Grain Bin Unload Conveyor having Removable Components for Maintenance Access

Abstract

A bin unload conveyor for unloading grain through a raised floor of a bin. A removable cover is vertically supported by a plurality of removable ribs to cover the span of a removable midpan. The removable components allow for easy installation and removal to allow maintenance of the bin unload conveyor mounted under the raised floor. A central pit having a central pit cover also allows easy installation and maintenance access. A drive roller and sweep drive sprocket disposed in the central pit are accessible for maintenance upon removal of the central pit cover. A belt of the bin unload conveyor can be maintained in place without removal of the raised floor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A bin unload conveyor for an agricultural bin comprising:
 a. a return trough structured to be mounted under a raised floor of the agricultural bin;   b. a belt in the return trough; and   c. a removable cover mounted above the return trough structured to allow maintenance access by removal of the removable cover.   
     
     
         2 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of removable ribs longitudinally spaced apart across the return trough structured to support the removable cover.   
     
     
         3 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of removable ribs mounted above the return trough structured to allow maintenance access by removal of the plurality of removable ribs.   
     
     
         4 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a removable midpan suspended within the return trough to support a portion of the belt.   
     
     
         5 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of removable ribs mounted to the removable midpan.   
     
     
         6 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 4 , wherein the removable cover is mounted to the removable midpan. 
     
     
         7 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a central pit mounted to an end of the return trough; and   b. a central pit cover removably mounted above the central pit structured to allow maintenance access by removal of the central pit cover.   
     
     
         8 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a. a drive roller disposed in the central pit;   b. a sweep drive sprocket disposed in the central pit; and   c. a sweep conveyor operably connected to transfer power from the drive roller to the sweep drive sprocket to the sweep conveyor, wherein by removal of the central pit cover the maintenance access is created to the drive roller and the sweep drive sprocket.   
     
     
         9 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 8 , wherein the removable cover provides a surface over which the sweep conveyor can travel upon the raised floor. 
     
     
         10 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a gate housing removably mounted above the return trough.   
     
     
         11 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein maintenance is performed within the return trough without removal of the raised floor. 
     
     
         12 . A bin unload conveyor for an agricultural bin comprising:
 a. a central pit structured to be mounted under a raised floor of the agricultural bin;   b. a belt in the central pit; and   c. a central pit cover removably mounted above the central pit structured to allow maintenance access by removal of the central pit cover.   
     
     
         13 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a. a drive roller disposed in the central pit;   b. a sweep drive sprocket disposed in the central pit; and   c. a sweep conveyor operably connected to transfer power from the drive roller to the sweep drive sprocket to the sweep conveyor.   
     
     
         14 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a. a return trough structured to be mounted under the raised floor of the agricultural bin, wherein the central pit is mounted to an end of the return trough;   b. a belt in the return trough; and   c. a removable cover mounted above the return trough structured to allow maintenance access by removal of the removable cover.   
     
     
         15 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 14 , wherein the removable cover provides a surface over which a sweep conveyor can travel upon the raised floor. 
     
     
         16 . The bin unload conveyor of  claim 14 , wherein maintenance is performed on the belt without removal of the raised floor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of maintaining a bin unload conveyor for an agricultural bin comprising the steps of:
 a. removing a removable cover mounted above a return trough of the bin unload conveyor structured to be mounted under a raised floor of the agricultural bin; and   b. accessing the return trough through a maintenance access created by removal of the removable cover.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. removing a plurality of removable ribs longitudinally spaced apart across the return trough structured to support the removable cover;   b. removing a midpan suspended within the return trough structured to support the plurality of removable ribs; and   c. performing maintenance within the return trough through the maintenance access created by removal of the removable cover.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
 a. repairing a belt in the return trough structured to be maintained under the raised floor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 a. removing a central pit cover removably mounted above a central pit, the central pit mounted to an end of the return trough and structured to be mounted under the raised floor of the agricultural bin; and   b. accessing the central pit through the maintenance access created by removal of the central pit cover.