GB2097271A

GB2097271A - Distributor and mixing trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2097271A
Application number: GB8206770A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-03-06
Filing date: 1982-03-08
Publication date: 1982-11-03
Also published as: FR2501130B1; FR2501130A1; GB2097271B

Abstract

A mixer/distributor agricultural trailer 1 has a plane rear wall, an inclined front wall 1b and a longitudinal base conveyor 29 to move material forwardly. Above and towards the front end of the conveyor 29 is a frame 34 carrying a rotatable system of claws or teeth 35, movable (e.g. pivotable) towards or away from the conveyor 29. At its closest this system can return all of the conveyed material, to effect mixing only. If it is spaced to a variable greater extent, it permits a progressively higher proportion of the conveyor (and if desired mixed) materials to pass a bladed rotor 43, 44 and through a forward hatch 47 on to a transverse conveyor 45 for selective side distribution of the material. The rear of the trailer can have a cutting/loading device 13 for feed material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Distributor and mixer trailer The present invention relates to a trailer designed to enable the distribution and mixing of products such as cattle fodder, fertilizer or manure.

The trailer of the invention, whose base comprises a substantially plane rear wall and an upwardly inclined front wall and which comprises a continuous longitudinal conveyor disposed in the immediate proximity of its base, is characterised in that it comprises a system of claws or moving teeth supported on a frame whose position with respect to the upper end of the longitudinal conveyor may be adjusted such that the system of claws or teeth may be brought at will into the immediate vicinity of the conveyor in order to move the product located in the upper portion of this conveyor in a rearward direction, thus ensuring that the product is mixed, or may be variously spaced from the conveyor to enable the removal of a varying amount of the product from the trailer.

In operation, the product contained in the trailer is displaced by the longitudinal conveyor towards the front of the trailer and towards its upper portion. A portion of the product is rearwardly returned by the system of teeth or claws. The remaining portion of the product falls from the longitudinal conveyor onto the transverse conveyor and is laterally evacuated. The flow rate of the product which falls onto the transverse conveyor may be adjusted by modifying the position of the system of claws or teeth.

If the system of claws or teeth is brought into the immediate vicinity of the longitudinal conveyor, a zero flow of product may be produced. The trailer then solely ensures mixing and shredding of the product which it contains.

The system of teeth or claws have a moving belt supporting the teeth or claws, or have one or more rotary drums provided on their periphery with the teeth or claws.

The rear portion of the trailer may be closed by a movable scoop member with a lower portion provided with a cutting device. In this way it is possible to cut a certain amount of silage from a silo and convey it within the trailer. This portion of silage is then shredded, mixed and distributed as described above.

A rotor provided with blades around its periphery is advantageously provided at a slight distance above the upper end of the longitudinal conveyor. This rotor facilitates the discharge of the product and regulates its distribution.

Two embodiments of the trailer of the invention are described hereafter, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment in the distribution position, Figure 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, in the mixing position, Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a second embodiment, Figure 4 is a horizontal section.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the trailer of the invention comprises a skip 1 provided with support wheels 2 whose axis may be seen at 3. The front portion of this skip has articulated at 4 a steering lever 5 connected to the skip by a jack 6.

The base of the skip 1 is terminated at its rear portion by a cutting blade 7 which may rest on the ground when the skip is tipped about the axis 3 of the wheels 4 by actuating the jack 6 (Fig. 2). On both sides of the blade 7 there are disposed two walls 8 which are outwardly directed, as shown in Fig. 4, and which extend the lateral walls of the skip.

Two telescopic arms 9, 10 are pivotably mounted at 11 on the skip 1 at its upper portion. Jacks 1 2 connect the skip to the arms 9 and enable these arms to be pivoted about the axis 11.

A scoop 1 3 is pivotably mounted at 14 on the ends of the arms 10, stops 1 5 limiting the outward pivoting of the scoop at the position shown in Fig. 1. Jacks 1 6 connect the scoop to the arms 9. When these jacks 16 are in their extended position they cause the scoop 1 3 to pivot outwardly and, when the scoop has come into contact with the stops 15, they ensure the extension of the telescopic arms 9, 10. On the other hand, when the jacks 16 are in their retracted position, the arms 9, 10 are telescoped and the scoop pivots inwardly about the axis 1 4. By manoeuvring the jacks 1 2 and 16, it is possible to bring the scoop into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it closes the rear portion of the skip.

The scoop 1 3 may comprise claws on its lower free edge. In the embodiment illustrated, it is provided with a cutting device.

More precisely, the scoop has the shape of a casing 1 7 whose lower edge is open and within which there is disposed an endless chain 18. This chain has an operating side which is parallel to the lower edge of casing 1 7 and supports cutting blades 1 9 as well as spacers 20 disposed behind these cutting blades, the blades and the spacers projecting with respect to the lower edge of the casing 1 7. The chain 18 passes over return pinions disposed at the ends of the lower edge of the casing 17, and over a drive pinion 20. This pinion is connected by a transmission comprising universal joints 21, a sliding coupling 22, a bevel gear 23 and a shaft 24, to the shaft 25 of a drive device 26 comprising a clutch and designed to be connected to the power take-off of a tractor.

After displacement of the scoop 13, as shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to cut a portion of silage 27 from the base of a silo, by pressing the cutting chain 1 8 into the silo by means of the jacks 12 and by returning this portion inside the skip 1 by manoeuvring the jacks 16. If the scoop 1 3 is introduced inside the skip 1, as shown in dot-dash lines in Fig.

1, the product disposed on the cutting blade 7 may be brought within the skip.

It is also possible to load a round bale 28 inside the skip 1.

In the vicinity of a false base 1 a of the skip I there is provided a conveyor belt 29 provided with drive bars 30. This belt is forwardly and upwardly extended above an oblique wall 1 b which forwardly extends the false base 1 a and passes over a drive drum 32.

Above the oblique portion of the belt 29 there is provided a second belt 33 which is supported by a frame 34 and is provided with rubber blades 35 and teeth 36. This belt passes over a drive drum 37 having its axis at 37' and over a return drum 38. The frame 34 is pivotably mounted on the lateral walls of the skip 1 about the axis 37' and is connected to these lateral walls by a jack 39.

The drive drum 37 of the belt 33 is connected by a chain 41 and a clutch to the drive device 26. In a similar manner, the drive drum 32 of the belt 29 is connected to this drive device by a chain 42. The arrangement is such that the portion of the belt 29 opposite the belt 33 is forwardly displaced whereas the portion of the belt 33 opposite the belt 29 is rearwardly displaced.

Approximately above the front end of the belt 29 there is provided a rotor 43 provided on its periphery with blades 44. A transverse belt 45 which passes over drums 46 which may be entrained at will in one direction or the opposite direction is located below this front end.

The front face of the skip 1 comprises an aperture which may be closed by a hatch 47.

This hatch is connected to the frame 34 by means not shown in the drawings, so as to be in the open position when the frame is spaced from the belt 29 (Fig. 1) and in the closed position when the frame is close to the belt 29 (Fig. 2).

In Fig. 2, the frame 34 is in the lowered position. When the belts 29 and 33 are actuated, the product located in the skip 1, for example the portion of silage 27 or the bale 28 is upwardly entrained by the bars 30 of the belt 29. The rubber blades 35 and the teeth 36 of the belt 33 grip the product, spread it out and move it towards the rear whilst mixing it. In addition, the blades 35 remove from the bars 30 any product which may have accumulated at the front of the bars and which is returned to the rear of the skip.

The product falls onto the belt 29 which again brings it into contact with the blades 35 and the teeth 36. A homogeneous mixture of the product is thus rapidly obtained. Any product which may have passed beyond the conveyor 29 falls onto the hatch 47 which is closed and is returned by the bars 30 to the blade 7.

In order to distribute the product contained in the trailer, the jacks 39 are extended in order to bring the frame 34 into the position of Fig. 1, or into an intermediate position. The belt 33 again rearwardly displaces a portion of the product lifted by the belt 29, whilst a portion is removed by the belt 29 and falls onto the belt 45 which enables it to be sprayed from one or the other side of the trailer, in accordance with the direction of displacement of the belt. The blades 44 of the rotor 43 facilitate the discharge of the product. During the distribution of a round bale, they shred the band of product obtained during unrolling of the bale by the belt 29. For this operation, it is possible to reduce the slope of the belt by forwardly tipping the skip 1.

If desired, it is possible to provide under the transverse belt 45 a fan 48 which blows the product during its fall from this belt and effects mulching or spreading at a distance of several metres from the trailer.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4, the frme 34 is replaced by a frame 34' which, in the same way as the frame 34, is mounted pivotably with respect to the skip 1 and may be displaced by a jack similar to the jack 39, but not shown in the drawing. The frame 34' supports three rotors 49, 50 and 51. The rotors 49 and 50 are constituted by a helical blade provided on its periphery with blades 52. The pitch of the rotor blade 49 is opposite to that of the rotor blade 50. The rotor 51 supports rubber blades 53 and blades 54 disposed longitudinally.

The rotors 49, 50, 51 rotate in the clockwise direction. The rotor 51 bears the product contained in the skip in the rearward direction. The rotor 50 mixes and spreads the product whilst forcing it both towards the rear and towards the lateral walls of the skip. The rotor 49 also spreads the product whilst forcing it towards the rear, but also brings it back towards the longitudinal axis of the skip.

It can be seen from the preceding description that the trailer of the invention may be used at will as a distributor trailer, a distributor-mixer trailer or a trailer for the removal and distribution of the contents of a silo.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated, but also covers all the variants thereof.

Claims

1. A trailer designed to distribute and/or mix the products which it contains, the base of this trailer comprising a substantially plane rear wall and an upwardly inclined front wall and which comprises a continuous longitudinal conveyor disposed in the immediate vicin ity of its base, characterised in that it contains a system of claws or moving teeth supported by a frame whose position with respect to the upper end of the longitudinal conveyor is adjustable in such a way that the system of claws or teeth may be brought at will into the immediate vicinity of the conveyor in order to rearwardly displace the product disposed on the upper portion of this conveyor which ensures mixing of the product, or may be variously spaced from the conveyor in order to enable removal of a varying quantity of the product from the trailer.

2. A trailer as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the frame is pivotably mounted with respect to the trailer, about a horizontal axis through is end distant from the upper portion of the longitudinal conveyor.

3. A trailer as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the system of teeth or claws has a moving belt supporting the teeth or claws.

4. A trailer as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the system of teeth of claws has one or more rotary drums each supporting teeth or claws on their periphery.

5. A trailer as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it is closed at its rear portion by a movable scoop member with a lower portion provided with a cutting device.

6. A trailer as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the scoop member is pivoted at ends of the telescopic arm, the other ends of such arms being pivoted to the trailer.

7. A trailer as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that a rotor is provided with blades and its periphery is provided at a slight distance above the upper end of the longitiduinal conveyor.

8. A trailer as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that its base is terminated, at its rear portion, by a cutting blade capable of resting on the ground when the trailer is rearwardly tilted.

9. A trailer as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the trailer comprises at the front an aperture with a movable hatch operatively connected to the frame for the system of moving claws or teeth, in such a manner that the hatch is in the closed position when this frame is in a position close to the longitudinal conveyor, and vice versa.

10. A trailer as claimed in any one of the previous claims characterised in that the system of teeth or claws further comprises resilient blades.

11. A trailer as claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.