Supply system for agricultural equipment
A supply system for use with agricultural equipment includes a storage system, a metering system, and a distribution system. The storage system holds dry granules therein. The metering system is configured to meter the dry granules at a determined rate. The distribution system includes a conduit coupled with the manifold to receive the dry granules therefrom and a plurality of outlet tubes in fluid communication with the conduit to direct the dry granules toward a receiver unit at the determined rate.
1 . A supply system for use with agricultural equipment, the supply system comprising
a storage system configured to hold dry granules therein,
a metering system configured to meter the dry granules at a predetermined rate, the metering system including a canister coupled with the storage system to receive the dry granules therefrom, a manifold coupled with the canister to direct the dry granules away from the canister, and a metering screw arranged in the manifold and configured to rotate about a screw axis to selectively control the predetermined rate of the dry granules entering the manifold from the canister, and
a distribution system including a conduit coupled with the manifold to receive the dry granules therefrom and to transport the dry granules away from the manifold and a plurality of outlet tubes in fluid communication with the conduit to direct the dry granules toward a receiver unit at the predetermined rate.
2 . The supply system of claim 1 , wherein the metering system further includes a motor configured to drive rotation of the metering screw about the screw axis.
3 . The supply system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold of the metering system includes an inlet coupled with the canister and an outlet coupled with the conduit of the distribution system, and wherein the metering screw is located within the manifold between the inlet and the outlet.
4 . The supply system of claim 3 , wherein the metering system further includes an agitator arranged in the canister and configured to rotate about an agitator axis to agitate the dry granules therein.
5 . The supply system of claim 3 , wherein the conduit includes a horizontal portion extending between a first end and a second end thereof and a vertical portion extending between a first end and a second end thereof, and wherein the outlet of the manifold of the metering system is coupled to the horizontal portion between the first end and second end thereof and the first end of the vertical portion is coupled with the second end of the horizontal portion to extend upwardly therefrom.
6 . The supply system of claim 5 , wherein the distribution system further includes an air supply unit coupled to the first end of the horizontal portion of the conduit and configured to direct pressurized air through the conduit to carry the dry granules through the conduit.
7 . The supply system of claim 6 , wherein the distribution system further includes an impeller unit coupled to the second end of the vertical portion of the conduit and configured to direct the dry granules into the plurality of outlet tubes, and wherein the impeller unit includes an impeller that rotates about an impeller axis and a body configured to receive the impeller therein, and the impeller is driven to rotate about the impeller axis by the pressurized air from the air supply unit.
8 . The supply system of claim 7 , wherein the impeller unit further includes a plurality of nozzles coupled to the body circumferentially about the impeller axis, and wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of outlet tubes.
9 . The supply system of claim 1 , further comprising a housing shaped to define an interior space therein, and wherein the metering system is located entirely within the interior space of the housing, the conduit of the distribution system is at least partially located within the interior space of the housing, and the plurality of outlet tubes are located entirely outside of the housing.
10 . The supply system of claim 1 , wherein the storage system includes a first storage unit and a second storage unit, and the dry granules include a first type of dry granules located in the first storage unit and a second type of dry granules different than the first type of dry granules located in the second storage unit, and wherein the canister of the metering system is a first canister coupled with the first storage unit, the metering screw of the metering system is a first metering screw, and the predetermined rate is a first predetermined rate of the first type of dry granules entering the manifold from the first canister, and wherein the supply system further comprises a second canister coupled with the second storage unit and a second metering screw arranged in the manifold and configured to rotate about the screw axis to selectively control a second predetermined rate of the second type of dry granules entering the manifold from the second canister.