The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 13, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1998
Terry L McKenzie, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Paul W Peterson, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Wesley L Peterson, DeMotte, IN (US);
ffi Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Abstract
A grain dryer includes a wall assembly having (i) an inner wall and an outer wall which defines a grain flow path therebetween, and (ii) a discharge slot defined in the wall assembly through which grain may flow. The grain dryer further includes a grain shelf floor positioned relative to the wall assembly such that grain flowing through the discharge slot advances onto the grain shelf floor, the grain shelf floor has a hopper opening defined therein. The grain dryer additionally includes a floor sweep assembly having a wiper, wherein (i) the wiper includes a blade support and a blade attached to the blade support, (ii) the floor sweep assembly is positioned vertically above the grain shelf floor such that rotation of the floor sweep assembly causes grain positioned on the grain shelf floor to be pushed across an upper surface of the grain shelf floor by the blade until the grain falls through the hopper opening, and (iii) a first lower edge of the blade contacts the grain shelf floor so as to slide across the upper surface of the grain shelf floor as the floor sweep assembly is being rotated. A method for advancing grain across a grain shelf floor of a grain dryer with a floor sweep assembly is also disclosed.