IE904698A1 - Slurry tank mounted band spreader - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a slurry tank mounted band spreader. In particular the band spreader is fitted to a conventional vacuum tanker and has a hydraulically folding boom with a plurality of delivery hoses, fed from a macerator and connected to spreading hoses. The macerator is fed directly from the vacuum tanker under normal vacuum pressure. Each delivery hose feeds a spreading hose fixed to the boom and discharge of slurry from the spreading hoses is usually about 3 inches (7.62 cms.) about the ground.

Under test it has been shown that a 1300 gallon tanker can be discharged in four (4) minutes and the macerator is capable of handling the roughest slurry, provided the slurry has been well agitated beforehand.

Slurry tank mounted band spreaders are known and have been in common use for a number of years. It is perceived that band spreaders have an advantage over the other method of spreading slurry which employs a machine designed to pump slurry from the vacuum tank to force the slurry as a jet onto a splash plate mounted at the rear of the slurry tank. The jet of slurry when it hits the splash plate disperses over the immediate vicinity of the field upon which the slurry is being spread. With the splash plate method of spreading one gets a lot of splashing, slurry carried on the wind and - 3 a high level of unpleasant smell. The band spreader, in addition to minimising the disadvantages of the splash plate method of spreading, spreads the slurry for example from a height above ground of 3 inches (7.62 cms.), in bands of approximately 3 inches (7.62 cms.) spaced apart about 14 inches (35.5 cms.) which ensures minimum damage and scorching to growing crops. It is also submitted that there is better absorption of nutrients into the soil using band spreaders.

German Patent Specification DE 8910777.2 discloses a device for distributing inhomogeneous, solid-containing liquids, particularly liquid manure, on farmland, consisting of a cylindrical distributor casing with a vertical axis, into which a feed pipe for the liguid axially runs and whose floor is provided with a plurality of discharge openings for the liquid, the discharge openings being evenly distributed over a perforated circle adjoining the outer circumference of the casing and onto which the same number of delivery pipes to distribute the liguid onto the farmland are connectable, whereby, in the interior of the casing, a liguid distributor member is rotatably supported to revolve about the vertical casing axis, characterised in that the distributor casing is formed as a liquid reception container into whose interior the feedpipe for the liquid runs directly from the container topside, the distributor member is formed from a perforated disc with a perforated circle corresponding with the perforated circle of the container floor, on which is arranged, distributed at regular circumferential intervals, a number of passage openings for the liquid, the number being lower than the number of discharge openings of the container floor and that the perforated disc is held, in use, with its underside in sliding, frictional engagement with the topside of - 4 the container floor facing it. In this device the liquid slurry is fed into the liquid reception container or macerator through the in use topside or cover of the macerator.

The present invention provides a slurry tank mounted band spreader for distributing inhomogeneous, solid-containing liquids, particularly liquid manure, on farmland said spreader comprising a conventional vacuum tanker upon which is mounted a folding boom provided with a plurality of spaced apart spreading hoses connected by complementary delivery hoses connected to a macerator also mounted upon the tanker and operatively connected to the tanker to receive slurry from the tanker through a pipe connected between said tanker and the base of the macerator, said macerator comprising a cylindrical casing with a base and a cover member, the base having a centrally located inlet and a plurality of spaced apart discharge openings arranged in a circle in the circumferential area of the base, a slurry distribution member rotatable mounted on the vertical axis of the casing and having edge portions in sliding engagement with the base of the casing each edge portion having at least one hole corresponding in position in use to the discharge openings in the base of the casing, the delivery hoses being connected to the discharge openings to convey slurry from the discharge openings of the macerator to the spreading hoses.

Preferably the folding boom is pivotally movable between a stored vertical position and an operative horizontal position and vice-versa under the influence of hydraulic rams.

Further it is preferable that the rotational - 5 movement of the perforated edge portions of the slurry distribution member over the spaced apart holes of the base of the casing causes the discharge outlets to deliver a pulsed suction to assist discharge from the macerator of slurry into the delivery hoses connected to the discharge outlets.

It is also envisaged that the construction of slurry tank mounted band spreader of the present invention provide that the pipe connection between the tank and the macerator is also provided with an outlet pipe having operatively associated therewith a splash plate whereby in use the operator can by choice spread slurry using the band spreader method or the splash plate method.

This invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the slurry tank 20 mounted band spreader of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of that portion of the band spreader around the pipe connection between the vacuum tanker and the macerator; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the macerator with the cover shown in a separated position above the macerator; Fig. 4 is an end view of the macerator with the 30 cover shown in a separated position above the macerator; and - 6 Fig. 5 is a plan view of the macerator with the cover removed.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a slurry tank band spreader which comprises a conventional construction of steel vacuum tanker 10 having a standard inlet valve for pumping of slurry into the vacuum tanker and an outlet valve to allow pumping under pressure of slurry from the tanker to a slurry spreading means which in the present embodiment consists of both a band spreader, as will hereinafter be described, and in addition as an alternate spreading means a conventional discharge pipe 11 and a splash plate 12. The discharge pipe 11 is provided with a conventional spring mounted hydraulically actuated control valve 35.

The vacuum tanker 10 has mounted thereon on brackets 10a and support bars 10b a two-part box-section folding boom 13, 14 each part of which is adapted to pivot on the support bars 10£ under the influence of hydraulic rams 15, 16 respectively between the horizontal working position as shown in the drawing and a vertical position to which each of the two parts 13, 14 of the boom is pivoted through 90° for storage, when the spreader is being transported from one place to another or is being stored.

The folding boom 13, 14 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart spreading hoses 17, the free ends of the spreading hoses 17 being located in use about 3 inches (7.62 cms.) above the ground. The spreading hoses 17 are spaced apart approximately 14 inches (35.5 cms.) and deliver a 3 inch (7.62 cms.) spreaded band of liguid manure to the ground.

Connecting the spreading hoses 17 to a macerator 18, are a corresponding number of delivery hoses 19. - 7 A pipe 20 connects the outlet 21 of the vacuum tanker 10 to the base 22 of the macerator 18. The pipe 20 is provided with a conventional spring mounted hydraulically actuated control valve 23 which allows the operator to determine the flow rate of slurry/liguid manure pumped through the tanker outlet 21 through the pipe 20 to enter the macerator 18 through a centrally located inlet in the base 22. The bottom end of the pipe 20 remote from the macerator 18 is provided with a stone trap 20& having a detachable cover 20b.

The macerator 18 is constructed from a cylindrical metal casing 24 having a base 22 and a cover 25 which is located on the casing 24 by means of pins 26 which engage holes 26a in the cover 25. The casing 24 has three spaced apart fasteners 27 to facilitate locking engagement of the cover 25 on a peripheral flange 29 on the casing 24. The fasteners 27 are quick release fasteners of conventional construction and allow easy fastening and/or opening of the cover 25 on the casing 24.

The base 22 of the macerator 18 in addition to having a centrally located inlet, is also provided with a plurality of spaced apart discharge outlets 30 in the circumferential area of the base 22. A slurry distribution member 31 is mounted for rotation on a vertical shaft 32. When the cover 25 is closed on the casing 24, a drive shaft 28 from a hydraulic motor 36, which is powered from the hydraulic system of the vacuum tanker 10 and is mounted on the cover 25, connects with the distribution member 31 to allow powered rotational movement of the distribution member 31 on the shaft 32 within the casing 24. The distribution member 31 has two edge portions 33, 34 which are in sliding engagement with the base 22 of the - 8 macerator 18 and are each provided with one or more holes corresponding in position to the discharge outlets 30 in the base 22 of the macerator 18.

The in use rotational movement of the 5 distribution member 31, with the end portions 33, 34 sliding over the circumferential area of the base 22 accommodating the discharge outlets 30, has a two fold result. First, slurry/liquid manure delivered into the macerator through the centrally located inlet in the base 22 is subjected to agitation and any solids contained in the slurry/liquid manure to a chopping or cutting action and second the agitated and chopped or cut slurry/liquid manure is caused to exit the macerator through the discharge outlets 30 to the delivery hoses 19 under a pulsed suction action.

As previously mentioned a stone trap 20a is provided at the bottom of the pipe 20. As slurry is pumped up the pipe 20 to the base inlet of the macerator 18 any stones which might be in the slurry will fall back under gravity down the pipe 20 into the stone trap 20a· In order to allow periodic removal of any stones from the stone trap 20a, a detachable cover 20b is provided. In addition, it is preferable that intermediate the length of the pipe 20 there is provided at least one transversely mounted bar in the pipe 20. This bar, which is not shown, has the function to impede the upward travel within the pipe 20 of any stones or like foreign bodies and facilitate a reverse downward movement within the pipe 20 of such stones to the stone trap 20a· In the case where the splash plate spreading means is used to spread liquid manure over farmland the - 9 control valve 23 is closed and the control valve 35 opened, so that the liquid manure from the tanker 10 is pumped through the outlet 21 to the pipe 11 and in jet form onto the splash plate 12.

The construction of the slurry tank mounted band spreader of the present invention provides a much simpler and compact construction than the known constructions of band spreaders already in use. In the known constructions of band spreaders the delivery of slurry/liquid manure from the vacuum tanker to the macerator is through a substantial flexible pipe connected between the vacuum tanker outlet and the topside or cover of the macerator. This flexible pipe is outside the general framework of the band spreader and often subject to damage. The present invention provides that the connection is between the vacuum tank outlet and the base of the macerator and that connection is a short fixed metal pipe which is located wholly within the support framework of the band spreader as mounted on the vacuum tanker.

Claims (8)

1. A slurry tank mounted band spreader comprising a conventional vacuum tanker upon which Is mounted a folding boom provided with a plurality of 5 spaced apart spreading hoses connected by complementary delivery hoses connected to a macerator also mounted upon the tanker and operatively connected to the tanker to receive slurry from the tanker through a pipe connected between said tanker and the base of the 10 macerator, said macerator comprising a cylindrical casing with a base and a cover member, the base having a centrally located inlet and a plurality of spaced apart discharge openings arranged in a circle in the circumferential area of the base, a slurry distribution 15 member rotatable mounted on the vertical axis of the casing and having edge portions in sliding engagement with the base of the casing each edge portion having at least one hole corresponding in position in use to the discharge openings in the base of the casing, the 20 delivery hoses being connected to the discharge openings to convey slurry from the discharge openings of the macerator to the spreading hoses for spreading of the slurry/liguid manure on farmland.

2. A slurry tank mounted band spreader as 25 claimed in Claim 1 in which the folding boom is pivotally movable between a stored vertical position and an operative horizontal position and vice-versa under the influence of hydraulic rams.

3. A slurry tank mounted band spreader as 30 claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the cover member of the casing of the macerator has mounted thereon a - 11 hydraulic motor which powers the rotatable slurry distribution member.

4. A slurry tank mounted band spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the 5. Rotational movement of the perforated edge portions of the slurry distribution member over the spaced apart holes of the base of the casing causes the discharge outlets to deliver a pulsed suction to assist discharge from the macerator of slurry into the delivery hoses 10 connected to the discharge outlets.

5. A slurry tank mounted band spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe connection between the slurry tank and the base of the macerator is provided with a flow valve regulator 15 to allow adjustment of the rate of delivery of slurry from the tank to the macerator.

6. A slurry tank mounted band spreader as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the pipe connection between the slurry tank and the base of 20 the macerator is provided at the end thereof remote from the macerator with a stone strap.

7. A slurry tank mounted band spreader in which the pipe connection between the tank and the base of the macerator is also provided with an outlet pipe 25 having operatively associated therewith a splash plate whereby in use the operator can by choice spread slurry using the band spreader method or the splash plate method.

8. A slurry tank mounted band spreader 30 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.