Low-profile seed handling system with separate seed bins and turret seed feeder

Abstract

A low-profile particulate handling assembly ( 24 ) is provided for use in conjunction with a downstream treating device, such as a seed treater unit ( 22 ). The assembly ( 24 ) includes a plurality of juxtaposed particulate bins ( 34 ) and a surmounting turret assembly ( 36 ) designed to successively deliver particulates to the bins ( 34 ). The particulates within the bins ( 34 ) are delivered to the downstream treating device through respective lower outlets ( 110 ) each equipped with an adjustable slide gate assembly ( 112 ) and a lower, multiple-chute assembly ( 114 ). Preferably, each bin ( 34 ) has a top wall ( 50 ) which in plan configuration approximates a sector of a circle, planar sidewalls ( 64 ), and downwardly tapered, arcuate sidewall structure ( 58 ) leading to the lower outlet ( 110 ); in this fashion, the bins ( 34 ) can be grouped with the sidewalls ( 64 ) in close adjacency, and with the outlets ( 110 ) located to feed into a single inlet ( 26 ) of the downstream treating device.

1 . A particulate handling assembly operable to deliver quantities of particulate to a particulate receiver or a downstream treater device, said handling assembly comprising:
 a plurality of individual, juxtaposed particulate bins each having an upper bin inlet and a lower bin outlet;   structure supporting said plurality of bins with each of said lower bin outlets in communication with said device inlet; and   a rotary turret assembly having a turret inlet and a turret outlet and located above said plurality of bins, said turret assembly being selectively rotatable so as to cause said turret outlet to successively come into registry with said individual bin inlets for delivery of particulate to said receiver or treater device from each of said plurality of bins.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said supporting structure comprising one or more load cells for each of said bins operable to individually monitor the weight of particulate within each bin. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said turret assembly comprising a housing having a bottom wall and upwardly extending sidewall structure, said housing rotatable about a central upright axis, said turret assembly outlet being located in a laterally offset relationship to said axis, there being an obliquely oriented chute within said housing operable to guide particulate material from said turret assembly inlet toward said offset turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , said housing including a top wall, said turret assembly inlet being centrally located in said top wall in laterally offset relationship to said turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said bins each having a sidewall section converging toward a common lower apex. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , each of said bins including an adjustable outlet device proximal to the corresponding lower bin outlet and operable to regulate the flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , said outlet device comprising a slide gate having a plate adjacent the corresponding lower bin outlet, and structure for selective shifting of the plate between a closed position blocking flow of particulate, and a plurality of open positions permitting flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet at different rates. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , said outlet device including a plurality of delivery chutes below said slide gate and operable to divert respective portions of the flow of particulate through said slide gate in an open position thereof in different directions respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said plurality of bins as a group presenting a substantially circular plan configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , each of said bin outlets oriented to deliver particulate to a single, stationary device inlet. 
     
     
         11 . A particulate handling assembly operable to deliver quantities ofparticulate to the inlet of a treater device, said handling assembly comprising:
 a plurality of individual, juxtaposed particulate bins each having an upper bin inlet, a lower bin outlet, and sidewall structure extending between said bin inlet and said bin outlet,   each of said sidewall structures including a sidewall section converging toward said device inlet;   structure supporting said plurality of bins with each of said lower bin outlets in communication with said device inlet; and   a particulate feeding device located above said plurality of bins, said feeding device operable to selectively deliver quantities of particulate to each of said upper bin inlets.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , said supporting structure comprising one or more load cells for each of said bins operable to individually monitor the weight of particulate within each bin. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , said feeding device comprising a rotary turret assembly having a turret inlet and a turret outlet and located above said plurality of bins, said turret assembly being selectively rotatable so as to cause said turret outlet to successively come into registry with said individual bin inlets for delivery of particulate to said device inlet from each of said plurality of bins. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , said turret assembly comprising a housing having a bottom wall and upwardly extending sidewall structure, said housing rotatable about a central upright axis, said turret assembly outlet being located in a laterally offset relationship to said axis, there being an obliquely oriented chute within said housing operable to guide particulate material from said turret assembly inlet toward said offset turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , said housing including a top wall, said turret assembly inlet being centrally located in said top wall in laterally offset relationship to said turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 11 , said sidewall sections each converging toward a common lower apex proximal to said device inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 11 , each of said bins including an adjustable outlet device proximal to the corresponding lower bin outlet and operable to regulate the flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , said outlet device comprising a slide gate having a plate adjacent the corresponding lower bin outlet, and structure for selective shifting of the plate between a closed position blocking flow of particulate, and a plurality of open positions permitting flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet at different rates. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , said outlet device including a plurality of delivery chutes below said slide gate and operable to divert respective portions of the flow of particulate through said slide gate in an open position thereof in different directions respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 11 , said plurality of bins as a group presenting a substantially circular plan configuration. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 11 , each of said bin outlets oriented to deliver particulate to a single, stationary device inlet. 
     
     
         22 . A particulate bin comprising:
 a top wall which in plan configuration is at least approximately a sector of a circle, with an outermost arcuate margin, an innermost margin, and a pair of inwardly extending, converging side margins extending between the ends of said outermost arcuate margin to said innermost margin, said top wall having an inlet adjacent said innermost margin of said top wall and operable to permit entrance of particulate into the bin; and   sidewall structure extending downwardly from said top wall and including a pair of generally planar sidewalls depending from said top wall side margins, and an arcuate wall depending from said top wall arcuate margin, said arcuate wall including an inwardly tapered wall section,   there being a lower bin outlet proximal to the lower ends of said sidewalls and said inwardly tapered wall section.   
     
     
         23 . The particulate bin of  claim 22 , including an adjustable outlet device proximal to said lower bin outlet and operable to regulate the flow of particulate from the lower bin outlet. 
     
     
         24 . The particulate bin of  claim 23 , said outlet device comprising a slide gate having a plate adjacent said lower bin outlet, and structure for selective shifting of the plate between a closed position blocking flow of particulate, and a plurality of open positions permitting flow of particulate from said lower bin outlet at different rates. 
     
     
         25 . The particulate bin of  claim 24 , said outlet device including a plurality of delivery chutes below said slide gate and operable to divert respective portions of the flow of particulate through said slide gate in an open position thereof in different directions respectively. 
     
     
         26 . The particulate bin of  claim 22 , said top wall in plan configuration being at least approximately a 120° sector, and said bin being configured such that, when three of the bins are grouped together with the sidewalls thereof in adjacency, the grouped bins present a substantially circular configuration in plan. 
     
     
         27 . The particulate bin of  claim 22 , including structure operable to support the bin, having one or more load cells operable to monitor the weight of particulate within the bin. 
     
     
         28 . The particulate bin of  claim 27 , said support structure including a hanger of inverted, generally U-shaped configuration, said one or more load cells secured to said hanger. 
     
     
         29 . A seed treater, comprising:
 a seed treating unit including an inlet and operable to coat agricultural seeds with a desired coating; and   a seed handling assembly positioned above said seed treating unit for supplying seed to said treater inlet, said seed handling assembly including—
 a plurality of individual, juxtaposed particulate bins each having an upper bin inlet and a lower bin outlet; 
 structure supporting said plurality of bins with each of said lower bin outlets in communication with said device inlet; and 
 a rotary turret assembly having a turret inlet and a turret outlet and located above said plurality of bins, said turret assembly being selectively rotatable so as to cause said turret outlet to successively come into registry with said individual bin inlets for delivery of particulate to said device inlet from each of said plurality of bins. 
   
     
     
         30 . The seed treater of  claim 29 , said turret assembly comprising a housing having a bottom wall and upwardly extending sidewall structure, said housing rotatable about a central upright axis, said turret assembly outlet being located in a laterally offset relationship to said axis, there being an obliquely oriented chute within said housing operable to guide particulate material from said turret assembly inlet toward said offset turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         31 . The seed treater of  claim 30 , said housing including a top wall, said turret assembly inlet being centrally located in said top wall in laterally offset relationship to said turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         32 . The seed treater of  claim 29 , each of said bins including an adjustable outlet device proximal to the corresponding lower bin outlet and operable to regulate the flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet. 
     
     
         33 . The seed treater of  claim 32 , said outlet device comprising a slide gate having a plate adjacent the corresponding lower bin outlet, and structure for selective shifting of the plate between a closed position blocking flow of particulate, and a plurality of open positions permitting flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet at different rates. 
     
     
         34 . The seed treater of  claim 33 , said outlet device including a plurality of delivery chutes below said slide gate and operable to divert respective portions of the flow of particulate through said slide gate in an open position thereof in different directions respectively. 
     
     
         35 . A seed treater, comprising:
 a seed treating unit including an inlet and operable to coat agricultural seeds with a desired coating; and   a seed handling assembly positioned above said seed treating unit for supplying seed to said treater inlet, said seed handling assembly including—
 a plurality of individual, juxtaposed particulate bins each having an upper bin inlet, a lower bin outlet, and sidewall structure extending between said bin inlet and said bin outlet, 
 each of said sidewall structures including a sidewall section converging toward said device inlet; 
 structure supporting said plurality of bins with each of said lower bin outlets in communication with said device inlet; and 
 a particulate feeding device located above said plurality of bins, said feeding device operable to selectively deliver quantities of particulate to each of said upper bin inlets. 
   
     
     
         36 . The seed treater of  claim 35 , said turret assembly comprising a housing having a bottom wall and upwardly extending sidewall structure, said housing rotatable about a central upright axis, said turret assembly outlet being located in a laterally offset relationship to said axis, there being an obliquely oriented chute within said housing operable to guide particulate material from said turret assembly inlet toward said offset turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         37 . The seed treater of  claim 36 , said housing including a top wall, said turret assembly inlet being centrally located in said top wall in laterally offset relationship to said turret assembly outlet. 
     
     
         38 . The seed treater of  claim 35 , each of said bins including an adjustable outlet device proximal to the corresponding lower bin outlet and operable to regulate the flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet. 
     
     
         39 . The seed treater of  claim 38 , said outlet device comprising a slide gate having a plate adjacent the corresponding lower bin outlet, and structure for selective shifting of the plate between a closed position blocking flow of particulate, and a plurality of open positions permitting flow of particulate from the corresponding lower bin outlet at different rates. 
     
     
         40 . The seed treater of  claim 39 , said outlet device including a plurality of delivery chutes below said slide gate and operable to divert respective portions of the flow of particulate through said slide gate in an open position thereof in different directions respectively.