Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ ~ 6~94
-- 1 --
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
__ __ ,
The present invention is directed to a material
spreading implement which includes a box-like structure
and a hydraulically operated material beater assembly
wherein the latter may be detached from the box structure
so that it may then be used for other chores.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of manure spreaders are known;
basically, they consist of a box structure into which
material to be spread is placed, a push-off gate within
the box structure for moving the material towards the
rear of the box structure where an unloading and spreading
mechanism discharges the pushed material. Some spreaders
have their unloading and beating mechanism entirely
hydraulically operated so that all parts operate automati- !
cally in synchronism; such a spreader may be found
described, for example, in Canadian pa~ent No. 1,048,567
issued February 13, 1979 to Harder. However, the
spreader described in this patent, although capable of
being converted into a dump box for hauling material, has
its beater mechanism permanently affixed to the box
structure. The rear end of such spreader is therefore
hindered, and consequently limited in use, by the
presence of the beaters permanently mounted at the rear
of the box structure.
OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
.
It is an object of this invention to provide
a material spreading implement wherein the beater
assembly located at the rear of the box structure can be
detached from the box structure so that the latter can
be used to perform various other functions which require
open box structures, especially in farming.
It is a further object of this invention to
provide such implement with a beater assembly which is
entirely hydraulically operated.
~`
4 ~ 9 ~
- 2 -
The present invention therefore comprises, in
combination, a box structure opened at the rear end
thereof and a hydraulically operated beater assembly
which is detachably mounted at the rear end so that the
box structure, once freed from ~the beater assembly, may
be used for other chores; the beater assembly includes:
a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced side frames;
b) a rotary material beater mounted to the side frames
and extending therebetween;
c) a first hydraulic motor mounted to one of the side
frames for operating the beater;
d) a rotatable chain-wrapping member extending between
the side frames below the beater;
e) a second hydraulic motor mounted to one of the side
frames for rotating the member;
f) valve means mounted to one of the side frames and
connected to the second hydraulic motor; and
g) hydraulic conduit means connected to the valve and
motor means;
the box structure is defined by a`front wall and opposite
sidewalls and includes therein a push-off transverse gate
movable from front to rear between the sidewalls of the
box structure to push material into the rotary beater;
chain means connect the gate to the chain-wrapping member
of the beater assembly and are wrapped around the member
as the gate i5 moved to the rear end of the box structure;
hydraulic conduit means mounted on the box structure are
detachably connectable to the hydraulic conduit means of
the beater assembly; means detachably connectable to the
valve means for actuating the valve means are mounted to
one of the side walls of the box structure; securing
means for fixedly mounting the beater assembly to the
rear end of the structure are releasable to allow the
beater asse~bly to be detached from the rear end of the
3~ structure with the push-off gate mounted to the beater
I J ~44~ 4
assembly and the chain means wrapped on the chain-
wrapping member.
Those components of the bea-ter assembly which
are supported by the box structure, when in assembly
with the beater assembly, are par~ of the detachable
beater mechanism when detached from the box structure.
On the other hand, those components which are located
on the side frames of the box structure remain there
when the beater mechanism is detached from the box
structure; with this arrangement, they do not hinder
the use of the implement for other chores and, further-
more, they may be used for connection with other
hydraulically operated mechanisms needed in farming,
such as cereal discharging and conveying, fodder, etc.
Other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following
detailed description of one embodiment of the invention;
it should be understood, however, that various modifi-
cations can be brought to this embodiment without
departing from the scope of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the
combination of an implement made in accordance with the
present inveIItion;
Figure 2 is a schematic elevational view showing
the operation of detaching the beater assembly from the
trailer;
Figures 3 and 4 are schematic illustrations
showing one side of the implement with the push-off
gate in the frontmost position and in the rearmost
position, respectively;
Figure 5 is a view of the beater device as
seen from the trailer;
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the
front portion of the trailer;
~ J 6~94
-- 4
Figures 7 and 8 are schematic illustrations
showing the other side of the implement on which is
mounted a tensioning device for the cable joining the
push-off gate to the beater mechanism.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figs. 1, there is shown a manure
spreader implement consisting of a box structure or
trailer 10 and of a beater assembly 12. The box
structure 10 is defined by a pair of longitudinal side
walls 14, 15 and a front wall 16; the structure is
mounted on a frame 18 supported on a tandem wheel
arrangement 20.
The box structure is tiltably mounted on frame
18, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of an hydraulic cylinder
arrangement 22. Hydraulic conduit means (not shown)
extend in frame 18 between the hydraulic cylinder 22 and
an hydraulic supply and controlling system 24 mounted at
the front end of frame 18.
Referring, more particularly, to Fig. 3, a
push-off transverse gate 26 is mounted inside the box
structure 10 between both side walls 14, 15; the
opposite ends of the upper part of the gate are provided
with brackets 28 and rollers 30 which are adapted to roll
along the upper edges of the side walls 14,15 of the box
structure.
To the lower part of the rear wall of push-gate
26 a triangular shaped plate 32 allows the gate to lie
slightly rearwardly inclined; a cable 34 is connected
to plate 32 while the lower front part of the gate is
connected to a pair of~chains 36. The opposite ends of
cable 34 and chains 36 will be described hereinbelow.
The beater assembly 12 comprises a pair of
upwardly extending side frames 40,42 with a first
rotatable shaft 44 (see Fig. 5) extending therebetween
for carrying paddles 46 which beat the material which is
to be discharged from the box structure. ~ second
rotatable shaft 48 in the form of a tubular member
extends in the lower portion of the beater assembly
between side frames 40,42. The extremities of chains 36
are connected to shaft 48 so that they may be wrapped
therearound as the push-gate is moved towards the rear.
The rotation of shaft 44 is accomplished by a first
hydraulic motor 50 mounted to and outside side frame 40.
The rotation of the lower tubular member is effected by
means of a second hydraulic motor 52 which is also
mounted to the side frame 40 below the hydraulic motor
50. The operation of the hydraulic motors 50,52 is
controlled by means of a valve 54 which is actuatable
in response to various positions of an arm 56 connected
thereto.
A series of hydraulic conduit means are
connected to the motors 50,52 and valve 54 for their
operation as shown by dotted lines 60,61,62,63 seen
in Fig. 1.
The actuation of arm 56 is carried out either
by its being contacted by the upper part of the gate 26
as described below or by the actuation of lever 66.
Referring to Fig. 6, lever 66 is pivotally
mounted to the front wall 16 by means of a bracket 68.
The pivotal movement of arm 66 either throuyh a manual
pulling by the implement operator on a cable 17 entails
the rotation of a rod 72 extending over the front wall
16 and the pulling of a second rod 74 extending along
the side wall 14. Lever 66 is bent so that it may
extend over the upper edge of the front wall 16 and be
contacted by the push-gate as it returns to its
frontmost position in the box structure.
Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, cable 34 which
has one end connected to the lower part of the push-gate
has its remote end connected to a drum 80 which is
mounted at one extremity of shaft 48 outside side frame
42. Cable 34 extends through a hole (not shown) in
1 1 64~9~
front wall 16, then proceeds transversely thereacross
over a pair of pulleys 82,84 mounted to the front wall;
the cable then extends along side wall 15 and passes
over an arrangement of pulleys 86,88,90 to the drum 80.
Pulleys 86,87 are fixedly mounted to the side frame
while pulley 90 is integral with a pivotable arm 92
resiliently connected to the side frame by means of
a spring 94. The arm 92 has a vertical portion 96
connected to a rod 98 which, in turn, is connected,
through a pivot plate 99, to a further rod 100 extending
along the front wall of the box structure. When actuated,
rod 100 pivots a small plate lG2 which causes lever 66
to move in a direction away from the front wall.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, rod 74 is
connected to lever 56 by means of a detachable connection
104. A series of hydraulic conduit means 106,107,108,109
are mounted to the side wall 14 and extend in frame 18
to the hydraulic supply system 24 located at the front
of the frame. The beater assembly 12 includes, on each
side frame 40,42, a hook 110 which engages a corresponding
part on the upper edge of the side walls 14,15. To the
lower rear part of each side wall 14,15, a releasable
locking arrangement 112 is provided to firmly hold the
beater assembly 12 against the rear end of the box
structure.
The operation to detach the beater assembly 12
from the box structure 10 (as shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 2) will now be described. Cable 34 is detached from
the rear plate 32 of the gate. Motor 52 is actuated to
3Q rotate shaft 48 whereby the chains 36 pull on gate 26 as
they wrapped on the shaft. Motor 52 is then actuated in
reverse so that the freed cable 34 may wrap on drum 80.
The hydraulic conduits 60,61,62,63 of the beater assembly
are disconnected from their corresponding hydraulic
conduits 106,107,108,109 of the box structure. The rod
connection 104 is also disconnected while the locking
~ 3 6~4
arrangement 112 is disengaged so that the lower rear
part of the assembly is freed from the adjacent rear
edges of the side walls of the box structure as soon
as the latter is tilted by cylinder 22. In the position
shown in Fiy. 2, the hooks 110 are disconnected. The
trailer may then be used for other chores since the
space within the box structure is entirely free of any
components needed when the implement is used as a manure
spreader. However, the hydraulic conduits 106,107,108,
109 remain attached to the box so that they may be used
for connection with other hydraulically operated
mechanisms especially used in farming such as cereal
discharging and conveying systems.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the operation of
arm 56 will now be described. The operator pulls cable
70 causing lever 66 to pivot frontwardly and, through
rod 74, pivoting arm 56 as indicated by arrow 115. This
sets the push-gate 26 in operation moving the gate
towards the rear of the box structure which beats and
spreads the material being discharged. The pivotal
movement of arm 56 causes valve 54 to set the hydraulic
motors 50,52 in operation. As explained above, the
rotation of motor 52 causes chains 36 to wrap around the
tubular member 48 while motor 50 rotates the beating
paddles 46. Once the push-gate reaches the position
shown in Fig. 4, the push-gate contacts arm 56 which,
under the pulling action of spring 120, moves arm 56 in
the direction shown by arrow 122 to a rearmost position,
such shown in Fig. 4. Simultaneously, rod 74 causes
lever 66 to take the position also shown in Fig. 4.
Arrn 56 is in a neutral position such as shown
in Figs. 1 and 2, when the hydraulic motors do not
operate. This neutral position may be obtained manually
or by the tensioning system shown in Figs. 7 and 8. If
the push-gate 26 is accidentally blocked as a result of
material jan~ing its displacement in the box structure,
~ J 64~g4
the continuous rotation of drum 80 will cause the cable
34 to pull down arm 92 which will pivot movin~ rearwardly
rod 98 and moving lever 66 to an intermediate position
corresponding to a neutral position of arm 56.
It should be understood that, although one
specific form of the invention, has been described, the
invention may be refined and modified in various ways.
It is therefore wished to have it understood that the
present invention should not be limited in interpretation
except by the scope of the following claims.
