Stack feeder

A stack feeder for use in association with a stack mover arranged to advance a haystack in a direction longitudinally of the stack feeder, the stack feeder comprising:

• a base frame;
• a flail assembly located above the base frame and positioned transversely with respect to said longitudinal direction;
• means coupling the flail assembly to the base frame for pivotal movement with respect to the base frame about a horizontal axis so that the flail assembly can be moved up and down along an arcuate path above the frame;
• means for moving the flail assembly along said arcuate path;
• the flail assembly including:
• a rotary flail which comprises:
• an elongate cylindrical support rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed in two cylindrical sections arranged co-axially with respect to one another;
• axle means rigidly coupling the inner ends of said sections;
• two stub axles projecting from the respective outer ends of the sections;
• bearing means on said axle means;
• a thin plate supporting said bearing means and disposed between the inner ends of said cylindrical sections of the flail support;
• a plurality of knives carried by said support sections for action on a haystack in use, each said knife being coupled to the associated support section for free pivotal movement about an axis extending parallel to said horizontal axis of rotation of the support, whereby the knives can swing outwardly relative to the support when the flail is in use;
• a fixed blade assembly on each of said cylindrical support sections, each said fixed blade assembly being positioned adjacent said thin support plate for the bearing means and including a plate secured to the associated support section and positioned in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the support;
• a plurality of fixed knives attached to and projecting outwardly of said plate, each said knife having an outer end and being positioned so that said end rotates closely adjacent to said thin support plate for the bearing means between the flail sections when the flail is in use;
• and a hood which extends longitudinally of the flail;
• means for rotating the flail at a speed in the range 1,600 to 2,600 r.p.m.;
• and,
• conveyor means supported on the base frame below the flail assembly and extending transversely of the base frame to a discharge location laterally of said frame;
• whereby, in use, the leading end portion of a haystack advanced to a position in said arcuate path of the flail assembly is shredded and fluffed up by the action of the rotary flail upon movement of the flail assembly along said path, and the resulting hay is directed downwardly onto the conveyor means for discharge at said discharge location.