Portable silo assembly

Abstract

A portable silo assembly includes two or more telescopic silos. Each of the telescopic silos are multi-stage structures that are vertically movable from a collapsed transport position to a telescopically expanded operative position. A rigid underlying base structure is provided upon which the two or more telescopic silos are mounted. A jacking assembly is provided for jacking the two or more telescopic silos from the collapsed transport position to the expanded operative position. A rigidifying truss system provided rigidity between the two or more telescopic silos during transport and as the two or more telescopic silos are jacked from the collapsed transport position to the expanded operative position.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A portable silo assembly, comprising:
 two or more telescopic silos, each of the telescopic silo being multi-stage structures that are vertically movable from a collapsed transport position to a telescopically expanded operative position;   a rigid underlying base structure upon which the two or more telescopic silos are mounted:   a jacking assembly for jacking the two or more telescopic silos from the collapsed transport position to the expanded operative position; and   a rigidifying truss system providing rigidity between the two or more telescopic silos during transport and as the two or more telescopic silos are jacked from the collapsed transport position to the expanded operative position.   
     
     
         2 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the underlying base structure is a skid for facilitating winching the underlying base structure on and off transport trailers. 
     
     
         3 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the jacking assembly is comprised of a plurality of multi-stage hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 3 , wherein there is provided stabilizer legs to stabilize the two or more telescopic silos in the expanded operative position and provide a back up to the multi-stage hydraulic cylinders in the event of hydraulic failure. 
     
     
         5 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the stabilizer legs at pivotally mounted at an upper end of the two or more telescopic silos, the stabilizer legs sliding in tracks positioned on the underlying base structure from a transport position to a support position as the two or more telescopic silos are moved by the jacking assembly from the collapsed transport position to the expanded operative position. 
     
     
         6 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 1 , wherein stabilizer columns telescopically extend to provide resistance against deflection when raising and lowering the portable silo assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the underlying base structure has outriggers that extend outwardly from the underlying base structure. 
     
     
         8 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 7 , wherein guy wires are secured from the top of the two or more telescopic silos to remote ends of the outriggers. 
     
     
         9 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more telescopic silos has a coned bottom with an underlying conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The portable silo assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each underlying conveyor retracts when the two or more telescopic silos are in the collapsed transport position and extends when the two or more telescopic silos are in the expanded operative position.