Conveyor for conveying silage or the like material

An apparatus for loosening and apportioning silage or the like material, provided with a storage container, which has a coupling member adapted to be coupled with a tractor, said storage container comprising a carrier conveyor, which carrier conveyor is coupled or may be coupled with a drive means;

• a loosening conveyor which joins this carrier conveyor and which is inclined upwardly and is coupled or may be coupled with a drive means, said loosening conveyor consisting of endless chains or the like, which are led over end rollers, while cross-bars extend between said chains, said cross-bars carrying teeth;
• a driven apportioning and return mechanism extending at a distance above the loosening conveyor;
• and a tilting device for taking up and discharging the material to the carrier conveyor, which tilting device has a support means, which in its lowermost position extends substantially at the level of the ground and is pivotable through approximately 90.degree., wherein the path which is followed by the cross-bars with the teeth of the loosening conveyor includes a conveying portion and an inactive portion which is positioned lower than the conveying portion, whilst the inactive portion of the path comprises a stretch, which extends partly towards the conveying portion and partly away form the conveying portion whereby a fibrous bundle carried by the conveying means is tensioned on the teeth when passing the end roller to which it is conveyed, and the tension is removed, and the bundle is released from the conveying means, when the bundle reaches said stretch of the inactive portion.

An apparatus for loosening or apportioning silage or the like material, provided with a storage container, which has a coupling member adapted to be coupled with a tractor, said storage container comprising a carrier conveyor, which carrier conveyor is coupled or may be coupled with a drive means;

• a loosening conveyor which joins this carrier conveyor and which is inclined upwardly and is coupled or may be coupled with a drive means, said loosening conveyor consisting of endless chains or the like, which are led over end rollers, the conveyor having an inactive portion which is positioned lower than the conveying portion and comprises a stretch, which extends partly towards the conveying portion and partly away form the conveying portion, while cross-bars extend between said chains, said cross-bars carrying teeth;
• a driven apportioning and return mechanism extending at a distance above the loosening conveyor;
• and a tilting device for taking up and discharging the material to the carrier conveyor, which tilting device has a support means, which in its lowermost position extends substantially at the level of the ground and is pivotable through approximately 90.degree., wherein the support member of the tilting device extends at least approximately perpendicular to the direction of motion of the carrier conveyor whereby a fibrous bundle carried by the loosening conveyor is tensioned on the teeth of the loosening conveyor when passing the end roller to which it is conveyed, and the tension is removed, and the bundle is released from the conveyor means, when the bundle reaches said stretch which extends partly toward and partly away from the conveying portion.