Beater Assembly for Grain Bin Clump Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grain storage bin systems face safety hazards due to clumped grain occluding discharge openings, leading to potential worker avalanches, and existing solutions like the Rauser et al system fail to efficiently break up clumps, require high startup torque, and are difficult to retrofit.
Innovation Solution
A beater member with radially projecting knife assemblies is used to break up clumps at the discharge opening, driven by a motor coupled to the unloading auger, reducing startup torque and allowing easy installation without dismantling the existing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If round sticks are used to push clumps about the drive shaft, then clumps are moved rather than broken up, but the system fails to disintegrate clumps effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The beater assembly is segmented into multiple beaters arranged in a circle around the drive shaft, with each beater having a specific function. The lead beater pushes clumps, while trailing beaters break them up, creating a coordinated segmentation of the clump-breaking process that addresses both movement and disintegration needs.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using round sticks that push clumps along the drive shaft, the invention inverts the approach by using beaters that strike clumps radially outward and break them up. The clumps are moved along the drive shaft by the rotation of the beaters themselves, rather than being pushed by the drive shaft rotation.
2Ease of operation
If round sticks with clutch are used, then clumps can be pushed, but startup torque becomes excessively high causing system failure
Solution Approach 1:
The circular arrangement of multiple beaters segments the torque requirement across multiple contact points rather than concentrating it at a single clutch interface. This distributes the startup torque burden and prevents system failure while maintaining clump pushing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The beater assembly is designed to be flexible in its engagement with clumps, allowing the beaters to adapt their force application dynamically. This dynamic engagement reduces peak torque requirements compared to rigid clutch mechanisms, enabling the system to start under compaction load.
3Ease of operation
If clutch is used to connect drive shaft and driven shaft, then clumps can be pushed, but clutch slip occurs causing desynchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch mechanism is completely removed from the system. Instead of using a clutch to connect the drive shaft to the beaten shaft, the invention directly couples the beaters to the drive shaft, eliminating the source of slip and ensuring synchronous operation throughout the clump processing cycle.
4Productivity
If sweep auger pulls grain to center sump, then grain unloading occurs, but chunks under the drive shaft bridge the gate openings blocking grain flow
Solution Approach 1:
The beaters perform preliminary breaking-up of grain chunks as they are encountered during the normal grain unloading operation. This preliminary action prevents chunks from forming and bridging the gate openings, ensuring continuous grain flow through the center sump without requiring separate clearing operations.
5Ease of operation
If Rauser system is installed, then clumps can be pushed, but the system requires reversible gearbox and slip clutch making retrofitting difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The complex reversible gearbox and slip clutch components are extracted and removed from the system. The invention achieves the clump pushing function through a simpler direct-drive beater assembly that couples to the existing sweep auger shaft, dramatically reducing device complexity and enabling easy retrofitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The beater assembly is designed to be universally applicable to existing grain bin systems with standard sweep auger configurations. The modular design allows it to be installed on existing equipment without requiring specialized reversible gearboxes or complex clutch mechanisms, making it a universal retrofit solution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The beater member effectively reduces clump size, minimizes startup torque, and allows safe and efficient unloading of remaining grain without blocking the gate, enhancing safety and usability in existing grain storage bins.
Implementation Method 1
Each knife assembly comprises a steel collar and a pair of steel knives projecting radially in opposite directions from the collar. Each knife has a body portion, a leading edge, and a tapered portion extending from the leading edge to the body portion.
Implementation Method 2
driven by a motor coupled to the unloading auger
Implementation Method 3
grain to be stored from ground level to the top of the bin... the grain will flow into the sump by gravity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for breaking up clumps of grain encountered during the emptying of a grain bin includes a beater assembly having a shaft with a plurality of knives extending radially therefrom. The beater assembly is adapted to be attached to or unattached from an end of a sweep auger. The beater assembly is positioned to overlay a gated opening in the floor of the grain bin through which grain flows during unloading thereof. The same motor used to drive the bin's discharge auger located below the bins floor also is made to drive the beater assembly located above the floor by linking the shaft of the discharge auger through a pair of right angle gear boxes to the shaft of the beater assembly.