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.

A storage bin sweep system including a sweep assembly having an inboard end, an outboard end, a forward side and a rearward side and including a sweep housing extending between the inboard and outboard ends, a plurality of paddles movable on a path extending along at least a portion of the sweep assembly between the inboard and outboard ends, and an endless loop member mounted on the sweep housing and on which the plurality of paddles are mounted at spaced locations along the endless loop member. At least one of the paddles may have a front surface contoured in a manner to urge particles located forward of the paddle toward the rearward side of the sweep assembly as the paddle moves toward the inboard end of the sweep assembly.

A material-conveying system comprising a conveyor for conveying material to a bin and a conveyor positioning system associated with the conveyor. The conveyor positioning system comprises a processor for positioning the conveyor relative to the bin. The conveyor comprises a spout and the bin comprises an opening. The conveyor positioning system positions the spout of the conveyor over the opening of the bin. The conveyor positioning system in one implementation comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System-Real Time Kinematic (GNSS-RTK) positioning system that includes a fixed base station and a GNSS receiver on the conveyor.

A material-conveying system comprises a main conveyor for conveying material, a swing conveyor for conveying the material to the main conveyor and a processor for controlling a speed of the swing conveyor based on a feedback signal. The feedback signal may be indicative of a speed of the swing conveyor and/or a speed of a main conveyor. The feedback signal may be indicative of material level, belt slippage, flow rate, belt angle and/or material rollback.

A bin sweep system for a bin having a floor surface and a central well may comprise a center post defining a common center and a sweep assembly configured to move across the floor surface of the bin and having an inboard end and an outboard end. The sweep assembly may comprise at least two sweep segments including a first sweep segment and a second sweep segment, with the first sweep segment being located toward the inboard end and the second sweep segment being located toward the outboard end. At least one of the sweep segments may be movable about the center post substantially independently of another of the sweep segments.

An agricultural implement for mounting on a U-shaped foundation frame supported on wheels for travel over a ground surface where the foundation frame includes first and second laterally spaced mounting beams fixed to and extending from a base. The implement is configured to perform an agricultural operation, to rest on the ground surface when in an idle position, and to attach to the foundation frame when in an operating position. The implement comprises a rigid implement portion configured to be attached to the first and second mounting beams at first and second beam locations remote from the base such that the first and second mounting beams are prevented from moving laterally with respect to each other.

An agricultural implement for mounting on a U-shaped foundation frame supported on wheels for travel over a ground surface where the foundation frame includes first and second laterally spaced mounting beams fixed to and extending from a base. The implement is configured to perform an agricultural operation, to rest on the ground surface when in an idle position, and to attach to the foundation frame when in an operating position. The implement comprises a rigid implement portion configured to be attached to the first and second mounting beams at first and second beam locations remote from the base such that the first and second mounting beams are prevented from moving laterally with respect to each other.

A conveyor system comprising a conveyor and a conveyor weighing apparatus. The conveyor weighing apparatus has a load determination device for determining the load exerted the conveyor on a conveyor support. The conveyor weighing apparatus may have measurement devices for measuring the angle and speed of the conveyor. The load determination device determines the load exerted by the at least section of conveyor in both laden and unladen states, and the results are combined with the speed and angle measurements, and with known system constants, to calculate the weight of material being conveyed.

A grain sweep assembly having an A-shaped frame, a first and a second panel connected to the frame, and a drive assembly that has a plurality of paddles connected to a continuous chain that extend through a return chamber.

A modular storage bin sweep system utilizing paddles to sweep particulate matter across a floor may comprise a sweep assembly including at least two units connectable together. The assembly may comprise a plurality of interconnected paddles, a power unit configured to the paddles, a drive unit configured to move the sweep assembly with respect to a surface of the bin below the sweep assembly. In some embodiments, a traction enhancement structure may increase traction of the drive unit on the floor. In some embodiments, a pivot unit is configured to permit a degree of pivotability of the axes of the units with respect to each other, and may be combined with a drive unit. In some embodiments, the power unit includes a rotary electrical power transfer structure configured to transfer electrical power to the power unit when rotating in the bin.