A bin sweep auger unplugging system for unplugging a central unloading sump in a storage bin. The bin sweep auger unplugging system generally includes an auger having a driven shaft with auger fighting, a drive unit having a drive shaft, and a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The clutch selectively transfers the rotation of the drive shaft to the driven shaft of the auger. The drive shaft includes a clump breakup component that breaks up the clump of granular material above the unloading sump when the drive shaft is rotated. The clutch is disengaged when breaking up a clump of granular material to prevent the rotation of the auger.

A bulk feed tank has a boot unloader through which feed is directed into a supply system having at least one conveyor housing an auger. The boot unloader includes an unloader body formed of front, rear and opposing side panels forming a rectangular receiving portion. An auger mounting plate is mounted to the front panel and mates with the conveyor. A bearing assembly is secured to the rear panel and rotatably mounts the auger such that the auger passes through the receiving portion. A clear access door is attached to at least one of the opposing side panels. A wear plate assembly is attached to an. The wear plate assembly is fastened to the front, rear and side panels under the boot unloader body and can be removed without unfastening the side panels from the front panel and the rear panel or removing the auger from the receiving portion.

A bulk feed tank has a boot unloader through which feed is directed into a supply system having at least one conveyor housing an auger. The boot unloader includes an unloader body formed of front, rear and opposing side panels forming a rectangular receiving portion. An auger mounting plate is mounted to the front panel and mates with the conveyor. A bearing assembly is secured to the rear panel and rotatably mounts the auger such that the auger passes through the receiving portion. A clear access door is attached to at least one of the opposing side panels. A wear plate assembly is attached to an. The wear plate assembly is fastened to the front, rear and side panels under the boot unloader body and can be removed without unfastening the side panels from the front panel and the rear panel or removing the auger from the receiving portion.

The disclosure describes an apparatus including a bin sweep arm, a floor support in contact with a floor surface, and a vertical adjustment assembly positioned between floor support and the bin sweep arm and connected to the floor support and the bin sweep arm, wherein the vertical adjustment assembly automatically raises the bin sweep arm off the floor surface and automatically lowers the bin sweep arm to the floor surface in response to changes in weight disposed on the bin sweep arm.

The disclosure describes an apparatus including a bin sweep arm, a floor support in contact with a floor surface, and a vertical adjustment assembly positioned between floor support and the bin sweep arm and connected to the floor support and the bin sweep arm, wherein the vertical adjustment assembly automatically raises the bin sweep arm off the floor surface and automatically lowers the bin sweep arm to the floor surface in response to changes in weight disposed on the bin sweep arm.

Systems and apparatus for dispensing edible granular material for a beverage include a hopper. The hopper includes at least a floor defining a bottom of the hopper. An auger includes an auger shaft, is positioned at the bottom of the hopper, and extends horizontally from the hopper. A tube is connected to the hopper and surrounds at least a portion of the auger. The tube extends away from the hopper. An outlet through the tube is located at an end of the tube distal from the hopper.

The present invention includes a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles and that comprises at least one dump tube, which opens into the reactor in the bottom portion of the bed of particles or underneath the latter. The method comprises the following: a first step of causing a proportion of the catalyst bed to flow out of the reactor via said dump tube; then a second step of expelling out of the reactor the catalyst remainder, by driving towards the opening of the dump tube the catalyst particles remaining in the reactor at the end of the first step, this step being performed by means of a removable device introduced into the reactor via the dump tube,
and is characterised in that said removable device comprises an articulated arm bearing one or more protuberances spirally disposed about a rotary axis.

A system for offloading a covered hopper railcar includes first and second auger-based conveyors. The first conveyor is adapted to fit partially under a covered hopper railcar’s offloading gate when the covered hopper railcar is at rest on track rails such that a portion of the first conveyor is located to a side of the track rails. The first conveyor has a first opening in a top thereof adapted to be coupled to the offloading gate, and has a second opening in the portion thereof located to the side of the track rails. The second opening is in a bottom of the first conveyor. The second conveyor is coupled to the second opening of the first conveyor.

A system for offloading a covered hopper railcar includes first and second auger-based conveyors. The first conveyor is adapted to fit partially under a covered hopper railcar’s offloading gate when the covered hopper railcar is at rest on track rails such that a portion of the first conveyor is located to a side of the track rails. The first conveyor has a first opening in a top thereof adapted to be coupled to the offloading gate, and has a second opening in the portion thereof located to the side of the track rails. The second opening is in a bottom of the first conveyor. The second conveyor is coupled to the second opening of the first conveyor.

A robot comprises an auger-based drive system, a memory, and a processor coupled with the memory and configured to control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a flat storage bulk store. The processor is further configured to direct traversal, by the robot, of a portion of a pile of the grain in the flat storage bulk store. The traversal is performed to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of pile of grain system to walk-down the grain in the portion. The sediment gravity flow is incited by disruption of viscosity of the portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the portion of the pile of grain by auger rotation of the auger-based drive.