An air cart has a drop chute for conveying an agricultural product such as seed, from a metering device to a venturi portion of a product conveyance tube. The drop chute has a contoured downstream sidewall resulting in changes in drop chute width which introduce vortices providing an enhanced product flow. The downstream sidewall has an inward sloping region reducing the drop chute width beginning closely adjacent the metering device and continuing down about one-third the way from the metering device to the conveyance tube, and an abrupt corner causing an increase in drop chute width near the product conveyance tube followed by a curved region creating a gradual further increase in width terminating adjacent to the product delivery tube. A large low speed vortex is created near the inward sloping region and a small strong vortex is created adjacent the curved region.

A modular silencer for use on a compressor or blower mounted on a vehicle. The compressor has an intake port and an exhaust port, and the silencer has an inlet port in communication with the exhaust port of the compressor. The silencer includes a silencer housing and a resonator assembly removably positioned inside the housing. In one embodiment, the compressor includes a compressor housing and a power input shaft protruding from the compressor housing adjacent the air exhaust port. The silencer housing preferably includes a concave portion that at least partially receives the power input shaft. The silencer housing can also include a groove on the inner surface, and the resonator assembly can be at least partially positioned in the groove. Preferably, the resonator assembly includes a resonator plate, a plurality of resonator pipes extending through the plate, and a reinforcing flange coupled between at least two of the resonator pipes.

A material collection system is provided. The system can include a vehicle, a conduit, a vacuum generator mounted to the vehicle to develop an airflow and to draw material into the conduit, and a moveable boom mounted to the vehicle to support the conduit. The system can include a control system to control a speed of the vacuum generator.

A material collection system is provided. The system can include a vehicle, a conduit, a vacuum generator mounted to the vehicle to develop an airflow and to draw material into the conduit, and a moveable boom mounted to the vehicle to support the conduit. The system can include a control system to control a speed of the vacuum generator.

A material storage and transfer system includes a material carrier assembly, discharge valves, a transport conduit, and an air blower. The material carrier assembly includes a framework and compartments. The framework includes locking apertures to attach to a trailer platform of the traction vehicle and to attach to another material carrier assembly. The compartments are positioned within the framework and stores a material for transport. The discharge valves, comprising pneumatic valves and gravity valves, attached to the bottom of each compartment, and the transport conduit in communication with the discharge valves receive the material, where one end of the transport conduit is connected to an air blower and an opposing end is defined as a discharge end. The air blower blows air through the transport conduit to extrude the material received within the transport conduit through the discharge end towards an external storage device or an external process.

A material storage and transfer system includes a material carrier assembly, discharge valves, a transport conduit, and an air blower. The material carrier assembly includes a framework and compartments. The framework includes locking apertures to attach to a trailer platform of the traction vehicle and to attach to another material carrier assembly. The compartments are positioned within the framework and stores a material for transport. The discharge valves, comprising pneumatic valves and gravity valves, attached to the bottom of each compartment, and the transport conduit in communication with the discharge valves receive the material, where one end of the transport conduit is connected to an air blower and an opposing end is defined as a discharge end. The air blower blows air through the transport conduit to extrude the material received within the transport conduit through the discharge end towards an external storage device or an external process.

Systems and methods of debris collection are provided. The systems include an engine driving a vacuum generating fan and a collection hose that is configured to collect debris. A user interface having a safety interlock is provided to position the collection hose and to increase or decrease the speed of the engine. A controller operates to position the hose and control the speed based on the user input when the interlock is engaged. When disengaged, the controller stores the current operating speed and allows for continued manipulation of the hose for a period, after which the controller enters different timed stages of operation that limits further user input and decreases engine speed for more economical operation. When the interlock is again engaged, the controller returns to the stored engine speed and reenables operator control ensure efficient and economical operation without the need for any sensors in the debris removal system.

A discharge system for bulk tank trailers unloads dry bulk material from a bulk product trailer that is configured to be pulled by a vehicle. The discharge system includes a centrifugal compressor, a drive mechanism and a speed increaser. The centrifugal compressor is configured to deliver compressed air to force the dry bulk material from the bulk product trailer and convey the dry bulk material to a storage tank. The drive mechanism furnished rotational motion to the centrifugal compressor (e.g., via a power take-off of the vehicle). The speed increaser is disposed between the centrifugal compressor and the drive mechanism and is configured to increase the speed of the rotational motion furnished by the drive mechanism to the speed compressor. The drive mechanism may include a hydraulic system configured to drive a liquid product pump for pumping liquid product from a liquid product storage tank trailer pulled by the vehicle.

A discharge system for bulk tank trailers unloads dry bulk material from a bulk product trailer that is configured to be pulled by a vehicle. The discharge system includes a centrifugal compressor, a drive mechanism and a speed increaser. The centrifugal compressor is configured to deliver compressed air to force the dry bulk material from the bulk product trailer and convey the dry bulk material to a storage tank. The drive mechanism furnished rotational motion to the centrifugal compressor (e.g., via a power take-off of the vehicle). The speed increaser is disposed between the centrifugal compressor and the drive mechanism and is configured to increase the speed of the rotational motion furnished by the drive mechanism to the speed compressor. The drive mechanism may include a hydraulic system configured to drive a liquid product pump for pumping liquid product from a liquid product storage tank trailer pulled by the vehicle.

A discharge system for bulk tank trailers unloads dry bulk material from a bulk product trailer that is configured to be pulled by a vehicle. The discharge system includes a centrifugal compressor and a speed increaser. The speed increaser includes a gearbox and a traction drive connected in series. The centrifugal compressor is configured to deliver compressed air to force the dry bulk material from the bulk product trailer and convey the dry bulk material to a storage tank. A power take-off of the vehicle furnishes rotational motion to the discharge system. The speed increaser is disposed between the centrifugal compressor and the PTO and is configured to increase the speed of the rotational motion furnished by the PTO to reach the operational speed used by the compressor to discharge different types of dry bulk material.