IE900873L

IE900873L - Fodder distribution device

Info

Publication number: IE900873L
Application number: IE87390A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Robert Wallace Marriage; Stephen David Methven; Robert Alfred Price
Original assignee: Votex Hereford Ltd
Priority date: 1989-03-10
Filing date: 1990-03-12
Publication date: 1990-09-10
Also published as: GB8905588D0; GB9119219D0; GB2250905B; JPH04503751A; GB2250905A; IE64056B1; WO1990010376A1; AU5184590A

Description

6 4056 £73/90 Improvements relating to Fodder Distribution Devices This invention relates to apparatus which is suitable for processing big round silage bales. Apparatus of this type needs to unroll or divide the bale and then slice or 5 chop the long stalks of the grass silage into shorter lengths for subsequent discharge. Shorter silage is more palatable to ruminants, especially if it is offered in a well aerated and freshened condition rather than being supplied in the form of the complete bale or in a lumpy 10 state. This results in faster growth, more milk etc. The apparatus will, of course, be suited to distributing hay or straw and could, in addition, be used with such materials as sugar beet which needs to be chopped and discharged.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus 15 for distributing fodder, comprising a container for holding a supply of fodder and having a feed outlet in a side wall thereof, a rotatable drum positioned across the lower part of the feed outlet, drive means for rotating the drum, a rotatable roller above and defining, with the drum, a feed 20 outlet path, the roller being adjustably mounted on support i arms on a pivot axis concentric with or lying parallel to 6 40 56 the rotational axis of the drum, and means for sensing the torque applied to the rotation of the drum and linked to control means determining the extent of raising or lowering of the support arms for the roller as a function of the 5 torque sensed.

The roller could possibly carry longitudinally extending ribs to help feed the fodder, but for some situations a smooth roller may be preferred.

This type of construction ensures that there is a 10 relatively even feeding of the fodder since adjustment of the supply of the fodder to the drum occurs automatically.

The drum may be mounted in a bearing with a degree of play, the torque sensing means comprising a lever linked to the bearing for the drum and mounted on an offset pivot, 15 together with a sensing device for sensing movement of the lever. Alternatively the sensing means could comprise an arm located against a.belt or chain for driving the drum and connected to a sensing device for sensing movement of the arm. The sensing device could possibly be a spool valve 20 whose output controls operation of the control means. The lever or arm will preferably include a shock absorber for damping movements of the arm or lever. 3 The control means for the support arms is ideally in the form of a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement linked to the support arms, and preferably includes a restrictor valve in the fluid circuit to the piston and cylinder arrangement for limiting the rate of movement thereof in a direction controlling raising of the roller.

The roller is preferably driven independently of the drive for the drum. Advantageously the drum carries helically arranged paddles or cutting blades which direct the fodder towards the longitudinal centre of the drum.

The invention further extends to a method of distributing fodder from a container through a feed outlet in a side wall, wherein a rotating drum across the lower part of the feed outlet is rotated to direct fodder upwardly over the drum, and a rotatable roller is positioned above the drum and mounted on support arms on a pivot axis concentric with or lying parallel to the rotational axis of the drum so as to rest against the fodder and is raised or lowered depending upon the torque applied to the rotation of the drum, as sensed by sensing means connected to control means which controls the extent of raising or lowering of the support arms. 4 The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a general view of one form of fodder 5 distribution device of this invention; Figure 2 is a side view of a slightly modified arrangement to that shown in Figure l; Figure 3 is a view of the other side of the arrangement shown in Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 illustrate stages of operation of the device shown in Figures 2 and 3; Figure 6 is a side view of an alternative form of fodder distribution device of this invention; and Figure 7 illustrates part of a drive mechanism of the 15 arrangement shown in Figure 6.

The device in Figure 1 comprises a tub 1 having a large storage space 2 for receipt of a large round bale. In operation the bale is fed towards a chopping rotor drum 3 by an apron chain (not shown) and the bale is chopped by the blades 4 on the drum 3 which are set in a helical pattern so 5 as to direct the cut material towards the longitudinal centre of the drum 3. The drum is rotated in such a way that the cut fodder is fed over the top of the drum and out through the open side wall 5 of the tub 1. A roller 6 is, in this version, suspended by support arms 7 carried by a 10 pivoting bar 8 and rests against a top portion of the bale. The roller 6 also acts as a deflector to limit the amount of cut fodder tending to be thrown upwards. A deflector plate could be mounted on the top of the tub to stop material flying up,, if desired. A sensing mechanism determines the 15 torque applied to the drum 3 and, when this increases, a control mechanism acts to lower the roller 6 (by moving arms 7) on to the bale to push it away from the drum 3 and thus relieve the pressure. When the torque decreases again, the roller 6 is caused . to raise so that the bale is brought 20 closer to the cutting blades 4 on the drum 3.

In the slightly modified arrangement shown in Figures 2 to 4 the roller 6 is mounted on arms 9 which are supported about a bearing member 10, within which is housed a drive 11 for the drum 3. The drive 11 is operated by a chain 12 and 25 a main drive member 13 connected to a power take-off from a tractor. The bearing 10 for the drum 3 is supported in the wall of the tub 1 as a loose fit so that, when pressure on -the drum increases due to a build up of cut fodder, the pull on the chain 12 tends to carry the drive 11 and bearing 10 down towards the left (as shown in Figure 3) . This causes a lever 14, associated with the bearing 10 and mounted about an offset pivot 15, to move in a clockwise direction against the bias of a return spring 16. As the other end of the lever 14 is lowered, a spool valve 17 is operated and this causes a piston and cylinder device 18 (Figure 2) to be retracted so that the roller 6 is brought down to bear on the bale and thus move it away from the drum 3. When the pressure on the drum 3 decreases, the drive 11 will move back to the normal position and the free end of the lever 14 will rise again, thus closing the spool valve 17 so that the device 18 is operated to lift the roller 6.

The limits of operation of the movement of the roller 6 are illustrated clearly in Figures 4 and 5 to show how the pressure on the drum 3 is relieved when necessary. In order to prevent a sudden application of pressure of the bale 19 on to the drum 3 when the roller 6 is raised, a one-way restriction valve 20 (Figure 2) is provided to ensure that there is a slow raising of the roller 6, although it will be lowered quickly when required.

Figure 2 also illustrates the drive arrangement- for rotating the roller 6 (independantly of the drum 3). This comprises a drive member 24 (which also drives the apron chain 23) linked by chain drives 25, 26 to a drive member 27 for the roller 6, with suitable idler gears. As shown in 7 Figure 3 a manual over-ride device is provided in the form of a lever 29 which can be rotated about a pivot 30 to press an arm 31 down on to the free end of the lever 14. This depression of the lever 14 causes the roller 6 to be lowered 5 initially on to the bale 19, prior to starting up the machine, so that the bale will be fed gradually towards the drum 3 at the commencement of the feeding operation. A spring 32 acts to return the lever 29 to the normal position. A spool valve could be provided to create an 10 automatic initial operation of the lever 29 once the machine is switched on. If desired, a shock absorber 33 can be provided to damp vibratory movements of the lever 14.

In the alternative form of construction shown in Figures 6 and 7 the torque applied to the drum 3 is sensed 15 by an arm 21 which presses against the drive chain 12 and operates a spool valve 22 which controls the operation of the piston and cylinder device 18. In this arrangement an apron chain 23 (angled down to the drum 3) , which feeds the bale 19 down on to the drum, is. clearly shown. A further, 20 separate, chain extension part could be provided on the outside of the tub 1 if desired to feed the cut fodder down to the ground. The apron chain 23 is also generally indicated in Figures 4 and 5.

It will be appreciated that the design of the drum 3 25 could be modified. The blades 4 could be replaced by flails or there could be a helical blade arrangement as in a conventional lawnmower. 7 8

Claims

1. Apparatus for distributing, fodder, comprising a container for holding a supply of fodder and having a feed outlet in a side wall thereof, a rotatable drum positioned across the lower part of the feed outlet, drive means for rotating the drum in a direction such that fodder will be directed upwardly over the drum, a rotatable roller above and defining, with the drum, an outlet path to the feed outlet, the roller being adjustably mounted on support arms on a pivot axis concentric with or lying parallel to the rotational axis of the drum, and means for sensing the torque applied to the rotation of the drum and linked to control means determining the extent of raising or lowering of the support arms for the roller as a function of the torque sensed.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the roller carries longitudinally extending ribs.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the drum is mounted in a bearing with a degree of play and the torque sensing means comprises a lever linked to the bearing for the drum and mounted on an offset pivot, together with a sensing device for sensing movement of the lever.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the sensing means comprises an arm located against a belt or 8 9 chain for driving the drum and connected to a sensing device for sensing movement of the arm.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the sensing device is a spool valve whose output controls 5 operation of the control means.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the lever or arm includes a shock absorber for damping movements of the arm or lever.

7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, 10 wherein the control means is a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement linked to the support arms.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, including a restrictor valve in the fluid circuit to the piston and cylinder arrangement for limiting the rate of movement 15 thereof in a direction controlling raising of the roller.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the roller is driven independently of the drive for the drum.

10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, 20 wherein the drum carries helically arranged paddles or cutting blades which direct the fodder towards the longitudinal centre of the drum.

11. A method of distributing fodder from a container through a feed outlet in a side wall, wherein a rotating 25 drum across the lower part of the feed outlet is rotated to direct fodder upwardly over the drum, and a rotatable roller is positioned above the drum and mounted on support arms on a pivot axis concentric with or lying parallel to the 10 rotational axis of the drum so as to rest against the fodder and is raised or lowered depending upon thQ torque applied to the rotation of the drum, as sensed by sensing means, connected to control means which controls the extent of raising or lowering of the support arms. TOMKINS & CO.