Storage container for particulate material

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A storage container for particulate material comprising, encasing means for said material including side, top and bottom members and a central vertical axis, a centrally located filler opening in said top member and a cover for said opening, discharge flow regulating means which is operatively connected to the top member of said encasing means and includes a discharge valve member which is symmetric about its vertical axis, a centrally located discharge port in said bottom member, said discharge flow regulating means including a plurality of tension members which suspend said valve member symmetrically about its central axis, said tension members having lower ends connected to said valve member and upper ends vertically adjustably connected to said top member at positions generally uniformly radially spaced from the central vertical axis radially outwardly from said filler opening and generally uniformly circumferentially spaced apart, said filler opening thereby being free of obstruction by said tension members.
2.
The device of claim 1 wherein said tension members comprise cables threadably and adjustably attached to said top member.
3.
The device of claim 2 wherein said valve member can be adjustably raised or lowered by said cables whereby said discharge port is alternately opened and sealed.
4.
The device of claim 3 wherein said valve member is cone-shaped.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traditionally grain storage tanks unload from the top, exposing workmen to the risk of falling into the tank and suffocating.
Also, unloading from the top meant that the last material in was the first out, and uniform discharge of the encased material by succeeding layers was very difficult.
Gravity flow discharge is not new in the context of railway hopper cars; and a patent has dealt with gate valves for material storage containers on train hoppers or the like (i.
e.
, U.
S.
Pat.
No.
3,556,479), wherein traditional slide gates were discarded in favor of a wedge or pyramid shaped valve operatively connected to the top of the container