Bark mulch handling and spreading apparatus

A bark mulch handling and spreading apparastus, comprising:

• (a) a platform adapted to be mounted on a mobile chassis;
• (b) means mounted on said platform for receiving bark mulch and conveying bark mulch to an outlet port of said receiving and conveying means;
• (c) at least one blower mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said receiving and conveying means for generating a flow of air past said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means so as to entrain in the flow of air the bark mulch being discharged from said outlet port;
• (d) a spreading mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said receiving and conveying means and adapted to receive the flow of air with entrained bark mulch from said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means and to distribute the air flow entrained bark mulch to a selected discharge location, said spreading mechanism including an upright discharge tube and an upper distributing spout rotatably mounted to said upright discharge tube and extending outwardly therefrom in a transverse relation thereto, said upright discharge tube having an inflow end in communication with said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means for receiving a bark mulch entrained upward flow of air therefrom, said upright discharge tube also having an outflow end displaced above said inflow end and connected to said upper distributing spout for expelling air flow entrained bark mulch into said upper distributing spout for distribution therefrom to the discharge region;
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• (e) a drive arrangement mounted on said platform for driving said receiving and conveying means and said blower mechanism;
• (f) said blower mechanism including
• (i) a pair of rotatable fans, each fan being disposed on said platform in an adjacent spaced relation to an end of said platform remote from said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means and adjacent to one of a pair of opposite sides of said platform and being operable to generate the flow of air, and
• (ii) a pair of elongated transport pipes, each transport pipe being coupled at one end to one of said fans and extending along one of said pair of opposite sides of said platform to an opposite end of said platform adjacent to said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means such that opposite ends of the transport pipes located adjacent to said outlet port of the hopper approach said outlet port from opposite directions and below said outlet port so that said transport pipes are adapted to route separate flows of air from said respective fans to below said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means.

A bark mulch handling and spreading apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a platform adapted to be mounted on a mobile chassis;
• (b) means mounted to said platform for receiving and conveying bark mulch to an outlet port of said receiving and conveying means;
• (c) at least one blower mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said receiving and conveying means, said blower mechanism including
• (i) a rotatable fan disposed in an adjacent spaced relation to a front end of said receiving and conveying means opposite from said outlet port thereof and being operable to generate a flow of air, and
• (ii) an elongated transport pipe coupled to said fan and extending to an opposite rear end of said receiving and conveying means adjacent to said outlet port thereof, said pipe being adapted to route the flow of air from said fan past said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means;
• (d) a spreading mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said receiving and conveying means and adapted to receive the flow of air with entrained bark mulch from said outlet port of said receiving and conveying means and to distribute the air flow entrained bark mulch to a selected discharge location;
• and
• (e) a drive arrangement mounted on said platform for driving said receiving and conveying means and said fan of said blower mechanism;
• (f) said receiving and conveying means including
• (i) a hopper having a pair of oppositely inclined side walls and a pair of front and rear end walls extending between and connected to said side walls and together therewith defining a bark mulch holding chamber having a top portion with an inlet opening for receiving bark mulch and a bottom portion, said outlet port formed in said rear end wall adjacent to and aligned with said bottom portion of said chamber, said chamber being wider at said top portion than at said bottom portion for promoting gravity flow of bark mulch from said top portion downwardly to said bottom portion,
• (ii) an elongated auger rotatably mounted along said bottom portion of said chamber of said hopper, said auger having a discharge end disposed at said outlet port of said hopper and being adapted to convey bark mulch through said chamber to said outlet port of said hopper,
• (iii) a plurality of agitating members each having an elongated shaft rotatably mounted at opposite ends to said hopper and extending across said chamber thereof above said auger, each of said agitating members also having a plurality of stirring elements mounted to and spaced along the respective shaft, a first group of said agitating members extending substantially parallel to said auger, a second group of said agitating members extending transverse to said auger, said first and second groups of agitating members being disposed at different elevations across said chamber of said hopper, and
• (iv) means coupled to said agitating members for driving said agitating members to cause stirring of the bark mulch contained in said chamber of said hopper to promote the gravity flow of the bark mulch toward said bottom portion of said hopper.

A bark mulch handling and spreading apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a platform adapted to be mounted on a mobile chassis;
• (b) a hopper mounted to said platform and having a pair of oppositely inclined side walls and a pair of front and rear end walls extending between and connected to said side walls and together therewith defining a bark mulch holding chamber having a top portion with an inlet opening for receiving bark mulch, a bottom portion, and an outlet port formed in said rear end wall adjacent to and aligned with said bottom portion of said chamber, said chamber being wider at said top portion than at said bottom portion for promoting gravity flow of bark mulch from said top portion downwardly to said bottom portion;
• (c) an elongated auger rotatably mounted along said bottom portion of said chamber of said hopper, said auger having a discharge end disposed at said outlet port of said hopper and being adapted to convey bark mulch through said chamber to said outlet port of said hopper;
• (d) a plurality of agitating members each having an elongated shaft rotatably mounted at opposite ends to said hopper and extending across said chamber thereof above said auger, each of said agitating members also having a plurality of stirring elements mounted to and spaced along the respective shaft, a first group of said agitating members extending substantially parallel to said auger, a second group of said agitating members extending transverse to said auger, said first and second groups of agitating members being disposed at different elevations across said chamber of said hopper;
• (e) at least one blower mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said hopper for generating a flow of air past said outlet port of said hopper so as to entrain in the flow of air the bark mulch being discharged from said outlet port;
• (f) a spreading mechanism mounted on said platform adjacent to said hopper and adapted to receive a bark mulch entrained flow of air from said outlet port of said hopper and to distribute said bark mulch entrained air flow to a selected discharge location;
• and
• (g) a drive arrangement mounted on said platform for driving said auger, said agitating members and said blower mechanism.