US3062062A - Hopper outlet gate control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1962 G. w. LOOMIS 3,052,062

HOPPER OUTLET GATE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July so, 1959 United States Patent 3,062,062 HOPPER OUTLET GATE CONTROL MECHANISM George W. Loomis, General Delivery, Cardston, Alberta, Canada Filed July 30, 1959, Ser. No. 830,670 1 Claim. (Cl. 74-110) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fertilizer and seed distributors, and in particular concerns itself with such distributors having a hopper equipped with a slidable outlet gate.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an eflicient control mechanism whereby the hopper outlet gate may be slid between open and closed positions.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism whereby the sliding of the outlet gate is effected with a snap action.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the control mechanism at the outlet of a hopper.

FIGURE 2. is a top plan view of the mechanism per se.

In the drawings, like characters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the invention comprises a control mechanism for a slidable outlet gate 55 at the bottom 20 of a seed or fertilizer hopper 18. A stationary plate 42 is held underneath the hopper bottom 20 by means of a bracket 43 extending from a suitable frame and this plate 42 is welded to the bracket 43.

This bracket 43 extends upwardly and is apertured to receive slideably the mechanism 44.

This mechanism consists of an elongated bar 45 slotted at one end as at 46 and provided with parallel ribs 47 upon both sides thereof thus forming elongated slots 48 between the bar 45 and the ribs 47.

A rope 48 extends from the end 49 of the bar 45 to adjacent the operator and a spring 50 extends from a point 51 on the bar rearwardly to a convenient anchorage on the frame thus normally biasing the mechanism in the direction of arrow 52 unless the rope 48 is pulled by the operator against the tension of the spring 50.

A cross bar 53 is pivoted freely within slot 46 by means of pin 54 and the hopper shut-off gate 55 is freely connected by means of pin 56 upon one side of this cross bar 53.

A pair of arms 57 and 58 are pivotally connected by one end thereof to the ends of the cross bar 53 by means of pins 59 and a spring 60 extending between these arms biases the other ends 61 toward one another.

These ends 61 are provided with pins 62 extending within the slots 48 within which they are adapted to move longitudinally.

The bar or strap 45 is provided with a pair of ratchet "ice notches 63 one upon each side thereof within Which either of the pins 62 is adapted to engage depending upon the positioning of the device as will hereinafter be described.

Finally a further spring 64 extends from one of the pins 59 transversely across to an anchorage point 65 acting as an over-center snap spring depending upon the inclination of the cross bar 53.

In operation, the device is normally held in the direction of arrow 52 by means of spring 50. Assuming that the device is positioned as shown in FIGURE 2, with the hopper gate 55 open, movement of the rope 48 in a direction opposite to arrow 52 will cause the bar 45 to move in the same direction and as the left hand pin 62 is engaged within notch 63, this pin together with the bar 58 will also be moved in this direction thus pivoting the cross bar 53 around pin 54. Due to the fact that pins 62 are situated oif center, the rounded portions 66 of the links 57 and 58 will rub as they pass one another thus maintaining the right hand pin 62 out of engagement of its corresponding notch 63.

As the cross bar 53 is tilted over center the spring 64 snaps the mechanism fully over so that it takes up the position opposite to that shown in FIGURE 2 and with the gate 55 closed.

Release of the rope 48, causes the spring 50 to move the mechanism again in the direction of arrow 52 and this time the right hand pin 62 engages with the notch 63 and pushes the left hand pin 62 out of engagement so that the mechanism is ready for a reversal of action as soon as the rope 48 is pulled again.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claim without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

A snap action control mechanisms for a slidable hopper outlet gate, said mechanism comprising in combination a stationary support, a fulcrum pin provided thereon, an elongated plate provided in one end portion thereof with a longitudinally extending slot slidably receiving said fulcrum pin, a pair of ribs disposed in spaced parallel relation at opposite side edges of the other end portion of said plate and secured at the ends thereof to said side edges whereby to provide a pair of parallel slots between said edges and the ribs, a transverse bar pivotal-1y mounted intermediate its ends On said fulcrum pin and adapted to be operatively connected to a hopper outlet gate for sliding the same between open and closed positions, a pair of arms pivoted at one end thereof to the respective opposite ends of said bar, a pair of detent pins provided at the other end of said arms and slidable respectively in said pair of parallel slots, said side edges of said plate being provided with notches communicating with said pair of parallel slots and selectively receiving said detent pins, the ends of said arms eguipped with said detent pins being engageable with each other whereby only one of the detent pins may be received in its associated notch at one time, resilient means connected to said arms for biasing said detent pins into said notches, resilient means connected to said plate for sliding the same in one direction relative to said sta- Snyder Nov. 9, 1886 Hans et a1 May 2, 1905 Pape July 11, 1916 10 4 Delaney May 4, 1943 Games Aug. 12, 1947 Bower May 4, 1948 Walters May 22, 1951 Alexander Aug. 16, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 13, 1886 Germany Jan. 2, 1925

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