FR3009206A1 - BUCKET FOR MIXING AND / OR DISTRIBUTION OF A BULK PRODUCT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bucket for mixing and / or dispensing a bulk product, in particular a silage product used in the agricultural field for feeding livestock, which bucket (1) comprises - a bucket (2) at least one of the side walls (21) is provided with an opening (211) for the lateral distribution of said bulk product, - at least one rotating screw (3) mixing and / or distribution forming , with said bucket (2), a virtual working zone (Z), and - at least two arms (5, 6) carrying said rotary screw (3). A first arm (5), assembled with the rotating screw (3) to form two screw portions (37, 38), has a distal end (52) connected to one of the walls (22, 23) of said tipper (2), outside the working area (Z) of the rotary screw (3).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES The present invention relates to the field of agricultural equipment. It relates in particular to a bucket for the mixing and / or distribution of a bulk product, which in particular allows the loading, mixing, transport and distribution of silage product used in the agricultural field for livestock feed . TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND For the feeding of livestock with a bulk product, especially silage, it is common to use a mixing bucket / dispenser. Such a mixing bucket / dispenser generally comprises a bucket for receiving the bulk product. The bucket is provided with - an upper opening, for its filling in bulk product, and - at least one lateral opening, for the distribution of this product. This bucket also incorporates means for mixing and / or distribution of the product reported in the bucket, generally at least one worm. This rotary screw is generally carried by two arms, which are secured to the bottom wall of the bucket, namely: - either an arm at each end of the rotary screw, - or an arm at one end of the rotary screw and the another arm shifted inwardly of the bucket. In practice, this mixing bucket / distributor is associated with a handling machine to which it is linked by a suitable removable hitch, for example of the three-point hitch type. This coupling allows the arrangement of this bucket in a loading position; in this case, the bucket is tilted forward and its front wall serves as a shovel. The filling of the bucket with the various basic components, such as corn silage or herbs, straw, dry or dehydrated food, can then be done directly through its upper opening. The bucket being in the tilted position, horizontally, the machine can take the various components. They can also be collected via a claw or cutter attached to the upper part of the bucket, these accessories acting as silo sampling tool.

Components such as granules can also be added manually with a bucket or mechanically through its top opening. The coupling with the handling machine also allows the arrangement of this bucket in a normal position of mixing and / or distribution. In this position, the upper opening of the bucket is substantially horizontal. The auger mixes the products contained in the bucket and causes this mixture to one of the openings from which it escapes in a controlled manner (in particular according to the size of said opening and the speed of rotation of the screw or screws in presence). But worm-carrying arms tend to inhibit certain types of bulk products during distribution, such as fibrous or long-haired forage grass silage. In this context, there is a need for a bucket capable of ensuring a good distribution of all types of bulk products, especially fodder and in particular grass silage.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned braking phenomena, thereby ensuring efficient distribution of all types of bulk products. The bucket according to the invention, for mixing and / or dispensing a bulk product (in particular a silage product used in the agricultural field for feeding cattle), comprises: a bucket intended for receiving the bulk product, comprising two side walls connected by a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall, which bottom wall has a circular arc section, and at least one of said side walls being provided with an opening for the lateral distribution of said bulk product, - at least one rotary screw mixing and / or distribution reported in said bucket, which rotating screw has two ends each located at one of the two side walls of said bucket, which rotating screw comprises a hub provided with a thread defining its cylindrical space, a portion of which matches the bottom wall of said bucket, which rotary screw forms, with said bucket, a virtual zone of tr avail, and - at least two arms carrying said rotary screw facing said bottom wall of the bucket, which arms each comprise a proximal end provided with bearing means assembled with the hub of said rotary screw, and a distal end connected with the one of the walls of said bucket. The proximal end of a first arm, forming an "offset" arm, is assembled with said rotary screw at a distance from a first end of said rotary screw, so as to form two portions of screws on either side. said first arm: - a short screw portion, extending between said first arm and said first rotatable screw end and - a long screw portion, extending between said first arm and the second end of the rotary screw. And according to the invention, the distal end of said first "offset" arm is connected to one of the walls of said bucket, outside said working area of the rotary screw. The arrangement of this first arm, carrying the rotating screw of the bucket, has the advantage of limiting its size in the working area of the screw. This arm thus limits the braking of the bulk product to be dispensed. According to other advantageous features of the invention, which can be taken in combination or independently of one another: the virtual working zone is delimited by the bottom wall of the bucket and by two planes tangent to the cylindrical bulk of the rotating screw: a front plane, perpendicular to the front wall of the bucket, and a rear plane, perpendicular to the rear wall of the bucket. the distal end of the first arm is connected with the front wall or with the rear wall of said body; in this case, according to a preferred embodiment, the first arm has a generally arcuate shape, extending from the front wall or the rear wall of said bucket and curved towards the bottom wall, so that the rotary screw is suspended by said first arm, said front wall or said rear wall of said bucket; in this case, the first arm advantageously comprises a lower edge, extending opposite the bottom wall of the bucket, having a concave curved shape, to form a clearance zone with the cylindrical bulk of the rotary screw and with its virtual work zone; still advantageously, the two ends of the first arm each comprise a tangential axis extending perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicular to one another; in this case, preferably, the distal end of the first arm is secured to the rear wall, and the tangential axis of the proximal end of the arm extends parallel or at least approximately parallel to a general plane of the rear wall, and the tangent axis of the distal end of the first arm extends perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicularly, relative to the plane of the rear wall; the first arm consists of an attached plate, having a general plane extending perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicularly, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rotary screw; this arm is advantageously made from flat product of the thin sheet type (for example at most 8 cm, preferably at most 5 cm), in order to minimize the cutting of the thread of the screw and so as to preserve a continuity of this net; - The distal end of the first arm comprises an extension which is introduced through a complementary slot in the front wall or rear and which is fixed on a support member by means of fixing means; the first end of the rotary screw is located on the opening side for the lateral distribution of said bulk product; - The long screw portion comprises a tubular hub in which are introduced motor means which are assembled with the proximal end of a second support arm; - The two side walls of the bucket are each provided with an opening formed opposite one of the two ends of the rotary screw. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be further illustrated, without being limited, by the following description of a particular embodiment, this in relation to the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 is a general and perspective view a bucket according to the invention, the rotating screw is carried by an end arm and an offset arm; - Figure 2 is a top view of the bucket according to Figure 1, with a view oriented through its upper opening; - Figure 3 is a partial and enlarged view of Figure 2, to show in detail the arrangement of its offset arm; FIG. 4 is a side view of the bucket of FIGS. 1 to 3, schematically showing the working zone of its rotary screw and in which the corresponding lateral wall is masked; - Figure 5 is a view of the rear face of the rear wall of the bucket, intended to show the means for fixing the offset arm; FIG. 6 is an isolated perspective view of the rotary screw and the associated arms; Figure 7 is an insulated, perspective view of the offset arm for carrying the rotary screw; FIG. 8 is a side view of the offset arm according to FIG. 7. The agricultural equipment 1, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, consists of a bucket adapted to mixing and / or dispensing a bulk product, in particular a silage product used in the agricultural field for livestock feed. This bucket 1 allows the loading, mixing, transport and / or distribution of this product in bulk. According to the invention, this bucket 1 is versatile in that it allows an effective distribution of any type of bulk product, especially forage such as grass silage. For this, this bucket 1 according to the invention comprises: - a bucket 2, intended to receive the bulk product, and - a rotary screw 3, for the mixing and / or the distribution of this product 30 in bulk, carried in the bucket 2 via two arms 5, 6. As developed below, according to the invention, one of these arms 5 has the advantage of having a limited space in the working area of the screw 3, thus eliminating a possible braking of the bulk product to be distributed. The combination of the arm shapes 5, 6 and screws 3 also makes it possible both to allow a sufficiently wide bearing in the center of the screw 3, and a break of the continuity of the screw 3 on its periphery, thus giving a chisel effect when rotating the screw. The bucket 2 comprises two lateral walls 21 which are connected by three longitudinal walls: a front wall 22, a rear wall 23 and a bottom wall 24. These different walls 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the bucket 2 delimit an internal volume. in which is reported the rotary screw 3. The two side walls 21 are each provided with an opening 211 (Figures 1 and 4) for the lateral distribution of the bulk product.

Each lateral opening 211 is delimited here, in particular, by a border of the bottom wall 24 and by a lower part of the edge of the front walls 22 and rear 23. These lateral openings 211 each cooperate with closure means (not shown ) which are movable between open and closed positions, namely for example a movable partition carried by the outer face of the respective side walls 21. The rear wall 23 is provided with means for cooperating with the coupling of the handling machine (not shown), for example a three-point hitch.

The front wall 22, opposite, comprises a free edge 221 here in the form of a blade, so that the front wall 22 can serve as a shovel. The front walls 22 and rear 23 are here flat, diverging relative to each other from the bottom wall 24. The angle between the front walls 22 and rear 23 is for example between 40 ° and 50 °. The free edge of the side walls 21, with the free edge of the front walls 22 and rear 23, defines an upper opening 26 facing the bottom wall 24 (Figure 4). The bottom wall 24 has an arcuate section, in this case in the general shape of a half-cylinder. This bottom wall 24 advantageously extends over an angular sector between 135 ° and 180 °. The rotary screw 3 comprises a hub 31 which defines a longitudinal axis 31 'and which is provided with a thread 32 defining a cylindrical space 33 (FIG. 4).

Such a rotary screw 3 is for example described in the document FR 2 752 566. In particular, the thread 32 of this rotary screw 3 consists of a set of blades 321 which each have a helical segment shape.

The longitudinal axis 31 'is perpendicular to the side walls 21 of the bucket 2; and it is advantageously at least approximately coaxial with the axis of the bottom wall 24. This rotary screw 3 has two ends 35, 36 which are each located at one of the two side walls 21 of the bucket 2, in look at their respective openings 211. For its drive in rotation, and the side of a second end 36 of the rotary screw 3, the hub 31 comprises a tubular section 311 into which are introduced motor means (not visible). These motor means, conventional in themselves, are adapted to ensure a rotation of the rotary screw 3 in both directions of rotation, to allow a distribution of the product by one or the other side openings 211. The cylindrical space 33 of the rotary screw 3 is defined by the peripheral edge of the thread 32.

Part of its cylindrical space 33 matches the bottom wall 24 of the bucket 2 (Figure 4). The radial distance between this cylindrical space 33 and the bottom wall 24 of the body 2 is advantageously reduced to a minimum, for example between 0 and 10 mm.

This rotary screw 3 forms, with the bucket 2, a virtual working zone Z which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 4. By "working zone" is meant the zone of action of the rotating screw 3 on the product in question. Bulk reported in the bucket 2. Without being limited by any theory, this virtual working zone Z corresponds to a volume of the bucket 2 which is delimited: - laterally by its side walls 21, - by its bottom wall 24, - by a lower band of the front walls 22 and rear 23, and - by two planes Z1 and Z2 which are tangent to the cylindrical space 33 of the rotary screw 3.

In this case, a first tangential plane Z1, called "before", is perpendicular to the front wall 22 of the bucket 2; a second tangential plane Z2, called "rear", is perpendicular to the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2. The two aforementioned arms 5, 6 carry the rotating screw 3 opposite and along the bottom wall 24 of the bucket 2 These two arms 5, 6 each have two ends: - a so-called "proximal" end 51, 61 provided with bearing means 511, 611 assembled with the hub 31 of the rotary screw 3, and - an end 52, 62 called " distal ", connected here with one of the walls of the bucket 2. In this case, a first arm 5, also designated" offset arm ", is assembled with the rotary screw 3 at a point located at a distance from its first end 35 (the opposite of the motorization). And a second arm 6, also called "end arm", is assembled with the same rotating screw 3, according to a point at its second end 36 (on the motor side). The first end 35 of the rotary screw 3 constitutes here a free end; the adjoining lateral opening 211 is here devoid of radial structural elements coming in the plan of its bulk (allowing in particular an efficient passage of the products to be dispensed, without obstacle). The offset arm 5 has a particular structure and arrangement, to optimize the circulation of bulk products within the body 2. For this, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, this offset arm 5 here consists of a plate, arched overall shape (when viewed from the side). The thickness of the plate forming this offset arm 5, as well as its proximal end 51, is minimal in order to minimize the cut-off of the screw 3 (and its thread 32) and so as to maintain a continuity thereof.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the plate has a thickness D of at most 8 cm; the proximal end 51 has a thickness E of at most 30 cm. To further limit cutting of the thread 32 of the screw 3, the two blades 321 located on either side of this offset arm 5 have lateral edges 3211 facing each other, extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 31 '. 3211 have a spacing F which is between the thickness D of the plate forming the offset arm 5 and the thickness E of its proximal end 51. These side edges 3211 are each provided, on the hub side 31, a notch 3212 within which extends a portion of the proximal end 51 of the offset arm 5. This offset arm 5 has a longitudinal center line 5 ', defining its curvature between its two ends 51, 52. The proximal end 51 consists of a journal intended to form a bearing, smooth or rolling or of the bearing type, with the hub 31 of the rotary screw 3. The distal end 52 forms an extension provided with holes for its assembly by bolt swim on the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2, for example by means of a plate 7 fitted to the rear face of the rear wall 23 (Figures 4 and 5). For this, this rear wall 23 is provided with a complementary slot 8 (Figure 5) for the insertion of the distal end 52 of the offset arm 5 (Figure 4).

The two ends 51, 52 of this arm 5 each comprise an axis 51 ', 52', tangent to said longitudinal centerline 5 '(Figure 8). These two tangent axes 51 ', 52' extend perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicular, with respect to each other (Figure 8).

This offset arm 5 is further delimited by two curved edges, which are here approximately parallel to each other and relative to the longitudinal centerline 5 ', namely - a concave lower edge 55, intended for s' extend facing the bottom wall 24 and - a convex upper edge 56, opposite.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the offset arm 5 extends here from the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2, and is bent in the direction of the bottom wall 24; the rotary screw 3 is thus suspended, by means of this offset arm 5, to said rear wall 23 of the skip 2. This offset arm 5 extends in a plane P2 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which is perpendicular to a plane P1 defined by the rear wall 23 (Figure 4). It is thus also perpendicular, or at least approximately perpendicular, with respect to the longitudinal axis 31 'of the rotary screw 3. The distal end 52 of this first arm 5 is connected to the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2, in outside the working area Z of the rotary screw 3 (Figure 4). This distal end 52 of the first arm 5 is thus located above the rear plane Z2 which is tangent to the cylindrical space 33 of the rotary screw 3 and which is perpendicular to the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2. The distal end 52 of the shifted arm 5 is thus connected with the rear wall 23 of the bucket 2, also outside the cylindrical space 33 defined by the thread 32 of the rotary screw 3. In particular, as shown in FIG. tangential axis 51 'of the proximal end 51 of the offset arm 5 extends parallel, or at least approximately parallel, with respect to the general plane P1 of the rear wall 23. The tangential axis 52' of the distal end 52 of this arm 5 extends perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicular to the same plane P1 of the rear wall 23. As shown further in Figure 4, the lower edge 55 of the offset arm 5, concave curved shape ve, forms a clearance zone G with the cylindrical space 33 of the rotary screw 3 and with its virtual working zone Z. This clearance zone G is thus delimited by the lower edge 55 of the offset arm 5, by the rear plane Z2 above and by a longitudinal band of the rear wall 23.

The proximal end 51 of this offset arm 5 is connected to the rotary screw 3 for its division into two screw portions which extend on either side of this arm 5 (in particular FIG. 6): a portion of screws 37, called "short", extending between this offset arm 5 and the first end 35 of rotating screw 3, and - a screw portion 38, called "long", extending between the same offset arm 5 and the second end 36 of the rotary screw 3. The offset arm 5 thus extends away from the first end 35 of the rotary screw 3 and the corresponding side wall 21 of the bucket 2.

For example, the short screw portion 37 has a length of between 250 mm and 650 mm; the long screw portion 38 has a length of between 2100 and 2500 mm. In general, the length of the short screw portion 37 corresponds to 1/3 to 1/6 of the length of the long screw portion 38. Alternatively, not shown, the distal end 52 of this first offset arm 5 is connected to the front wall 22 of the bucket 2, again outside the working zone Z of the rotary screw 3. The end arm 6, here conventional in itself, consists of a rectilinear part of which: - 1 the proximal end 61 is secured to the motor means and with the second end 36 of the rotary screw 3, and the distal end 62 is secured to the corresponding side wall 21 at the bottom wall 24.

This end arm 6 extends here in the space of the corresponding opening 211. In this case, the end arm 6, associated with the drive means, is in front right mounting; and the offset arm 5 is in front left assembly. It is quite possible to make a reverse structure, with the end arm 6 in the left front and the offset arm 5 in the right front. In practice, the product is loaded into the bucket 2 of the bucket 1 through its upper opening 26. The product can then be dispensed by one or other of these two lateral openings 211, by rotating in a appropriate direction of the rotary screw 3. The arrangement and the shape of the offset arm 5 ensure optimum routing of the product to be dispensed at the adjacent lateral opening 211, formed at the first end 35 of the rotary screw 3.

This offset arm 5 releases the working zone Z; the adjoining opening 211 will be particularly useful for the distribution of certain fibrous products or long strands such as forage, including grass silage.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS 1.- Bucket for mixing and / or dispensing a bulk product, in particular a silage product used in the agricultural field for livestock feed, which bucket (1) comprises: - a bucket (2) for receiving the bulk product, comprising two side walls (21) connected by a front wall (22), a rear wall (23) and a bottom wall (24), which bottom wall ( 24) has an arcuate section, and at least one of said sidewalls (21) being provided with an opening (211) for lateral distribution of said bulk product, - at least one rotatable screw (3) of mixture and / or distribution reported in said bucket (2), which rotary screw (3) has two ends (35, 36) each located at one of the two side walls (21) of said bucket (2), which rotatable screw (3) comprises a hub (31) provided with a thread (32) defining its cylindrical space (33), a part of which corresponds to the bottom wall (24) of said bucket (2), which rotating screw (3) forms, with said bucket (2), a virtual working zone (Z), and - at least two arms (5, 6) carrying said rotating screw (3) facing said bottom wall (24) of the body (2), which arms (5, 6) each have a proximal end (51, 61) provided with bearing means (511, 611) assembled with the hub (31) of said rotary screw (3), and a distal end (52, 62) connected to one of the walls (22, 23) of said bucket (2), which proximal end (51) of a first arm (5) is assembled with said rotary screw (3) at a distance from a first end (35) of said rotatable screw (3), so as to form two portions of screws (37, 38) on each side and other of said first arm (5): - a short screw portion (37) extending between said first arm (5) and said first end (35) of rotatable screw (3) and - a long screw portion (38) ), extending between said first arm (5) and the second end (36) of the rotary screw (3), characterized in that the distal end (52) of said first arm (5) is connected to one of the walls (22, 23) of said body (2), outside said working zone (Z) of the rotary screw (3). 2. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product according to claim 1, characterized in that the virtual working zone (Z) is delimited by the bottom wall (24) of the bucket (2) and by two planes (Z1, Z2) tangent to the cylindrical space (33) of the rotary screw (3): - a front plane (Z1), perpendicular to the front wall (22) of the body (2) and - a rear plane (Z2), perpendicular to the rear wall (23) of the bucket (2). 3.- bucket for mixing and / or dispensing of product, according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the distal end (52) of the first arm (5) is connected with the front wall ( 22) or with the rear wall (23) of said body (2). 4. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to claim 3, characterized in that the first arm (5) has a generally arcuate shape, extending from the front wall (22) or the rear wall (23) of said bucket (2) and curved towards the bottom wall (24), so that the rotary screw (3) is suspended by said first arm (5), said front wall (22) or said rear wall (23) of said bucket (2). 5. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to claim 4, characterized in that the first arm (5) has a lower edge (55) extending facing the bottom wall (24). ) of the bucket (2), which has a concave curved shape, to form a clearance zone (G) with the cylindrical bulk (33) of the rotary screw (2) and with its virtual working zone (Z). 6. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the two ends (51, 52) of the first arm (5) each comprise a tangential axis ( 51 ', 52') which extend perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicular, with respect to each other. 7.- Bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to claim 6, characterized in that the distal end (52) of the first arm (5) is secured to the rear wall (23), in that the tangential axis (51 ') of the proximal end (51) of the arm (5) extends parallel or at least approximately parallel with respect to a general plane (P1) of the rear wall (23), and in that the tangent axis (52 ') of the distal end (52) of said first arm (5) extends perpendicularly or at least approximately perpendicular to the plane (P1) of said rear wall (23). 8.- bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first arm (5) consists of a reported plate having a general plane (P2) s extending perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicularly, with respect to the longitudinal axis (31 ') of the rotary screw (3). 9. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the distal end (52) of the first arm (5) comprises an extension which is introduced at through a complementary slot (8) formed in the front wall (22) or rear (23) and which is fixed on a support member (7) by means of fixing means. 10. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first end (35) of the rotary screw (3) is located on the side of the opening (211) for lateral distribution of said bulk product. 11. Cup for mixing and / or dispensing of product, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the long screw portion (38) comprises a tubular section (311) into which are introduced motor means which are assembled with the proximal end (61) of the second support arm (6). 12. A bucket for mixing and / or dispensing product, according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the two side walls (21) of the bucket (2) are each provided with an opening (211) arranged opposite one of the two ends (35, 36) of the rotary screw (3).