Silo Unloader Bucket Separation Mechanism for Efficient Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing silage buckets face challenges in efficiently filling and transporting material from silos due to material sticking to cutting edges and requiring manual retrieval, leading to incomplete filling and increased height in transport position.
Innovation Solution
A silage bucket design featuring a C-shaped cradle with a separation and dumping mechanism that collects cut material from the cutting edge and folds inward to dump it into the bucket, reducing the overall height in transport position and facilitating easy filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cradle is lowered to cut material in the silo, then material is cut and can be collected, but material sticks to the cutting edge and remains stuck above the cradle, requiring additional maneuvers to retrieve it
Solution Approach 1:
A separation means is introduced as an intermediary element between the cutting edge and the bucket. This separation means includes a separation element that detaches material from the cutting edge and a collection element that gathers the detached material, facilitating its transfer into the bucket without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The separation means is designed to automatically perform the separation and collection functions during the normal operation of the cradle. As the cradle moves, the separation element continuously detaches material from the cutting edge, and the collection element automatically gathers and transfers it to the bucket, making the system self-servicing
2Productivity
If the bucket is designed to collect material efficiently, then filling is improved, but the height of the bucket in transport position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation means is designed with movable elements that can change position. The collection element can be lowered into the bucket during filling operations to efficiently collect material, then raised to a compact position during transport to minimize the overall height of the bucket assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The collection element is designed to nest within or alongside the bucket structure when not in use. During transport, the collection element can be positioned inside the bucket or folded against its sides, creating a compact nested configuration that reduces the external dimensions
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concerns a silo unloader bucket (100) intended to be coupled to a handling machine for cutting material in a silo (SI) or slicing a bale (Bt) of forage and loading it for transport, comprising: • - a loading bucket base (Bn), • - a C-shaped cradle (Bc), • - a sawing member (Os) attached under the cradle. The invention comprises a separating and discharging means (Msd) mounted transversely and in a hinged manner on the cradle (Bc) on the opposite side to the sawing member (Os), the separating and discharging means (Msd) being movable between an open collection position to slide along the cutting edge in the silo (SI) or in the bale (Bt) and collect, on the bucket base (Bn) side, a slice of material cut by the sawing member (Os), the silo unloader bucket (100) being tilted into a loading position, and a closed position in which it is folded towards the bucket base (Bn) in order to discharge the contents of same into the bucket base (Bc), the silo unloader bucket (100) being tilted into a transport position. The bucket is easier to fill and is of a relatively low height.