Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~298247
The present invention relates to a spreader for a
fluid distribution system for particulate material.
In the prior art, the distribution of inorganic
fertilizers has been accomplished in many different vehicles
including truck mounted spreaders that utilize air for
entraining the material and distributing it through wide
booms. Self-propelled units generally have long, laterally
extending booms at the rear of the truck, and can use various
types of air entraining manifolds for distributing the
materials. The rear mounted booms are susceptible to load
and bounce problems when moving over rough ground.
The "Valmar" (a trade mark of Valmar Industries)
airflow applicator is a spreader that mounts in a pickup body
and entrains material in a stream of air and sends the
material out through tubes that extend laterally from a
pickup body. The unit is made so that when mounted in a
pickup box the boom assembly is close to the cab of the
pickup. The Valmar airflow device individually meters
materials into a type of receptacle and then entrains the
material to be sent into each of the conduits in a flow of
air. The device is made by Valmar Industries in Canada.
The present invention relates to an applicator or
spreader for particulate or granular materials utilizing a
fluid entraining distribution
12~3Z47
system for entraining metered particulate material,
such as particulate or dry fertilizer or grain, and
distributing it out through a boom system onto the
ground.
05 The unit includes a tank mounted on a prime
mover, such as a truck having high floatation tires,
and includes a metering hopper assembly and air
manifold system mounted right behind the cab of the
truck. The laterally extending booms are also
mounted in this mid portion so that the effects of
rough ground and "bouncing" is less pronounced than
with a rear mounted and the boom is visible to an
operator.
The positive metering or proportioning of
the granular material occurs before it enters the air
stream, and an efficient manifold and mixing chamber
allows for low power requirements for causing the
metered materials to be entrained in fluid and
carried into individual boom tubes and then
distributed out at different distances from a center
line. The boom is a floating boom, and is light-
weight, while having substantial strength because of
a bridge type bracing construction of the boom.
The metering mechanism is separate for each
boom assembly (one on each side of the truck) and
comprises a belt that runs generally horizontally and
forms the bottom of a metering hopper. The
fertilizer or other material is deposited on the belt
and then carried past a plurality of vertical, spaced
plates which have sharp edges to divide the material
on the bel~ into individual portions extending along
the length of the belt. The sharpened ed~es of the
divider plates insure that there is an adequate and
quick division of the material on the belt. A
129~247
metering gate is used for controlling the height of
material carried on the belt before the material
reaches the divider plates. The gate meters the
amount of material that goes into the individual
05 divided portions. Separate tubes collect the
respective individual metered portions as the
material is dropped off the belt. The separate tubes
guide the material into metering chambers where air
streams from the manifold are present to entrain the
particles in the air streams. The region where the
particles are entrained reduce in area to increase
the velocity of the air around the tubes or nozzles
which supply the metered material to the air streams.
The particulate material is transported from
a storage tank to the hopper for the metering
assembly by an auger. A float shut-off device
controls the level of material in the hopper to
insure that there is an adequate supply of
particulate material, but not an excessive supply.
The spreader is made so that material can be
selectively discharged out one boom or the other, or
both booms at the same time.
When mounted immediately behind the cab as
done herein, the boom ends are visible to the driver,
and easily seen, so that skips in the pattern or
overlaps of spreading are minimized. Suitable
markers can be used for making a visible mark at the
ends of the booms for determining the proper position.
Further, because of the division or metering
of the material in a relatively small hopper, using
the conveyor belts, the material is not substantially
segregated by density or weight as occurs in some
applicators.
~98247
The components are driven through hydraulic motors that are
operated through a known variable piston pump, which is crank
shaft mounted onto the truck so that there is hydraulic power at
all times for the distribution system.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is thus
provided a mobile vehicle mounted spreader apparatus for
particulate material comprising: a vehicle having an operator's
cab, a frame, and a particulate material storage compartment
mounted on said frame, said s-torage compartment being mounted to
the rear portions of said frame; a metering assembly and an air
distribution assembly including a blower and plenum chamber
mounted on the vehicle frame between the cab and said storage
compartment cooperating with the metering assembly for providing
a metered amount of particulate material into a fluid stream,
said metering assembly being mounted on the vehicle frame between
the cab and said storage compartment and having a plurality of
vertically spaced outlet tubes on each side of the vehicle;
separate boom means on opposite sides of the vehicle and each
having separate tubes for carrying a plurality of fluld streams
laterally from the vehicle frame, said separate tubes each being
vertically spaced and matlng with one respective outlet tube to
thereby be coupled to the air distribution assembly so that each
fluid stream carries a quantity of metered particulate material;
and said boom means being foldable from a position extending
rearwardly along the sides of said storage compartment for travel
to a position extending laterally from the vehicle frame.
In one embodiment of the present invention said metering assembly
includes metering means for selectively and individually metering
particulate material to each of the boom means on the opposite
sides of said vehicle, and feed and divider means to individually
carry material from the metering means to each of the boom means.
In another embodiment of the present invention said metering and
air distribution assembly includes a plenum chamber, a source of
1298247
fluid under pressure introducing air into said plenum chamber, a
plurality of outlets from said plenum chamber, a mixing chamber
coupled to each of said outlets, said mixing chambers leading to
the respective ones of the tubes of a boom means, and said
- metering means providing a metered quantity of material into each
of the mixing chambers whereby fluid passes through the mixing
chamber to carry the metered material into the respective tubes
of said boom means. Suitably said metering assembly comprises a
metering hopper, an auger conveyor for conveying material from
said storage compartment to the metering hopper, a pair of
conveyer belts forming the bottom of said metering hopper, each
of said conveyor belts having an upper length moving from
substantially the center portions of the metering hopper to the
outer ends thereof, means to divide the material carried on said
belts into individual portions, and means coupled to the means to
divide for depositing each of the individual portions into one of
the mixing chambers. Desirably said mixing chambers each
comprise generally laterally and outwardly extending tube members
each having a central axis, and separate nozzle means extending
into each of said tube members, each of said nozzle means having
an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the associated
tube members and being connected to carry one of the portions of
metered material from the metering means. Suitably said nozzle
means each has an outlet opening open to the interior of the
respective tube member and partially facing in the direction of
fluid flow in the tube member.
In a further embodiment of the present invention said nozzle
means comprise second tubes extending into the respective tube
member, the ends of the second tube on the interior of the
associated tube member being cut at an angle to provide an
opening facing in the direction of air flow through the tube
member. Suitably the mixing chamber has an inlet portion coupled
to the plenum chamber which reduces in size from the plenum
chamber at location between the plenum chamber and nozzle means.
- 4a -
1~98247
In another embodiment of the present invention said boom means
each comprise a boom assembly having a plurality of generally
horizontally extending boom tubes, each of the boom tubes being
of a different length from the other boom tubes to extend a
different distance from the metering assembly, a base vertical
frame at a first end of each boom assembly coupled to all of the
boom tubes, a plurality of second vertical webs joining said boom
tubes into an assembly, said second vertical webs being spaced
horizontally along the length of said boom tubes, and a plurality
of diagonal braces extending between ad~acent vertical webs and
being fastened with resp0ct to the boom assemblies only at the
ends of the braces, each brace spanning a plurality of boom tubes
and being unattached with respect to boom tubes which are spanned
between the ends of the diagonal braces.
The present invention also provides an air distribution apparatus
for partlculate materials discharyed from a mobile boom assembly
comprising a plurality of boom tubes vertically spaced apart and
having axes defining a substantially common vertical plane and
the boom tubes receiving particulate material from an air
distribution apparatus adapted to minimize space occupied in
horizontal direction, comprising: a frame for supporting the boom
assembly an the air distribution apparatus; metering means for
separating the particulate material into individual metered
portions; a plenum chamber mounted on said frame and having a
longitudinal axis elongated in substantially vertical direction
and being below the metering means; a source of fluid under
pressure to supply fluid to the plenum chamber; a plurality of
outlet openings from said plenum chamber, the outlet openings
being spaced in v0rtical direction along the longitudinal axis to
form vertically spaced outlet openings, and the outlet openings
being of a first diameter; a separate mixing chamber tube
connected to each outlet opening, the mixing chamber tubes each
being open to one respective outlet opening; a separate nozzle
positioned to open to each mixing chamber tube and adapted to
carry particulate material under gravity into the mixing chamber
~29~3247
tube, the nozzle being substantlally at rlght angles to flow in
direction to the respective mixing chamber tube; means to mount
the metering means vertically above the plenum chamber and the
mixing chamber tubes; separate conduit means for receiving each
of the metered portions connected to each of the nozzles
respectively, the conduit means carrying the metered portions
under gravity substantially vertically downward to the respective
nozzle; and means to couple the mixing chamber tubes to
corresponding ones on the vertically spaced tubes of the boom
assembly. Suitably said apparatus means to support the boom
tubes in position wherein the mixing chamber tubes have outer
ends which telescopically fit within ends of the boom tubes with
the boom assembly in a first position. Desirably said apparatus
means to pivotally mount the boom assembly relative to the plenum
chamber for movement from the first position to a second position
substantially 90 degrees from the first position. Suitably the
metering means comprises a hopper, a conveyor belt forming the
bottom of the hopper, a plurality of dividers to divide material
on the belt into individual sections extending in direction of
belt movement, and means to control the height of material on the
belt to a metered height. Desirably the source of fluid under
pressure comprises a blower providing a flow of air into the
plenum chamber at the bottom thereof.
In a further embodiment of the invention the separate nozzles
each comprise a tube passing through a wall of the respective
mixing chamber tube, the nozzle tubes having generally circular
cross sections, and having axes for the nozzle tubes that extend
generally uprightly, said nozzle tubes having ends that are
trimmed along planes that are oriented at an angle with respect
to the nozzle axis, the wall portion of the nozzle tubes having a
first side part positioned adjacent the inlet end of the mixing
tubes and extending farther into the mixing tube than other parts
of the wall portion of such nozzle tube farther from the inlet of
the mixing tube. Suitably said apparatus means to support the
boom tubes in position wherein the mixing chamber tubes have
- 4c -
1298247
outer ends which telescopically fit within ends of the boom tubes
with the boom assembly in a first position.
The present invention again provides an air distribution
apparatus for particulate materials comprising: a frame, metering
means for separating the particulate materials into individual
metered portions, said metering means comprising conveyor belt
means for receiving unmetered material and having discharge ends
in alignment with each other but on opposite sides of the frame,
said metering means dividing the material coming off each of the
ends of the conveyor belt means into individual metered portions;
a pair of plenum chambers mounted on opposite sides of the frame
and comprising tubular housings that are elongated in upright
direction and the upper ends of said plenum chambers being
positioned below the respective ends of the conveyor belt means;
a plurality of separate mixing tubes mounted directly onto said
plenum chambers, respectively, and positioned in vertically
spaced direction on the plenum chambers, said mixing tubes having
axes extending generally laterally from the plenum chambers;
means to provide fluid under pressure to each of the plenums to
thereby provide a flow through the mixing tubes; and a plurallty
of conduits, said metering means including means for coupling
each of the individual metered portions into one conduit, each of
said conduits being connected to a separate one of said mixing
tubes, respectively, whereby the material belng metered falls
under gravity from the ends of the conveyor belt to the
respective separate mixing tube. Suitably said air distribution
apparatus and a storage container mounted relative to said
conveyor belt means, auger means for conveying said material from
said storage conveyor to said metering means, and for depositing
material on the conveyor belt means for conveying to the portions
of the metering means for dividing the material into individual
portions. Desirably said apparatus and a boom assembly have a
plurality of boom tubes corresponding in positioning to the
plurality of mixing tubes, and means to support the boom tubes on
opposite sides of the frame in positions so that the boom tubes
- 4d -
129~24~
form a continuation of the mixing tubes for distribution of the
particulate material.
The present invention further provides an apparatus for conveying
and metering particulate material to mixing chambers of an air
distribution system including a pair of boom assemblies having a
plurality of conveying tubes thereon comprising: a material
storage tank; a metering hopper separate from the storage tank
having means to meter material from the metering hopper into a
plurality of metered portions which form separate metered streams
of material; a conveyor for conveying material from said storage
tank to the metering hopper; a conveying means for establishing a
stream of air into each of the conveying tubes; and means to
direct each of the separate streams of material to a separate one
of the streams of air. Desirably said means to meter material
from the metering hopper comprises two separate metering
sections, one delivering material to each of the part of boom
assemblies to provide a metered amount of material for each of
the lndividual tubes of the respective boom assemblies. Suitably
said apparatus includes means to separately control material
movement in each of the separate metering sections. Desirably
said separate metering sections comprise moveable belt members
having surfaces for carrying material from the metering hopper to
divider means for dividing the material from the surfaces of the
belt into individual portions.
The spreader can be used for grain, grain and fertilizer
combined, granular herbicide, fertilizer, or granular fertilizer
impregnated with liquid herbicides.
The present invention will be further illustrated by way of the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a part perspective side view of a spreader having a
fluid based distribution system made according to the present
invention;
- 4e -
12~8247
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device in Figure 1
showing the booms in a working position;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a metering
hopper and metering distribution assembly made according to the
present invention;
Figure 5 is a sectional view of one side of the device shown in
Figure 4, and showing the air distribution manifold used with the
present invention;
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken as on line 6--6 in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a sectional view taken as on line 7--7 ln Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a view taken as on line 8--8 in Figure 5;
Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, part schematic
representation of a shut-off float and valve assembly used with
the device of the present invention;
- 4f -
~2982~7
Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a
typical tank illustrating the conveying of
particulate material into the metering hopper of the
present invention; and
05 Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view
of a break away portion of the boom assembly of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIME~TS
A truck indicated generally at 10 is of the
type having a frame 11, and large floatation type
wheels and tires 12 that are mounted on the front and
rear axles. The truck can be rearwheel drive or
fourwheel drive if desired, and includes an operator
cab 15, and a particulate material distribution
system indicated generally at 16. The distribution
system includes a storage tank 17 that mounts onto
the frame 11 of the truck, overlying the rear wheels,
and this storage tank can have covers 18 provided in
the normal manner.
- 20 A metering and air distribution system
indicated generally at 20 is positioned ahead of the
storage container 17, immediately to the rear of the
cab 15 and thus iB approximately mid-ship or in the
range of halfway between the front and rear wheels 12.
The air distribution system includes a
material metering hopper 22, and boom support frame
assemblies indicated generally at 23 are mounted on
opposite sides of the metering hopper and adequately
braced back to the structural components of the
distribution system 16. The boom support frames each
mount hinged boom assemblies 25, that are pivoted
about upright axes and are foldable from ~ position
shown in Eigure 1 where the booms extend rearwardly
back along the sides of the truck and container 17,
~2~8Z47
to position where the boom assemblies 25 extend
laterally out from the truck 10 to cover a
substantial width for travel down the field.
The boom assemblies 25 are unique integrated
05 structures ~hat comprise a plurality of individual
laterally extending tubes (or conduits) 26 that are
vertically spaced and of different lengths
horizontally.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower most
tube shown at 26A is substantially shorter than the
upper tube 26H. The intermediate tubes are of
graduated length. The upper most pair of tubes 26H
and 26C have outer sections forming a pivoting
assembly 30 that will fold forwardly along the main
portion of boom assemblies 25 when the boom
assemblies are folded. The folding action of portion
30 is shown in Figure 11, and not in Figures 1 and 2.
The outer end of each of the tubes 26 has a
deflector shown generally at 31 thereon which i~ used
- 20 for directing material in a desired manner. The
deflectors are spaced approximately 36 inches apart
horizontally.
The boom arrangement and deflectors give a
substantially uniform distribution of granular
material across the ground over which the truck 10 is
tra~eling, and as shown in Figure 1 only
schematically, separate distribution tubes 34 are
provided from the air distribution manifold, which
will be described, along each side of the truck.
These tubes 34 extend rearwardly to cover the area of
the ground behind the truck after the truck has
passed over the area.
~298247
The boom assemblies 25 on each side of the
truck are provided with a plurality of upright
support webs 35A,35B,35C,35D,35E, and 35F. The webs
35A-35F are plates or channels which have openings
05 through which the individual tubes 26 pass, and the
tubes are tacX welded into the vertical webs 35A-35F
where they pass through the webs.
A horizontal brace channel member 38 has
leg~ 38A (see Figure 3) that are welded to the webs
35A,35B and 35C as well as to a base vertical member
40, which is hinged in place as will be explained.
The channel 38 provides a reinforcing member on each
of the boom assemblies 25. Additionally, diagonal
braces are structurally attached to permit the boom
assembly to flex but yet give great vertical strength
and stability. Diagonal members 41 on each of the
boom assemblies are welded to the base vertical
member 40, and also the opposite ends of the members
40 are welded to one of the legs 38A of channel 38,
- 20 as shown in both Figures 2 and 3. A lower diagonal
member 42 is welded at a first end to the lower leg
38A of the channel 38 and its opposite end to the
lower end of the vertical web member 35B. Note that
at the end of brace 42 that is adjacent to the
channel 38, the brace 42 can also be welded to the
vertical web member 35A. A diagonal brace 43 is
welded to the upper end of vertical web member 35B,
and to the web member 35C in the center portions and
then the lower end of brace 43 is welded to the lower
end of vertical web member 35D. Additional diagonal
braces indicated at 44 and 45 are welded at their
opposite ends to the respective vertical w~b members
35D and 35E for brace 45, and to the upper end of
~2~8~47
vertical web member 35E and to the lower end of
vertical web member 35F insofar as the brace member
46 is concerned.
The outer end folding section 30 is
05 supported onto the main portion of each boom assembly
and does not have any diagonal braces. The
diagonal braces are long enough to span a plurality
of tubes 26, but it is welded only at spaced ends and
not to all of the tubes 26 which it ~pans.
Referring briefly to Figure 11, the material
container or compartment 17 is shown in cross
section, and has an interior storage chamber 48, and
as can be seen schematically, an auger assembly 50 is
mounted in the chamber 48, in a convenient location.
An auger tube 51 extends from the bottom of container
48 upwardly to the interior of metering hopper 22.
An interior helical auger 52 is mounted in tube 51,
the auger is driven with a suitable hydraulic motor
53 through a valve 54 from a pump 55. The pump 55 is
- 20 driven from an engin~ 56 of the truck which is shown
schematically. The pump is driven from a live power
source such as the cranX shaft of the engine 56 so
that there is hydraulic pressure available whenever
the engine of the truck is running. Of course, a
suitable hydraulic reservoir would be provided but i8
not included in this schematic representation in
Figure 10. Upon rotation of the auger 52, granular
or particulate material indicated at 55A inside the
container 48 will be conveyed upwardly and forwardly,
into the metering hopper 22, which as shown has an
interior storage compartment 60.
12~8Z~7
The motor 53 is controlled in turn by a
level detector on the interior of the hopper
compartment 60. Reference is made to Figure 4 where
the interior compartment 60 is shown enclosed with a
suitable cover 61 on each side of the hopper, and as
05 shown the covers slope from the center outwardly
toward the outer ends. The level of the material
inside the hopper compartment 60 is determined by a
float or light ball member 62 which is shown in
Figures 4 and 9. Figure 9 schematically shows the
arrangement with a light ball (such a~ a toilet tank
float) mounted onto a pivoting arm 63, that is
pivotally mounted as at 64 to a bracket assembly 65
that is fixed to a rear wall 66 of the hopper.
The bracket 65 also mounts, on its upper
side, a suitable switch 70 that has an outwardly
extending arm 71. The arm 71 operates the switch 70
to turn it on and off upon vertical movement of the
float ball as shown in Figure 9. The arm 71 is
- connected to arm 63 with an ad~ustable length link
72. The float 62 will move up as material piles up
from the end of the auger tube S1 as shown in Figure
4. This will cause movement of the arm 71 for the
switch 70, and when the float 62 moves a sufficient
distance, the switch 70 will be operated to control
solenoid valve 54 to turn off motor 53.
When the power is turned on, for example
when the key to the truck is turned on, and hydraulic
power is available and the float 62 drops under
gravi'y as material in chamber 60 reduces in level,
~he arm 71 will move downwardly again turning on the
solenoid valve 54 through the action of switch 70.
12~8Z47
-- 10 --
This will then maintain a pile of material near the
center portions of the hopper compartment generally
as shown at 75 in Figure 4.
Tapered guide walls 78 are formed around the
05 auger tube in the center of the compartment 60, and
the walls 78 taper outwardly toward the lateral sides
of the hopper 22.
The bottom of the hopper 22 is formed in
part by live conveyor belt assemblies indicated
generally at 80 and 81, respectively, the inner ends
of which fit under the walls 78 near the center of
the hopper compartment. The tapered walls 78 extend
fore and aft between the front wall 84 and rear wall
66 of the hopper 22. The edges of the conveyor belts
80 fit closely to the front and rear walls of the
hopper 22 as well and guides can be provided to
overlap the edges of the belts to prevent materials
from dropping past the belt edges. As can be seen in
Figure 8, the rear wall 66 of the hopper has a
-- 20 lowered tapered end 82 that extends over the edge of
the belts 80 and 81, respectively, and the front wall
84 of the hopper 22 has a tapered section 85 which
again overlaps over the edge of the conveyor belts 80
and 81, respectively. The left and right hand sides
of the hopper as shown in Figure 4 are identically
constructed, so only one is shown herein. The
conveyor belts 80 and 81 form feed devices for
feeding materials such as grain or fertiliPer into
dividers and through a metering gate and ultimately
into the distribution tubes 26 forming part of the
boom assemblies 25.
12~3247
Because the parts on the right and left
sides of the hopper are mirror images, the same
numbers will be used, except for the conveyor belts
and drives because they can be individually operated.
05 The hopper has cross walls 85 spaced from
the center of the hopper, and also spaced from the
ends of the hopper, that extend between the front and
rear walls 84 and 66, respectively, and which fit
above the tapered wall edge portions 82 and 84A. The
cross walls 85 have lower edges shown at 87 in Figure
4, spaced above the conveyor belts 80 and 81. The
walls 85 extend completely across the hopper and are
attached to the walls 66 and 84.
Additionally, metering gates support guides
90 and 91, respectively (see Figure 8), are mounted
onto the front and rear walls 66 and 84 at each end
of the hopper, respectively. The support guides 90
and 91 at each end of the metering hopper mount
bearing~ 92 in which a cross shaft 93 is rotatably
- 20 mounted. Each cro~s shaft 93 in turn has a pair of
pinion gears 95,95 thereon which are on opposite
sides of the hopper, on each end, and these pinion
gears 95 mate with rack gears 96 that are attached to
a respective metering gate 97 on each end of the
hopper. The metering gates 97 are positioned above
conveyor belts 80 and 81, respectively. Each
metering gate 97 is guided suitably on the support
guides 90 and 91, through the use of conventional
tracks or guide slots as shown in dotted lines, and
also each metering gate g7 is held adjacent the
vertical portions of the respective wall 85 as shown
in Figure 4, so that the gates 97 can be Laised and
lowered to control the size (vertical height) of the
1298247
- 12 -
opening above the belts that extend from the front to
the rear of the hopper. The height of the lower
edges 97A of the metering gates thus controls the
amount of material that is carried on the upper
05 lengths of the conveyor belts 80 and 81 when the
belts are powered and moving toward the respective
ends of the hopper.
The height of each of the gates 97 is
controlled by a manually operated handle 103 drivably
mounted on each shaft 93 at one end of the respective
shaft. The handles 103 are each retained in a
desired angular position by using a spring pin
carried on the handle that will fit into one of a
plurality of openings 104 in the adjacent wall of the
hopper or in a separate adjustment plate fixed to the
hopper wall. When the handle retainer pin is
released (pulled from its latch hole) the handle 103
i8 moved to rotate shaft 93 and thus the pair of
gear~ 95 on the shaft will drive the racks 96 and
metering gates 97 either up or down, as desired.
As can be seen in Figure 4 schematically,
the belt 81 is powered with a motor 110, that is
operated through a separate valve 111. The belt 81
is driven with a separate motor 112 that is operated
25 with a valve 113. The valves 111 and 113 can be
manually operated, or can be solonoid valves if
desired. The valves 111 and 113 can be individually
controlled or if desired can be latched together so
that they will be operated simultaneously. The
30 motor 110 and 112 regulate the rate of feed of
material that passes under the gates. By
individually operating the motors 110 and_112, the
boom assemblies can be individually used when
~29~3247
- 13 -
desired. The motors 110 and 112 may be operated at a
variable speed by controlling the valve, or by having
separate variable speed valves.
When the belts 80 and 81 are individually
05 powered, the upper lengths of the belt~ will move in
the directions as indicated by the arrows 115 and
116, respectively, and thus will move the granular
material, such as fertilizer or grain, from the pile
shown at 75 laterally outwardly to the opposite ends
of the metering hopper 22. After passing under the
metering gate assemblies, which trim off the top of
the material to a uniform (metered) level, the belts
run underneath a plurality of inverted L-shaped plate
dividers shown at 120. As also shown in Figure 4
these dividers 120 are planar type walls that have
sharpened leading edges 121. These end edges are
sharpened to knife points as indicated, to aid in
separating the material carried by the respective
belts 80 and 81 into the desired number of individual
portions. The width between the plates 120 is fixed,
so the variations of the quantity on the belt is the
height of the material on the belt. As shown in
Figure 8 when the gates 97 are raised this can be a
substantial depth of material that will pass below
the lower edge 97A. The metering gates 97 can be
lowered to a dotted line indication for the lower
edge 97A as indicated in Figure 8, so that the
material in each of the individual metered portions
will be reduced for a lower rate of feed, for the
same speed of the conveyor belts 80 and 81. The feed
rate in relation to forward travel of the spreader
can be changed by regulating either gate _height or
motor speed, or both.
12~82~
- 14 -
There iB a horizontal space between the
gates 97 and the edges 121 of the divider walls that
is approximately equal to the width between the
divider walls. This space provides an area for the
05 particles to ghift and move slightly and aids the
separation by the divider walls 120 as opposed to
having the edges 121 very close to the gates.
The metered particulate material then falls
off the ends of the respective belts 80 and 81 as
indicated by the arrow 124 in Figure 4, and the lower
divider legs 120A of the divider plates 120 extend
into cups at the lower ends of the plates between
granular feeding funnels shown in Figure 8 at 125.
Each of the funnels 125 leads to a separate flexible
tube 126A-126H that is connected in a suitable manner
to the respective funnel 125. The flexible tubes
26A-26H are connected to corresponding air-material
mixing housings or chambers 128 at their lower ends.
Each of the mixing housings 128 has a nozzle 127.
-- 20 All nozzlec 127 are identical, but each mixing
housing has a different length horizontal tube
forming a particle entraining chamber. The
horizontal mixing tubes are shown at 130A-130H and
correspond in location to the tubes 26A-26H of the
boom assemblies. As shown these horizontal tubes
130A-130H have outer ends that are mounted into
vertical webs or plates 135, that are adjacent the
end vertical member 40 for each of the boom
assemblies, on opposite sides of the machine,
respectively. As shown in Figure 5, the outer end
portions of the respective tubes 130A-130H are
tapered (necked down in diameter) so that-when the
boom assemblies are moved to their working position
extending laterally outwardly, the outer ends of the
l2saz~7
- 15 -
tubes 130A-130H fit inside of the respective tubes
26A-26H at the vertical web or plate member 40, as
shown in Figure 6.
The web members 40 have pivot pins 139 at
05 the top and bottom thereof which are pivotally
mounted in suitable frame support members 140,140 at
the top and bottom so that the boom assembly can be
pivoted to position as shown in Figure 2 and then the
vertical members are a~ shown in Figure 6 with the
web 40 tight against the vertical web 135, and with
the tapered outer end portions of the mixing tubes
130A-130H fitting inside the innermost ends of the
boom tubes 26A-26H.
Additionally, two horizontal mixing tubes
130I and 130J are provided for connection to
rearwardly extending distribution tube 34 and to a
shorter distribution tube 145 shown in Figure 1,
respectively. The tube 34 distributes granular
material to the rear of the truck and the shorter
tube 145 distributes granular ~aterial immediately
ahead of the rear wheels of the truck. The
horizontal tubes 130A-130J each couple directly to a
plenum chamber or manifold 150A through a tapered
venturi section 156. The plenum or manifold 150 is a
tubular member as seen in Figure 6, generally
circular in cross section, and has large diameter
connector nipples 157 that couple to the venturi
sections 156 of the horizontal tubes 130A-130J,
respectively.
Each plenum chamber or manifold is provided
with fluid under pressure from a suitable blower 152,
that is driven with a hydraulic motor 153 controlled
by a valve 154 and powered from the hydraulic pump.
8;;~4'7
- 16 -
The blowers or frames 152 on opposite sides can be
individually or simultaneously controlled, just as
the motors for belts 80 and 81.
Figure 7 illustrates a typical air-
05 particulate material mixing chamber 128. The mixingchamber shown includes horizontal tube 130H. The
horizontal tube 130H, as can be seen, has the venturi
section 156, that fits into a nipple outlet 157
opening from the plenum chamber or manifold 150.
Each of the nozzles 127 extends into the respective
corresponding horizontal tube 130A-130H, and each
nozzle 127 has a tapered cut shown at 160 forming a
nozzle opening which faces away from the plenum
chamber. The lower wall portions 161 adjacent the
manifold 150 have lower ends indicated at 162, which
are below the edge of the nozzle 127 that is
downstream from the manifold. The opening 164
partially faces downward and partially faces toward
the outlet of the respective horizontsl tube. The
openings for the nozzles 127 in tubes 130 are sealed
around the nozzles 127 at the junction between the
nozzles 127 and tubes 130.
Thus, particulate material dropping through
these nozzles 127 will move as shown by arrow 1~9 and
be subjected to a flow of air as shown by the arrow
170 in Figure 7, and thus flow will entrain the
particulate material and cause it to move outwardly
from the horizontal tubes into the respective boom
tubes to be carried out to the outer ends of the boom
tubes where the deflectors will direct the material
in a desired manner to spread it across the ground.
1298247
The venturi section 156 causes an increase
in velocity of the air, and this aids in entraining
the particles adequately. Also the venturi section
156 helps to keep the required power for air flow
05 generation low. The nipples 157 are large diameter
outlets which keep the required pressure head low.
The reducing sections 156 of the tubes 130 cause an
increase in air velocity to raise the particle
carrying capabilities of the air. The lower ends of
the nozzles 127 extending into the tubes 130A-130H
also cause a venturi effect. The air flowing from
nipples 157 flows around the part cylindrical surface
of wall portion 161 of each nozzle. The air pressure
i9 reduced at the openings 163 so particles tend to
be urged in the flowing air stream to aid in feeding.
The metering assembly operates efficiently,
and by regulating the metering gates the amount of
material carried by each of the boom tubes will be
varied. The metering is carried out from a very
- 20 small hopper section in relation to the large storage
compartment, 80 there i8 less likelihood of having
unwanted segregation of the material, and there is
positive proportioning of the granular material such
as fertilizer before it enters the air streams. The
manifold is very efficient, having only the mixing
tubes extending outwardly to the individual boom
tubes. The manifold arrangement requires relatively
low power and permits the delivery of relatively high
rates of material which means the foward speed of the
truck can be kept high as well. The vertical
orientation of the plenum chamber provides efficient
positioning of the mixing chamber (savinq ~pace) and
reduces the length of connection to the boom tubes.
1~98~:~7
- 18 -
The boom a~sembly structure, including the
diagonal bracing, provides for a very strong,
light-weight boom.
In Figure 11, an end section 30 of the booms
25, and its mounting to the main portion of the boom
05 i~ shown. Each end section 30 comprises two short
tube sections 175 and 176, which are aligned with the
tubes 26H and 26G, respectively. The tubes 175 and
176 are mounted in an assembly of a first vertical
base member 177, and an intermediate vertical support
10178. The base member 177 mounts on a ~uitable hinge
assembly 180 to a vertical frame portion 181 that is
connected to tubes 26H and 26G as shown in Figure 11.
The spring 184, and a suitable shock
absorber 185 can be used for resisting pivoting of
the outer section 30 rearwardly, but the end portion
30 can be manually moved rearwardly and locked back
against the main portion of the as~ociated boom as
desired.
- Figure 11 shows typical deflectors that are
used at the ends of the respective boom tubes, and
these deflectors are shown at 175A and 176A,
respectively. The deflectors are curved walls formed
and oriented to deflect the material rearwardly as
the material is discharged out the open end of the
respective tubes.
The boom assemblies 25 can be latched in
place when folded rearwardly from transport and also
the outer ends can be supported or rested on a fixed
support, to prevent loads on the hinge assembly and
support 140 when the truck is moving over the road.
-
