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:
Jul. 23, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 11, 2000
Dirk E. Nichols, Beloit, KS (US);
Jeffrey S. Hughes, Glen Elder, KS (US);
Sunflower Manufacturing Company, Inc., Beloit, KS (US);
Abstract
An auger coupler for a folding grain conveyor is disclosed which operates to connect an upper auger to a lower auger. A drive member adapted to be connected to the lower auger include a pilot shaft designed to help align the drive member with the driven member and an annular thrust bearing surface surrounding the pilot shaft. Spaced outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of drive teeth. The drive teeth project axially upwardly from an annular base surface which is parallel to and concentric with the thrust bearing surface. A driven member adapted to be connected to the upper auger includes a receiver sized and shaped to accept the pilot shaft of the drive member. The receiver is also surrounded by an annular thrust bearing surface. Spaced radially outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of driven teeth which are structurally identical to the drive teeth. The driven teeth project axially downwardly from a tooth base surface which is parallel to and concentric with the thrust bearing surface. When the coupler members are fully engaged the thrust bearing surfaces of the two members are in contact with each other. This contact between the thrust bearing surfaces holds the drive and driven teeth in spaced relation such that clearance gaps are formed between the extremities of the teeth of each member and the tooth base surface of the opposite member. These clearance gaps allow the coupler to engage despite an accumulation of debris, such as grain, on the coupler.