Mobile spreader apparatus drive system

A ground wheel driven power system for powering a spreader apparatus which includes spreading means with an impeller fan for distributing soil conditioning granular material over a broad ground surface and a feed conveyor means for delivering said granular material to said impeller fan, said spreader apparatus being mounted on ground wheels for movement along said ground surface at varying speeds, said power system including a hydraulic drive system and a mechanical drive system both systems being driven by a ground wheel driven power train having a metal driver wheel frictionally engageable with one of the spreader apparatus ground wheels;

• said driver wheel means comprising a self-cleaning metal driver wheel including a rim with a series of circumferentially spaced transverse cleats thereon;
• said cleats projecting laterally beyond said rim allowing dirt and debris to pass through the space between adjacent cleats;
• said hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump connected to a reservoir and driven at random speeds by the power train, being responsive to the varying speeds of the mobile spreader apparatus movement along the ground surface whereby varying volumes of pressurized hydraulic fluid are generated by the pump and directed to a priority divider flow regulating device which separates a fixed predetermined working flow rate portion from the varying volumes of hydraulic fluid and directs this fixed flow rate portion to a hydraulic motor, which is drivably associated with the impeller fan to thereby rotatably drive the spreader fan at a constant rotary speed to distribute a uniform width of granular material on the ground surface, while a fluctuating excess portion of the varying volumes of hydraulic fluid is by-passed to the reservoir, and said mechanical drive system includes a gear reducing means drivably connected to said metal driver wheel and having a driving connection to said feed conveyor means to operate said feed conveyor at speeds directly proportional to the speed at which the spreader apparatus moves along said ground surface to deliver a volume of granular material to said impeller fan for distribution which is a function of the forward speed of said spreader apparatus whereby a uniform width and density of granular material are distributed on said ground surface regardless of the variations in speed encountered during normal operating conditions.

A wheel-mounted spreader apparatus comprising:

• conveyor means forming a material feed conveyor for feeding a supply of soil conditioning granular material to a point of utilization,
• impeller means forming a broadcast impeller fan for spreading the granular material in a broad selected pattern,
• and a wheel-driven drive train having a driver wheel and comprising
• a gear reducer interposed between the driver wheel and the conveyor means to mechanically operate the material feed conveyor as a function of the forward speed of the spreader apparatus;
• a hydraulic pump having a driven connection with a driver wheel and delivering a variable flow which is a function of the rotational speed of the driver wheel;
• flow proportioning means receiving the discharge from said pump and being construed to deliver a substantially fixed rate of flow to a point of utilization;
• a hydraulic motor receiving said fixed rate of flow and driven thereby and being connected to hydraulically operate said impeller means to drive said broadcast impeller fan at a substantial fixed rotational speed;
• and
• said driver wheel comprising a self-cleaning metal driver wheel having a plurality of spaced apart cleats extending axially outward beyond the metal driver wheel for allowing dirt and debris to pass through the spaces between adjacent cleats and effecting the self-cleaning of said driver wheel.

In a wheeled-mobile spreader apparatus the improvement of a self-cleaning friction drive comprising:

• a power train having a rotatable transfer shaft;
• a movable metal driving wheel connected to said shaft and adjusted to be selectively engaged with a ground wheel,
• said driving wheel comprising a rim member,
• a row of transverse cleats spaced circumferentially about said rim member and projecting radially outwardly thereof sufficient so that the cleats are urged against the adjoining ground contacting surface of the ground wheel to penetrate dirt and debris adhering to the surface and to achieve positive driving contact with the ground wheel and said cleats extend axially outward beyond the metal wheel and have spaces between them allowing dirt and debris to pass so that said drive wheel is essentially self-cleaning.