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US 12,302,779 B2Granted
Adaptable walk behind spreader
AssigneeEarthway Products, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey D. Kendall, Richard Sevrey, Richard H. Chapman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adaptable walk behind spreader for dispersing particulate material in different spread patterns. The walk behind spreader includes a spread control assembly configured to control flow of particulate material through first, second and third exit openings and onto a dispersing mechanism. The spread control assembly includes a first spread control member and a second spread control member. Movement of the first and second spread control members selectively inhibits the flow of particulate material through at least a portion of the exit openings, thereby altering the spread pattern of the particulate material dispersed from the spreader.
Claims31
An adaptable walk behind spreader for dispersing particulate material in different spread patterns, the walk behind spreader comprising:
- a frame;
- a push handle mounted to the frame;
- a pair of wheels mounted to the frame;
- a hopper mounted to the frame and configured to hold particulate material;
- a plurality of exit openings including first, second and third exit openings through which particulate material held in the hopper can selectively pass;
- a spread control assembly disposed below the hopper and configured to control flow of the particulate material through the first, second and third exit openings;
- and
- a dispersing mechanism disposed below the spread control assembly and configured to disperse particulate material passing through the spread control assembly,
- wherein the spread control assembly comprises a spread control mechanism that is movable between a deactivated position where none of the first, second and third exit openings are covered by the spread control mechanism and an activated position where two of the first, second and third exit openings are covered by the spread control mechanism and one of the first, second and third exit openings is not covered by the spread control mechanism,
- wherein the adaptable spreader disperses particulate material in an unaltered spread pattern when the spread control mechanism is in the deactivated position and in an altered spread pattern when the spread control mechanism is in the activated position,
- wherein the unaltered spread pattern disperses particulate material to first and second opposite sides of the spreader,
- wherein the altered spread pattern impedes dispersion of particulate material to the first side of the spreader and disperses the particulate material to the second side of the spreader,
- wherein the dispersing mechanism rotates on an axis of rotation,
- wherein all of the plurality of exit openings are positioned on one side of a plane that is coextensive with the axis of rotation.
11 more elements
An adaptable walk behind spreader for dispersing particulate material in different spread patterns, the walk behind spreader comprising:
- a frame;
- a push handle mounted to the frame;
- a pair of wheels mounted to the frame;
- a hopper mounted to the frame and configured to hold particulate material;
- a shut-off adjustment plate attached to an outside bottom of the hopper and defining a plurality of exit openings including first, second and third exit openings;
- a first paddle attached to the shut-off adjustment plate and movable relative to the shut-off adjustment plate between a first deactivated position where the first exit opening is not covered by the first paddle and a first activated position where the first exit opening is covered by the first paddle, wherein the first paddle comprises a handle for facilitating movement of the first paddle between the deactivated and activated positions;
- and
- a dispersing mechanism disposed below the shut-off adjustment plate and the first paddle and configured to disperse particulate material passing through the first, second and third exit openings,
- wherein movement of the first paddle from the deactivate position to the activated position alters the spread pattern of the particulate material dispersed from the spreader,
- wherein the dispersing mechanism rotates on an axis of rotation,
- wherein all of the plurality of exit openings are positioned on one side of a plane that is coextensive with the axis of rotation.
8 more elements
An adaptable walk behind spreader for dispersing particulate material in different spread patterns, the walk behind spreader comprising:
- a frame;
- a push handle mounted to the frame;
- a pair of wheels mounted to the frame;
- a hopper mounted to the frame and configured to hold particulate material;
- a plurality of exit openings including first, second and third exit openings through which particulate material held in the hopper can selectively pass;
- a spread control assembly disposed below the hopper and configured to control flow of the particulate material through the first, second and third exit openings;
- and
- a dispersing mechanism disposed below the spread control assembly and configured to disperse particulate material passing through the spread control assembly,
- wherein the spread control assembly comprises a first spread control member and a second spread control member,
- wherein the first spread control member is moveable between a fully open position where at least one of the first, second and third exit openings is not covered by the first spread control member and a fully closed position where at least one of the first, second and third exit openings is covered by the first spread control member,
- wherein the second spread control member is moveable relative to the first spread control member between a deactivated position where none of the first, second and third exit openings are covered by the second spread control member and an activated position where at least one of the first, second and third exit openings is covered by the second spread control member and at least one of the first, second and third exit openings is not covered by the second spread control member,
- wherein the spreader disperses particulate material in an unaltered spread pattern when the second spread control member is in the deactivated position and in an altered spread pattern when the second spread control member is in the activated position,
- wherein the unaltered spread pattern disperses the particulate material to first and second opposite sides of the spreader,
- wherein the altered spread pattern impedes dispersion of the particulate material to the first side of the spreader and disperses the particulate material to the second side of the spreader,
- wherein the walk behind spreader includes only three of the exit openings
- wherein the dispersing mechanism rotates on an axis of rotation,
- wherein all of the plurality of exit openings are positioned on one side of a plane that is coextensive with the axis of rotation.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.