Boom spreader with sectional control
OwnerGeof J. GRAY, John Mark AVERINK +5inventors
InventorsGeof J. GRAY, John Mark AVERINK, Ravikesh Ashok KHADTARE, Adam Peter LEHMAN, David G. WEBSTER, Gavin HELD, Peter STOECKLI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A boom spreader comprises side-by-side endless belts driven by drive shafts where the drive shafts each have a drive roller and a smooth non-drive roller mounted thereon. The smooth non-drive roller allows for variances in speed between the side-by-side endless belts by simple slippage or by providing a bearing or bushing between the smooth non-drive roller and the drive shaft. Thus, one of the endless belts can be driven more quickly or slowly or even stopped without unduly affecting drive control over the other endless belts.
Claims11
A boom spreader for spreading particulate material in a field, the spreader comprising:
- a hopper for containing the particulate material;
- booms comprising a first boom and a second boom, the first boom and second boom transversely extendible in opposite transverse directions non-parallel to a direction of travel along a longitudinal axis of the spreader and non-perpendicular to the field, the booms comprising a plurality of outlets in particulate material communication with the hopper to distribute the particulate material in the field;
- and,
- a metering device for conveying the particulate material from the hopper to the booms, the metering device dividing the particulate material into portions for delivery to the plurality of outlets, the metering device comprising a plurality of endless belts that receive the particulate material from the hopper and convey the particulate material longitudinally from the hopper toward the booms, the plurality of endless belts comprising:
- a first set of side-by-side endless belts and a second set of side-by-side endless belts whereby the endless belts of the first and second sets are substantially parallel to and coplanar with each other, and each of the endless belts is independently drivable;
- a first set of drive shafts and a second set of drive shafts, each drive shaft having a drive roller mounted thereon for driving one of the endless belts of the respective first and second sets of endless belts, each drive shaft also having a smooth non-drive roller mounted thereon which is in contact with one of the endless belts not being driven by the drive shaft on which the smooth non-drive roller is mounted;
- and,
- a first set of drive motors and a second set of drive motors, each drive motor operatively connected to one of the drive shafts of respective first and second sets of drive shafts,
- wherein the drive shafts of the first set of drive shafts are longitudinally spaced-apart along the endless belts of the first set of endless belts and the drive motors of the first set of drive motors are connected to the drive shafts of the first set of drive shafts on a same side of the first set of endless belts remote from the second set of endless belts,
- and wherein the drive shafts of the second set of drive shafts are longitudinally spaced-apart along the endless belts of the second set of endless belts and the drive motors of the second set of drive motors are connected to the drive shafts of the second set of drive shafts on a same side of the second set of endless belts remote from the first set of endless belts.
The spreader of 1, wherein the particulate material comprises a fertilizer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.