Patent Application
20200386478
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to grain aeration systems and more particularly pertains to a new grain aeration system for facilitating thorough, even, and efficient aeration of grain within a grain bin without forming pockets of moisture within the grain bin.
The prior art relates to grain aeration systems.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a grain bin having a top vent and a bottom vent. A stand is positioned within the grain bin. A duct has a main section supported on the stand and an extension extending from the main section out through the bottom vent in the grain bin. The duct includes a duct wall having a plurality of perforations for air to pass through the duct wall. A blower drives air flow out of the grain bin through the bottom vent creating air flow into the grain bin through the top vent and into the duct to aerate grain positioned within the grain bin.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A stand 18 is positioned within the grain bin 12. The stand 18 has a height between three feet and five feet. The stand 18 includes a top frame 20 and a plurality of legs 22 coupled to and extending down from the top frame 20. The top frame 20 comprises a plurality of beams 24 which are each straight and coupled together defining a polygonal shape 26 having an open middle 28. Each of the beams has a width between 3 and 7 inches and may be specifically 5 inches in width. The polygonal shape 26 is shown as square but may also be a triangle, pentagon, or any other polygonal shape. It is also submitted that while a polygon is defined as usually being constructed of a plurality of straight sides, curved sections or a fully circular shape may also be used consistent with the purpose of the stand 18 as described below. Further, dimensions may be scaled to remain substantially proportional relative to the interior diameter of the grain bin 12.
The legs 22 are spaced apart around the top frame 20. The legs 22 are spaced sufficiently to have a radially oriented grain sweep 32 positioned extending between adjacently positioned pairs of the legs 22. Each of the legs 22 is individually movable relative to the top frame 20 wherein each of the legs 22 is positionable to provide clearance between the leg 22 and a bottom 30 of the grain bin 12 such that each of the legs 22 is configured to be moved to allow the grain sweep 32 to pass under the leg 22 while the top frame 20 remains sufficiently supported by each other leg 22. The legs 22 are moved or removed and replaced into a supporting position sequentially to allow for movement of the grain sweep 32 as desired without having to fully disassemble or remove the stand 18 from the grain bin 12. Each leg 22 may be a pivotable leg 22A which is pivotable relative to the top frame 18 as shown in
A duct 40 in accordance with the general disclosure of the invention includes a main section 41 supported on the stand 18 and an extension section 44 out through the bottom vent 16 in the grain bin 16.
In the embodiment shown in
A blower 60 is coupled to the duct 40. The blower 60 drives air flow out of the bottom vent 16 creating air flow into the grain bin 12 through the top vent 14 and into the duct 40 through the perforations 54 wherein the blower 60 is configured to aerate grain 62 positioned within the grain bin 12.
An aeration tube 64 has an upper end 66 coupled to the top vent 14 wherein the aeration tube 64 is in fluid communication with the top vent 14. The aeration tube 64 is elongated and extends down into the grain bin 12. The aeration tube 64 is centrally positioned within the grain bin 12 such that the aeration tube 64 and the grain bin 12 have a common central longitudinal axis. The aeration tube 64 is perforated similar to perforation of the duct 40 wherein the aeration tube 64 is configured for facilitating passage of airflow down into the grain bin 12 and outwardly into the grain bin 12 along a length of the aeration tube 64. The aeration tube 64 has a bottom end 68 positioned in vertically spaced relationship over and aligned with the center 56 of the loop section 42. As discussed above, the top vent 14 may not be centered within the grain bin 12. As shown in
In use, grain is stored in the grain bin 12. The stand 18 is positioned in the grain bin 12 to elevate the loop section 42 of the duct 40. The positioning of the loop section 42 provides airflow through the grain bin 12 contrary to natural air flow patterns due to temperature difference between the interior of the grain bin 12 and outside of the grain bin 12. The air flow aerates and dries the grain 62 within the grain bin 12 without forming condensation zones within the grain bin 12. The legs 22 are movable to allow for the grain sweep 32 to move along the bottom 30 of the grain bin 12 in a radial motion without having to completely disassemble or move the whole stand 18.
In an embodiment shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
