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US 9,538,700 B2Granted
Materials spreader
AssigneeDegelman Industries Ltd.
InventorsDonald Stevenson, Miles Evans, Scott R. Degelman, Trent Benko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A material spreader attached to and towed by an agricultural vehicle for spreading material such as organic material and fertilizers over a ground surface. The material spreader having a containment box and a material expeller, the expeller having rotating flails positioned along a substantially vertical axis with one or more sets of paddles swingably connected to the flails and the paddles are axially spaced apart along the flail above and below the material spreader floor a desired distance to enhance flow-through of rocks, manure and other organic material and fertilizers.
Claims33
A containment vehicle with a material expeller for spreading bulk material from the containment vehicle, the containment vehicle comprising:
- at least one rotatable shaft revolvable about a first axis;
- a first set of paddles in a substantially vertically planar position extending from the rotatable shaft, each paddle having a first end and a second end, wherein the paddle extends along its length from the first end of the paddle to a second end of the paddle;
- wherein each of the paddles in the first set of paddles pivots at the first end of the paddle about a second axis parallel with and radially spaced from the first axis of the rotatable shaft,
- and wherein each of the paddles in the first set of paddles swings freely relative to the second axis,
- and wherein the axis about which the rotatable shaft is revolvable is substantially vertically aligned relative to the containment vehicle,
- and wherein the containment vehicle is provided with an active floor adapted to support bulk material on a substantially planar moving top surface of the active floor, the active floor in the form of a conveyor belt for moving the bulk material on the moving top surface of the active floor and the top surface of the active floor in a first direction towards the at least one rotatable shaft,
- and wherein the first set of paddles is arranged in vertical alignment above a plane containing the top surface of the active floor and a second set of paddles is arranged in vertical alignment below the plane containing the top surface of the active floor, such that the bulk material will fall into the second set of paddles as the active floor is moved in the first direction, and
- wherein at least one of the paddles has a center of gravity closer to the second end of the at least one paddle than the first end of the at least one paddle.
5 more elements
A containment vehicle with a material expeller for spreading bulk material from the containment vehicle, the containment vehicle comprising:
- a moving floor in the containment vehicle which supports the bulk material on a substantially planar moving top surface of the moving floor and an opening in the containment vehicle through which the bulk material is ejected from the vehicle, the moving top surface of the moving floor moving the bulk material in a first direction towards and out the opening;
- at least one rotatable shaft positioned adjacent the opening and revolvable about a first axis aligned substantially vertically with respect to a ground surface supporting the vehicle to facilitate ejection of the bulk material;
- a first set of separate paddles in a substantially vertical planar position extending from the rotatable shaft, each paddle having a first end and a second end, wherein the paddle extends along its length from the first end of the paddle to a second end of the paddle;
- and
- wherein each of the paddles in the first set of paddles independently pivots about a second axis at the first end of the paddle and radially spaced from a surface of the rotatable shaft;
- and each of the paddles in the first set of paddles swings freely relative to the second axis,
- and the first set of paddles is arranged above a plane containing the top surface of the moving floor and a second set of paddles is arranged below the plane containing the top surface of the moving floor, such that the bulk material will fall into the second set of paddles as the moving floor is moved in the first direction and
- wherein at least one of the paddles has a center of gravity closer to the second end of the at least one paddle than the first end of the at least one paddle.
5 more elements
A method of expelling bulk material from a containment vehicle comprising the steps of:
- defining an opening in the containment vehicle through which the bulk material is ejected from the vehicle;
- positioning at least one rotatable shaft adjacent the opening and revolvable about a first axis aligned substantially vertically with respect to a ground surface supporting the vehicle to facilitate ejection of the bulk material;
- connecting a first set of separate paddles to the at least one rotatable shaft, each paddle having a first end and a second end, wherein the paddle extends along its length from the first end of the paddle to a second end of the paddle;
- pivoting each of the paddles in the first set of separate paddles about a second axis at a first end of each paddle, the second axis radially spaced from a surface of the rotatable shaft;
- and
- providing the containment vehicle with a moving floor supporting bulk material on a substantially planar moving top surface of the moving floor and moving the bulk material on the moving top surface of the moving floor in a first direction towards the opening in the containment vehicle on top of the moving floor,
- wherein the first set of separate paddles is arranged above a plane containing the top surface of the moving floor and a second set of separate paddles is arranged below the plane containing the top surface of the moving floor, such that the bulk material will fall into the second set of paddles as the moving floor is moved in the first direction, and
- wherein at least one of the paddles has a center of gravity closer to the second end of the at least one paddle than the first end of the at least one paddle.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.