Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SU~ARY OF INVENTION:
The invention is directed to a material handling apparatus
for moving and discharging material, such as animal concentrate
and roughage feeds, to a desired location. The apparatus is
more specifically a material transport and self-unloading vehi-
cle having a hopper for carrying the feed. Auger means lQcated
in the hopper operate to move the feed in the hopper to a dis-
charge opening in the side of the hopper. The auger means
includes a lower auger having a helical flight located along
the bottom wall of the hopper. The bottom wall has a generally
semi-circular trough that extends around the leading side of the
lower auger. The trough has an inside surface located close to
or in contiguous relationship with the outer edge of the helical
flight of the lower auger. The trough adjacent the leading side
of the auger is joined with a linear break section or line to
an upwardly inclined wall. The break line is generally aligned
with the horizontal plane passing through the horizontal axis
of the lower auger. The circumferential extent of the trough
adjacent the leading side of the lower auger precludes wedging
of feed between the lower auger and bottom wall of the hopper.
The elimination of the wedge build-up of feed adjacent the lower
auger permits the lower auger to be self-cleaning and minimizes
the wrapping of feed around the lower auger.
When an auger with a helical flight is used in a conventional
V-shaped trough of a feed mixing machine to move wet haylage,
the haylage wedges between the bottom wall and the lower auger
until either the lower auger or the bottom wall of the hopper
is destroyed. The feed wedge builds up on the leading side
of the lower auger and causes the auger to bend or break the
auger drive chain. Also, relatively large power requirements
are necessary to rotate the lower auger. The prior art solution
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to overcome this problem was to use relatively heavy flightingon the lower auger and reinforce the bottom wall of the hopper.
This adds to the weight of the mixer and its cost. The power
requirements are increased as the heavier lower auger continues
to wedge feed between the auger and bottom wall of the hopper.
The trough and auger arrangement of the present invention
provides a material handling machine that eliminates the wedging
of feed between the lower auger and bottom wall of the hopper,
and minimizes the winding and wrapping of feed, as wet haylage,
around the lower auger. The bending of the lower auger and auger
drive chain breakage has been eliminated without the expensive
reinforcement and heavier parts as required in the prior art
machines. The power required to operate the augers is substan-
tially less than the power needed to operate a similar conven-
tional feed mixer with a V-shaped hopper.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the feed carrying and
unloading apparatus of the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of Flgure 1 with
the tongue foreshortened;
Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken
along line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line
4-4 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line
5-5 of Figure 2; and
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of
the upper paddle auger.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBO~IMENT:
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown the material
handling apparatus of the invention indicated generally at 10.
Apparatus 10 is a bulk particulate material carrying and un-
loading vehicle. The material handled by apparatus 10 includes
animal feed or rations, including roughages and concentrates, as
ground grain, chopped hay, haylage, silage, and a mixture of con-
centrates and roughages. Other types of materials can be trans-
ported and unloaded with apparatus 10. The following descrip-
tion uses animal feed as the material handled by apparatus 10.Apparatus 10 is used to discharge the feed to a feeding location,
such as a feed bunk.
Apparatus 10 has an open top box or hopper 11 providing a
chamber 12 for accommodating the feed. Hopper 11 is mounted on
a longitudinal frame 13. A transverse axle assembly 14 is secured
to frame 13. Wheels 16 and 17 are rotatably mounted on opposite
ends of axle assembly 14. A forwardly directed tongue 18 is
secured to the front of frame 13. The front end of tongue 18
has a clevis type hitch 19 for receiving a pin used to connect
apparatus 10 to the drawbar of a draft vehicle, such as a trac-
tor.
Hopper 11 has an upright front end wall 21 and an upright
rear end wall 22 joined to longitudinal side walls 23 and 24.
End walls 21 and 22 and side walls 23 and 24 are attached to
a kottom wall 26 to complete hopper 11, forming chamber 12. As
shown in Figure 3, side wall 23 has an upright flat rectangular
wall 23A extended upwardly from a downwardly and inwardly in-
clined side wall 23B. Referring to Figure 4, the lower edge
of side wall 23B is secured to an inclined flange 13A of frame
13 adjacent the upper edge of one side of bottom wall 26. As
shown in Figure 5, side wall 24 has a rectangular shaped flat
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upright wall 24A and a downwardly and inwardly inclined wall
24B. Wall 24B is secured to an inclined flange 13B of frame
13.
The upper edges of walls 21, 22, 23, and 24 have outwardly
directed horizontal flanges 25. An open grid structure can
extend over the open top of hopper 11. Ends of the grid struc-
ture can be attached to flanges 25. An example of the grid
structure is shown in U. S. Patent No. 3,995,836. The open
grid structure o U. S. Patent No. 3,995,836 is incorporated
herein by reference.
Bottom wall 26 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall
27 extended to wall 24B and secured to frame flange 13B. Wall
27 is integral with an elongated trough section 28 joined to
a flat upwardly and outwardly inclined wall section 29. As
shown in Figure 4, section 28 has an arcuate or semi-circular
shaped cross section extending approximately 135 degrees from
wall 27 to a longitudinal ridge, bend or break section, or
break line 31. Section 31 is the apex of an obtuse angle of
approximately 135 degrees between the right side of trough sec-
tion 28 and the flat inclined wall section 29.
As shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, a material conveyingmeans indicated generally at 32 extends between end walls 21
and 22 in chamber 12. ~laterial conveying means 32 operates to
uniformly deliver feed to an out conveyor indicated generally
at 44 which moves the feed to a discharge location, such as a
feeding location or a feed bunk. Conveying means 32 has a
first auger means 33 located along the trough section 28 of
bottom wall 26. First auger means 32 includes a longitudinal
shaft 34 carrying a first helical flight 36 and an opposite
turned or hand second helical flight 37. Helical flight 36
is a continuous spiral ribbon that extends from adjacent the
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inside of wall 22 toward wall 21. Helical flight 37 is a short
helical flight extending from adjacent the front end wall 32
toward flight 36. Flights 36 and 37 are solid ribbon members
that are secured by welds or the like to shaft 34. A plurality
of radially extended paddles 38 are secured to shaft 34 in the
area 39 between the adjacent ends of flights 36 and 37. As
shown in Figure 4, helical fligh~ 36 has a circular outside
edge that is located in a contiguous relationship with respect
to the inside circular surface of trough section 28 of bottom
wall 26. Trough section 28 is located radially outward by a
small and uniform arcuate space 40 from the outer peripheral
edge of flight 36. Flight 37 has similar spaced relationship
with respect to the trough section 28. Section 31 extends the
length of auger means 33 and is located in a horizontal plane
that intersects the longitudinal or rotational axis of auger
shaft 34. Section 31 is located adjacent the leading side of
helical flights 36 and 37. The trough section 28 is located
adjacent the second and third quadrants starting from the top
of auger means 33 and extending clockwise, as shown in Figure
4. Section 31 and trough section 28 of the bottom wall 26 pre-
vent a build-up of feed or wedging of feed between trough sec-
: tion 28 and auger means 33 and minimize wrapping of feed, as
haylage, around auger shaft 34. Enclosing of lower part of
the leading side and bottom of auger means 33 prevents a wedge
build-up of feed adjacent auger means 33.
A drive assembly indicated generally at 61 transmits power
; from a power take-off shaft 62 drivably connected to the towing
vehicle to rotate auger means 33. Helical flight 36 moves the
feed along trough section 28 in the direction of arrow 41. Heli-
cal flight 37 moves the feed in the trough section 28 adjacent
front wall 21 in the direction of arrow 42. The feed moves to
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the area 39 where paddles 38 move the feed through an opening
43 in side wall 24B onto discharge conveyor 44. Shaft 34 is
rotatably mounted with bearing 26 on front wall 21 and bearing
47 on rear wall 22.
Material conveying means 32 has a second auger means or
a paddle auger unit indicated generally at 48 for moving the
material rearwardly and eliminating the bridging of the feed
in chamber 12. A second auger means 48 has a longitudinal shaft
49 located above and in general vertical alignment with shaft
34. Bearing 51 rotatably mounts the forward end of shaft 49
on front wall 21. Bearing 52 rotatably mounts the rear end of
shaft 49 on rear wall 22. A plurality of feed moving paddles
53 are attached by welds or the like to shaft 49. The paddles
53 are longitudinally spaced along the length of shaft 49 in a
spiral pattern. Adjacent paddles 53 are longitudinally and cir-
cumferentially spaced from each other, as shown in Figure 3.
Referring to Figure 6, paddle 53 has a generally flat body
54 that diverges in a radially outward direction. The inner
edge of body 54 has a circular shaped inner edge 56 that sur-
rounds a portion of shaft 49. Edge 56 provides an elongated
circular section which facilitates the welding of paddle 53 to
shaft 49. The opposite side edges of body 54 have rearwardly
directed flanges 57 and 58. The inner edges of flanges 57 and
58 are secured by welds or the like to opposite portions of
shaft 49. Body 54 has a front or forward surface inclined with
respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 49. The angle
between the body 54 and axis of shaft 49 can be about 110.
Other inclines or angles can be used. Drive assembly 61 func-
tions to rotate the shaft 49 so that paddles 53 move feed from
front wall 21 to rear wall 22, as shown by arrow 59 in Figure 3.
Referring to Figure 3, drive assembly 61 has a first shaft
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63 connected to the PTO shaft 62 with a conventional universal
joint 64. A bearing 66 supports shaft 63 on a support or up-
right plate 67 secured to tongue 18. A second tubular shaft
68 rotatably mounted on first shaft 63 is rotatably mounted on
wall 21 by bearing 46. Shaft 68 is secured to auger shaft 34.
A first sprocket and chain drive 69 connects shaft 63 with a
shaft 71. Shaft 71 is drivably connected to auger shaft 49.
A second sprocket and chain drive 72 drivably connects shaft
71 with second shaft 68 thereby rotating the first auger means
32. A third sprocket and chain drive 73 connects first shaft
63 directly to discharge conveyor 44, whereby the discharge
conveyor 44 operates concurrently with the operation of the
material conveying means 32. Drive assembly 61 is covered with
a shield 74 connected to support 67 and front wall 21.
As shown in Figure 5, discharge conveyor 44 has a housing
indicated generally at 75 comprising a U-shaped member having a
flat upwardly inclined bottom wall 76 secured to upright side
walls 77 and 78. A U-shaped chute 79 is pivotally mounted on
the end of side walls 77 and 78 with pivot projections 80. Chute
79 is adapted to be pivoted to an outward material directing
direction, as shown in Figure 5, and in an inward covering
direction, as shown in Figure 2. A transverse upwardly inclined
flat wall 81 is secured to side walls 77 and 78. Wall 81 sup-
ports the upper run of an endless chain and bar conveyor 82.
The lower end of conveyor 82 is drivably located about a pair
of drive sprockets 83. Sprockets 83 are .secured to a transverse
drive shaft 84. The third sprocket and chain drive 73 is driv-
ably connected to shaft 84. The upper end of chain and bar
conveyor 82 is trained about tail or idler sprockets 86 mounted
on a transverse shaft 87. Outer ends of shaft 87 are rotatably
mounted on side walls 77 and 78 with suitable bearings.
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In use, bulk particulate feeds, as high roughage rations,
are placed in the hopper chamber 12. The feed can be elongated
stringy type haylage, chopped hay, or the like. The apparatus
lO is transported to a desired location with a towing vehicle,
such as a tractor. The power take-off drive to the tractor is
in neutral during the transport operation.
When the operator desires to deliver the feed to the
desired location, such as a feeding area or feed bunk, the
power take-off drive is operated thereby transmitting power
to the drive assembly 61. The drive assembly 61 concurrently
rotates the first auger means 32 in the direction of the arrow
88 and second auger means 48 in the direction of the arrow 89.
Elevator conveyor 82 is moved in the direction of the arrow
91 to discharge the feed from the left front side of hopper
11. Chute 79 is pivoted to a downward direction, as shown in
Pigure 5, so that it diverts the feed in an outward direction
to the desired location. The material handling vehicle 10
can be moving or stationary during the time it is unloaded.
The rotating first auger means 33 picks up the feed in the
upper portion of the auger flight 36 adjacent the inclined bot-
tom wall 29. Bend section 31 prevents a wedge build-up of the
feed adjacent helical flights 36 and 37 and trough section 28.
Trough section 28 being located close to the outer edges of
helical flights 36 and 37 also prevents feed from wedging be-
tween bottom wall 26 and auger means 33. Auger flight 36 moves
feed along trough section 28 of bottom wall 26 in the direction
of arrow 41. Auger flight 37 moves the feed away from wall 21
in the direction of the arrow 42. The feed moved by flights
36 and 37 converges in area 39 between the adjacent ends of
auger flights 36 and 37. Paddles 38, turning with auger shaft
49, move or throw the feed through opening 43 in the side wall
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24B. Elevator conveyor 82 moves the feed up the elevator and
discharges the same onto out chute 79. The feed falls off the
out chute to the feeding location.
The second auger means 48 rotated by the drive assembly
61 moves the paddles 53 in a circular path. The inclined flat
bodies 54 of each of the paddles moves the feed away from the
front wall 21 toward the rear wall 22. Paddles 53 also prevent
the feed in chamber 12 from bridging, ther0by insuring a continu-
ous and uniform supply of feed for the first auger means 33.
While there has been shown and described an embodiment of
the material handling apparatus, changes in structure, materials,
and size of structure can be made by one skilled in the art with-
out departing from the invention. The invention is defined in
the following Claims.
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