Rear-mounted manure gathering machine and method of handling manure

A transportable manure gathering machine for a feedlot or barnyard comprising:

• a frame;
• wheels on said frame for movement of said manure gathering machine;
• a tank pivotally mounted on said frame for collecting manure;
• a manure pickup mechanism mounted on said tank, said mechanism comprising a means for picking up manure from the ground as said manure gathering machine moves through an area to be cleaned and a means for depositing the picked up manure in said tank;
• and
• means for moving said tank between a first position with the pickup mechanism resting on the ground, the tank pivoting on the frame whereby the pickup mechanism follows the ground contour as said manure gathering machine moves through the area to be cleaned, and an elevated position with the pickup mechanism, spaced from the ground for transport of said manure gathering machine from one area to another.

A transportable manure gathering machine for a feedlot or barnyard comprising:

• a frame having a longitudinal axis;
• wheels on said frame, one on either side of said axis, for movement of said manure gathering machine;
• a receiving tank pivotally mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis of said frame, said receiving tank having a filling opening whereby manure may be deposited;
• and
• manure handling means located at an end of said receiving tank for picking up manure from the ground and for lifting the manure to said filling opening, whereby said tank pivots about said transverse axis and said manure handling means follows the ground contour as said manure gathering machine moves through the area to be cleaned.

A manure gathering machine for a feedlot or barnyard comprising:

• a longitudinally elongated frame;
• a pintle with an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame centrally located on said frame;
• a tank pivotally supported by said pintle at a position on said tank forward of the center of gravity of said tank;
• a lifting assembly including wheels attached to said frame, pivoting about said pintle for raising said frame with respect to said wheels;
• and
• a manure pickup mechanism located at the rear of said tank

A manure gathering machine for a feedlot or barnyard comprising:

• a longitudinally elongated frame;
• a pintle with an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the frame centrally located on said frame, said pintle comprising three coaxial tubes, a middle tube attached to said frame, an outer tube located outside said middle tube, and an inner tube located inside said middle tube;
• a tank attached to said outer tube, said tank having a manure storage area and a filling opening, said tank pivotally supported by said pintle at a position on said tank forward of the center of gravity of said tank, said tank has stops on said frame that limit the rear downward rotation of said tank relative to said frame;
• a manure pickup mechanism located at the rear of said tank;
• a right bell crank lifting mechanism and a left bell crank lifting mechanism each comprising a bell crank lift with two fixedly connected arms, said lift pivotally attached to said pintle, a wheel-support assembly attached to said first arm of said lift, and an actuation mechanism attached to said second arm whereby said bell crank lift is used to raise said frame with respect to said wheel, thereby creating as said tank is being raised, three positions, said first position having said manure pickup mechanism on the ground successively to said second position having said manure pickup mechanism on the ground and the filling opening at a lower position relative to said tank in order to spill excess manure from said tank and to a third position having said manure pickup mechanism raised above the ground and said filling opening elevated relative to the tank, for transport of said manure gathering machine from one location to another;
• a pump connected to said tank for mixing water and manure in said manure storage area in said tank to form a slurry;
• and
• a directing means to direct said slurry to provide a discharge from or an agitation within said tank.