Many types of tall structures require top entrance. One example of such a structure is a silo. Silos are used in agriculture to store grain or silage, but they may also be used in many contexts to store any number of other products. Many kinds of silos are filled with product at a top entrance using a long, ground-based spiral auger. Such filling requires that a user climb the silo to open the top entrance and position the auger. When this process is done, the user must again climb the silo to close the top entrance.
The operations described above may present several undesirable conditions. First, the mere fact that a user is required to climb up and down a tall structure to perform operations may be time consuming and inefficient. Second, climbing a tall structure may be difficult for many users. Third, a user that is required to scale a tall structure is exposed to falling danger, bodily injury, or even death.
Despite the long-use of tall structures such as silos, little has been invented to mitigate the undesirable conditions described. Designs continue to require that a user scale the structure to open and close a top entrance and to perform filling operations. What is needed is a reliable structure access system that allows a user to open and close a top entrance and to perform filling operations without having to climb the structure. Such a system would increase efficiency and ease of operation and reduce the risk of bodily injury or death.
In accordance with the above, a new and innovative structure access system is provided for structure access above a user's ground-standing reach. Specifically, the structure access system allows a user at ground level to open and close an access on a top of a structure—typically one for storage of bulk materials like a silo—and includes: a pivotable lever; a first elongate member with first and second ends, the first elongate member pivotally attached to the lever at the first elongate member first end; a rocker arm pivotally attached to the first elongate member second end; a second elongate member with first and second ends, the second elongate member pivotally attached to the rocker arm at the second elongate member first end; and a top entrance mount to which the second elongate member is pivotally attached at the second elongate member second end.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claim, or they may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
To further clarify the above and other aspects of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The drawings may not be drawn to scale. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention in its various embodiments, some of which are depicted in the figures herein, is a structure access system.
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Mounting plate 201 may be comprised of two or more opposing plates bounding the pivotable lever 102. In the illustrated embodiment, pivotable lever 102 moves in a vertical plane along an axis that is perpendicular to the pivot. Mounting plate 201 may have a plurality of fasteners 203 for affixing the mounting plate 201 to the silo structure 101. Mounting plate 201 may have one or more spacers and/or stops 204, 205 for facilitating or controlling the travel of the pivotable lever 102. In the illustrated embodiment, stops 204, 205 lock the pivotable lever 102 with a removable pin and clip. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate 201 may be approximately 12.5 inches high, 6.25 inches in depth, and 4 inches in width, with around 10.5 inches of lever travel, although these measurements may vary without departing from the purpose and scope of the invention.
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Rocker arm 105 is configured to translate vertical movement from first elongate member 104 (typically initiated by movement of the pivotable lever 102) to a more horizontal angle. This is accomplished by the unique configuration of the rocker arm 105 and its various connections to other components. More specifically, rocker arm may be configured as a rounded isosceles triangle with connections adjacent each of its base and vertex angles. A first connection 304 adjacent a first base angle pivotally attaches the rocker arm 105 to the silo structure 101. Entire rocker arm 105 is pivotable about this first connection 304. A second connection 301 adjacent a vertex angle pivotally attaches the rocker arm 105 to the first elongate member 104. A third connection 303 adjacent a second base angle pivotally attaches the rocker arm 105 to the second elongate member 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the rocker arm may be approximately 14 inches long at its longest edge and 8 inches in depth, although these measurements may vary without departing from the purpose and scope of the invention.
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Thus configured, a reliable structure access system is provided that allows a user to open and close a top entrance and to perform filling operations without having to climb the structure, thereby increasing efficiency and ease of operation and reducing the risk of bodily injury or death.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application is the non-provisional, utility application of provisional application U.S. App. No. 63/137,613, filed on Jan. 14, 2021, and claims priority thereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63137613 | Jan 2021 | US |