Motorized material broadcast spreader apparatus
AssigneeExmark Manufacturing Company, Incorporated
InventorClark S. Papke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered material broadcast spreader apparatus. The apparatus may include a granular material hopper having one or more upwardly extending walls that partially enclose an interior volume of the hopper. A first wall may define an opening passing outwardly from the interior volume. The apparatus may also include a motor surrounded by the one or more walls, and a motor cover having a contact surface congruent with a mating inner surface of the first wall. The motor cover is configured to form a motor compartment adapted to effectively isolate the motor from the interior volume, while permitting access to the motor from outside the hopper via the opening in the first wall.
Claims20
A powered, material broadcast spreader apparatus comprising:
- a granular material hopper comprising one or more upwardly extending walls that together partially enclose an interior volume of the hopper, wherein a first wall of the one or more walls defines an opening passing through the first wall;
- a motor surrounded by the one or more walls, the motor comprising a motor housing and an output shaft extending downwardly from the motor housing through an aperture formed in the hopper;
- and
- a motor cover comprising a contact surface congruent with a mating inner surface of the first wall, the motor cover positioned within the interior volume of the hopper such that the contact surface adjoins the mating inner surface of the first wall to seal the opening from the interior volume, the motor cover further configured to form a motor compartment adapted to isolate the motor from the interior volume, wherein the motor compartment is accessible from outside the hopper via the opening in the first wall.
A powered, material broadcast spreader apparatus comprising:
- a granular material hopper comprising a floor, upwardly extending front and rear walls, and upwardly extending left and right walls, wherein the floor and the walls together define an interior volume of the hopper, and wherein a first wall of the front and rear and left and right walls defines an opening passing through the first wall;
- a motor positioned between:
- the front and rear walls;
- and the left and right walls, the motor comprising a motor housing and an output shaft extending downwardly from the motor housing through an aperture formed in the floor;
- and
- a motor cover comprising a contact surface congruent with a mating inner surface of the first wall, the motor cover positioned between the front and rear walls and between the left and right walls such that the motor cover surrounds the motor, wherein the contact surface adjoins the mating inner surface to seal the opening from the interior volume, the motor cover further configured to form a motor compartment adapted to separate the motor from granular material contained within the interior volume, wherein the motor compartment is accessible, via the opening in the first wall, from outside the hopper.
A powered vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- ground engaging members adapted to support the chassis relative to a ground surface;
- a prime mover attached to the chassis and adapted to provide power to one or more of the ground engaging members;
- and
- a material broadcast spreader apparatus attached to the chassis at or near a front end of the chassis, the apparatus comprising:
- a granular material hopper comprising a floor, upwardly extending front and rear walls, and upwardly extending left and right walls, wherein the floor and the walls together define an interior volume of the hopper, and wherein the rear wall defines an opening passing through the rear wall;
- a motor positioned between:
- the front and rear walls;
- and the left and right walls, the motor comprising a motor housing and an output shaft extending downwardly from the motor housing through an aperture formed in the floor;
- and
- a motor cover comprising a contact surface congruent with a mating inner surface of the rear wall, the motor cover positioned between the front and rear walls and between the left and right walls such that the motor cover at least partially surrounds the motor, wherein the contact surface adjoins the mating inner surface to seal the opening from the interior volume, the motor cover further configured to form a motor compartment adapted to separate the motor from granular material contained within the interior volume, wherein the motor compartment is accessible, via the opening in the rear wall, from outside the hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.