Apparatus for feeding materials into a hammermill or the like

Apparatus for feeding baled roughages, grains and other feed materials into a hammermill or the like which includes a housing having a material receiving opening defined therein, said apparatus comprising:

• elongated feeding means for receiving feed materials at an upper side thereof and being pivotally mounted at one end portion to said housing adjacent a lower side of said opening therein and operable to convey feed materials into said housing through said opening;
• closure means disposed adjacent said housing opening and adjacent and above said one end portion of said elongated feeding means, said closure means including a portion normally disposed to substantially close said housing opening, said closure means being movably upwardly away from said elongated feeding means upon being engaged by feed material, such as baled roughage, as the latter is fed by said elongated feeding means toward said housing opening, said upward movement of said closure means causing its portion to move upwardly relative to said housing opening and thereby open a sufficient portion of said housing opening for allowing passage of said feed material into said housing through said portion of said housing opening;
• support means pivotally mounted at one end to said housing and extending outwardly therefrom to an opposite end spaced above said elongated feeding means, said closure means being mounted to said opposite end of said support means for pivotal movement upwardly in relation thereto and away from said elongated feeding means upon being engaged by feed material, such as baled roughage;
• and
• adjustment means for concurrently disposing said feeding means together with said support means and said closure means mounted thereto at various pivotally displaced feeding positions with respect to said housing.

Apparatus for feeding various feed materials into a hammermill or similar material reducing mechanisms which includes a housing having a material receiving opening defined therein, said apparatus comprising:

• an elongated trough for receiving feed materials at an upper side and being pivotally mounted at one end portion to said housing adjacent said opening therein;
• operative means mounted in said trough for conveying feed materials along said trough and into said housing through said opening therein;
• support structure mounted to an upper side of said housing generally above said opening therein;
• adjustment means interconnecting said trough and said support structure and operable to dispose said trough at a lower feeding position and at a generally upright storage position in which a portion of said trough extends above said housing and adjacent said support structure;
• and
• means operatively associated with said support structure and said trough for closing said upper side of said portion of said trough which extends above said housing when said trough is disposed at said storage position.