There is herein described an apparatus and method for feeding bulk material. More particularly, there is described an apparatus and method for feeding bulk material such as bulk solids which provides a constant and reliable feed of material.

The invention is directed broadly to a filter for a bin storing agricultural material, the filter comprising; a rigid perimeter frame supporting a grate within the frame; and a plurality of legs spaced about the perimeter frame, wherein the filter, in use, is located within the bin and positioned to substantially cover an outlet of the bin, the plurality of legs in direct contact with the bin so as to transmit vibrations from the bin to the filter, the agricultural material within the bin traversing the grate as it exits the bin.

The present invention relates to a silo (1) comprising one or more cells (2), each cell comprising one or more outlet openings (3), wherein said cells have an angular cross-section and wherein said outlet openings have a non-angular cross-section, wherein said outlet openings and said cells are connected to one another by means of a transition plate (4), wherein the angle a between the wall of the cell and said transition plate is constant along the radial periphery of the outlet opening. The present invention also relates to a kit and a method for constructing such silo.

The present invention relates to a silo (1) comprising one or more cells (2), each cell comprising one or more outlet openings (3), wherein said cells have an angular cross-section and wherein said outlet openings have a non-angular cross-section, wherein said outlet openings and said cells are connected to one another by means of a transition plate (4), wherein the angle a between the wall of the cell and said transition plate is constant along the radial periphery of the outlet opening. The present invention also relates to a kit and a method for constructing such silo.

A bulk material storage container assembly for storing and unloading particulate material includes a storage vessel adapted to hold particulate material. A discharge port is in fluid communication with the storage vessel and with a discharge port outlet. The discharge port is also sized and shaped to facilitate bridging of particulate material. A shaft is mounted within the storage vessel adjacent to the discharge port and adapted for reciprocal movement with respect to the discharge port. A rake is mounted on said shaft and adapted to disaggregate particulate material that has bridged proximate the discharge port as the shaft is reciprocated with respect to the discharge port.

A bulk material storage container assembly for storing and unloading particulate material includes a storage vessel adapted to hold particulate material. A discharge port is in fluid communication with the storage vessel and with a discharge port outlet. The discharge port is also sized and shaped to facilitate bridging of particulate material. A shaft is mounted within the storage vessel adjacent to the discharge port and adapted for reciprocal movement with respect to the discharge port. A rake is mounted on said shaft and adapted to disaggregate particulate material that has bridged proximate the discharge port as the shaft is reciprocated with respect to the discharge port.

The invention is directed broadly to a filter for a bin storing agricultural material, the filter comprising; a rigid perimeter frame supporting a grate within the frame; and a plurality of legs spaced about the perimeter frame, wherein the filter, in use, is located within the bin and positioned to substantially cover an outlet of the bin, the plurality of legs in direct contact with the bin so as to transmit vibrations from the bin to the filter, the agricultural material within the bin traversing the grate as it exits the bin.

In an article processing apparatus (1), a plurality of hoppers (12) are disposed in a circular shape and each of the plurality of hoppers (12) causes an article (100) received from an upstream side to temporarily stay and then discharges the article (100) toward a discharge opening (20) on a downstream side. Each of the hoppers (12) includes: a body portion (12A); a slide portion (12B) provided on a downstream side of the body portion (12A), and having a slide surface (120) extending continuously from the body portion (12A); and a gate (12C) provided on the body portion (12A) to switch between a first state where the gate (12C) causes the article (100) to stay in the body portion (12A) and a second state where the gate (12C) releases the staying of the article (100) to cause the article (100) to slide down from the body portion (12A). The slide portion (12B) has a length (L) or an angle (A) with respect to a horizontal direction (H) of a path along which the article (100) slides down the slide surface (120), takes off from a downstream end portion (120E) of the slide portion (12B), freely falls in a space (S) where the slide surface (120) does not exist, and then reaches the discharge opening (20), in the second state.

A lifting mechanism for operably attaching to one of the plurality of support legs on a bin is provided where the lifting mechanism is configured to sequentially lift and drop the support leg by a predetermined amount, whereby an impact shock generated by the drop is transmitted to the bin through the support leg and promote dislodging of any of the particulate material that may be in a non-flowable state to enhance dispensing of the particulate material from the bin. A bin assembly incorporating such lifting mechanism on at least one of its plurality of support legs is also disclosed.

A meter housing comprises a meter space with a material inlet and a material outlet, and a wall portion extending between the material inlet and the material outlet. The wall portion has substantially the form of a cylinder sector. The wall portion has a scraper part, which extends substantially parallel to a central axis of the cylinder sector.