GB2081561A - Slurry spreading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for remotely engaging and disengaging and coupling and uncoupling the suction hose (56) to and from the pipe of a slurry spreading apparatus comprises mounting means (10) which is securable to the pipe and pivotally carries the nozzle (13) to be engaged over the orifice. The pivot (9) is secured to linkage means (27, 28, 29, 14) including a trigger lever (26). Ground-engaging means has a movable assembly (36, 34) spaced above the ground and to one end of which the suction hose (56) can be clamped. The assembly includes trigger-engaging pegs (38, 39) and fin (39A) to cause, through movement of the trigger (26) and consequential movement of the linkage means, the nozzle (13) to be swung out of engagement with the pipe (11). Co-operating alignment means on said assembly and on said mounting means ensures docking of said one end of the hose (56) with the pipe. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Slurry spreading apparatus This invention relates to slurry spreading apparatus of the type comprising a wheeled chassis mounting on elongate container lengthwise thereof, the container having a closable orifice at the trailing end thereof in the direction of travel, through which orifice fluent slurry is sucked into the container and from which fluent slurry is discharged under pressure. The orifice is defined in the outer rearward end of a pipe leading from the container and is closable by a gate valve interposed in the pipe adjacent to the orifice.The gate of the gate valve is connected by a link to a lever there above which is pivoted at one end to the rear of the container, the gate being raised and lowered in its housing on extension and retraction respectively of a ram and piston anchored between the container and the lever, a return spring being provided to assist in retracting the piston into the ram. Heretofore, a nozzle has been provided to be manually clamped over the orifice, the nozzle having a plate mounted opposite its outlet and inclined away therefrom rearwardly of the container whereby fluent slurry exhausted through the nozzle impinges the plate and is spray-deflected. Also, a suction hose has been provided to be manually connected to the pipe over the orifice, after removal of the nozzle and through which fluent slurry can be sucked from a reservoir of slurry.This invention is primarily concerned with apparatus for remotely engaging and disengaging the nozzle to and from the pipe, and coupling and uncoupling the suction hose to and from the pipe of a slurry spreading apparatus of the type stated, hereinafter in the specification simply referred to as "apparatus for the purpose aforesaid".

According to one aspect of the present invention, apparatus for the purpose aforesaid comprises in combination mounting means and ground-engaging means, the mounting means being adapted to be secured to the pipe and pivotally carrying the nozzle to be engaged over the orifice, the pivot of which is secured to linkage means including trigger and the ground-engaging means having a movable assembly spaced above the ground and to which one end of the suction hose can be clamped, the assembly including trigger-engaging means to cause, through movement of the trigger consequential movement of the linkage means, the nozzle to be swung out of engagement with the pipe, and co-operating alignment means on said assembly and on said mounting means to ensure docking of said one end of the hose with the pipe.

Preferably, the mounting means include two guide plates symmetrically provided at opposite lateral sides of the pipe, and extending rearwardly beyond the end thereof, both plates having similar V-grooves opening out at the rearward end of the plates and converging inwardly towards the end of the pipe defining the orifice, the grooves to be engaged by diametrically-opposite bayonets on the one end of the hose and on the nozzle, the hose or nozzle being fully-engaged with the pipe when the bayonets are at the apices of the grooves.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided slurry spreading apparatus of the type stated having apparatus for the purpose aforesaid described in the next two proceding paragraphs.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the back and to one side of the trailing end of a slurry spreading apparatus showing mounted thereon, mounting means and part of ground-engaging means of apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ground-engaging means of the apparatus to a smaller scale than Fig.

1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4A is a side elevation of one side of the mounting means; Fig. 4B is a side elevation of the opposite side of the mounting means; and Fig. 4C is an underneath plan view.

Referring to the drawings, apparatus for the purpose aforesaid comprises mounting means 10 to be clamped around the pipe 11. The means 10 includes two guide plates 17 symmetrically provided on opposite lateral sides of the pipe 11, the guide plates 17 extending rearwardly beyond the end of the pipe 11. Both plates 17 have similar V-grooves 58 (Figs.

4A, 4B) opening out at the rearward end of the plates 17 and converging inwardly to a slot 59 at the apices and towards the end of the pipe 11 defining the orifice. A pivot pin 9 extends between and is journalled for pivotal movement in said plates 17. Nozzle 13 has two diametrically- opposite extending bayonets 61 (Fig. 1) to the outer ends of which one end of arms 60 are fixed, the other end of the arms 60 being fast with pivot pin 9. The nozzle plate is shown as 13A.

A passage is formed (Fig. 4C) below said plates 17 by two walls 37 having converging lead-in plates 37A. Linkage means to swing the nozzle 13 out-ofengagement with the pipe 11 comprises in sequence a trigger in the form of a first order lever 26, a first link 27, a second first order lever 28, a second link 29 and an arm 14. Lever 26 is pivoted on shaft 16 whose axis is parallel to and near one wall 37. An outer end of lever 26 is located through a slot 18 in one wall 37 in the passage. The other end of lever 26 is located in an open-topped body 25 whose bottom is quadrant shape (Fig. 4c), the shaft 16 being at the apex thereof. A lug 26A is mounted extending radially of the upstanding walls of said body 25. One end of link is pivoted to lug 26A and its other end to end of lever 28 fulcrumed on shaft 19.The other end of lever 28 is pivoted to one end of link 29. The other end of link 29 is pivoted to arm 14 whose other end is fast with pivot pin 9.

The lever 26 is biased inwardly of the passage as shown in Fig. 4C, the biasing being provided by spring 26B anchored to stop 15A fast with wall 37 and stop 15B fast with lever 26. A link 23 is pivoted to lever 21 with the gate of gate valve 22 connected to lever 21 by the link 23. The ram and piston is numbered 24, and the container 12.

Ground-engaging means as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is a trailer comprising an elongate framework on each lateral side of which a wheel-receiving, ground-engaging plate 30 is removeably mounted said framework and when mounted, hingedly attached at 30A thereto forfolding inwardly against the framework. To limit rearward movement of wheels, a stop 31 is provided at the back end of plates 30. The framework has a tow bar 34 mounted at the apex of two diverging bars 32A leading to parallel portions 32B. The walls 32A and 328 are braced by two cross-beams 33A and 338. A moveable assembly is provided and comprises a first boom 36 hingedly connected to an upright 35 for horizontal movement at 35A and vertical movement at 35B. Upright 35 is mounted above cross-beam 33A.A sub-assembly has two inclined lateral struts 41 hinged at their bottom ends to cross-beam 33B and at their top ends to cross-beam 42. Struts 41 are braced together by cross-beam 43. The struts 41 are supported off the ground by jacks 40 manually height adjustable. A second boom 34 sits above and is pivoted at 34A to the outer end of boom 36. The boom 34 is connected at its forward end via spring 62A to boom 36 and via spring 62B to cross-beam 42.

The springs are anchored as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and serve to return the boom 34to its rest position.

Co-operating alignment means includes the passage formed by walls 37 ofthe mounting means and the corresponding part on the ground-engaging means to govern pivotal and lateral movement of the boom 34 comprises first and second upright pegs 38,39.

Peg 38 extends upwardly above pivot 34A. Peg 39 has a fin 39A trailing it, a part extending below said peg as a pointer 39B for movement between two limiting stops 44.

Rearward of Peg 39, two rollers 45 are mounted below boom 34to run along cross-beam 42 thereby supporting the rear end of boom 34. A pitched roof 46 is provided over rollers 45 to shield said rollers from any slurry which may fall from the end of a hose when mounted on a hose support 47 which is carried at the outer end of boom 34. The support 47 is pivotally mounted at 49 and carries at its upper end a hose clamp 51. The support 47 is connected to boom 34 by two springs 54 one located on each lat eral side of support 47 to hold the support 47 in an upright position relative to boom 34.The forward end of a suction hose 56 (Fig. 1) is clamped in clamp 51,the outer end of the hose 56 having diametrically-opposite extending bayonets 57 to locate in the V-grooves 58 of guide plates 17, the hose 56 being fully engaged with pipe 11 when the bayonets 57 are in the slots 59 at the apices of the grooves 58. Two ground-engaging wheels 50 are provided to be fitted, one to each end of cross-beam 338 which forms the axle for the trailer.

Slurry spreading apparatus is normally a trailer towed behind a tractor. The mounting means above-described is mounted on the container 12 as described. The nozzle 13 is in the engaged position over the orifice of the pipe 11 and is in that position under gravity. For fluent slurry to be discharged from the container 12 with the gate of the gate valve closed, the inside of the container is pressurised. The gate valve is then opened by extension of ram and piston 24. After discharge of slurry, for fluent slurry to be sucked into the container 12, the trailer is s reversed onto the ground-engagement means, the wheels running over plates 30. As the trailer is being reversed, the first peg 38 passes into the passage.

between walls 37 to trigger lever 26 to move body 35 thereby moving lug 26A rearwardly and consequently moves link 27 rearwardly causing lever 28 to pivot to pull link 29 to rotate arms 14 and pin 9 causing the nozzle 13 to be moved out-of-engagement with the pipe 11. As peg 38 moves past lever 26, lever 26 returns to its initial position underthe biasing of spring 26B. This however does not move back body 35. To hold the nozzle 13 open, a mounting 52 is fast on the opposite end of shaft 19 extending beyond the other plate 17 (Fig. 48). This mounting 52 is connected by a spring 53 to an anchorage 55 on plate 17. Peg 39 and fin 39A enter the passage shortly thereafter to hold lever 26 open. Stops 31 indicates to the tractor driver that he has reversed far enough, by giving a resistance to further movement.

At this stage, the end of the suction hose 56 is fully engaged with pipe 11. The spring 54 holds the hose in its engaged position. The other end of the hose is in a slurry reservoirforslurryto be sucked into the container 12. With the gate valve opened, a suction pump on the container 12 is energised, and afterthe requisite amount of slurry is sucked into the container 12, the gate valve is closed and the trailer moved forwardly off the ground-engaging means.

This serves to uncouple the hose, the pegs leave the passage and lever 26 returns to its biased position thereby returning the nozzle 13 to its engaged position. The springs 62A and 62B return the movable assembly to its rest position ready for re-use. As peg 38 passes lever 26 it causes the lever to return body 25 to its original position. A handle 70 may be provided to open nozzle 13, if required.

The ground-engaging means with wheels thereon can be towed to the required location and uncoupled from the towing vehicle. The wheels are connected to their axle through cranks 50A and on site the means can be ground-engaged.

Claims (6)

1. Apparatus for the purpose aforesaid comprises in combination mounting means and ground-engaging means, the mounting means being adapted to be secured to the pipe and pivotally carrying the nozzle to be engaged over the orifice, the pivot of which is secured to linkage means 1 including a trigger and the ground-engaging means having a movable assembly spaced above the ground and to which one end of the suction hose can be clamped, the assembly including trigger engaging means to cause, through movement of the trigger consequently movement of the linkage means, the nozzle to be swung out of engagement with the pipe, and co-operating alignment means on said assembly and on said mounting means to ensure docking of said one end of the hose with the pipe.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mounting means include two guide plates symmet rically provided at opposite lateral sides of the pipe, and extending rearwardly beyond the end thereof, both plates having similar V-grooves opening out at the rearward end ofthe plates and converging inwardly towards the end of the pipe defining the orifice, the grooves to be engaged by diametrically opposite bayonets on the one end of the hose and on the nozzle, the hose or nozzle being fully-engaged with the pipe when the bayonets are at the apices of the grooves.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the ground-engaging means is a trailer which can be towed to a location and set down, the assembly hav ing an elongate framework with wheel-receiving plates on each lateral side thereof and above said framework between said plates, the movable assembly is provided.

4. A slurry-spreadi ng apparatus of the Type stated having apparatus as claimed in Claim 1,2 or3 mounted thereon.

5. Apparatus for the purpose aforesaid substan tially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. Slurry-spreading having mounted thereon apparatus for the purpose aforesaid substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.