CA1184579A - Manure spreader - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The manure spreader includes a V-shaped hollow body having a longitudinally positioned impeller rotatively carried near its bottom. The impeller blades are arranged in oppositely generated helices to urge the manure both from the rear of the body and from the front of the body toward an outlet gate which is positioned in the body intermediate its ends. A rotary spinner is carried outwardly of the body in position to receive the effluent from the gate and suitable drive mechanism is provided to rotate the spinner at many times the rotative speed of the impeller. The spinner and the impeller are rotated by a common drive and an adjustable deflector may be provided to easily vary the spray pattern from the spinner.

Description

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This application is a division of application Serial No. 374,224, iled March 30, 1981.
ACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a novel rnanure spreader, more particularly, is directed to manure spreader including both a slow speed impeller and a high speed spinner positioned to receive a flow of manure from the impeller and to spray the manure outwardly in a desired spray pattern.
Many types of spreaders have been developed by prior workers in the field which are usually employed in a~ abou-t ~arms to utilize the fertilizer value of manure from herds of farm animals, for example dairy cattle, in an efficient and economical manner. The prior art manure spreaders have included flail type spreaders which are generally most commonly employed for use with solid manures. Other workers in the art have developed spray type spreaders which employ necessary tanks" hoses and accessory equipment to effectively distribute li~ui~ rnanures. Such wet type manures usually must first be processed to add sufficient water to permit use with the spray equi,pment. Both flail type spreaders and spray type spreaders have been generally and widely utilized in the past and both types are quite com~on. However, certain operating difficulties and inefficiencies have arisen with the presently available spxeading eauipment due to the nature of the manures available for dis-tribution. For example, spreaders designed for solid application, such as the flail type spreader, canno-t readily be employed for use with liquid manures~ Such types are particularly deslgned for use Wit'.l solid manures and because of this, have limited storage capacity during period 3C~ of application. Also, because of the load characteristics 3~57~

inherent when spreading solid type manures, the prior art type of flail type spreader had to be ru~gedly constructed and all parts ha~ to be ~esiyrled o~ increased strength to handle the solid materials. Despite the increased struc-tural strength capabilities built into the equipment, there has been evidence of considerahle wear and breakage, such as bearing wear, chain breakage and mechanical damage to the operating parts due to the nature of the solid manures.
I.n the case of prior art liquid type spreaders, the .1.() pxe~c3erltly available prior art types incorporate a tank-like veh:icle which is suitable onl.y for use in the application of J.i.c~uid manures. Accordingly, such spray type spreaders were suitable :for use only with waste materials that had previously ~een pretreated prior -to introduction into the tank of the spreader vehicle in order to provide an effluent specifically designed for use with the specific spreader. So far as known, except ~or a composite manure spreader recently previously de-~3;i~ned by applicant, and fully described in Canadian Patent No.
1.,.1.~,4~0, no other presently available equipment i5 known which

2() :i.s ~aL~able o~ dis~ursincJ either liquid or semi-liquid type manures vr cun~inations thereo~ in a single apparatus.

SUe/lMARY OF TEIE INVENTION
The present inventiorl relates generally to a liquid and ~;em:i-liqui.d type manure spreader, and more particularly, is .irected to a manure spreader incorporating a V~shaped body ~or holding the manure, an impeller positioned near the bottom of the body to direct the manure to an outlet gate and a high ,. , ~

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1l sp~ed spinner receiving the effluent from the gate for spray d:i!,tribu~ion as the spreader is propelled.
The manure spreader of the present invention includes a whee:l.ed~ open tank into the top of whi.ch liquid and/or semi.-l:i.quid manures can be easily fed by using existing, :read.ily avai.lable loading equipment. The body of the spreader :i.'3 genercl:lly V-shaped in cross-sect.ional configuration and ~nco:rporates near 1he bo~tom thereof a heavy duty, internal, r~hopper-type auger or impeller The impeller is longitudinally liO ~sitioned near the apex of t:he V-shape o~ the body and has .i.ts blade.s formed to a helix" a rear portion of which helix i~ ~esigned to prope]. manure f:rom the rear of the tank to a mer~i.ally pQsi.tioned c~clte and a front portion of the helix is ~3s;.igned to propel manllre from the front of the body toward t,ile n'led.ial.l.~' pOSi t:iOlled ga te O
A high speed~ spinner is affixed in rotary engagement ri.~rly of the body in position to receive the effluent ~c~ th~3 yat~ and to direcî. the effluent in a spray pattern ~r/;~r t.he J2ield to be so treated. Preferably the spinner ~0 '~ t clt~; at a rotative spee~ that is from ten to fifteen times ~h~ xotati.o~al spe.ed of the impeller. The drive of the spinner is t~ ken from the d.rive of the impeller whereby both devices are rotated in u~.ison, in opposite directions and at proportional rate~s of speed~ If desired, a hinged deflector can be employed in conjunc-tion with the spinner to vary the spray pattern tci sui~:. the existing field conditions.
In the pre~erred embodiment, the spinner is provided with a plurality of staggered blades whereby only a small proportionate number of the blades will be in contac-t with manure at any gl-ven instance. In this manner, the stag~ering 5~7~

1 of the blade pa-ttern results in a device th~t is capable of operation at greatly reduced horsepower requirements. The spinner blades are preferably forwardly curved to provide a better manure throwing pattern.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved manure spreader of the type set forth.
It is another object of the present invention to pxovide novel manure spreader which includes an openl V-shaped body with a longitudinally aligned, double directional impeller positioned near the bottom of the bodyO
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel manure spreader featuring an open body with ~icl~ outlet and arl impeller suitable to move liquid and ~mi~liquid material from both the front of the body and from the rear of the hody, through the outlet to a spinner for ~reading purposes.
It is another object of the present invention to providc a novel manure spreader including an open body equipped wi-th an auyer having chopper type blades, some of the blades be:irlg arrangecl in a rearwardly directly helix~ the body having a sid~ opening wherein the auger directs the material from the body at the side opening, a spinner positioned at the side opening for spraying the manure and a drive mechanism arranged to rotate the spinner at many times the ro-tational speed of the auger.
It i~ another object of the present invention to provide a novel manure spreader including a generally V-shaped body, a dual directional impeller longitudinally arranyed interiorly of the body, a spinner rotatively carried outside of the body in posikion to receive the effluent from the impeller intermediate the ends oF the body and means to rotate 1 the spinner ~t many times the rotative speed of the impeller.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel manure spreader comprising an open, generally V-shape~ body, an impeller longitudinally arranged for rotation near the bottom of the body for manure directional purposes, a spinner receiving the effluen-t from the impeller and being rotatively positioned exteriorly of the body, a drive means xotating the impeller and the spinner, the drive means inclucling means to rotate the spinner at from ten to fifteen times the rotational speed of the impeller and means to vary the spray pattern of the effluenk from the spinner.
It is another object o~ the present invention to provide a novel li~uid and semi-liquid manure spreader that is ~imple in construction, rugged in design and troublefree when in op~ration.
Other ohjects and a fuller understanding of the invent:ion will be had by referring to the following description and cl~ ns o~ preferred embodiment thereof, taken in con-Ajunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference char~ct~rs re~er to ~,i~ilar parts throughout the several view and in which:

Fig. 1 is a xear perspective view showing the manure spreader of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a top perspective view of the manure spreader, partially broken away to disclose interior con-struction details.
Fig. 3 is a partial, enlarged, side elevational view showing the spinnerO and with portions o~ the impeller illus-trated in phantom lines.

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Fig . 4 iS an enlarged, cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.
Fig. 5 is a partial, rear elevational view showing a preferred drive arrangement.
Fig. 6 is a detailed, enlarged, perspective view of the sp:inner of the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a detailed, enlarged, perspective view of a modified spinner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF TEE INVENTION
Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are i,ntended to refer only to the particular structure of the invention selected for illus-tration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fi~s. 1 and 2 a manure spreader generally designated 10 which comprises ~sentially a wheeled, tank type body 12 having an op~n ~op 14 into which the manure (not shown) to be spread can XO b~ readily d,umped. The body 12 is generally V-shaped in con~igur~t,ion and i~, carried upon a suitable/ sturdy chassis 36 in a con~entional manner. The chassis 36 is arranged for eas~ transport over the ~ield to be treated by employing a plurality of right and left wheels 32, 34 mounted in pairs upon conventional axles 38 in well known manner.
The manure spreaaer 10 is conventionally transportea ~nd powered by a tractor or other farm equipment (not shown~
:in well known manner. For example, a hitch 42 is illustrated in Fig. 1 for usual towing connection to the piece of farm equipment. Power for operation of the device is also con-ventionally drawn from the tractor or other farm equipment S7~
1 through a rotating drive shaft 44 which is supplied with a suitable coupling 4S for connec~ion to the tractor drive (not shown) in usual manner.
As best seen in Figs . 2 t 3, and 4, an impeller 16 is long.itudinally positioned within the interior of the body 12 near the bottom of the V-configuration. The imp~ller 16 extends the entire length of the body 12 and forwardly has its shaft 18 coupled to the drive shaft 44 in known manner whereby rotation of the drive shaft 44 by the tractor ~not shown) will cause corresponding rotation of the impeller 16.
The impeller shaft 18 is journalled within conventional forward and rearward bearings 20 (only the rear bearing being shown) for rotation relative to the hody 12. The impeller .Yh~t 18 extends rearwardly in a shaft.extension 19 for power:ing the manure spreader system as hereinafter more fully s~t forth.
Still referring to Figs. 2-4, it will be observed th~t the impeller 16 includes an elongated, cylindrical body ~0 which is concerltric with and which is secured to the 2~ .imp~ller sha~t 18 in conventional, sturd~ manner, such as by w~ld:ing or other inte.rconnection. A plurality of individual blades 22 which are defined one from another by radially extending openings 23, are welded or otherwise secured to the impeller body 40 in the configuration of a heli~ for manure direction purposes. The helix is divided into a rearwardly directed helix 24 which acts to urge manure (not shown) contained within the body 12 rearwardly within the body from the front wall 31 to the side outlet 48. The hel.ix i5 also formed to provide a forwardly directed hel:ix 26 which serves

3~ to urge the manure forwardly within the body from ~e rear wall S7~

I 30 towarcl the side opening or ~ate 48. The rearwardly directed helix 24 terminates at the forward end of the unloading section 28. Similarly, the forwardly directed helix 26 terminates forwardly in the rearward end of the unloading section 28. Accordingly, the dual directed helix 24 tends to urge the liquid and semi-liquid manure contained within the body 12, both from the front wall 31 and the rear wall 30 toward the unloading section 28. As illustrated, the unloading section 28 is positioned adjacent to the opening or gate 48 and is closer to the body reax wall 30 and further from the body front wall 31.
One of khe body inclined sidewalls 46 or 47 is provided with a side opening or gate 48 to permit the manure ¢not shown) conkained within the body 12 and driven by the imp~ller 16 to exit the body for manure spreading purposes.
The gate or opening 48 transversely aligns with the unloading ~ction 28, for side unloading to the spinner 58. It is not~w~x~hy that the unloading section 28 comprises a lonyitu~inally aligned wall 29 which serves to urge or sweep 20 the manure transversely through the gate 48 as the impeller 16 is rotated upon the application of rotative forces to the drive shaft 44.
Referring now to Figs~ l, 2, 3 and 4, a spreader chamber 50 is welded or otherwise secured exteriorly of the body sidewall ~6 or 47 and comprises generally a right wall 52, a left wall 54 and an interconnecting floor or base wall 56. A manure spreadiny spinner 58 is mounted for rotation between the right and left spreader chamber walls 52, 54 and can be journalled within respective front and rear bearings 62, 64 in a conve.ntional manner. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the 5'7~

1 spreader chamber floor 56 forms a continuation of the spreader body inclined wall 47 so that manure delivered to the gate 48 through the interaction of the rearwardly directed helix 26 and the unloading section 28 dumps or flows the manure directly ~rom within the body 12 into -the spreader chamber 50 for throwing or spreading by the spinner 58 as the spinner is rotated at high rotative sp~eds. If desired, a door (no-t shown) can be provided in known manner to close the opening 48 in the body wall 46 when the device lO is not in use and to expose the opening 48 when it is desired to emplo~ the spreader 10 for manure spreading purposes. It is an important feature of this invention to rotate the spinner 58 at speeds considexably in excess of the speed rotation of the auger or :impeller 16 as hereinafter more fully set forth.
Referring now to Figs. 3 and 6, it will be observed that the spinner 58 comprises a cylindrical body 66 which is concentric about the ~pinner shaft 60 and is secured thereto in known manner to ~oxm a fixed, permanent engagement. The pe~ipher~ o the spinner body 66 is provided with a plurality ~0 o~ ind~vi.dual, cur~ed blades 68 which project substantially xadially outwardly from the periphery ~f the body 66 and then curve forwardly in the direction of rotation for optimum manure spreading or throwiny pattern purposes. As illustrated, the blades 68 are arranged in staggered rows, wherein a blade is pexipherally offset from the next adjacent blade. By arranging the blades 68 in such staggered rows, horsepower requirements to rotate the spinner 58 can be drastically reduced inasmuch as smaller surface areas are rotatively urged into contact with the manure at any given point in -the rotative cycle.
As above set forth, the spinner shaft 60 is journalled 5~

1 between the right and left bearings 62, 64 and is positioned to recei.ve and to propel the manure (not illustrated) which is driven into the spreader chamber 50 upon rotation of the impeller 16. It is a feature of this invention to rotate the spinner 58 many times faster than the speed of rotation of the auger or impeller 16. By driving the auger at a relatively slow rate of 6peed, the manure loaded within the interior of the body 12 can he most advantageously directed -to the opening or gate 48 without the stranding of solids upon the inclined body sidewalls 47, 48. The hi.gh speed rotation of the splnner 58 provides maximum efficiency in spreading or throwing the manure. Additionally, the const~uction c~mprising the opening ox gate 48 combined with the ~31~w ~peed of rotation of the impell'er or auger 16 facilitates the hand~ing of drier materials without stranding of the solids within ~he body pr.ior to spilling into the spreader c'namber 50. Due to ~is c~abili.t~ o handling a full range of materials from very wet to vcry dry, the manure spreader 10 of the present invent:iorl can be employed to handle a wider variety of materials to be ~pread :in troublefree and highly efficient manner. While ~ the individual spreader bl.ades 68 are illustrated as projecting substantially ini.tially radially frcm the spinner body 66, experiments have shown that with certain materials, a slight forward lean of the blades 68 at their interconnection with the body ~6 forwardly of the radial al.ignment can result in a better throwing pattern and more efficient manure spreading.
Additionally, as illustrated, the blades 68 are forwardly curved to provide for a better and more efficient throwing pattern upon high speed rotation of the spreader 58.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, one embodiment of a spinner drive mechanism will now be described. As il]ustrated, -- 10 ~

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1 the auger shaft 18 extends through the rear bearing 20 in a conventional shaft extension 19 to which is pinned or otherwise secured a large diameter sprocket 82. Accordingly, when the drive shaft 44 is co~nected to the tractor drive (not shown) through the coupling 45, rotation of the drive shaft 44 causes simultaneous rotation of the impeller shaft 18 and the shaft extens.i.orl 19. As above set forth, it is preferable to rotate the impeller shaft 18 at a relatively slow speed and the spinner shaft 60 at a relatively high speed. The large diameter sprocket 82 drives a small diameter sprocket 84 through a conventional drive chain 98 to thereby cause higher speed rotation of the sprocket shaft 104. Pinned on the same 3haft 104 is a large diameter sprocket 86 which is simultaneously turned upon rotation of the sprocket shaft 104. The large diam~ter sprocket 86 rotates a small diameter sprocket 88 through the chain drive 100 in a well known manner. Ro-tation o~ the small diameter sprocket 88 causes rotation of its a;~ ed sprocket shaft 106 at a higher rate of speed, also ln well known manner. Secured on the spxocket shaft 106 is ~ a gear 9~, which gear 94 is simultaneously rotated as the sprocket shaft 106 is rotated.
A corresponding gear 96 meshes with the gear 94 and is rotated thereby, but in opposite direction. Rotation of the gear 96 causes simultaneous rotation of the affixed shaft 108 in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the gear 96. Also pinned upon the shaft 108 is a sprocket 90 which is caused to rotate at high speed, the speed increases provided by the linkage of the large and small sprockets 82, 84, and 86, 88. The sprocket 90 is interconnected through the chain drive 102 with the spinner sprocket 92 to cause ~Q~
1 5imultaneously rotation in the same direction. Rotation of the spinner sprocket 92 causes the aEfixed spinner shaft 60 to rotate within the right and left bearings 62, 64 a~ high speed to also rotate the affixed spinner 58~
Preferably, the auger or impeller 16 is rotated by the drive shaft 44 at a rota~ive speed of approximately fifty revolutions per minute. Simultaneously, through the speed up sprockets above enumerated, the spinner 58 is optimumly rotated at a speed o~ approximately five hundred and forty revolutions per minute to seven hundred and fifty revolutions per minute to provide an optimum spray pattern. In one satisfactory arrangementl the sprocket 82 was 17.1 inches in diameter, 54 teeth, 80 pitch; t'ne cooperating small diameter sprocket 84 was 5 inches in diameter, 14 teeth, 80 pitch. The second large diameter sprocket 86 was 13.3 inches in diameter, 52 teeth, 60 pitch and -the interconnected smaller diameter sprocket 88 waC~ 4.7 inches in diameter, 18 teeth, 60 pitch. Both gears 9~, 96 were 6 inches in diameter, 30 teeth and 5 pitch. The s~irlner dr:ivin~ sprockets 90, 92 were equal in size and both ~0 wexe 5 inches in diameter, 14 teeth, 80 pitch.
As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in order to easily ~ary the spreader pattern, the spreader chamber 50 may be provided with an overhead deflector 70 which can be arranged for vertical or hinged adjustment relative to the spreader 58 in well known manner. In the embo~iment illustrated, a hydraulic cylinder 72 is supported in pivotal manner from the body 12 through a stationary bracket 80 in a manner to reciprocally move the deflector 70 relative to the spinner 58.
As best seen in Fig. 4, the cylinder 72 functions its piston 3~ rod 74 in the directions indicated by the arrow 76 to move the 1 de~:Lector 70 between the positions illustrated in full lines and phanton llnes. In one embodiment, as illustrated, the deflector 70 may be provided with suitable guides 78 to facilitate the inclined, vertical movement indicated. If desired, the cylinder 72, piston arm 74 and the deflector 70 could also be arranged to pivot the deflector relative to the sp.inner 58. As above set forth, the purpose of the deflector 70 is to vary the spray pattern, and this variation may be accomplished in a desired, efficient manner.
Referring now to Fig. 7, a modified spinner 112 is illustrated comprising generally a shaft 114 which may be suitably journalled within the bearings 62, 64 in the same manner as the spinner shaft 60 previously described. A
plurality of forwardly curved longitudinally extending blades 120, 122, 124, 1.26 extend in length between the right end plate 116 and the left end plate 118 and are secured thereto in sturdy manner, such as by welding. The modified spinner 112 is d~signed for hiyh speed rotation, similar to the spinner 58 to d~elop a ~uitable manure spray pattern. It is contemplated tha~ the modified spinner 112 will require more horsepower to xotate than the spinner 58 inasmuch as the blades 120, 122, 12~, 126 present broad surfaces in contact with the product whereas the blades 68 of the spinner 58 are staggered to allow only a few o the blades to strike the manure at one time.
Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the 3~ combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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ln general, one embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for spreadirlg manure, having a container for holding manure to be spread. The container has a first inclined nonvertical side wall and a second inclilled nonvertical side wall that converge toward each other with one of the nonvertical inclined side walls located ~t a steeper angle with respect to -the horizon than the other and the nonvertical side wall located at a steeper angle with respect tc) tlle hol-izon havin~ an opening for discharging manure. The aE)para~us also includes means for moving the manure located be-tw~en the first inclined side wall and the second inclined sidewall in the container to the opening for discharging manure with further means located in the apparatus for spreading manure as the manure discharges from the opening in said side wall.
~ further characterization of the invention is an appara-tu~ for spreading liquid or semiliquid manure onto a field having a container with a side wall and end walls for holding and funnel-lhl~J manure to be spread. The apParatus includes a spinner for ~,L)reading manure which is connected to said apparatus for spreading Li~uid or semiliquid manures with the spinner having a plurality oL blades for engaging the manure to be spread. The blades having ~n out~r peripheral edge for spreading manure. There are means lc)caked i.n the container for mvving manuYe within the container to ition where the manure can be spread. ~he means are operable or ~lowing the manure onto the outer peripheral edges of said bladQs to thereby permit the blades to enyage the manure flowing ~rom saicl container. A drive means is included for rotating said ~pinner at sufEiciently high velocity so that when the manure is moved from in the container into the spinner, the blades are oper-able for liftincJ the manure upward and expelling the manure in a spray pattern onto a field. More specifically, the spinner is mounted on an axis and is adapted for rotation at swfficiently fast rotative speed -to permit the blades to propel liquid or semi-liquid manure radially and laterally away.from said container and the means for moving manure includes a forwardly directed helix which terminates at a location adjacent to the unloading section.
In ~e preferred embodiment some of the blades are arranged in staygered aliynment on the spinner and the spinner has an axis of rotation with the manure flowed in a radial direction toward the .lXiS 0~ rota-tion of the spinner.

Claims (4)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for spreading liquid or semiliquid manure onto a field comprising.
a container for holding and funnelling manure to be spread;
a spinner for spreading manure, said spinner connected to said apparatus for spreading liquid or semiliquid manures, said spinner having a plurality of blades for engaging the manure to be spread;
said blades having an outer peripheral edge for spreading manure;
means located in said container for moving manure within said container to a position where the manure can be spread, said means operable for flowing the manure onto said outer peripheral edge of said blades to thereby permit said blades to engage the manure flowing from said container; and drive means for rotating said spinner at sufficiently high velocity so that when the manure is moved from in said container into said spinner, said blades are operable for lifting the manure upward and expelling the manure in a spray pattern onto a field.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said spinner is mounted on an axis and is adapted for rotation at sufficiently fast rotative speed to permit said blades to propel liquid or semi-Liquid manure radially and laterally away from said container.

3. The manure spreader of claim 1 wherein said means for moving manure includes a forwardly directed helix which termin-ates at a location adjacent to said unloading section.

4. The manure spreader of claim 1 wherein at least some of said blades are arranged in staggered alignment on said spinner and said spinner has an axis of rotation with the manure flowed in a radial direction toward the axis of rotation of said spinner.