Assemblies and methods to extract materials from a retention collection may include a vacuum source including a series of vacuum generators configured to generate a vacuum flow to create a suction between the retention collection and a material collector for extraction of the material from the retention collection and transfer to the material collector. The suction generated by the vacuum flow will be sufficient to draw-in and convey the material in liquid, semi-solid and substantially solid states from the retention collection along a collection conduit and into the material collector for disposal. The vacuum generation assembly may include a filter and sound attenuation chamber connected to the vacuum source configured to receive and filter a vacuum exhaust fluid/air flow portion of the vacuum flow and to attenuate sound generated by the vacuum source.

In a grain cart having an auger fold actuator, a gate actuator, and at least one spout actuator, a grain cart control system has an input device received within an operator cab to generate command signals responsive to operator commands, an electronic controller operatively associated with selected actuators of the grain cart, a valve actuator connected to each valve of the selected actuators of the grain cart, and stored programmable criteria to generate activation signals for the valve actuators in response to the command signals. Each mechanical function that is controlled also has a rotary potentiometer for positional feedback. To actuate any sequence, a joystick will send commands to the controller to activate a sequence. Since the controls according to the present invention are driven by a logic-based controller, various functions can be automated.

In a grain cart having an auger fold actuator, a gate actuator, and at least one spout actuator, a grain cart control system has an input device received within an operator cab to generate command signals responsive to operator commands, an electronic controller operatively associated with selected actuators of the grain cart, a valve actuator connected to each valve of the selected actuators of the grain cart, and stored programmable criteria to generate activation signals for the valve actuators in response to the command signals. Each mechanical function that is controlled also has a rotary potentiometer for positional feedback. To actuate any sequence, a joystick will send commands to the controller to activate a sequence. Since the controls according to the present invention are driven by a logic-based controller, various functions can be automated.

The invention is directed to a powder supply system (1) for use in an apparatus (100) for producing a three-dimensional work piece by irradiating layers of a raw material powder (4) with electromagnetic or particle radiation. The powder supply system (1) comprises a circuit line (7) configured to conduct a gas stream (9), a conveying device (19) configured to convey the gas stream (9) through the circuit line (7), a powder doser (8) configured to introduce a desired dose of raw material powder (4) into the gas stream (9) flowing through the circuit line (7), a measuring unit (15) configured to measure at least one of a pressure and a volume flow in the circuit line (7) at a position downstream of the powder doser (8), and a control unit (40) configured to control the powder doser (8) based on at least one of a pressure value and a volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) in such a manner that the at least one of the pressure value and the volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) is within a predetermined range.

The invention is directed to a powder supply system (1) for use in an apparatus (100) for producing a three-dimensional work piece by irradiating layers of a raw material powder (4) with electromagnetic or particle radiation. The powder supply system (1) comprises a circuit line (7) configured to conduct a gas stream (9), a conveying device (19) configured to convey the gas stream (9) through the circuit line (7), a powder doser (8) configured to introduce a desired dose of raw material powder (4) into the gas stream (9) flowing through the circuit line (7), a measuring unit (15) configured to measure at least one of a pressure and a volume flow in the circuit line (7) at a position downstream of the powder doser (8), and a control unit (40) configured to control the powder doser (8) based on at least one of a pressure value and a volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) in such a manner that the at least one of the pressure value and the volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) is within a predetermined range.

A system includes a pump configured to transfer a granular material out of a hopper into a transfer pipe. The pump includes an upstream portion having an upstream helical flight and a downstream portion having a downstream helical flight. The downstream portion includes a tailpiece. An outer diameter of the downstream helical flight is less than an outer diameter of the upstream helical flight, a gap between the outer diameter of the downstream helical flight and an auger housing is greater than a gap between the outer diameter of the upstream helical flight and the auger housing, a thickness of the downstream helical flight is less than a thickness of the upstream helical flight, a surface of the downstream portion has a lesser coefficient of friction than a surface of the upstream portion, or a combination thereof.

A system includes a pump configured to transfer a granular material out of a hopper into a transfer pipe. The pump includes an upstream portion having an upstream helical flight and a downstream portion having a downstream helical flight. The downstream portion includes a tailpiece. An outer diameter of the downstream helical flight is less than an outer diameter of the upstream helical flight, a gap between the outer diameter of the downstream helical flight and an auger housing is greater than a gap between the outer diameter of the upstream helical flight and the auger housing, a thickness of the downstream helical flight is less than a thickness of the upstream helical flight, a surface of the downstream portion has a lesser coefficient of friction than a surface of the upstream portion, or a combination thereof.

A system for automatically controlling air flow rate within an agricultural system is provided. One system for distributing an agricultural product includes a metering system configured to meter the agricultural product from a storage tank into a conduit. The system includes an air conveyance system to provide an air stream for moving metered agricultural product in the conduit toward a distribution device. The air conveyance system comprises one or more sensors to monitor the product status and/or the air stream inside the conduit. The system also includes control circuitry configured to control air flow rate based on the product status and/or the air stream inside the conduit and/or the geographic location of the system.

A system for automatically controlling air flow rate within an agricultural system is provided. One system for distributing an agricultural product includes a metering system configured to meter the agricultural product from a storage tank into a conduit. The system includes an air conveyance system to provide an air stream for moving metered agricultural product in the conduit toward a distribution device. The air conveyance system comprises one or more sensors to monitor the product status and/or the air stream inside the conduit. The system also includes control circuitry configured to control air flow rate based on the product status and/or the air stream inside the conduit and/or the geographic location of the system.

In a granular material supply system including a tank that stores granular material, a carrier line through which the granular material flowing out of the tank is carried to a carrier destination, and a cutout line that connects the tank and the carrier line and through which the granular material flowing out of the tank is supplied to the carrier line, a control device includes a density control unit configured to control a density of the granular material on a downstream side of a junction of the cutout line and the carrier line to a set value predetermined and a flow rate control unit configured to control a flow rate of the granular material to be supplied to the carrier destination through the carrier line to a command value instructed by the carrier destination.