to move laterally with wobbling of the coupling shaft.

Grain bin powersweep with sump shaft aperture sealing cover plate assembly

A gearbox below a grain bin floor can have a shift coupling movable between a drive position and a neutral position. A control rod can be axially movable between a corresponding drive position and a corresponding neutral position. A pair of biasing members can be operably positioned between the control rod and the shift coupling to bias the shift coupling in opposite directions. The opposite biasing forces of the biasing members can act against each other to bias the control rod into the neutral positioning recess to retain the external shift coupling and the control rod in the neutral position and the corresponding neutral position, respectively. The opposite biasing force of the biasing members can bias the control rod into the drive positioning recess to retain the external shift coupling and the control rod in the drive position and the corresponding drive position, respectively.

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Goshen, IN, United States of America

Adam K Gutwein