GB2136398A

GB2136398A - Container for preservation of a cut fodder crop

Info

Publication number: GB2136398A
Application number: GB08306152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James William Farnell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-03-05
Filing date: 1983-03-05
Publication date: 1984-09-19
Also published as: GB8306152D0

Abstract

A rot-proof, fire-proof and vermin-proof rectangular steel container (10) for storage and preservation of a cut fodder crop (23) has a channel-shaped formation (17) around its base (13) dimensioned to receive the rim (16) of a like container (11) so that the containers (10, 11) can be stacked with the lower container (11) sealed by the upper container (10). A trailer (20) for transporting the containers (10, 11) has a base (24) on which extendable arms (28) are mounted so as to be pivotal in a fore and aft direction relative to trailer (20) by hydraulic jacks (30). Chains (31) attached to the arms (28) are attachable to spigots (32) on the containers (10, 11) for lifting purposes and mesh sidewalls (34) are provided on trailer (20) to restrain the containers (10, 11) thereon but allow viewing of the crop (23) during filling of the containers (10, 11). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Preservation of a cut fodder crop This invention relates to apparatus for the preservation of a cut fodder crop for farm livestock or other animal feeding. A cut fodder crop may be any grass or foliage crop which is cut in the "green" state, i.e. cut from the roots without threshing, substantial drying or for a time sufficient to allow substantial deterioration. Such crops include grass, whole crop barley, wheat, oats and rye and vegetable foliage.

After such crops have been cut they are usually stored for subsequent use as a winter foodstuff for animals. "Storage" may include allowing the crop to lie in the field until it turns to hay. Alternatively the crop may be transferred immediately to a silage pit until required. In the former case a large proportion of the weight of the cut crop is lost due to evaporation. In the latter case there is still a considerable wastage from the outermost layer of this silage pile which becomes unusable, and the usable silage. must be moved to a suitable location for the animals to feed thereon, a time consuming and disagreeable task.

To avoid the disadvantages of the aforementioned methods, it has been proposed in G.B. patent number 1240652 to store the cut fodder crop in non-permeable bags of plastics material. However, that method is still subject to certain disadvantages. In particular care must be taken with the bags used in that method to ensure that they are not torn. Also the bags are liable to attack by vermin whilst stored. In either case there is loss of fodder. In addition the bags are only suitable for use on one occasion and in consequence new bags are required each year.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for the storage of cut fodder crops, the use of which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages, at least to a substantial extent.

The invention provides apparatus for the preservation of a cut fodder crop comprising a rigid container having an open top, sidewalls and a base, said sidewalls having a rim thereto bounding said open top, said rim and said base having corresponding formations thereon adapted to cooperate with the formations on the base and rim respectively of a like container, at least one of said formations being provided with sealing means operable to sealingly engage with a formation cooperating with said one formation.

Said one formation may comprise a downwardly open channel disposed around the periphery of said base and dimensioned to receive said sidewalls rim therein. The sealing means may comprise a strip of deformable material located at the base of said channel.

The container may comprise lifting attachments which may comprise spigots secured to said sidewalls.

The container may be of rectangular planform, in which case said spigots may be secured to two opposed sidewalls. Preferably two spigots with a chain extending therebetween are secured to each of said opposed sidewalls.

The apparatus may also comprise a lid having a formation thereon adapted to cooperate with the rim formation of a container.

The apparatus may also comprise a trailer for the transportation of one or a plurality of said containers, said trailer comprising a base on which a pair of wheels are mounted and having towing means whereby said trailer may be towed by a tractor vehicle.

Said trailer may comprise lifting means which may comprise at least one extendable arm. The trailer may comprise hydraulic means operable to extend the or each extendable arm, which hydraulic means may be energised by the hydraulic system of said tractor vehicle. An extendable arm may be provided at each of the laterally opposed sides of said trailer. Each arm may be mounted on said trailer so as to be pivotal in a fore and aft direction relative thereto. The trailer may also comprise at least one leg means disposed adjacent the rear of said trailer and movable between a ground contacting extended position and a ground clearing retracted position.

The lifting means may also comprise chains connected with said extendable jack or jacks and adapted to be connected to said spigots.

Said trailer may be provided with upstanding sidewalls at said laterally opposed sides and may also be provided with an upstanding sidewall at the front end thereof. Said sidewalls may be of a mesh construction.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stack of containers, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a stack of containers, Fig. 3 is an underplan view of a container, Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view showing the filling of a container with a cut fodder crop, Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side view showing the unloading of a container form a trailer and the stacking of that container, and Figs. 6 to 8 are rear, side and front elevations respectively of an alternative embodiment of trailer to that shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 there is shown a container 10. In Figs. 1 and 2 container 10 is stacked on top of a similar container 11 and in Fig. 1 another similar container 12 is to be stacked on top of containers 10 and 11. Each container 10, 11, 12 is of rectangular planform and comprises base 13, two laterally opposed sidewalls 14 and two longitudinally opposed sidewalls 1 5. Around the inside of the sidewalls 14, 1 5 is a box-section rim formation 1 6 and extending around the periphery of the underside of base 1 3 is a channel formation 1 7. In the bottom of channel 1 7 is a sealing member 1 8 which may be of a suitable deformable material such as rubber.

The container may be made of any suitable material, for example approximately 3 mm thick steel which may be galvanised or otherwise protectively coated. The container may also be of any suitable dimensions, for example 335 cm long by 1 52 mm wide by 76 mm high, such a container holding enough feed for one cow for about 52 days or more.

By means of the invention the cut fodder crop may be loaded into containers 10, 11, 12 in the field, readily transported to a place of storage where the crop is stored until required for use. The containers are virtually indestructable with normal use and may be used year after year. The containers are also vermin proof and fire resistant so that no other vermin protection is required.

Furthermore no building or fencing off is required for the crop storage since a stack of containers only requires a relatively level area of hard standing. Also when the crop is required one or more containers can be readily transported to the requisite location where it or they serve a feeders, i.e. feed containers from which the animals can obtain their feed. There is no loss of weight of the fodder crop during storage due to the sealing below each container and the one above or below it. This is achieved by virtue of the channel 1 7 receiving the box section rim formation 1 6 therein and the weight of a container causing deformation of sealing member 18 in contact with the rim formation 1 6.

In a stack of containers 1 0, 11 as shown in Fig.

2 the uppermost container 10 is sealed by means of a lid 19. The lid 19 is made of the same material as the container 1 0, 11 and has a channel 1 7 and sealing member 18 secured thereon in the same manner as bases 1 3 of containers 10, 11.

Filling of a container 10 is shown in Fig. 4. The container 10 is placed on a trailer 20 which is towed behind a forage harvester 21 which in turn is towed behind a tractor 22. The container 10 is filled so that the crop 23 extends above the rim 1 6 of the container 10. As a consequence, when the containers are stacked, each container, or the lid 19, compresses the crop in the container below.

This consolidates the crop and expresses substantially all of the air therefrom so that the crop is preserved during storage and a good quality feed provided.

The trailer 20 is shown in greater detail in Fig.

5. In this case the trailer 20 is towed directly behind tractor 22 to the storage location at which a filled container 10 is stacked on top of a previously filled container 11.The trailer 20 comprises a base 24 mounted on wheels 25 and having towing means 26 at the front thereof. The container 10 is placed on base 24 during filling and transportation thereof. Mounted on base 24 at the rear end thereof is a lifting gear 27 in the form of an extendable arm 28 which is pivotal in a fore-and-aft direction relative to the base 24. The arm 28 is extendable by means of an hydraulic jack 29 and is pivoted by a second hydraulic jack 30. A similar arrangement is provided on the other side of a trailer 20.A chain 31 is attached to the free end of each arm 28, the ends of chains 31 being attachable to spigots 32 provided on the containers 10, 11.

The trailer 20 is also provided with an extendable leg 33 which may be extended to contact the ground to support the trailer 20 when lifting a container 10 onto or off the trailer 20. The leg 33 is retracted for transportation of a container 1 0. Wire mesh sidewalls 34 and a wire mesh front wall 35 are provided on trailer 20 to be upstanding from base 24, the walls 34, 35 retaining the container 10 on base 24 during transportation but enabling the tractor driver to observe the container, particularly during filling and lifting.

In the embodiment of Figs. 6 to 8 the trailer 20 is similar to that shown in Fig. 5 and described above except in that the jack 30 is differently disposed in the two embodiments. As can be seen in Fig. 6 a cross-beam 36 extends laterally of the trailer 20 between the free ends of extendable arms 28 and chains 31 are dependent from crossbeam 36.

By means of the container and trailer of the invention the fodder crop is easily loaded into a container and transported from the field to a storage location and subsequently from the storage location to an animal feeding location. The operation is quick, simple and not labour intensive or disagreeable. During the summer months the empty containers are easily and tidily stacked ready for use during the subsequent winter.

For use as a feeder of small animals such as sheep the container may have a grille placed over the open top and then the container laid on its side. For larger animals such as cows, the container can be used as a feeder in the normal upright open-topped position.

Claims

1. Apparatus adapted for the preservation of a cut fodder crop comprising a rigid container having sidewalls, a base and an open top, said sidewalls having a rim thereto bounding said open top, said rim and said base having corresponding formations thereon adapted to cooperate with the formations on the base and rim respectively of a like container at least one of said formations being provided with sealing means operable to sealingly engage with a formation cooperating with said one formation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one formation comprises a downwardly open channel disposed around the periphery of said base and dimensioned to receive a sidewalls rim therein.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said sealing means comprises a strip of deformable material located at the base of said channel.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said container is of rectangular planform.

5. APparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 comprising lifting attachments.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said lifting attachments comprises a plurality of spigots secured to said sidewalls.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said spigots are secured to two opposed sidewalls of said container.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein two spigots are secured to each of two opposed sidewalls.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a lid having a formation thereon adapted to cooperate with and sealingly engage the rim formation of said container.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 further comprising a trailer adapted for the transportation of one or a plurality of said containers.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said trailer comprises a base on which a pair of wheels are mounted and having towing means whereby said trailer may be towed by a tractor vehicle.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein said trailer comprises a lifting device.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 2 wherein said lifting device comprises at least one extendable arm.

1 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 3 wherein said trailer comprises hydraulic means operable to extend the or each extendable arm.

1 5. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said hydraulic means is adapted to-be energised by a hydraulic system of a tractor vehicle.

1 6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 3 to 1 5 wherein an extendable arm is provided at each of laterally opposed sides of the trailer.

1 7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 1 6 wherein the or each extendable arm is mounted on said trailer so as to be pivotal in a fore and aft direction relative thereto.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 comprising further hydraulic means operable to pivot the or each extendable arm forwardly or rearwardly of said trailer.

1 9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 1 8 wherein said lifting device comprises a chain attached to the or each extendable arm and having ends adapted to be connected to said container.

20. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 1 9 wherein said trailer comprises at least one leg means disposed adjacent the rear of said trailer and movable between a ground contacting extended position and a ground clearing retracted position.

21. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 20 wherein said trailer is provided with upstanding sidewalls at laterally opposed sides thereof.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said trailer is provided with an upstanding wall at the front end thereof.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said wall and sidewalls are of a mesh construction.

24. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23 wherein said container is of galvanised sheet steel.

25. Apparatus adapted for the preservation of a cut fodder crop comprising a container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

26. Apparatus adapted for the preservation of a cut fodder crop comprising a container and trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 or Figs. 6 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.