Abstract: The hopper body is elongated and is provided with a normally lowermost discharge outlet lying along the longitudinal axis of the body as viewed from the top thereof. The interior of the body forms a slide surface for the dry bulk products contained therein, and such surface is outwardly arcuate throughout substantially the total expanse thereof for structural rigidity and unobstructed longitudinal flow. Along the center line or longitudinal axis of the body, the surface presents a pair of opposite end strips converging downwardly toward said outlet and parallel to such axis as viewed from the top thereof. Such strips are so disposed with respect to a horizontal plane that the resultant product fall line of any point within each strip is less than 45.degree. but greater than 25.degree..

Abstract: A machine for spreading material in granular and powder form which comprises a hopper-shaped supply container and a distributing mechanism receptive of material from the container for spreading same during movement of the machine. The container has inwardly and downwardly extending walls, wherein the upper edge of the rear container wall, when the machine is in the loading position and untilted, has a distance from the ground which is smaller than the minimum distance from the ground to the edge of a dump body of a transport vehicle when the dump body is in the tilted position. The front container wall and the side container walls each include an upwardly extending prolongation connected thereto. The prolongations of the side container walls adjoin the prolongation of the front container wall.

Abstract: A mobile vehicle is selectively adaptable for carrying either bulk materials or general freight loads. The vehicle comprises a trailer including a suspension comprising at least one axle with wheels attached thereto and a platform mounted upon the suspension to be carried by the axle and wheels. At least one opening is formed in the platform and a closure or cover is provided for selectively covering or exposing the opening. A framework is mounted upon the platform and a collapsible container is attached to the platform. A hopper or a slope pan is mounted below the opening to define a bottom of the container and to permit unloading of bulk materials. The container is selectively erectable for attachment to the framework and is adapted to carry bulk materials when so erected. The container may also be collapsed and stored within the hopper under the closure so that the platform may be used to carry general freight loads.

Abstract: A paving material agitation apparatus for use in water channel forming machines comprising a hopper adapted to accommodate therein paving materials to be laid, a plurality of first screws spaced apart with each other in said hopper, a plurality of rotary drives each being secured to one end of said first screws, respectively, an agitation impeller rotatably engaged with one of said first screws, a rotary shaft rotatably supported by said hopper, said agitation impeller being fixedly secured to said rotary shaft so as to be rotated therewith, and a second screw formed on said rotary shaft.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improvement for a tilting, sliding edge dispenser having pivot members fixedly attached to opposite ends of the dispenser and a rigid support structure having elongated receptacles for receiving the pivot members in rotating sliding engagement. Each one of a pair of elongated driving loops is attached adjacent one end, respectively, of a linear edge of the dispenser and is stretched over a pair of wheels attached to each end of a base member and driven by a motor attached to a shaft connecting one wheel of each pair of wheels whereby the linear edge is driven across the surface of the base members to dispense the contents of the dispenser.

Abstract: A convertible livestock/grain hauling trailer has front, center and rear compartments, with a second livestock floor in the center compartment. Means are provided for pivoting the floor boards of the second floor downward towards front and rear to define a pair of grain hoppers, and adjustable grain outlet doors are provided in the floor board at the base of the hoppers. Support rail hangers are provided along the side walls of the trailer corresponding to both the horizontal and slope positions of the second story floor boards, and support rails for the edges of the floor boards are movable from either set of hangers to support the floor board in its corresponding position. Front and rear bull gates are optionally pivotable towards the front and rear respectively to further define the grain hoppers, and support rails are provided to hold them in position.

Abstract: A highway semitrailer body converts for transporting either discrete or loose bulk cargo by either maintaining hinged slope sheets in the ends of the body latched up near the roof or inclining them down to form a continuation of the hoppers in the floor. A grating over the hoppers supports the discrete cargo or permits loose bulk cargo to pass through its openings. The slope sheets are raised and lowered by flexible belt hoists actuated from outside the body through chain and sprocket transmissions mounted under covers between pairs of vertical ribs. The slope sheets are released from their upwardly latched positions by pull rod linkages also mounted between the pairs of vertical ribs. The bottom ends of the slope sheets are firmly clamped against the floor grating by locking pawls which hold down hooks on the bottom ends of the slope sheets, which pass through spaces in the grating.

Abstract: A low profile material carrier which, in a preferred embodiment, comprises a grain trailer with a low rear opening for dumping. Most of the load, approximately 80%, dumps through the opening under the influence of gravity. The remaining portion of the load is assisted through the opening by a unique vibrator assembly attached to an interior sloping surface of the trailer. The assembly includes an elongated vibrator bar, which extends the length of and is parallel to the downwardly sloping surface of the trailer which leads to the opening. A motor driven shaft having a plurality of eccentric weights positioned thereon is located intermediate the vibrator bar and the inclined bottom surface and is attached to the bar by a plurality of bearings. Upon actuation of the motor, the shaft, and hence the bar, are vibrated so as to serve as a direct stimulus for the emptying of the material in contact therewith.

Abstract: An improved trailer convertible to one position for hauling floor supported cargo and to one other position for hauling granular material. The trailer has a floor assembly including; a pair of center floor panels which are supported on the trailer frame and form a portion of the floor supporting structure in one position and which are removable and positionable for cooperating to retain granular material in one other position; and a pair of end slope members which are removably connectable to the trailer for cooperating with the center floor panels and portions of the trailer sides to retain granular material. The trailer is adapted such that pre-constructed sections of the trailer can be shipped and assembled at a remote location.

Abstract: A resilient seal that may be removably mounted on the downwardly and inwardly tapering bottom portion of a hopper that defines a discharge opening, to cooperate with a gate in the form of a slide plate that normally closes the discharge opening to prevent moisture or water entering the interior of the hopper through the discharge opening when the gate is in a closed position. When the hopper has a water-tight cover mounted thereon, the resilient seal cooperates with the hopper to define a confined space within the interior thereof that is substantially moisture-proof, and one in which granular material, such as rice that is adversely affected by moisture, may be transported or stored.

Abstract: An improved metering gate for metering fluid materials discharged from a hopper of the type including a vertically oriented discharge opening. The metering gate is characterized by a pair of closure panels arranged in coplanar relation, a drive mechanism including a plurality of rams connected with said closure panels for displacing the closure panels in opposite directions along a pair of aligned linear paths traversing the opening, and a motion balancing mechanism interconnecting the panels for equalizing the distances through which the panels are displaced by said drive mechanism, and a lag-elimination mechanism for eliminating lag in the displacement imparted to the opposite ends of each panel of said pair, whereby each portion of each panel of said pair of closure panels is displaced through a distance equal to the distance through which any other portion of either panel of said pair of closure panels is displaced by said drive mechanism.

Abstract: An elongated hollow tube extending between the forward and after ends of a hopper trailer serves as a ridge pole for a protective tarpaulin covering a commodity, such as rice or wheat, forming the trailer's cargo.Conduits connected to the ends of the tube extend downwardly below the margin of the tarpaulin so as to conduct atmospheric air into the tube. From the tube the air discharges downwardly through an opening in the tube vertically above the hopper door and thereby equalizes the air pressures on both sides of the tarpaulin as the commodity is withdrawn from the hopper and tends to form a "vacuum" beneath the tarpaulin.

Abstract: A hopper bed for grain or the like is provided by the present invention. An opening in the hopper bed is closed by a flat plate structure which is mounted on first and second track components disposed on either side of the opening. A flat flange portion is coupled with the structure on each side in longitudinal alignment with a track component. Each flange portion has a plurality of closely spaced aligned openings which are also aligned with two spur gears. The spur gears are rotated to mesh with the gear track presented by the openings in the flange and thereby reciprocate the plate structure to close or open it. This construction precludes the accumulation of most foreign material in the gear track although any which does accumulate is cleaned out by the action of the gear itself moving in the track.