Arrangement for decreasing dust load when bulk goods are discharged into a silo fed by a chute and method for decreasing dust load by the arrangement

Abstract

Arrangement (1) for decreasing dust load when bulk goods, for instance cereal crops are discharged from a tiltable case (19) of a dump truck (18) to a silo fed by a chute (15), the silo is arranged in a building (10) that comprises a gate (12) capable of receiving said case (19) in its tilted state, and the end of the case (19) is located above the chute (15) in a feeding posion, and lateral gaps are provided between both sides of the case (19) and of the gate (12), wherein lines of hoses (24, 25) are arranged in the gaps at the sides of the gate (12) that comprise hoses (23) arranged directly under each-other and have resilient walls, the hoses (23) can be inflated by pressurized air and deflated by terminang the internal pressure, the hoses (23) in the lines of hoses (24. 25) have respecve outer ends which are coupled through air-conducng branches (26, 27) to a feed line (29) having an end coupled to an air pump (30) generang high pressure air, and in inflated state of the hoses (23) the lines of hoses (24, 25) close the gap or at least a substanal poron thereof.

Description

[0001] Arrangement for decreasing dust load when bulk goods are discharged into a silo fed by a chute and method for decreasing dust load by the arrangement

[0002] The invention relates to an arrangement for decreasing dust load when bulk goods, for instance cereal crops are discharged from a tiltable case of a dump truck to a silo fed by a chute, wherein the silo is arranged in a building that comprises a gate capable of receiving the case in its tilted state, and the end of the case is located above the chute in a feeding position, and lateral gaps are provided between both sides of the case and of the gate.

[0003] It is a known fact that cereal crops comprise immediately following the harvest and during their storage a substantial degree of dust contamination. Such dust causes serious problems when the crops are fed to a silo even in case the interior of the building in which the silo is located is equipped with an efficient dust collector, because the vehicle transporting the crops, which is generally a bump truck with a tiltable case requires a substantial lateral space till the sides of the gate of the building in order the driver can move the truck to the discharge position without the danger of collision.

[0004] According to actual experiences the environment is substantially contaminated even in case of carefully carried out discharge processes which can be sensed even at several hundred meters or even a kilometer from the location of the discharge. This problem is present not only in case the storage of crops but at other kinds of bulk goods e.g., coal, therefore the invention cannot be limited to the discharge of crops or other kinds of cereals.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an arrangement and method for decreasing dust load that can efficiently solve the above outlined problems or can at least largely decrease them.

[0006] With the invention an arrangement has been provided for decreasing dust load when bulk goods, for instance cereal crops are discharged from a tiltable case of a dump truck to a silo fed by a chute, wherein the silo is arranged in a building that comprises a gate capable of receiving the case in its tilted state, and the end of the case is located above the chute in a feeding position, and lateral gaps are provided between both sides of the case and of the gate, wherein according to the invention lines of hoses are arranged in the gaps at the sides of the gate that comprise high number of hoses arranged directly under each-other and have resilient walls, the hoses can be inflated by pressurized air and deflated by terminating the internal pressure, the hoses in the lines have respective outer ends which are coupled through air conducting branches to a feed line having an end coupled to an air pump generating high pressure air, and in inflated state of the hoses the lines of hoses close the gap or at least a substantial portion thereof. In a preferred embodiment between the hoses positioned under and above each-other when being inflated, gaps being formed through which only negligible amount of airflow can pass in transverse direction.

[0007] It is preferred that the hoses have respective horizontal axes being slightly inclined towards the interior of the building.

[0008] It is preferred if the hoses comprise at their respective inner ends an opening which does not prevent inflation but through which air is blown out with high speed.

[0009] The air supply of the hoses and the discharge of air get easier if between the air pump and the feed line controlled valves are arranged, which are coupled to respective pipe ducts having outer ends communicating with the free space, wherein in a first position of the controlled valves the feed line is coupled to the air pump and in a second position of the controlled valves the feed line is coupled to the pipe ducts.

[0010] It is also preferred if the lateral size of the lines of hoses in the inflated state of the hoses is between 50 and 120 cm.

[0011] With the invention a method has also been provided for decreasing dust load in case of discharging crops by means of the afore mentioned arrangement, which comprises the steps of driving a dump truck having a tiltable case through a gate to a chute of the silo so that in the tilted position of the case crops stored therein are discharged into the chute, at the tilting of the case or directly prior to that step the hoses are inflated with air, the lines of hoses are arranged at inner sides of the gate, whereby they substantially close any gap formed at the two sides of the case, and this state is maintained at least till the discharge of the crops is finished, then the pressure in the hoses are terminated and they are brought into deflated state.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the method respective airflow streams are provided through openings made at the inner ends of the hoses directed towards the interior of the building, whereby preventing any leakage of dust to the free space.

[0013] In the described way the solution according to the invention efficiently decreases the dust load generated when the crops are discharged into the silo.

[0014] The invention will now be described in connection with an exemplary embodiment thereof used for the storage of cereal crops, wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing:

[0015] Fig. 1 shows the schematic perspective view partly in section of a storage building for crops at the initial phase when the crops are being fed from a dump truck;

[0016] Fig. 2 shows the perspective view of a detail of a storage building for crops provided with the arrangement according to the invention;

[0017] Fig. 3 is the schematic view of the arrangement according to the invention; and Fig. 4 is the enlarged view of the air pumping and discharging arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

[0018] In the perspective view of Fig. 1 the structure of a building 10 designed for the storage of cereal crops is shown to such detail which is sufficient for understanding the present invention. The building 10 has several levels and on upper level 11 at least a front gate 12 is provided behind which interior 13 of the upper level 11 can be seen. On the bottom of the interior 13 a flooring 14 is provided covered by grating 14, not shown in Fig. 1. Under the grating 14 a sunken feed chute 15 is provided leading to lower level 20 of the building 10 which has the task of receiving the cereal crops to be stored and to further it to storage space 21 of the lower level 20. From the outside, road 17 leads to the building 10, and its height is substantially the same as that of the upper level 11 and its width is sufficient to receive a dump truck 18 and its dump case 19 that can be raised and tilted in backward direction. It is preferred if the upper level 11 is designed to have a rear gate which is arranged in line with the front gate 12 and has a sufficient height for allowing the passage of the dump truck 18 so that it can advance in forward direction to take the position shown in Fig. 1. The front gate 12 and the rear gate (not shown) are by about 80 to 200 cm wider than the width of the dump truck 18 so that this latter can pass therethrough without the danger of accidents. The rear gate (not shown in the drawing) can be closed to prevent passage of dust to the outside created during the feeding of the crops. The dump case 19 of the dump truck 18 can be raised by a built-in hydraulic lift 16 to the required height. This was illustrated in Fig. 1 at the initial phase of the feeding and by light lines the final lifted phase is shown, when all cereal crops have moved towards the feed chute 15. The gate 12 must be so high that under its upper beam a sufficient space should be left which can be about 40 - 60 cm. The opening of the front gate 12 is therefore much higher than that of the rear gate through which the dump truck 18 should pass through only in its basic (nonlifted) position.

[0019] Reference is made now to Fig. 2 which shows only the upper part 22 of the building at the upper level 11 with the gate 12 in open state. At both sides of the gate 12 left and right lines of hoses 24, 25 are vertically arranged under one-another that comprise respective short, inflatable hoses 23 with horizontal axes. The hoses 23 have respective outer ends which are connected to respective branches 26, 27 of an air channel being dimensioned according to the number and size of the hoses, and the upper ends of the branches 26, 27 are interconnected above the gate 12 by a pipe 28 coupled to a feed line 29. The feed line 29 is leading to air pump 30 arranged at the outside of the building part 22 and coupled thereto by means of control valves 27. An exemplary version of the arrangement is shown in Fig. 4. From the top of the gate 12 an apron is extending out in downward direction made of a flexible plastic sheet or of canvas that has the task of flexibly closing the upper part of the opening of the gate 12 or decreasing the size thereof when the case 19 of the dump truck 18 supported on the road 17 is at its highest tilted position. The two lines of hoses 24, 25 have similar task, namely the opening of the gate 12 must also be closed at the lateral sides so that when the crops are discharged the so generated immense amount of dust cannot get released to the free outer space. Because of safety grounds the width of the gate 12 must be made greater than that of the case 19 of the bump truck 18 to allow its passage without the danger of collision, and through the so-formed gap without the use of the respective lines of hoses 24, 25 a substantial portion of the upwardly flying dust could get released to the free atmosphere.

[0020] In Fig. 2 it was only schematically shown that in the interior of the upper building part 22 at both sides high power dust filters 32 are provided which are coupled in a known way to a high-power dust exhauster device which has the task of sucking off dust generated when the crops are discharged.

[0021] Reference is made now to Fig. 3 which does not show part of the building and the gate 12 but only the design of the arrangement 1 for decreasing the dust load according to the invention. The hoses 23 in the lines of hoses 24, 25 are made of short inflatable cylinders that have respective horizontal axes 33 (indicated at lowest hose 23 of the right line of hoses 25). In Fig. 3 it cannot be seen but it is preferred if the horizontal axes 33 of the hoses are directed with respective slight acute angles towards the interior of the building part 22. The hoses 33 are shown in Fig. 3 in their inflated state, and they take this state only in case when the case 19 of a dump truck has advanced to its discharge position and started to get lifted for pouring the crops therein. The inflation of the hoses 23 is started by the switching on of the supplying air pump 30 and of the opening of the valves leading to the feed line 29, and this state is maintained as long as the discharging of the crops has finished, and the generated dust in the building part 22 or a major portion thereof has been removed by the internal dust exhauster devices.

[0022] Reference is made to Fig. 4 that shows the enlarged view of a detail from the left side of Fig. 3, namely the air supply system for the hoses 23. The air pump 30 designed preferably as a cyclonetype centrifugal air pump is coupled through a plurality of the controlled valves 37 to the feed line 29. At the same time in a different position of the controlled valves 37 the feed line 29 can be coupled through tube 35 to pipe ducts 36a, 36b and 36c which have open outer ends communicating with the free atmosphere.

[0023] For discharging the hoses 23 two solutions can be used which can be combined with each-other. At the respective inner ends of the hoses 23 respective narrow openings 34 can be provided. In case through the air pump, the feed line 29 and the air leading branches 26, 27 that interconnect the lines of hoses 24, 25a high pressure air is pumped, then the inflated state of the hoses 23 will not be influenced by the presence of the narrow openings 34, moreover the air discharged through these openings 34 with high speed will form a bar for the floating dust to get released to the free space through the small lateral gaps formed between the case 19 and the two lines of hoses 24, 25. The axes 33 of the hoses 23 are slightly inclined towards the interior of building because air flowing through the openings 34 divert dust towards the internal space.

[0024] When there is no further need for dust protection, the hoses 23 can be deflated, then it can be sufficient to stop the operation of the air pump 30 and / or the control of the valves 37 to a position in which the connection between the tube 35 and the feed line 29 gets broken. The inner pressure of the inflated hoses 23 will decrease through the respective openings 34 and a discharged state is obtained. The discharge process can be accelerated if the other ends of the feed line 29 is coupled to the pipe ducts 36a, 36b and 36c by controlling the valves 37 to their other state, because the pressure at the respective inner ends of the hoses 23 with greater cross section will faster decrease. Looking at Fig. 4 the question might arise why are several pipe ducts 36a, 36b and 36c required. The answer is simple, because while in Fig. 4 these pipe ducts were illustrated beside each other, the controlled valves 37 and the pipe ducts 36a, 36b and 36c are arranged at different remote sections of the long air supply system, and in that way the discharge process can be shorter.

[0025] The dust load decreasing arrangement according to the invention can fulfill its task in a simple and efficient way and prevents the dust generated when the case 19 of the dump truck filled with dusty crops from getting released to the free space and to contaminate thereby the environment. The arrangement 1 does not prevent the free passage of the dump truck 18 with its case 19 through the gate because a sufficient lateral space is provided which get closed by the inflated lines of hoses 24, 25 or decrease them by a substantial degree. When respective openings 34 are provided at the inner ends of the hoses 2, these will facilitate not only the discharge of the hoses 23 but provide an airflow profile that direct the dust in inward direction close to the remaining gaps.

Claims

Claims:

1. Arrangement (1) for decreasing dust load when bulk goods, for instance cereal crops are discharged from a tiltable case (19) of a dump truck (18) to a silo fed by a chute (15), the silo is arranged in a building (10) that comprises a gate (12) capable of receiving said case (19) in its tilted state, and the end of the case (19) is located above the chute (15) in a feeding position, and lateral gaps are provided between both sides of the case (19) and of the gate (12), characterized in that lines of hoses (24, 25) are arranged in said gaps at the sides of the gate (12) that comprise hoses (23) arranged directly under each-other and have resilient walls, said hoses (23) can be inflated by pressurized air and deflated by terminating the internal pressure, the hoses (23) in the lines of hoses (24. 25) have respective outer ends which are coupled through air conducting branches (26, 27) to a feed line (29) having an end coupled to an air pump (30) generating high pressure air, and in inflated state of the hoses (23) said lines of hoses (24, 25) closing said gap or at least a substantial portion thereof.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that between said hoses (23) positioned under and above each-other when being inflated, gaps being formed through which only negligible amount of airflow can pass in transverse direction.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said hoses (23) have respective horizontal axes (33) being slightly inclined towards the interior of the building (10).

4. The arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said hoses (33) comprise at their respective inner ends an opening (34) which does not prevent inflation but through which air is blown out with high speed.

5. The arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that between said air pump (30) and the feed line (29) controlled valves (37) are arranged, which are coupled to respective pipe ducts (26a, 26b, 26c) having outer ends communicating with the free space, wherein in a first position of the controlled valves (37) the feed line (29) is coupled to the air pump (30) and in a second position of the controlled valves (37) the feed line (29) is coupled to the pipe ducts (26a, 26b, 26c).

6. The arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lateral size of the lines of hoses (24, 25) in the inflated state of the hoses (23) is between 50 and 120 cm.

7. Method for decreasing dust load in case of discharging crops by means of the arrangement as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that driving a dump truck (18) having a tiltable case (19) through a gate (12) to a chute (15) so that in the tilted position of the case (19) crops stored therein being discharged into the chute (15), at the tilting of the case (19) or directly prior to the tilting inflating hoses (23) with air, said hoses being in the lines of hoses (24, 25) arranged at theinner sides of the gate (12), whereby substantially closing thereby any gap formed at the two sides of the case (19), maintaining this state at least till the discharge of the crops is finished, then terminating the pressure in the hoses (23) and bringing them into deflated state.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that providing respective airflow streams through openings (24) provided at the inner ends of the hoses (23) directed towards the interior of the building, whereby preventing any leakage of dust to the free space.

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