Drop spreader
OwnerHarvey P. Olseninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for spreading granular material having a pre-calibrated material gauge removably located in the bottom of a hopper. The granular material is forcibly pressed through discharge apertures formed in the material gauge under the rotatory action of an auger mounted in the hopper. The discharge apertures are sized to inhibit the free flow of granular material therethrough when the auger is not rotating. A clutch mechanism is provided for permitting selective control of the rotary movement of the auger. Since the material gauge is interchangeable, the apparatus can be quickly converted for spreading a variety of differently sized granular materials.
Claims12
An apparatus for spreading granular material comprising:
- a hopper within which the granular material is stored, said hopper having a elongated opening;
- auger means supported for rotation within said hopper in close proximity to said elongated opening;
- a gauge member removably supported adjacent said elongated opening of said hopper and having metering means for metering the quantity of the granular material to be discharged from said hopper;
- drive means including a source of driving torque for causing rotation of said auger means, said drive means having a first operating mode for rotatably driving said auger means to forcibly urge the granular material through said metering means, and a second operating mode for inhibiting rotation of said auger means such that said metering means inhibits discharge of the granular material therethrough;
- and
- actuation means for selectively shifting said drive means between said first and second operating modes.
An apparatus mountable to a prime mover for spreading granular material comprising:
- a hopper having an elongated aperture;
- mounting means forming an elongated and generally rectangular channel below said aperture;
- gauge means slidably received in said rectangular channel and having metering means for metering the amount of granular material to be discharged from said hopper;
- auger means supported for rotation within said hopper in close proximity to said elongated aperture, rotation of said auger means being operable for forcibly urging the granular material through said metering means;
- a first sprocket coupled for rotation to the prime mover;
- a second sprocket;
- chain means for transferring rotary motion from said first sprocket to said second sprocket;
- and
- clutch means for selectively transferring rotary motion from said second sprocket to said auger means for causing the granular material to be forcibly discharged from said hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.