Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Drying of newly harvested grain wherein the grain has a preferred market moisture content target and the grain is heated and dried to within about four percent above the target and discharged at about 110° F. Thereafter, the grain is cooled to ambient by circulating ambient air at preferably one third of a cubic foot per minute per bushel through the grain thereby removing about two percent additional moisture. When required the grain is further dried to target moisture utilizing an equilibrium moisture process.

Abstract: A bin ventilation apparatus and system may include a duct defining a duct interior and having an inboard end for orienting toward the bin and an outboard end for orienting away from the bin. The duct may have an inboard opening at the inboard end and a perimeter wall extending between the inboard and outboard ends. The perimeter wall may have an upper wall portion, a lower wall portion, and a pair of side wall portions about the duct interior. The apparatus may also include an air movement assembly mounted on the duct and being at least partially positioned in the duct interior between the inboard and outboard ends. The air movement assembly may include a motor and an impeller rotatable by the motor to move air through the duct.

Abstract: A storage bin sweep system may include a sweep apparatus with a particulate material moving assembly configured to move particulate material toward an inboard end of the sweep apparatus and a drive unit carrying a portion of the particulate material moving assembly. The drive unit may include a surface engaging element configured to engage a surface below the sweep assembly to move the sweep apparatus with respect to the surface and a drive train configured to transmit power to the surface engaging element. The drive train may include a clutch assembly configured to transfer rotation utilizing a viscous fluid to permit a limited degree of slippage between elements of the drive train.

Abstract: A grain bin sweep apparatus includes a plurality of elongated grain impellers positioned adjacent a floor of a bin and having an inner ends rotatably supported at a central area of the bin and having an outer ends connected to an endless drive chain mounted in a guide track extending about an outer periphery of the bin and a drive motor engaged with the chain and operable to cause the chain to angularly sweep the impellers about the bin floor to thereby move the grain toward a grain exit of the bin.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A sonic stimulation and detection device includes an enclosure mounted on a fishing rod having to a fishing line attached to and extending along the rod. A microphone element is mounted in the enclosure and is acoustically coupled to the line through the enclosure and the rod line to couple sounds of fish contact with the line to the microphone. The microphone may be coupled to a headphone. A sound generator is mounted in the enclosure and is acoustically coupled to the line through the enclosure and the rod to couple fish simulating sounds generated thereby to the line to attract fish to a lure attached to the line. The enclosure is shaped to efficiently couple sounds coupled from the line to the microphone and sounds generated by the sound generator to the line.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A grain drying system and process includes a controller that is electronically coupled to a variable speed fan and to a heater or a heat pump to supply air through a plenum and the grain. Also coupled to the controller are ambient temperature and humidity sensors, internal plenum temperature and a humidity sensor. The controller adjusts a fan speed in combination with operating the heater or heat pump to deliver a target equilibrium moisture temperature, during a first period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target. The controller operates the fan at a minimum speed, during a second period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target, and the controller is unable to obtain equilibrium moisture target air in the plenum in view of operational limits of the fan and the heater or heat pump.

Abstract: A process for drying grain wherein a fan cooperates with a heater to flow air through grain that is wetter than a target, wherein the fan is operated at full speed and the heater is varied in output to operably compensate for changes in the air and in particular to raise the amount of water vapor the circulating air removes from the grain.

Abstract: A grain bin sweep apparatus includes a plurality of elongated grain impellers positioned adjacent a floor of a bin and having an inner ends rotatably supported at a central area of the bin and having an outer ends connected to an endless drive chain mounted in a guide track extending about an outer periphery of the bin and a drive motor engaged with the chain and operable to cause the chain to angularly sweep the impellers about the bin floor to thereby move the grain toward a grain exit of the bin.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a grain bin sensor cable including a plurality of mold members defining a mold cavity. A pre-formed cable with wires disposed therein is placed into the mold cavity, heated, and formed into a post-formed cable. The post-formed cable includes a recessed portion and a pair of end caps. Apertures are created within the recessed portion so as to expose a portion of the wires. The end caps are generally cone-shaped and include vertical walls. The post-formed cable is removed from the mold cavity and a sensor package is coupled to the wires exposed in the recessed portion and captured between the vertical walls of the end caps. A housing is coupled about the sensor package.

Abstract: Grain flow paths have an upper portion which is a mixed flow portion and which includes a preheat zone and a lower portion which is an undulating moisture equalizer portion and which includes a heat zone. Mixed flow grain diverters extend across the grain flow path substantially perpendicular to longitudinal side walls, and substantially parallel to transverse end walls of the grain flow path. Upper airflow openings are associated with each of the upper diverters. Moisture equalizer lower grain diverters extend along the longitudinal sides grain flow path substantially parallel to the longitudinal side walls, and substantially perpendicular to the transverse end walls of the grain flow path. The burner is positioned outside the airflow path to feed ambient air into the recirculating airflow path, without recirculating airflow passing through the burner.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aeration of a grain bin storage device. The system comprises a grain bin storage device, a ventilation fan, a variable fan drive motor, and a controller configured to receive user input and grain bin storage device parameters. The system controls operation of the ventilation fan at various speeds to maintain a desired volumetric flow rate per bushel of grain. The controller monitors the static pressure within the grain bin storage device and adjusts the speed of the ventilation fan based on an optimal static pressure derived from the user input and grain bin storage device parameters.

Abstract: Each grain bin includes a data collector coupled to multiple capacitive moisture cables, each with multiple sensor nodes spaced along it. Each sensor node includes a pair of longitudinally extending capacitive plates of the capacitive moisture sensor positioned in side-by-side, spaced-apart relationship to form a longitudinally extending gap between the capacitive plates. Positioned within the longitudinal gap between the capacitive plates is a circuit board including a microprocessor, memory, and temperature sensor. An outer housing provides a sealed enclosure that surrounds the circuit board, the capacitive plates, and a longitudinal length of the moisture cable that extends through and seals openings in each longitudinal end of the housing.

Abstract: A data collector associated with a grain bin is in communication with a plurality of capacitive moisture cables hanging within the grain bin. Each capacitive moisture cable includes a plurality of sensor nodes positioned along the moisture cable. Each sensor node includes a sensor node microprocessor and a sensor node memory coupled to a temperature sensor, a reference capacitive sensor and a capacitive moisture sensor. A main controller is in communication with the data collector. The main controller memory is configured in a data structure comprising grain type data, temperature data, raw reference capacitance data, raw moisture capacitance data, node identification data, physical node positional data, and a calculated moisture content for each sensor node. A method of determining moisture contents of grain in a grain bin related to such a system is also included.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a grain bin sensor cable including a plurality of mold members defining a mold cavity. A pre-formed cable with wires disposed therein is placed into the mold cavity, heated, and formed into a post-formed cable. The post-formed cable includes a recessed portion and a pair of end caps. Apertures are created within the recessed portion so as to expose a portion of the wires. The end caps are generally cone-shaped and include vertical walls. The post-formed cable is removed from the mold cavity and a sensor package is coupled to the wires exposed in the recessed portion and captured between the vertical walls of the end caps. A housing is coupled about the sensor package.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a grain bin sensor cable including a plurality of mold members defining a mold cavity. A pre-formed cable with wires disposed therein is placed into the mold cavity, heated, and formed into a post-formed cable. The post-formed cable includes a recessed portion and a pair of end caps. Apertures are created within the recessed portion so as to expose a portion of the wires. The end caps are generally cone-shaped and include vertical walls. The post-formed cable is removed from the mold cavity and a sensor package is coupled to the wires exposed in the recessed portion and captured between the vertical walls of the end caps. A housing is coupled about the sensor package.

Abstract: A grain drying system and process includes a controller that is electronically coupled to a variable speed fan and to a heater or a heat pump to supply air through a plenum and the grain. Also coupled to the controller are ambient temperature and humidity sensors, internal plenum temperature and a humidity sensor. The controller adjusts a fan speed in combination with operating the heater or heat pump to deliver a target equilibrium moisture temperature, during a first period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target. The controller operates the fan at a minimum speed, during a second period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target, and the controller is unable to obtain equilibrium moisture target air in the plenum in view of operational limits of the fan and the heater or heat pump.

Abstract: Grain flow paths have an upper portion which is a mixed flow portion and which includes a preheat zone and a lower portion which is an undulating moisture equalizer portion and which includes a heat zone. Mixed flow grain diverters extend across the grain flow path substantially perpendicular to longitudinal side walls, and substantially parallel to transverse end walls of the grain flow path. Upper airflow openings are associated with each of the upper diverters. Moisture equalizer lower grain diverters extend along the longitudinal sides grain flow path substantially parallel to the longitudinal side walls, and substantially perpendicular to the transverse end walls of the grain flow path. The burner is positioned outside the airflow path to feed ambient air into the recirculating airflow path, without recirculating airflow passing through the burner.