GB2067062A - A device for the controllable delivery of material - Google Patents

Abstract

A device such as a fertilizer spreader includes a hopper (2) which has a delivery orifice (8) at the bottom. The aperture size of the orifice (8) is adjustable by means of a control plate (9) which is movable relatively to the hopper (2). The control plate (9) is resistant to corrosion, and a layer (14), also of corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel, is fixed to the bottom of the hopper (2). This avoids the problem of the control plate (9) becoming rusted to the hopper (2), for example when the spreader is out of use for a long time. The layer (14) has an opening (15) in register with the orifice (8). Instead of being of stainless steel, the layer (14) may be of another corrosion-resistant metal or of enamel, applied by immersion, spraying or electrolytic methods. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for the controllable delivery of material This invention relates to a device for the controllable delivery of material particularly, although not exclusively, a fertilizer spreader or a seed drill.

Such devices sometimes comprise a control member movable relatively to a hopper or other container for controlling the flow of material from the hopper. However, the control member and the hopper may become rusted together.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device comprising a container for material, the container having an outlet portthrough which material in the container can flow, a rust-proof control member being provided adjacent the outlet port and being movable relatively to the container to control the flow of material from the container, a layer of rust-proof material being secured to the container between the container and the control member.

The layer of rustproof material may be bonded to the container by means of an adhesive.

A passage is preferably provided in the layer of rust-proof material, in register with the outlet port.

This avoids the risk of material penetrating in between the control member and the container so that the movement of the slide with respect to the hopper will not be hindered.

The layer of rust-proof material preferably covers substantially the whole area over which the control member is movable.

This ensures the easy movement of the control member with respect to the container.

The layer of rust-proof material may comprise a thin plate secured to the container. The layer of rust-proof material may comprise stainless steel.

Four a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa front view of a spreader; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of part of a hopper of an alternative spreader construction; Figure 5 is a sectional perspective view of part of a seed trough of a seed drill; and 'Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, similar two Figure 3, showing an alternative construction.

The spreader shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a frame 1 supporting a hopper 2. The frame 1 comprises means (not shown) for hitching the spreader to the lifting device of a tractor. The hopper 2 has two funnel outlets 3 and 4 having walls 6. Below each outlet 3 and 4there is a spreading member 5, one being shown in Figure 2. The spreading members 5 are mounted on upwardly extending shafts 18 which are journalied in the frame and are connected with drive means which can be coupled with the power take-off shaft of the tractor to cause rotation of the spreading members.

Each of the funnel outlets 3 and 4 is provided in the lower region with a dosing mechanism for regulating the delivery of material from the hopper to the respective spreading member. The dosing mechanisms are identical and Figures 2 and 3 show only the dosing mechanism of the funnel outlet 3. The dosing mechanism comprises a substantially horizontal, circular, metal bottom wall 7 adjoining the conical lower region of the wall 6 of the funnel outlet 3. The bottom wall 7 has two delivery orifices 8. Beneath the bottom wall 7 there is a control plate 9 having dosing orifices 22 which, like the orifices 8, lie on an arc centred on an axis 23 of the outlet3 and the control plate 9. The control plate 9 is made from rust-proof or corrosion-resistant material, or is coated or otherwise treated so as to be rust-proof or corrosion-resistant.

The control plate 9 is supported by a ring 12, which is secured to the bottom wall 7 in a manner not shown. The control plate 9 extends around a spacer ring 13 which is disposed above the supporting ring 12 and is also secured to the bottom wall 7. The underside of the metal bottom wall 7 is provided with a layer 14 of rust-proof material which in this embodiment comprises a stainless steel plate. The plate 14 is bonded to the underside of the bottom wall 7 by an adhesive. The plate 14 has openings 15 which register with the delivery orifices 18 and are the same shape and size. The plate 14 is in contact with the entire underside surface of the bottom wall 7 and is also circular, its diameter 21 being equal to that of the underside of the bottom wall 7.At the centre, the plate 14 has an opening corresponding with an opening 16 in the bottom wall 7, through which projects a hub 17 of an agitator 19 mounted on the shaft 18. The stainless steel plate 14 has a thickness 20 of about 0.5 mm in this embodiment. Preferably the layer 14 has a thickness 20 not exceeding 2mm. Although, as described, the layer 14 is made from stainless steel, it is possible to use a different rust-proof material, such as a synthetic resin sheet bonded to the bottom wall.

The presence of the layer 14 on the underside of the bottom wall 7 ensures that the stainless steel disc 9 and the underside of the bottom wall 7 will not become rusted together, and the operation of the control plate 9 thus made more reliable. The ad hesive bonding of the rust-proof layer 14to the underside of the bottom wall 7 provides a simple construction, and the material from which the hopper is made can be chosen independently of that from which the control plate is made. The hopper can thus be manufactured in a simple manner at low cost. The hopper can be made, as in the illustrated embodiment, from a less specialized metal. The layer 14 can be produced in a simple manner such that its lower surface is flat and smooth so that the movement of the control plate 9 over it can take place easily.

For adjusting the control plate 9 and for holding it in a desired position, it is provided with a collar 10, which is provided with a coupling rod 11 linked to an adjusting mechanism (not shown). The control plate 9 can be moved to briny the dosing orifices 22 into register to a greater or lesser extent with the delivery orifices 8 in the bottom wall 7 and the passages 15 in the plate 14. By varying the overlap of the orifices 22 and the orifices 8, the rate of delivery of material from the hopper is adjusted.

Although in the illustrated embodiment the plate 14 extends between the spacer ring 13 and the bottom wall 7, it is possible for the spacer ring 13 to be fastened directly to the bottom wall 7 so that an edge of the plate 14 surrounds the periphery of the ring 13. The ring 13 may then have a thickness equal to the thickness of the illustrated rings 13 and 14.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3,the delivery ports of the dosing mechanism are provided in the horizontal bottom wall of the hopper. However, the present invention may also be applied to a differently designed dosing mechanism with differently disposed outlet ports. Figure 4shows, partially, an embodiment in which a hopper 26 has two funnel outlets 27 and 28 corresponding to the funnel outlets 3 and 4 in Figures 1 to 3. The funnel outlets 27 and 28 have walls 29 which are slightly more steeply inclined than the wall 6. As shown only for the funnel outlet 27, the outlets 27 and 28 have a delivery orifice 31 in their sides facing each other. Material passes through the orifice 31 from the hopper 26 to a distribution member, like the distribution member 5, located beneath the funnel outlet.The delivery orifice 31 can be closed to a greater or lesser extent by a control plate 32 which is movable upwardly and downwardly for example, in the direction of the arrow 35. The control plate may alternatively be horizontally movable to a greater or lesser extent.

Preferably the control plate 32 is made from a rust resistant material. The metal wall 29 of the funnel outlet 27 is provided with a layer 33 of rust-proof material around the delivery orifice 31, covering at least part of the area over which the control plate can move to the wall 29. The layer 33 comprises a stainless steel plate having a thickness 37 of about 0.5 mm and it has an opening 34 which is in register with the orifice 31. The layer 33 is bonded by an adhesive to the wall 29 of the hopper 26. The control plate 32 is provided with a coupling member 36, which is coupled in a manner not shown with an adjusting mechanism designed so that the control plate 32 can be moved into different positions relatively to the orifice 31 for closing the delivery orifice 31 and the registering opening 34 to a greater or lesser extent.In this way the amount of material flowing from the hopper through the orifice 31 can be controlled.

The presence of the layer 33 ensures that the plate 32 cannot become rusted to the metal wall 29. As in the preceding embodiment, the adhesive bonding of the layer 33 to the wall 29 provides a simple method of assembling the component parts of the spreader.

No special means such as nails or rivets are required for fastening the layers 14 or 33 to the respective funnel outlet, the layers 14 or 33 can be bonded over their entire surface to the wall concerned so that material from the hopper cannot get in between the layer 14 or 33 and the wall. Thus the formation of rust or accumulation of material between the hopper wall and the layer 14 or33 are avoided, which might otherwise give rise to undesired bubbling of the layers 14 or 33 and hence to hinderance of the movement of the control plate along the wall of the funnel outlet.

Figure 5 shows part of an elongate seed trough 40 of a seed drill. In operation, the seed trough 40 extends transversely of the direction of travel of the seed drill.

The bottom of the seed trough 40 is provided with a plurality of delivery orifices 41, along which a control.

plate 42 is movable in the direction of the arrow 44.

The plate 42 has dosing orifices corresponding with the orifices 41. By displacing the control plate, the dosing orifices can coincide to a greater or lesser extent with the delivery orifices 41 so asto close the orifice 41 to a greater or lesser extent for controlling the rate at which material is fed from the hopper 40.

As in the preceding embodiments, the control plate 42 is coupled with an adjusting mechanism (not shown) so that the control plate 42 can be moved to different positions. The control plate 42 is movable into end positions in one of which the orifices in the control plate completely register with the orifices 41 and in the other of which the control plate 42 completely blocks the orifices 41.

In order to ensure that the control plate 42 will not become rusted to the wall of the trough 40 and will remain readily movable along the bottom of the trough 40, even if the machine has not been in use for a long time, a layer 43 of rust-proof material, for example a stainless steel plate about 0.5 mm thick, is applied to the underside of the trough 40. As in the preceding embodiments the layer 43 may be adhesively bonded to the underside of the trough 40. The layer 43 has openings identical to the delivery orifices 41 so that the openings of the delivery orifices 41 are completely in register with the openings in the plate 43. In this manner the control plate will satisfactorily match the rust-proof layer around the delivery orifices, for example, the orifices 8,31 and 41.

Figure 6 shows a vertical sectional view like Figure 3 of a further embodiment of the funnel outlet of a hopper. In this embodiment parts corresponding with those of Figure 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. In the embodiment of Figure 6 the whole lower portion of the funnel outlets 6, for a height 47, is coated with a rust-proof layer 46. This rust-proof layer 46 is applied both to the outside and to the inside of the funnel outlet and also covers the edges of the orifices such as the orifice 16 and the delivery orifices 8. The rust-proof layer 46 can be advantageously applied to the material of the delivery spout 6, for example, by dipping in a solution.

The layer 46 may comprise enamel. If methods are used which cause the enamel layer to adhere very firmly to the coated material, such a layer is very suitable for use in spreaders for spreading corrosive materials such as fertilizer. By using novel methods for applying the layer 46 of enamel, a layer can be produced which is highly resistant to shocks and wear so that it is particularly suitable for use in agricultural implements, especially in spreaders as in the illustrated embodiment. The application of the enamel layer46 to the inside of the hopper as well as the outside has the advantage that the material will not become stuck in the funnel outlet around the delivery orifices, since the enamel layer is smooth.

Thus the flow of material through the delivery orifice 8 can be quite uniform, which is especially desirable in devices for dispensing seed or fertilizer in order to ensure uniform distribution of the material. Since the layer46 is applied to the lower side of the bottom wall 7, the dosing plate 9 cannot become rusted to the funnel outlet 6. Therefore, the movability of the control plate 9 relatively to the bottom wall 7 is always ensured so that closing of the delivery orifices 8 to a greater or lesserextentto control the rate of delivery of material can be reliably effected. If desired, instead of being applied to the surfaces to be coated by immersion, the enamel layer can be sprayed onto the surfaces concerned.

Although the protective layer 46 is shown applied to both the outside and the inside of the funnel outlet, it could be applied only to the underside of the bottom wall 7 substantially in the same place as the plate 14 of Figure 3 is stuck. This would ensure that no rust will be formed between the control plate 9 and the hopper so that the plate 9 can always be readily moved with respect to the hopper for setting the aperture size of the delivery orifices 8.

Instead of being enamel, the protective layer 46 could comprise other, substantially rust-proof materials such as nickel or chromium. Such layers could be applied in the appropriate manner, for example by electrolysis, to the surfaces of the funnel outlets 6 to be protected, for example, to the underside of the bottom wall 7.

Whilst various features of the machines that have been described, and that are illustrated in the drawings, will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is to be noted that the invention is not necessarily limited to these features and that it encompasses all of the features that have been described both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (18)

1. A device comprising a container for material, the container having an outlet port through which material in the container can flow, a rust-proof control member being provided adjacent the outlet port and being movable relatively to the container to control the flow of material from the container, a layer of rust-proof material being secured to the container between the container and the control member.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the layer of rust-proof material is adhesively bonded to the container.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the layer of rust-proof material has an opening in register with the outlet port.

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4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the layer of rust-proof material covers at least substantially the whole area of the container of which the control member is movable.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the layer of rust-proof material comprises a thin plate applied to the hopper.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the layer of rust-proof material has a thickness of about 0.5 mm.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the layer of rust-proof material comprises stainless steel.

8. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, in which the rust-proof layer is applied both to the inside and to the outside of a lower region of the container.

9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the rust-proof layer is applied to the periphery of the outlet port.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the layer of rust-proof material comprises enamel.

11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the rust-proof layer comprises chromium and/or nickel.

12. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the control member is fixable in either of at least two positions with respect to the container.

13. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is an agricultural fertilizer spreader.

14. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, which is a seed drill.

15. A spreader or a seed drill substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of fastening a layer of rust-proof material to a container having an outlet port across which a control member is movable, the method comprising adhesively bonding the layer of rustproof material to the container at the area where the control member moves along the container.

17. A method of applying a protective layerof rust-proof material to a container maving an outlet port across which a control member is movable, the method comprising at least partly immersing the container in a liquid which is curable or settable to form a rust-proof layer, and causing or allowing the liquid to set or cure.

18. Amethod of applying a protective layerof rust-roof material to a container having an outlet port across which a control member is movable, the method comprising applying the rust-proof material to the container adjacent the outlet port by spraying or electrolysis.