US Patent 10227188 Bin sweep pivots

Pivot structures for use on bin sweeps, for example at the inner end of a bin sweep or along the length of a bin sweep, include a ball and socket. The socket is preferably defined by a collar having opposing open ends through which a shaft extends, with the shaft also extending through the ball such that the ball can slide on the shaft. The collar/socket is then affixed to a section of a sweep, and the shaft is affixed to an adjacent section, or is alternatively defined by a central stanchion within the bin. The pivot allows the sweep section to move in up to four degrees of freedom with respect to the adjacent section, or with respect to the central stanchion.