Abstract: Method and apparatus for storing grain in a conical pile that is aerated by means of a centrally located aeration tower. The apparatus is broken down for shipment into components which are readily erected in a site area without construction equipment which include a loading conveyor supported by a mast mounted in the site area and which is removable after filling of in site area with grain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing a particulate material in a storage assembly. The storage assembly includes a wall for retaining the particulate material and a cover. A cap is positioned above the cover and mounts a vertically movable ring assembly. During filling, the ring assembly is adjusted to tension the cover. A flow of fluid is provided through said stored particulate material for maintaining the temperature within the stored particulate material within a predetermined upper and lower limit and also urges the cover into contact with the particulate material.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning, aerating and fumigating grain comprises chutes having screens therein over which the grain is passed. Conduits interconnect the chutes with a blower mechanism so that the grain to be cleaned is subjected to a vacuum which causes the fine debris, trash and the like to be passed through the screen. The fine debris is entrained in a stream of air and directed exteriorly of the grain storage structure. The conduits connected to the blower assembly may be detached from the grain cleaning chutes and connected to tubes inserted into the grain to permit heated gases and moisture to be removed from the stored grain. An air entrained fumigant may also be directed through the tubes into the grain for controlling insects and the like.

Abstract: An improved breather system for a sealed storage structure. The roof of the storage structure is provided with an opening and a generally cylindrical, vertically disposed, breather bag is located within the structure with the neck of the bag being sealed within the opening. A cable is attached to the inner surface of the bag at the lower end of the bag and extends upwardly through a series of vertically spaced tubular guides and exits through the neck of the bag to the exterior. Each of the tubular guides is connected to the inner surface of the bag by a series of cables. A storage sleeve can be mounted on the roof in communication with the opening. By pulling upwardly on the cable, the bag will be drawn upwardly out of the storage structure and into the storage sleeve to a location where the bag will not interfere with filling of the storage structure with a stored material.

Abstract: A plant for the preparation of fodder comprising a portion of solid foodstock in the form of grains or kernels and a portion of water. The plant includes a silo for the solid foodstock, a device for removing the solid foodstock from the silo, a conveying device for conveying the solid foodstock removed from the silo, a crushing mill which receives and crushes foodstock conveyed by the conveying device, and a mixing vessel for the mixing of the crushed solid foodstock and the water. A siphon is mounted between the conveying device and the crushing mill, the siphon being provided with water supply conduits at the inlet and outlet sides of the siphon.

Abstract: A storage system for large quantities of flowable, granular materials, such as grain. The material is covered by flexible cover sections which are spread out on an impervious support surface and thereafter laced together to define a cover having a centrally located opening. The cover is grasped in the region of the central opening and lifted to a predetermined fill height; the perimeter of the cover being free to pull inwardly as necessary accommodating the lifting. Thereafter, the granular product is introduced into the opening until it reaches the predetermined fill height and defines a pile extending downwardly toward the support surface along a natural angle of repose. As the pile grows, it raises the cover while sweeping it upward away from the center of the pile. By this means the entire finished pile is conformably covered by the cover.

Abstract: A breather bag having a partial torus or weiner-like configuration is fabricated from four panels of flexible material. One of the panels is a side panel extending from one end of the bag to the other end along the inner concave curvature of the bag. The side panel also defines, at each end of the bag, a generally convex end surface. An offset dart seam may be provided in each convex end surface.

Abstract: A storage silo, for agricultural products and the like is provided, particularly adapted for use with silos of the bottom unloader type, and which are filled through a fill pipe extending from about ground level, to the upper end of the silo. A particularly unique connection is provided between the top and bottom of the silo, for substantially eliminating a pressure differential between the top and bottom that could otherwise have adverse affects on the silage upon filling at the side. The interconnection between the top and the bottom is through the silo fill pipe, and a vent line, and additionally may be provided for including silage gas bags in common interconnection with the fill pipe. The bottom end of the fill pipe is telescopically extendable for attachment to a silage blower, and a closure for the bottom end of the fill pipe is adapted to sealingly close the fill pipe with the telescopically extendable member within the fill pipe.

Abstract: An improved breather system for a sealed storage structure. An annular flexible diaphragm is located within the upper portion of the storage structure and the inner periphery of the diaphragm is sealed to a central inlet feed tube, while the outer periphery is sealed to an impervious platform that is mounted on the wall of the structure beneath the roof. A manhole is provided in the roof for entry onto the platform by workmen in order to repair or replace the diaphragm. The diaphragm and platform separate the storage structure into a lower storage chamber and an upper chamber which is exposed to the atmosphere. The diaphragm will move up and down within the structure in accordance with the pressure differential between the chambers. The diaphragm has a substantially greater surface area than the cross section area of the storage structure, so there is substantial travel between its uppermost and lowermost positions to thereby greatly increase the breathing capacity over conventional breather systems.

Abstract: This invention is an improved breather bag apparatus used with a sealed storage bin such as a silo allowing for expansion and contraction of the air within the sealed structure due to changes in the air temperature in the sealed storage bin. As a material with a high moisture content is normally being stored, the connector pipe between the improved breather bag structure is inclined back into the storage bin for any condensed fluid to flow back into the storage bin to keep the stored material moist. This improved breather bag apparatus is mountable on the sidewall of an existing silo within a protector shell member and having a bag member that is readily observable from adjacent the silo to ascertain whether such is operating properly and having a drain valve to release fluid from the bag member. The protector shell member is provided with a bottom wall with an access door to allow one entrance to the drain valve for operation thereof.

Abstract: A mixing silo for pulverulent material has a main silo chamber with a floor and a mixing chamber with a conical roof substantially centrally arranged on the floor of the silo chamber. A discharge for the material leads from the mixing chamber through the wall of the silo, and inlet openings for the material lead from the bottom of the silo chamber through the bottom of the wall of the mixing chamber. Additionally inlet openings for the material lead from different elevations within the silo chamber through the conical roof of the mixing chamber, for supply of material into the mixing chamber from different elevations in the silo chamber, thus achieving increased mixing and improved flow of the material.

Abstract: A bridge of particulate and ground food, feed and inorganic substances, such as soybean meal, corn meal, flour, cement and the like in a storage vessel is broken by reducing the internal pressure of the vessel and introducing inert gas under pressure of from atmosphere to up to 10 kg/cm.sup.2 to impart impact for breaking the bridge of the particulate and ground substances. After discharge of the particulate and ground substances from the storage vessel, the matter sticking to the internal walls of the vessel can be removed by again reducing pressure and giving impact of introduced atmosphere or pressurized gas. Further, the internal pressure of the closed storage vessel is reduced prior to injecting fumigant gas and thereafter by introducing inert gas the internal pressure is brought to normal pressure to improve fumigation of the substances.

Abstract: A breather bag for use in a sealed silo maintains pressure equilibrium between the inside and the outside of the silo by its volumetric change while preventing the ingestion of oxygen laden air. The breather bag is of generally arcuate or semi-circular shape and has a generally circular cross section. The breather bag includes at least one flexible conduit which extends between the breather bag and the silo roof and provides communication between the inside of the breather bag and the atmosphere. The breather bag is comprised of at least three plastic panels which are sealed together along overlapping edges. Two of the panels are a generally semi-circular shape and the third is a generally hour-glass shape. A continuous hanger strap is sealed along the upper arcuate center line of the breather bag to facilitate hanging the bag within a silo.

Abstract: A self-adjusting breather bag for use in sealed storage structures to limit the contact of ambient atmosphere with the stored material. The self-adjusting of the lower part of the bag to a higher position in the structure is accomplished by strategically assembling elastic or resilient members inside or outside the bag which automatically raises the lower portion of the bag when the bag is in a substantially non-inflated condition. A retracting device may be used to store the elastic or resilient members to provide for a greater range of inflation and retraction of the bag.

Abstract: This invention is a breather bag apparatus used with a sealed storage bin such as a silo allowing for expansion and contraction of the air within the sealed structure. This breather bag apparatus is mountable on the sidewall of an existing silo and having a bag member that is readily observable from adjacent the silo to ascertain whether such is operating properly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel method and apparatus to precipitate and preserve protein from the juice expressed from green leafy plants by coagulating the protein in the juice through an anaerobic fermentation process and apparatus. In addition part of the carbohydrate and non-protein nitrogen in the juice is converted into bacterial protein which increases the amount of protein obtained from the juice and particularly prevents oxidative destruction of cystine and methionine and thereby increases these limiting amino acids in the obtained protein.

Abstract: A completely sealed silo structure for animal feed which while excluding atmospheric oxygen will permit access by the operator for purposes of maintenance and repair. The sealed silo has the usual pressure compensation means but, instead of the common bottom unloading mechanism, has a top unloader which conveys feed through a sealed chute to the bottom. Sealed access doors are provided for both the feed chute and the service chute as well as between the two chutes.

Abstract: A method and device for the continuous mixing and removal of pulverous or fragmentary material from a container, such as a silo or the like, so that the various layers of material simultaneously become mixed with each other, in which case material is removed at a level below the feeding level, essentially over the entire silo width, the material being removed so that its sinking rate in the silo increases towards the line between the feeding and the removal points in order to slant the material layers towards the said line so that the material can be removed in a controlled manner from the slanted layers by means of a removal member or members directed across the layers.

Abstract: A storage system for large quantities of flowable, granular materials, such as grain. The material is covered by flexible cover sections which are spread out on an impervious support surface and thereafter laced together to define a cover having a centrally located opening. The cover is grasped in the region of the central opening and lifted to a predetermined fill height; the perimeter of the cover being free to pull inwardly as necessary accommodating the lifting. Thereafter, the granular product is introduced into the opening until it reaches the predetermined fill height and defines a pile extending downwardly toward the support surface along a natural angle of repose. As the pile grows, it raises the cover while sweeping it upward away from the center of the pile. By this means the entire finished pile is conformably covered by the cover.