Abstract: A feed conveying apparatus is disclosed for use in a poultry or livestock feeding system (503). The feed conveying apparatus has a housing (509) having a feed inlet (515) which receives feed from a feed supply (BFT) and a feed outlet (517). A feed conveyor (508) extends through the housing. The conveyor has a conveyor tube (511) with a feed auger (513) therein. The feed auger has a multiplicity of substantially equally spaced flights (62) and is driven within the conveyor tube for picking up feed from the housing and for conveying it through the conveyor tube. A regulator (521) is provided for regulating the amount of feed within the conveyor tube downstream from the housing to an amount less than will totally fill the conveyor tube so as to form a partial void (V) within the conveyor tube and to prevent overcompaction of the feed within the conveyor tube.

Abstract: An egg escalator (23) of the present invention transfers eggs from one level (L1) to another level (L2) and it comprises a first conveyor (25) having an upper reach (27) inclined at an angle and extending between the one level (L1) to the other level (L2). Eggs (E) rest on the upper reach of the first conveyor as they are conveyed from the one level to the other level. A second belt (29) is spaced generally above the upper reach of the first belt, and the second belt has a lower reach (31) spaced from the upper reach (27) of the first belt disposed so as to be substantially parallel to the upper reach of the first belt. The second belt has a multiplicity of elongate, flexible fingers (33) extending perpendicularly therefrom. The fingers are spaced at substantially equal intervals from one another along the second belt for accommodating an egg (E) between adjacent fingers.

Abstract: Apparatus of the present invention for batch drying crop in the shell comprises a bin having a generally cylindric bin wall, a conical upper drying floor carded by the bin wall, means floor for forming a substantially uniform layer of the crop to be dried on the upper surface of the upper drying floor, and selectively operable means for effecting the gravity discharge of the batch of crop from the upper drying floor. An inverted conical lower drying floor is carded by the bin below the upper drying floor for receiving the crop discharged from the upper drying floor. The lower drying floor has a hopper shaped crop supporting surface. Means is associated with the lower drying floor for forming a substantially uniform layer of crop on the lower drying floor upon the crop being gravity discharged from the upper drying floor. The lower drying floor further has a bottom outlet for the gravity discharge of the crop supported thereon.

Abstract: A grain dryer for providing a controlled drying process through a housing. The housing has a path for grain to be dried such that the grain is dried as the grain moves along the path. The grain dryer also has a fan and heater assembly for supplying heated air to the path for drying grain in the path. The grain dryer can control the flow of grain along said path and has sensors disposed in predetermined positions so as to detect different fault conditions. The sensors generating corresponding fault signals in response to the detection of fault conditions. The grain dryer also has a controller operatively connected to the sensors, the controller is responsive to fault signals to initiate a predetermined shutdown procedure upon receipt of any one of the fault signals. A memory is operatively connected to the controller for electronically recording and identifying information concerning shutdown procedures initiated by the controller. The grain dryer controller controls the start-up of in a predetermined manner.

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing a sample of grain from a stream of grain flowing along a path is described in which a tube extends into the grain flow path for diverting a portion of the flowing grain along the path to a sample collection station. The diverter diverts only a portion of the grain flowing along the path and the balance of the grain flowing along said sampling path is permitted to flow. A collector is provided for collecting at least a portion of the grain flowing to the sample collection station so as to accumulate grain for a sample that is representative of all of the grain flowing along the path for the time that the grain is being collected for the sample.