Spreader
AssigneeSno-Way International, Inc.
InventorsTerry C. Wendorff, Kevin J. Kuechler, Robert N. Gamble, II, Jacob R. Brehmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hopper spreader for installation on a vehicle has a flow regulator configured to regulate flow of particulate material from the container. The spreader has a conveyor mechanism for conveying particulate material to a spinner that distributes the particulate material to the surface over which the vehicle moves. The spreader also includes a flow regulation mechanism located between the particulate material in the hopper and the conveyor mechanism which is configured to regulate flow of material from the hopper to the conveyor mechanism.
Claims20
A spreader configured to spread particulate material, the spreader comprising:
- a container configured to contain a quantity of dry, free flow particulate material, the container having an upper portion and a lower portion and being open on a top side of the upper portion, the container having a dispensing aperture located in the lower portion and one end thereof;
- a conveyor mechanism extending along a longitudinal axis in the lower portion of the container and extending adjacent the dispensing aperture;
- a baffle assembly mounted in the bottom portion of the container above the conveyor mechanism;
- a motor-driven spinner located near the discharge aperture for receiving particulate material discharged from the container and spreading the particulate material over a distribution area:
- and
- a flow regulator configured to regulate flow of particulate material from the container above the baffle past the baffle to the conveyor mechanism, the flow regulator being adjustable from a first configuration in which a flow path past the baffle having a first area is provided and a second configuration in which a flow path past the baffle having a second area is provided, the second area being smaller than the first area.
A spreader configured to spread particulate material, the spreader comprising:
- a container configured to contain a quantity of dry, free flow particulate material, the container having a dispensing aperture located in the lower portion thereof;
- a conveyor mechanism located in the container and extending adjacent the dispensing aperture;
- a baffle assembly mounted in the container above the conveyor mechanism;
- a spinner located near the discharge aperture for receiving and spreading particulate material over a distribution area:
- and
- a flow regulator configured to regulate flow of particulate material from the container above the baffle past the baffle to the conveyor mechanism.
A method of operating a spreader configured to spread particulate material, the method comprising:
- loading a quantity of dry, free flow particulate material into a container having an upper portion and a lower portion and being open on a top side of the upper portion, the container having a dispensing aperture located in the lower portion and one end thereof;
- operating a conveyor mechanism extending along a longitudinal axis in the lower portion of the container to convey particulate material to the dispensing aperture;
- preventing the weight of the particulate material in the container from jamming the conveyor mechanism with a baffle assembly mounted in the bottom portion of the container above the conveyor mechanism;
- receiving particulate material discharged from the container and spreading the particulate material over a distribution area with a motor-driven spinner located near the discharge aperture:
- and
- regulating the flow of particulate material from the container above the baffle past the baffle to the conveyor mechanism with the baffle assembly prior to loading, the baffle assembly including an inverted V-shaped baffle member formed from a plurality of segments including a pair of end V-plate segments and at least one central V-plate segment interposed between the pair of end V-plate segments supported above the conveyor, wherein regulating the flow further includes moving the at least one central V-plate segment to provide an opening between the pair of end V-plate segments to increase flow to the conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.