# US 5,722,591 A · Apparatus for spreading bulk materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,722,591 A - Document ID: US5722591A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/555,607 - Filed: 1995-11-09 - Granted: 1998-03-03 - Earliest claimed: 1994-12-12 - Inventors: Wolfgang Folger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5722591A ## CPC - B65G 31/04: comprising discs, drums, or like rotary impellers - A01C 17/001: {Centrifugal throwing devices with a vertical axis} - B05B 3/1007: {characterised by the rotating member (B05B3/105 takes precedence)} - B64D 1/16: Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting (jettisoning fuel B64D37/26) - B65D 88/30: specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another (collapsible hoppers B65D88/52) - B65G 65/4827: {with particular surface features, e.g. ribs, roughening} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A spreading apparatus for hitching to a helicopter includes a hopper suspended from a ring, three tubular legs with upper ends releasably attached to the ring, and a strut between each pair of legs. A plurality of tension cables are provided, each cable having a top end joined to the ring at a leg attachment point and a bottom end joined to a rubber roller inserted between adjacent struts where they attach to a leg with a coupling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Spreading apparatus for discharging bulk materials, said apparatus comprising ring means, a downwardly tapering hopper having an upper end attached to said ring means and an opposed lower end, three legs, each leg having an upper end and an opposed lower end, said upper ends of said legs being releasably attached to said ring means at respective leg attachment points, three struts, each strut extending between a pair of legs toward the lower ends thereof, said struts being releasably attached to said legs at respective strut attachment points, and a plurality of tension cables, each cable having a top end joined to the ring proximate to a leg attachment point and a bottom end attached at a strut attachment point of an adjacent leg, the bottom of each cable being guided over a leg so that the legs are drawn against the struts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a rubber elastic piece at each strut attachment point, each bottom end of each cable being fastened to one of said rubber elastic pieces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein each rubber elastic piece is in the form of a roller having a central shaft, each rubber elastic piece being inserted between adjacent struts with said shaft parallel to the leg attached to said adjacent struts, said cable ends being fastened to said shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising a support plate, a pair of cables attaching said support plate to the roller shaft between each pair of struts, a scatter disk rotatably mounted on said support plate, and a motor for driving said scatter disk. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said legs and said struts are made of high strength tubing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising a coupling at each leg attachment point, each said coupling comprising a tubular portion received in the upper end of a leg and a transverse portion which conforms to said ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising a coupling at each strut attachment point, each said coupling comprising a portion conforming to a leg and two portions received in respective adjacent struts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said hopper comprises a high molecular weight polyethylene reinforced with a carbon fiber overlay at the lower end. ### Claim 9 Apparatus for distributing bulk materials, which is to be carried by cables from a helicopter, and which contains a downwardly tapering hopper with an opening on the bottom end and a remotely controlled shutter for this opening, and with three legs and a scatter disk which when operated rotates underneath the shuttered opening, wherein a shutter plate (24) for the opening is suspended on two cables (25), and an apparatus {(2,} (22, 23, 26) for producing a linear movement is connected fixedly at one end to the shutter plate and to a stationary part (1) of the apparatus by means of at least one joint (point 1a) for pivotal movement, and that the plane of the opening is at such an angle to the hopper axis that the shutter plate (240) when in the closing position lies against the opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus for producing the linear movement consists of an operating cylinder (22) with operating rod (23) and a return spring (26). ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cables (25) are fastened to a suspension ring (2) for the hopper. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the joint is fastened to a leg (1). ### Claim 13 Apparatus to be carried by a helicopter for discharging bulk materials, said apparatus comprising downwardly tapering hopper with a shuttered opening at the bottom end and with three legs and a scatter disk revolving in operation under the opening, wherein the scatter disk (5) comprises a disk (30) with slots (31) running substantially radially and slingers (32) having lower portions inserted into these slots and upper portions with downward facing shoulders which rest against the disk, said lower portions having openings (33) below the disk and pin means (34) passed through said openings for releasably joining said slingers to said disk. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the slingers (32) project at least partially above the openings (31) and are secured on the bottom of the disk (30) by pin means (34) passed through openings (33) in slingers (32). ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the slingers (32) consist of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the disk (30) consists of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. ### Claim 17 Apparatus to be carried by helicopter for distributing bulk material, comprising a downward-tapering container with an opening at the bottom end and three legs and also comprising a distributing assembly with essentially radial distributing fins, which rotate underneath the opening during operation, wherein the distributing assembly comprises a concave dish having an open top which faces the opening of the container in concentric manner, the dish being larger than the opening of the container and spaced therefrom so that the bulk material attains its angle of rest without overflowing the dish when the assembly is stationary, thereby preventing the escape of bulk material, the dish providing the sole means for preventing escape of bulk material when the assembly is stationary, the assembly further comprises a flat base disk having radial slots which receive said distributing fins, said fins being detachably connected to said base disk, said dish having a closed end which is received against said base disk and radial slots which receive said fins therethrough. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the dish has the form of the surface of an inverted truncated cone which is open at the top. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) Apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the dish is provided with essentially radial slots and distributing fins which fit into these slots; and wherein these distributing fins are connected detachably to the disk. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the distributing fins are made of ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene. ### Claim 21 Apparatus to be carried by a helicopter for distributing bulk material, said apparatus comprising a downward tapering container with a bottom opening three legs, and a distributing assembly with essentially radial distributing fins which rotate underneath the opening during operation, wherein said assembly comprises a flat base disk to which said fins are fixed and a concave dish which is open at the top and faces the bottom opening of the container in a concentric manner, the dish having an inner surface which rests on the flat surface and is fixed to it, and slots which receive said fins therethrough, said dish being larger than the opening of the container and spaced therefrom so that the bulk material attains its angle of rest without overflowing the dish when the assembly is stationary, thereby preventing the escape of bulk material.