GB2337439A

GB2337439A - Automatic feeding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2337439A
Application number: GB9810914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Samuel Turton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-20
Filing date: 1998-05-20
Publication date: 1999-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2018-05-20
Also published as: GB9810914D0; GB2337439B

Abstract

An apparatus for the automatic loading of long vegetative shoots known as rods (R) into a machine hopper (10) one by one so that the rods fall while in substantially vertical orientation into the hopper. The apparatus comprises a number of similar housings (1) for single rods which are arranged around a vertical or near vertical cylinder mounted on an axial shaft and held within a containment (5) with attached base (6) such that, on rotation of the cylinder (3) by a displacement equivalent to a single housing, one rod falls away from the apparatus into the hopper, such rotation being repeated when required to maintain the continuous operation of the machine.

Description

2337439 AN AUTOMATIC FEEDING APPARATUS FOR A MACI1INE FOR THE PREPARATION

AND PLANTING OF CUTTINGS.

This invention relates to a machine for the successive planting of cuttings prepared from long vegetative shoots known as rods and into which rods are loaded by gravity one by one and to other machines loaded in a similar way.

This machine embodies a hopper into which rods are placed vertically by an operator and which then fall under gravity through the machine so that lengths of rod are sheared from the bottom end to form cuttings and which are then planted immediately after shearing in a successive sequence. The rod falls vertically through the hopper in successive increments of vertical distance during this operation. When the position of the top end of the rod indicates that the remaining vegetative material is about to be exhausted, a fialher rod is placed by the operator into the hopper so that the successive shearing and planting operations are maintained. This procedure requires accurate timing and precise movements on the part of the operator and it has become evident that operators may be unable to achieve this at machine speeds, especially when a period of several hours of continuous operation is required.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a means whereby rods are allowed to fall under gravity into the hopper one by one so that the successive shearing and planting operations are maintained automatically for a period without the intervention of the operator.

According to this invention there is provided a means whereby several rods may be pre-loaded by hand to be held loosely and individually in a series of equally spaced housings and in an approximately vertical orientation. A means of moving the housings is provided so that each rod except one is progressively moved to the location of the rod adjacent to it, either to the right or left. The excepted rod is moved to a location where it falls away from the housing to drop, whilst still in a near vertical orientation, into the hopper of the machine.

The movement of the rods described above occurs on receipt of a signal such as an electrical pulse or other means whenever it is necessary for the hopper to be replenished with another rod for the maintenance of successive shearing and planting operations by the machine.

A speffic embodiment of the invention will now be described as an example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view indicating positions of rods when loaded as hatched circles.

Figure 2 shows a front elevation with the rods loaded.

Figure 3 shows a side elevation with a rod positioned in the machine hopper.

Figure 4 is a plan view of items below the base showing a typical ratchet mechanism.

2 Referring to Figure 1, a number of similar housings are provided (1) and arranged as a carousel for the purpose of holding one rod each so that the rods (R) are separated one from the other and constructed from rigid vertical partitions (2) positioned to lie radially outwards from the outer surface of a rigid cylinder (3) with axis vertical or near vertical, Referring to Figure 2, the cylinder and embodied housings fie within a fixed and concentric cylindrical containment (5) with attached base (6) which serves to hold the rods in position by preventing the rods from falling away, both outwards and downwards from all the rod housings except the one which is located above the machine hopper (10).

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, an axial shaft (4) is attached to the inner cylinder and mounted in a bearing (7) located concentrically in the base of the containment so that the cylinder may rotate co-axially relative to the containment.

Referring to Figure 4, the operational rotation of the apparatus is through a ratchet drive mounted on the axial shaft and in which the teeth of the ratchet wheel (8) correspond in number and angular positions to the rod housings. Each movement is limited by a stop pin (9) to the angular pitch between adjacent ratchet teeth.

The inner cylinder, housings and rods are moved in angular displacement through by operating the ratchet in the manner indicated by the arrows by a number of alternative means:

1. by hand through a pull cord 2. by a device providing outward and return linear motion such as an electrical solenoid or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

In case 2 above the apparatus operates on the receipt of a signal initiated externally or by some rod operated device.

These signals are selected to occur when one of the following conditions is met:

1. In the case of rods substantially of uniform length then a required and adjustable number of shearing and planting operations have taken place since the last signal.

2. In the case of rods of variable length a rod operated electromechanical switch or proximity sensor such as an infra-red or other device when placed in position above the hopper indicaes the presence of a rod in the hopper and signals a rotational movement of the apparatus when such an indication ceases.

3 The operation of the apparatus win now be described.

The apparatus is pre-loaded by hand so that a rod occupies each of the housings except one, in the excepted housing located above the machine hopper the rod falls directly into the hopper, On visual inspection in the case of hand operation or on receipt of a signal indicating the absence of a rod in the hopper the cylinder, embodied housings and loaded rods are driven in rotational motion through the ratchet and axial shaft so that all the rods except one are displaced positionafly through one housing to lie in the former position of the adjacent rod. In the case of the excepted rod, the motion brings the rod into the position of the vacant housing where it is free to fall away outwards and downwards from the housing into the machine hopper.

The signals and rotational motions occur successively according to one of the above conditions until all the pre-loaded rods have fallen into the machine hopper and further loading of thr feeding apparatus is required for continued operation of the machine.

This description does not preclude other examples of the apparatus. In paticular, alternative means may be used to obtain the required angular displacement, for example, an electrical stepper motor and spur gears mounted on the axial shaft may be provided to drive the apparatus through the required rotation.

Claims

1. An apparatus wherein several long vegetative shoots known as rods are placed by hand into a number of similar housings to be held loosely and individually in an approximately vertical orientation until by movement of the housings, one rod is allowed to fall away from the apparatus so that it is loaded into a machine hopper or other receiving arrangement when an indication occurs that the machine hopper or other receiver requires replenishment in order maintain the operation of the machine.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 whereby loadings occur successively one by one until all the rods placed by hand into the device have been loaded into the machine hopper or other receiver.

3. An apparatus according to claims 1 and 2 whereby the apparatus operates so that loading occurs on the application of some force or signal initiated externally or by some rod operated device.