Silo unloader

摘要

A top unloading silo unloader pendently supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with leading and trailing drive wheels. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The drive wheels are mounted on opposite ends of a rocker arm rotatably supported on a support. The support is connected to the impeller housing. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to a gear box. A collector leveling apparatus has a linear actuator connected to the unloader frame. A cable connects the linear actuator with the outer end of the collector and the support in a manner so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position in response to operation of the actuator. The linear actuator has a reversible electric motor coupled to a motor controller. A reference arm attached to the rotating part of the unloader is linked to the controller so that movement of the collector up or down actuates the controller, whereby the motor operates the linear actuator to reduce its overall length to raise the outer end of the collector or to increase its overall length to lower the outer end of the collector thereby maintaining the outer end of the collector at a selected position.