Claims
- 1. A material handling system comprising:
a tube having a first end and a second end; an endless belt running through the tube from the first end to the second end, conforming substantially to the inner surface of the tube, and back outside the tube from the second end to the first end; and a flighting positioned within the tube a predetermined distance from the endless belt; whereby the belt is adapted to be driven through the tube from the first end to the second end and the flighting is adapted to be rotated for moving particulate material through the tube from the first end and out of the second end.
- 2. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1, which further includes an intake mounted at the first end of the tube for receiving the particulate material.
- 3. A material handling system as claimed in claim 2, which further includes:
a mechanism for supporting the endless belt within the intake; and a mechanism for supporting a first end of the flighting within the intake.
- 4. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a discharge mounted at the second end of the tube for discharging the particulate material.
- 5. A material handling system as claimed in claim 4, which further includes:
a mechanism for supporting the endless belt within the discharge; and a mechanism for supporting a second end of the flighting within the discharge.
- 6. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1, which includes a support mechanism for adjusting the predetermined distance between the belt and the flighting.
- 7. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1 which further includes a drive mechanism adapted to drive the belt and to rotate the flighting.
- 8. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1 which further includes a drive mechanism adapted to drive the belt and rotate the flighting at predetermined relative speeds.
- 9. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1 which further includes a drive mechanism adapted to drive the belt and rotate the flighting at variable speeds.
- 10. A material handling system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor selected from the group consisting of a power take-off (PTO), hydraulic, electric and internal combustion motors.
- 11. A material handling system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism operates the belt and the flighting individually.
- 12. A material handling system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism operates the belt and the flighting synchronously.
- 13. A material handling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particulate material is granular fertilizer, pulse crops or grain.
- 14. A material handling system comprising:
a tube having a first end and a second end; an intake mounted at the first end of the tube; a discharge mounted at the second end of the tube; an endless belt running from the intake through the tube to the discharge conforming substantially to the inner surface of the tube, and back outside the tube to the intake; and a flighting positioned within the tube a predetermined distance from the belt; wherein the belt and the flighting are adapted to move particulate material through the tube from the intake to the discharge.
- 15. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the particulate material is granular fertilizer, pulse crops or grain.
- 16. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the tube is rigid and substantially circular.
- 17. A material handling system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tube comprises one or more sections.
- 18. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, in which the intake has a front wall adjacent to the tube, a back wall, two side walls and a bottom, wherein the front wall has an opening to the tube, the back wall has a bearing structure for supporting the flighting and the bottom is shaped to be substantially flat near the back wall and substantially semicircular near the front wall.
- 19. A material handling system as claimed in claim 18, which further includes a roller adjustably mounted between the two sidewalls below the bottom to receive and apply tension to the endless belt.
- 20. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, in which the discharge has a front wall adjacent to the tube, a back wall, two side walls and a bottom, wherein the front wall has an opening to the tube, the back wall has a bearing structure for supporting the flighting and the bottom is shaped to be substantially flat near the back wall and substantially semicircular near the front wall.
- 21. A material handling system as claimed in claim 20, which further includes a roller adjustably mounted between the two sidewalls below the bottom to receive and apply tension to the endless belt.
- 22. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the belt has a smooth inner surface and an irregular outer surface.
- 23. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flighting comprises one flighting section.
- 24. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flighting comprises two or more flighting sections positioned end to end.
- 25. A material handling system as claimed in claim 24, which further includes flighting supports fixed to the tube to support the flighting sections.
- 26. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flighting comprises a screw type auger of helical construction fixed to a shaft.
- 27. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, which includes a drive mechanism for driving the endless belt and for rotating the flighting.
- 28. A material handling system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the drive mechanism includes a gear mechanism coupled to the belt and the flighting to drive them at a fixed relative speed.
- 29. A material handling system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor coupled to the gear mechanism, wherein the motor is selected from the group consisting of a power take-off (PTO), hydraulic, electric and internal combustion motors.
- 30. A material handling system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the drive mechanism includes a control box for controlling the speed of the motor.
- 31. A material handling system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the drive mechanism includes a first motor coupled to the belt and a second motor coupled to the flighting.
- 32. A material handling system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the drive mechanism further includes a control box for controlling the speed of the first motor and the second motor.
- 33. A material handling system as claimed in claim 32, wherein the control box has a first input for desired speed and a second input for type of particulate material.
- 34. A material handling system as claimed in claim 14, which includes an s-drive mechanism for tensioning the endless belt.
- 35. A system for moving particulate material from one location to another comprising:
an endless belt adapted to carry the particulate material from one location to the other; a mechanism for supporting said belt such that said belt has a substantially concave cross-section for cradling the particulate material as the endless belt moves from said one location to the other; and a flighting positioned a predetermined distance above the belt and adapted to rotate for driving the particulate material from said one location to the other.
- 36. A system for moving particulate material as claimed in claim 35, which comprises a drive mechanism for controlling the endless belt and the flighting to move the particulate material at approximately the same speed along the system.
- 37. A system for moving particulate material as claimed in claim 36, wherein the particulate material is granular fertilizer, pulse crops or grain.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/391,959 filed on Jun. 28, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60391959 |
Jun 2002 |
US |