Method of producing pressed hay pellets
AssigneesRonald T. Jarrett, Edward J. Barrett, D. Michael Curran
InventorsRonald T. Jarrett, Edward J. Barrett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hay and similar crop materials can be efficiently compacted and formed into pellets or cubes through a closely coordinated sequence of operations in which the hay picked up from the field is deposited into a feed bin, then advanced by gravity feed uniformly onto a cross feed conveyor which advances the hay through a compaction stage in which the hay is precompressed to bale density, and thereafter it is continuously advanced between a pair of counter-rotating press wheels which further compress and form the hay into dense pellets or cubes.
Claims11
The method of pelleting hay which has been chopped and moisturized comprising the steps of:
- advancing the hay into an enclosure which is provided with a lower outlet, intercepting the hay as it is advanced toward the outlet to lift it and beat it primarily to passage through the outlet;
- advancing the hay from the outlet in a direction transversely of its movement through the outlet as a continuously moving stream of hay;
- yieldingly impelling the hay along an elongated, flexible, non-linear convergent guide path so as to compact the hay to increase its density, followed by
- separating the stream of hay into distinct portions and further compressing each portion into compact cubicle form.
The method of pelleting hay which comprises the steps of:
- producing a uniform, continuous stream of hay by conveying hay in bulk form into a rotating element, separating and dispersing said bulk in a small stream, and compacting said small stream of hay to an increased density by advancing said stream and causing said stream to undergo a change in direction through an elongated flexible, non-linear guide path with a progressively decreasing cross-sectional area;
- and
- fully confining said hay in said compacted stream into relatively small segregated compartments and squeezing said hay in each compartment sufficiently to force the natural fluids in the stalks and leaves of said hay to seep out and bind the particles of hay into the structure of a pellet.
The method of pelleting hay and the like which comprises the steps of:
- producing a uniform, continuous stream of hay, and compacting said stream of hay to an increased density by advancing said stream and causing said stream to undergo a change in direction through an elongated flexible, non-linear guide path with a progressively decreasing cross-sectional area, said advancing of said hay through said elongated chamber being accomplished by contacting all sides of said continuous stream for at least a portion of the length of the elongated guide path with continuously moving sides of said guide path;
- discharging said compacted stream of hay from said guide path through a conduit of rectangular cross-sectional configuration with a slightly diverging cross-sectional area;
- and
- fully confining said hay in said compacted stream into relatively small segregated compartments having endwalls, sidewalls and a top wall and a bottom wall and squeezing said hay in each compartment sufficiently to force the natural fluids in the stalks and leaves of said hay to seep out and bind the particles of hay to the structure of a pellet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.