Agricultural feed bag unloading apparatus

An apparatus for removing compacted feed, such as silage and the like, from an open end of an agricultural feed storage bag of the type formed by elongated tubular flexible sheet material,

• said apparatus comprising:
• a framework having a front part for facing the open end of said bag:
• ground engaging means supporting said framework for normal travel over the ground towards said open end of said bag in a direction of travel substantially coinciding with a longitudinal axis of said bag,
• said ground engaging means including:
• wheel means mounted at either side of said framework on axles having axes of rotation projecting perpendicular to said direction of travel of the framework toward said open end of said bag,
• a front pair of wheels of said wheel means on either side of said framework located at said front part of said framework and mounted on fixed axles, and
• a rear pair of wheels of said wheel means on either side of said framework rearward of the front pair and each being mounted on axles having mounting means for swivel about a substantially vertical axis relative to said framework;
• steering means for fixing a direction of swivel of said rear pair of wheels relative to said longitudinal axis of said bag,
• said steering means includes:
• adjustment means for selectively fixing a position of steer of one of said rear wheels, and a tie rod connecting the mounting means of said rear pair of wheels whereby a direction of travel of said rear pair of wheels is fixed by said adjustable means;
• a conveyor system including a feed collecting means and a transporting means for carrying feed from said feed collecting means to an area of removal,
• said feed collecting means extending substantially across said framework and defining a forward edge toward said front part of said framework;
• a forward projecting feed transfer means for engaging the compacted feed exposed at the open end of said bag to thereby fragment said compacted feed and move the fragmented feed rearwardly to said feed collecting means;
• and
• an advancing means for drawing said framework over the ground towards said open end of said bag and in a direction of the longitudinal axis of said bag,
• said advancing means including:
• lower roller means mounted on said framework for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis extending normal to said longitudinal axis of said bag,
• said lower roller means presenting an outer surface for driving engagement with a lower portion of said sheet material extending from beneath said compacted feed,
• a roller drive means for rotating said lower roller means to thereby develop a pull on said framework and move said framework toward said open end of said bag,
• said lower roller means further forming a sheet material raising means for directing said lower portion of said sheet material upwardly from the ground and adjacent said forward edge of said feed collecting means.

An apparatus for removing compacted feed, such as silage and the like, from an open end of an agricultural feed storage bag of the type formed by elongated tubular flexible sheet material, said apparatus comprising:

• a framework having a front part for facing said open end of said bag,
• ground engaging means supporting said framework for normal travel over the ground towards said open end of said bag in a direction substantially coinciding with a longitudinal axis of said bag,
• an open topped, feed collecting trough member extending substantially the width of said framework adjacent said front part of said framework and presenting a forward transverse edge,
• conveyor means for transporting feed from said trough member to an area of removal,
• a framework advancing means including a lower roller means mounted on said framework immediately forward of said transverse upper edge and parallel thereto,
• said roller means presenting an outer surface for driving engagement with a lower portion of said sheet material extending from beneath said compacted feed, and
• first drive means for rotating said lower roller means to thereby develop a pull on said framework towards said open end of said bag;
• and
• a feed comminuting and transfer means including;
• arm means having a rear end portion mounted on pivot means carried by said framework above and rearwardly said trough member and a forward end portion extending forwardly of said trough member,
• a transversely extending cylindrical member having projections thereon and mounted for rotation on said forward end portion of said arm means,
• second drive means for rotating said cylindrical member for fragmenting said compacted feed, and
• elevating means for pivoting said arm means about said rear end portion to thereby move said cylindrical member along an arcuate path between a raised position proximate a top surface of said compacted feed and a lowered position forward of said roller means.

An apparatus for removing compacted feed, such as silage and the like, from an open end of an agricultural feed storage bag of the type formed by elongated tubular flexible sheet material, said apparatus comprising:

• a framework having a front part for facing said open end of said bag;
• ground engaging means support ing said framework for normal travel over the ground towards said open end of said bag in a direction substantially coinciding with a longitudinal axis of said bag,
• said ground engaging means including:
• wheel means mounted at either side of said framework for free rotation on axles each having an axis of rotation projecting perpendicular to the direction of normal travel of said framework toward said open end of said bag,
• a front pair of wheels of said wheel means on either side of said framework being located at said front part of said framework and mounted on fixed axles, and
• a rear pair of wheels of said wheel means on either side of said framework rearward of said front pair of wheel means being mounted on axles connected to said framework by swivel means permitting turn of said rear pair of wheels relative to said framework about a substantially vertical axis;
• steering means for selectively fixing a direction of swivel of said rear pair of wheels relative to said framework,
• said steering means including:
• adjustment means for fixing a position of steer of said swivel means of one of said rear wheels relative to said framework, and
• a tie rod connecting said swivel means of said one of said rear wheels to the swivel means of the other of said rear wheels,
• whereby selective positioning of said adjustment means coordinates steer of said rear pair of wheels to thereby establish the direction of travel of said apparatus for maintaining said normal travel of said framework in a direction of the longitudinal axis of said bag;
• an open topped, feed collecting trough member extending substantially the width of said framework adjacent said front part of said framework and presenting a forward transverse edge;
• conveyor means for transporting feed from said trough member to an area of removal;
• a framework advancing means including:
• a lower roller means mounted on said framework immediately forward of said transverse upper edge and parallel thereto,
• said roller means presenting an outer surface for driving engagement with a lower portion of said sheet material extending from beneath said compacted feed, and
• first drive means for rotating said lower roller means to thereby develop a pull on said framework towards said open end of said bag;
• and
• a feed comminuting and transfer means including:
• arm means having a rear end portion mounted on pivot means carried by said framework above and rearwardly said trough member and a forward end portion extending forward of said trough member,
• a transversely extending cylindrical member having projections thereon and mounted for rotation on said forward end portion of said arm means,
• second drive means for rotating said cylindrical member for fragmenting said compacted feed, and
• elevating means for pivoting said arm means about said rear end portion to thereby move said cylindrical member along an arcuate path between a raised position proximate a top surface of said compacted feed and a lowered position forward of said roller means.

An apparatus for removing compacted feed, such as silage and the like, from an open end of an agricultural feed storage bag of the type formed by elongated tubular flexible sheet material, said apparatus comprising,

• a framework including transversely spaced, main side components each having a front column and a rear column;
• a front end of said apparatus for facing said open end of said bag being defined between the front columns of said side components of said framework;
• a wheel means supporting said framework for normal travel in a direction towards said open end of said bag and including a pair of front wheels one each mounted adjacent one of said front columns and a pair of rear wheels one each mounted adjacent said rear columns;
• steering means for swivelling said front wheels about substantially vertical axes for directing said apparatus during normal operation on a path substantially coinciding with a central axis of said bag;
• a forwardly projecting feed transfer means for engaging the compacted feed exposed at the open end of said bag to fragment said feed and move the fragmented feed rearward from the compacted feed;
• a transversely extending feed collecting and conveying means behind said feed transfer means for receiving the fragmented feed from said transfer means and moving said fragmented feed to an area of removal from said apparatus, and
• an advancing means for drawing said framework towards said open end of said bag including a first roller means having drive means for rotating said first roller about a transverse axis perpendicular to the direction of normal travel,
• said first roller means having an outer surface for engagement with a lower portion of said sheet material extending beneath said compacted feed and developing a pull on said framework on rotation of said first roller means.