US2698105A

US2698105A - Portable barn gutter cleaner

Info

Publication number: US2698105A
Application number: US215354A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert G Ferris; Robert L Yuenger
Original assignee: Starline Inc
Current assignee: Starline Inc
Priority date: 1951-03-13
Filing date: 1951-03-13
Publication date: 1954-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1971-12-28

Description

Dec. 28, 1954 R. G. FERRIS ETA!- 2,693,105

PORTABLE BARN CUTTER CLEANER Filed March 13, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 E02? 076: eWG W16, aerZZZI yzzfirgge 7';

Dec. 28, 1954 R. G. FERRIS EFAL PORTABLE BARN CUTTER CLEANER 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1951 .lll |l III III -Ill FOEQW Gfrrz' jaefz'l. yaw? Dec. 28, 1954 FERRIS ETAL PORTABLE BARN GUTTER CLEANER -7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 13, 1951 Dec. 28, 1954 R. ca. FERRIS ETAI- PORTABLE BARN GUTTER CLEANER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 13, 1951 Dec. 28, 1954 R. e. FERRIS EI'AL PORTABLE BARN CUTTER CLEANER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, l95l- Dec. 28, 1954 FERRIS ETAL PORTABLE BARN CUTTER CLEANER 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 13, 1951 R 7067220 6.- joe 776 r7 Z6,

fiwvlyze Dec. 28, 1954 R. s. FERRIS .El' AL 2,698,105

PORTABLE BARN CUTTER CLEANER Filed llarch 13, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 AWEMA United States Patent PORTABLE BARN GUTTER CLEANER Robert G. Ferris and Robert L. Yuenger, Harvard, Ill., assignors t0 Starline, Inc., a corporation of Illinois The present invention relates to a means for removing manure from a cow barn or the like, particularly barns of the type which are provided with hard floors generally of concrete and having a gutter associated with each set of stalls. Cow barns of this type are usually rectangularly shaped with doors at both ends, and include a. central longitudinal aisle extending from door to door. On either side of the aisle are the cow stalls which are raised a little above the floor; and separating the line of stalls and the central aisle are gutters, one on each side of the aisle. In some barns, however, the doors are on the sides of the barn and the aisles are transverse. Some barns contain two or three aisles. In some such barns, the second aisle has stalls on only one side of the aisle.

The stalls are so placed that the animals excretions usually fall or run into the gutter. Loose straw, feed and the like also fall into or may be easily swept into the gutter. In winter when cows are in the stalls substantially all the time, the cleaning of these gutters presents a major problem. Cleaning them out with forks, spades and other hand implments is back breaking work consuming many man hours per day with a herd of a dozen or more cows. Cleaning them once or more a day is essential in most dairy regions where strict sanitary codes are in force.

Numerous attempts have been made in the past to remove manure from a cow barn or the like of the type above mentioned by mechanical means and while the prior art devices have been satisfactory in the main, they have all involved great expense on the part of the barn owner. Furthermore, the devices now on the market all become aflixed, in part, at least, to the realty and hence are not attractive. to the tenant farmer who must leave substantial parts of them after the. tenancy terminates.

Many of these devices moreover include machinery and parts which become very dirty, are difficult to clean and hence present serious sanitation problems.

The commercial manure conveyors generally cons1st of two parts, one part for cleaning. the gutters 1n the barns and removing the manure and refuse therefrom to the end of a gutter outside of the barn. The other part. comprises a means for receiving the manure from. the gutter ends and conveying it to an elevated position where it is dumped into amanure spreader, cart or other removal means. In a few instances a single means removes the manure from the gutter and carries it to an elevated dumping position.

The gutter cleaning devices generally cons1st of a motor driven chain or rod to which paddles or. scrapers which extend across the gutters are attached. Some comprise a pair of chains, one on each side of the gutter, connected. by rigid cross. member scrapers. In other devices a drag line attached to a suitable power driven reel is provided with a shovel-like scraper at HS free end.

In some gutter cleaners a separate cham conveyor is installed in each gutter. in such devices motor driven reels are installed at one end of the barn and are provided with a chain or other means. to return the conveyor to the gutter. Another motor is necessary to pull the manure loaded conveyor out of the barn.

With other devices connecting gutters are constructed at each end of the barn thereby providing a. contmuous rectangular gutter. Near each inner corner of the rectangle. pits. are constructed in the. floor of the rush: and in which sprocketv wheels are mounted. An endless. cham having paddles or scrapers extending across the gutter at frequent intervals is laid in the gutters and mounted on the wheels. A motor and gear box for driving one or more of the sprocket wheels are usually placed in a pit under the aisle but are sometimes placed in extensions built at one end of the barn. The manure is engaged by the scrapers and moved to the end of one gutter. All the gianure in both gutters is initially moved by this kind of evice.

In still other constructions the gutters are provided with rods having paddles hinged thereon. A motor reciprocates these rods about eight or ten feet. During the forward travel the paddles extend across the gutter and convey the manure toward the end of the gutter. During backward travel the paddles swing in to ride over or along side of the manure. All the manure in the gutter is moved initially by this type of cleaner.

The above mentioned gutter cleaning devices merely move the manure and other refuse to the ends of the gutters, and other means are necessary to receive the manure from the-gutters and move it to an elevated positlon outside the barn where it can be received by a suitable means for transporting it to the manure pile or other place of disposal. Thus, all such devices are located almost entirely outside the barn, and a housing must be constructed to protect them from the weather.

Most of the present day systems provide a pit at the end of each gutter to which manure is moved. One end of the elevating conveyor is placed in this pit. This second conveyor receives the manure from the gutter cleaning conveyor and carries it to a position outside the barn where it is dumped into removal means. In another system a movable elevating conveyor at the barn end is mounted on a track so that it may be alternatively connected to any one of a plurality of gutter cleaning conveyor means. However, this conveyor cannot be moved into and out of the building; and thus also requires an expensive extension of the barn.

in at least one instance the elevating conveyor is part of the gutter cleaning conveyor. In this system the gutters are joined at one end by a connecting gutter, and a single endless conveyor chain extends through both gutters and has a portion extending out of the barn and over an elevated platform on which is mounted a sprocket Wheel. The chain then returns to the barn over another sprocket wheel. The load on this type of conveyor is very heavy as all the manure in both gutters is carried out of the gutters and up the elevated platform by a single motor.

Because most of the conveyors now being sold commercially initially move all the manure in the gutters simultaneously, or at least all the manure in one gutter, it is necessary to equip these conveyors with rather large motors (3-5 horsepower). Furthermore in the type of conveyors where the manure in both gutters is initially moved at one time the strain on the chain, paddles and sprocket wheels is so great that breakage frequently occurs and the motors are likely to burn out or otherwise get out of repair.

With all of the above types of conveyors it is essential to build. an extension on the barn or provide a shed or other housing at one or both ends of the barn to house the motor, chain take-up means, rod extension, elevating conveyor and the like. These extensions or additions to the barn must be kept reasonably Warm in cold weather or the motor will not operate. Furthermore, most of these extensions include a pit of some sort. These pits become filled with liquid which freezes in cold weather (and prevent operation of the elevating conveyors) unless heat isprovided.

it is obvious from the above that the present equipment for conveying manure from barns is very expensive. In substantially all such equipment at least two large motors are necessary and a large amount of chain and many paddles or scrapers are required. Costly additions to the barn are essential in cold climates, and the cost of installing the connecting gutters, the pits, the sprockets wheels tive estimate that $3,000.00 is the minimum required for and the. like is very large. It is believed to be a conservethe purchase and installation of any of the systems now being produced, commercially; and a great part of this cost is due to the necessity for adding onto the barn to house that part of the system which extends outside the barn proper.

It is also obvious that parts of the systems become part of the realty. The additions to the barns or separate buildings, the pits and extra gutters are examples of such parts.

It is apparent that those systems which consist of endless chains and connecting gutters cannot be used to clean a barn having more than two lines of stalls without equipping the barn with a separate conveying system for each additional gutter and an added or larger extension of the barn to accommodate a second elevating conveyor or an extension of such conveyor.

These devices all present sanitary difliculties. Where pits receive the manure from the gutters, the pits become full of foul liquid which is very difiicult to remove. The long chains and scrapers are diificult to clean. The sprocket wheels become dirty and must be uncovered for cleaning.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive conveying means for removing manure from a cow ham or the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide a conveying means of the above type substantially none of which will be a permanent part of the barn but which may be readily attached thereto and removed therefrom.

Itis a further object of the invention to provide such a conveying means which may be stored in the barn when not in use and which may be readily moved out of the barn for operating purposes, so that it may be protected from the weather and the lubricants may be sufficiently warm for winter use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a single means for conveying manure from a cow barn having tw or more gutters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveying means which may be readily cleaned.

The present invention comprises a rolling carriage suspended from an overhead track, and a chain elevating conveyor assembly pivotally supported on the carriage with its lower end normally at floor level. The conveyor assembly includes a frame on which are mounted a winch, anda motor which drives both the winch and the conveyor chain. The conveyor mechanism has a fixed galvanized steel floor upon which the refuse is conveyed by a series of transverse scrapers extending between endless chains which run over sprocket wheels at the ends of the ramp in the usual manner. An intake chute is pivoted at the lower end of the ramp frame, so that its end may be butted against a step at the end of a barn gutter. The motor driven winch has a reel on which is wound a stainless steel drag line cable, at the free end of which is attached a shovel-like scraper which may be manually guided along the barn gutter as the cable is wound on. the reel.

The overhead track is attached to the ceiling of the barn at the center of the aisle, and connects at the door with a swinging boom which forms a continuation of the track. Thus, the apparatus may be stored inside the barn with the elevating conveyor mechanism tipped to a horizontal overhead storage position just beneath the track; and for use the apparatus may be pushed outside the barn, the boom swung toward the gutter to be cleaned. and the ramp aligned with said gutter and tilted until the intake chute butts against the step at the end of the gutter. After starting the motor to operate the endless chain, the scraper is carried into the barn an appropriate distance and placed in the gutter and the drag line winch is thrown into gear to drag the scraper toward the ramp. The scraper pushes the manure in the gutter through the intake chute and onto the ramp where it is picked up by the scraper members, carried to the high end of the ramp and dumped into a truck or other removal means. The winch may be thrown into gear by a tug on the cable. and automatic means are provided to throw it out of gear when the drag line scraper reaches the conveyor.

After one gutter is cleaned the conveyor assembly is elevated and the boom is swung to align the assembly with the other gutter and the procedure is repeated. The carriage and the entire conveyor assembly may then be replaced in the barn for storage until the next cleaning. In cases where the barn contains more than two gutters the boom may be made longer or may be replaced by a stationary. support attached. to and running along the outer wall of the building and under which the track is mounted.

The gutters usually extend to the barn door which may be left open to permit the intake chute to be placed in the gutter end. Suitable small openings may also be made in or adjacent the barn door to accommodate the ramp end so that the door may be closed in cold weather. Trap doors or other closures may be provided for these openings. It is desirable to deepen and widen the gutter end and provide a low step to accommodate the intake chute for the ramp, but this may be done at small cost.

it is generally necessary to make two or more trips with the gutter scraper to clean each gutter. This depends on the length of the gutter and the depth of the matter therein. The part of the gutter near the ramp is cleaned first, then the part adjacent the cleaned part and so on. Inasmuch as the drag line operates at a speed much greater than that of the old type chain and rod conveyors, the gutter is cleaned very rapidly even when three or more trips are necessary.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device, with the end of the barn gutter and the conveyor positioning box shown in section; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated along the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig.6 is a sectional view taken as indicated along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional view as indicated taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed central vertical sectional view of the lower end of the conveyor mechanism; Fig. 9 is a section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detailed central vertical sectional view of the upper end of the conveyor'mechanism; Fig. 11 is a section taken as indicated along the line 1111 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a section taken as indicated along the line 12-12 of Fig. 1; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower end of the elevating conveyor, with the conveyor positioning box in section; Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the conveyor positioning box; Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along the line 1S15 of Fig. 13; and Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view of the hold down latch assembly.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the gutter cleaner consists generally of overhead supporting track members .A, a wheeled carriage B suspended from the track so as to roll thereon; an elevating conveyor assembly C mounted on the carriage B; and a drag line scoop mechanism D operated by a winch on the elevating conveyor assembly. Suitable driving mechanism E is provided for the elevating conveyor C and the drag line scoop D.

A barn, a portion of which is shown in section and indicated generally at 8, has an end wall 9 provided with a doorway 10. A concrete cleaning alley floor 11 and a stall bed floor 12 are separated by a gutter 13 which extends continuously behind the cow stalls in the barn. Ordinarily a dairy barn has a center aisle flanked by rows of cow stalls in which the cows back up to the center aisle, and there is a gutter 13 at each side of the aisle. In order to best accommodate the gutter cleaning mechanism of this invention, the outer end of the gutter 13 is widened slightly, as to form a shallow conveyor positioning box 14 adjoining the end of the gutter.

As best seen in Fig. 14, the positioning box 14 slopes toward the gutter end, and has a trough 15 at its inner end which has a slanting face 15a forming a step up to the gutter 13. A Z-bar 16, preferably formed of expanded metal, reinforces the gutter end, step and trough. At the outer end of the box 14 is an inclined lip 14a which is level with the cleaning alley fioor 11 to form a dam at the outer end of the box 14 and to provide a face 14b flush with the outer end of the cleaning alley floor against which the lower end of the barn door rides. It is seen that any fluid which runs out of the conveyor assembly C drops into the box 14 and flows back into the trough 15 where it may be picked up with a subsequent load of refuse from the gutter 13. A pair of opposed metal sockets 18 are set in the sides of the box 14 to receive hold down latches on the conveyor, as will be described in detail hereafter. The positioning box 14, being formed in the concrete of the barn floor,

P ovides a fixed station for the inner end of the conveyor assembly C which does not obstruct the barn floor in any wayand which permits the receiving end of the conveyor assembly to be easily and quickly aligned with the end of the gutter. The inclined step up from the trough to the end of the gutter 13 provides a surface against which the end of the assembly abuts. The conveyor assembly may be quickly removed from the positioning box at the end of the cleaning operation.

Hung within the barn is an overhead track assembly A which is of a well-known type. heretofore used in barn equipment. The track consists generally of a pair of spaced angle members 19 which are hung from central hanger pins 19a which may also serve asv the. spacing members for he angle members forming the track. The track assembly A is mounted on the ceiling of a barn along the c n er of the aisle, and. has, a. first portion 20 inside the barn and a second portion 2,1 outside the barn. The P i v21 i s pe de beneath a swinging boom 22 which is supported on a wall bracket 23 by means of 21 hinge pin 24. The track section 21 is likewise hinged with respect to the track section .0 on a pin 25, and a sliding section of track 26 may 3 Provided to afiord a smooth connection between the sections 20 and 21 in any position of the boom arm 22. The boom arm 22 at is of a type which is. well-known in the. barn equipment field, and as is customary it is supported from the barn wall by guy wires (not shown) which are secured at their inner ends to a clevis on the barn Wall directly above the boom bracket 23. e

The wheeled carriage. B has a travelling assembly indicated generally at 27. which includes a hanger bar 28 secured beneath spaced upstanding U-brackets 29. A pair of laterally spaced wheels 30 are journalled onstub axles in the. upright portions of each U-bracket 29, and roll upon the angle members 19 of the track assembly A. Depending from the hanger bar 28 is a threaded hook 31 at the lower end of which a stirrup member 32. is retained by means of a pair of threaded nuts 33.

The elevating conveyor assembly C includes a motor and winch support frame, indicated generally at 34, which consists of a pair of upright side plates 35 connected by a transverse motor support plate 36 and through the upper ends of the side plates 35 passes. a supporting pin 37 by means of which the elevatmgconveyor assembly is pivotally suspended from the. stirrup member 32. A conveyor ramp 38 of the assembly C, bolted between the side plates, 35, is formed of a single piece of metal and has upstanding sides. 39 which have inturned top margins 40. As best seen in Flg. 10 the upper end of the conveyor ramp 38 is provided with a pair of reinforcing side plates 41 to carry the drive gears. as will be described hereinafter; and as best seen 1n Fig. 8 the lower end of the conveyor rarnp38 is pro vided with reinforcing side plates 42 which have strengthening flanges 43. Extending beneath the conveyor ramp are longitudinal angle members 44 WhlCh are bolted to the motor support side plates 35, and the top and bottom reinforcing

side plates

41 and 42. Supported on the angle members 44 is a return pan 45- whlch 1s parallel to. and spaced below theconveyor ramp 38. Secured at the lower end of the return pair. 45, and supported, by the angle members .4. and, bottom reinforclng side plates 42, is a fluid trap 46 which catches any fluid that flows down the ramp.

Atthe lower end of the conveyor ramp spa ced above its fluid trap 46, is. a sprocket shaft, 57 which is slldably supported in longitudinal slots 57a 1n the lower side reinforcing plates 42. Threaded adjusting bolts 5 8 extend through apertured ears 58a, punched from the remforclng plates 42, and through apertures 1n the. ends of the sprocket shaft 57. The heads of. the bolts 58 butt agamst the ears 58a. so that the bolts and their nuts, 58b: may serve to adjust the shaft 57 longitudinally of. the: ramp 38. Mounted on the shaft 57 is. a ramp bottom assembly comprising a scroll piece 59 and, end pieces 59a which are apertured to receive the shaft 57. The upper end, of the scroll 5.9 overlaps the lower end of the ramp. 38.

As best seen in Figs. land. 13, an, intake chute 4'2 is pivoted between the bottom reinforcing side, plates 42 on a pair. of short bolts. 48. The intake. chute. 1s formed of a single piece of shee metalv which is. shaped to pro.- vide a. bottom. 49 and p rallel upr sht sides; with inwazr ly xtendinntop fla g 51lo- The intakechute is. wider than he gutter, bu narrower than the. conveyor ramp. As seen in Fig. 8, the upper end of the intake chute 47 is positioned above the upper part of the ramp bottom scroll 59 so that material pushed through the intake chute is deposited upon the scroll and may be moved onto the ramp. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the forward end of the intake chute is so proportioned that its upright side walls 50 fit close to the side of the conveyor positioning well 14, and its forward edge rests in the trough 15 at the end of the gutter. The slanting step 15a of the trough 15 assures that the chute 47 may be elevated without catching on the step. The intake chute 47 is provided with

stops

51 and 52 which limit its pivotal movement in both directions.

As best seen in Figs. 13 and 15, a hold down latch assembly, indicated generally at 122, includes a pair of angle members 123 which are mounted between the re inforcing side plates 42 of the conveyor ramp with their angles in opposed positions and their sides parallel to form a sort of elongated box having top and bottom slots. The box serves as a support and guide for a pair of slid able latch pins 124 and 125 which are urged outwardly by a compression spring 126 and extend beyond the flanges 43 of the side plates 42. A center cross pin 127 and bolt 128 serve as spring retainers to prevent both latch pins 124 and 125 from sliding in either direction as a unit. A latch chain 129 has an end secured to the pin 125, and passes beneath the. conveyor ramp, over guide 130 and through an eye 133 which are positioned on a side plate 42 above the pin 124. The opposite end of the chain is secured to the pin 124 and passes over a guide 132 and through a second eye 133 which are. positioned on the other side plate 42 above the pin 125. The body of the latch chain 129 spans the ramp above the side plates 42 where. it may be readily grasped and pulled to retract the latch pins 124 and 125 to permit the end of the ramp to be lowered into the ramp positioning box 14. The pins 124 and 125 may then be released to engage the sockets 18 in the walls of the box 14, so that the ramp is firmly latched in place and cannot overbalance when a heavy slug of refuse approaches the elevated discharge end of the conveyor. Preferably a rubber cover tube 134 jackets the upper portion of the chain 129.

Material deposited at thev bottom of the conveyor ramp is moved up the ramp by driven conveyor chain means, the construction of which will now be detailed. As best seen in Figs. 10 and 11, the upper reinforcing side plates 41 are apertured to receive a drive shaft 53. which extends through both of said reinforcing side plates and is journalled in bronze flanged bearings 54 which are secured to the outer surfaces of the reinforcing side. plates 41.

Keyed on the drive shaft 53 inside the reinforcing side plates 41 are a pair of drive. sprockets 55 which project into recesses 56 in the conveyor ramp 38. As seen in Fig. 8, a pair of sprockets 60 are rotatably supported upon the sprocket shaft 57 at the lower end of the ramp, be tween the ramp side walls 39 and the scroll end pieces 59a. Extending over the sprockets 55 and 60, and adapted to be driven by the sprockets 55, are a pair of endless block chains 61 which extend along the lateral margins of the ramp bottom 38. Extending transversely of the ramp bottom 38 and secured at; both ends to the chains 61 are a plurality of angle members 62 which act as scrapers, or paddles for moving refuse up the ramp to its elevated discharge end. As seen in Figs. 10 and ll, a stiff wire bristle brush 6.3 is secured to the upper side reinforcing plates 41 in such a position, that, after the chains 61 and the cross scrapers 62 pass over the. upper sprockets 55 they are thoroughly scrubbed by the bristles to remove refuse clinging to their under surfaces. Most of this refuse falls out the open. upper end of the conveyor assembly, but some falls into. the return pan 45 and is carried down by the. scrapers 62 and around the. fluid trap 45 onto the conveyor ramp 3%.

The drive mechanism E for. the apparatus includes. two major drive portions, one for the conveyor C and the other for the drag line scoop mechanism D, both driven off a motor 64 which is, mounted on top of the motor support plate 36. Because of the fact that the apparatus of this invention moves only relatively small quantities of refuse at a time a 1 /2. horsepower motor is adequate... and even a l horsepower unit is satisfactory. The. drive; from the motor 64 is through a V-belt 65 tov a V-pulley- 66 provided with a fixed pinion 67', both of which. are jour nalled at one. end of a counter shaft 68-which,, as best seen in. Fig. 11, extends between. the upper reinforcing; side 4! plates 41 adjacent the drive shaft 53. A gear 69 keyed on the end of the drive shaft 53 meshes with the gear 67 to drive the sprockets 55 and chains 61; and a drive sprocket 70 at the opposite end of the sprocket shaft 53 carries a drive chain 71 which provides power for a winch drive shaft 72 on the motor and winch support 34 through a sprocket 73. Tension of the driven chain 71 is adjusted by means of a movable take-up idler 74 (Fig. 2).

As best seen in Fig. 4, the drag line scoop mechanism D includes a winch reel 75 which is rotatably mounted on the winch shaft 72, said shaft being rotatable in journals 76 secured to the upright side plates 35 of the motor and winch support frame 34. The other major elements of the drag line scoop mechanism are a drag line cable 77 wound on the winch reel 75, and a drag line scoop, indicated generally at 78 (Fig. 1). As best seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 9, the cable 77 extends through a slot in a transversely extending yoke arm 79 which is a portion of the winch drive control mechanism, thence under a pulley 80 which is spindled in a bracket 81 on the underside of a bridge plate 82 which spans the lower reinforcing side plates 42. It then passes through a fixed eye 83 which is mounted at the lower end of the handle 84 of the drag scoop 78, just above the scoop blade 85. The cable then extends parallel to the handle 84 and its end is firmly I secured in a terminal clamp 86 at the upper end of the handle 84. The reason for this arrangement of the cable 77 with respect to the handle 84 will become clear when the operation of the winch drive control is described.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 7, and especially to Figs. 3 and 4, the winch assembly and drive includes the reel 75 with its

end plates

87 and 88, said winch reel being rotatably mounted on the winch drive shaft 72. A cable guard assembly comprises annular guard plates 87a and 88a which surround, respectively, the

end plates

87 and 88 of the winch reel 75 and are supported on a cross rod 89. Spacer rods 89a and 89b extend between the an nular guard plates. A compression spring 90 is positioned between the end plate 88 and a spring stop 90a so as to urge the reel toward a clutch plate 91 which is keyed on the winch drive shaft 72. A plurality of clutch shoes 92 on the reel end plate 87 are kept in light frictional contact with the clutch plate 91, so that as long as the shaft 72 is being driven by the motor 64 there is a small continuous force tending to wind the cable 77 on the reel 75. The spring 90 is so adjusted that this force may be readily overcome by manually pulling the drag scoop 78 away from the conveyor assembly C, thus unreeling the cable 77 against the slight driving force exerted through the friction clutch plate 91.

A positive drive linkage for the winch, best seen in Figs. and 6, is provided by a drive plate 93 which is rotatably and slidably mounted on the shaft 72 and has four driving studs 94 which project through apertures in the clutch plate 91 and are positioned to engage drive slots 95 in the end plate 87 of the winch reel 75. The drive plate includes a neck 96 having spaced annular collars 97 to provide an engaging groove for an operating finger 98 which is at one end of the yoke arm 79. The yoke arm 79 is pivoted on a bolt 99 mounted on a bracket 100, so that movement of the yoke arm about its pivot engages and disengages the drive studs 94 and slots 95 of the positive drive linkage.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the pivotally mounted slotted yoke arm 79 is the principal element of the drive linkage control mechanism, and is provided with a spring arm 101 from which a tension spring 102 extends to a flange of the adjacent motor support side plate 35, so that the yoke arm is spring urged in a direction tending to engage the drive linkage through studs 94 and slots 95. A latch arm 103 is supported on a latch arm bracket 104 for rocking movement about a pivot 105. The latch arm 103 has at its outer end an adjustable latch assembly 106 consisting of a nut 107 welded to the latch arm, a bolt 108 threaded therein, and a latch adjuster piece 109 car ried on the bolt and having a bifurcated end 110 spanning the latch arm 103 and slidable thereon. The latch assembly 106 is adjusted to a position such that when the latch arm is in its elevated, latching position as seen in Fig. 3, the adjuster piece 109 hooks behind the free end 79a of the yoke arm 79 to retain the drive linkage studs 94 out of engagement with the slots 95. A downwardly extending latch spring 111 has its free end bearing against a spring stop 112 on the latch arm bracket 104, and is biased to urge the latch arm 103 to its latching position. At the end of the latch arm opposite the adjustable latch assembly 106 is a projecting latch spring finger 113 which is positioned adjacent the reel side plate 88 so as to extend into the path of travel of a latch trip lug 114 which projects outwardly from said side plate.

The final element of the winch drive linkage control is a trip mechanism on the cable 77, consisting of a fixed lug 115 and a slidable Washer 115a. The lug 115 is small enough to pass over the pulley 80 without causing the cable to jump out of the pulley groove. As the cable winds on the drum and the lug 115 approaches the yoke arm 79 it picks up the washer 115a which has an inside diameter less than the diameter of the lug 115 and an outside diameter great enough that it cannot pass through the slot in the yoke arm 79. Thus when the lug 115 and washer 115a reach the yoke arm the yoke arm is rocked about its pivot 99 to disengage the drive linkage studs 94 from the slots in the reel side plate 87. The diagonal portion 79b of the yoke arm 79 is provided to slide the cable, washer, and slug to the point shown in Fig. 4, regardless of the position of the cable turn forming on the reel 75, so that there will always be an adequate lever arm from the pivot 99.

In order to avoid possible overloading of the motor 64 in case any part of the drag line assembly jams, the sprocket 73 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 72 and is provided with a friction slip clutch face 116 which meshes with a clutch member 117 having a matching face, the member 117 being keyed on the shaft 72 outside the sprocket 73. The drive is through the engaging 45 tooth faces 117a. A clutch spring 118 surrounds the shaft 72 and may be adjustably tensioned by means of a rotatable spring tensioning piece which has a series of stepped notches 120 to engage a stud 121 on the shaft. If the winch jams, the sprocket 73 may turn independently of the winch assembly against the inclined faces of the clutch members 116 and 117. The force at which the sprocket 73 will turn independently is determined by the position of the spring tensioning piece 120.

The gutter cleaner is ordinarily stored within the barn, and the entire elevating conveyor assembly C may be pivoted about the supporting pins 37 at the bottom of the carriage member B to place it in an elevated horizontal position beneath the inside section 20 of the track assembly A, where it is out of the way. As is plain from Fig. l, the conveyor assembly C is well balanced on the supporting pin 37 so that no great effort is required to elevate its, lower end to storage position.

When the cleaner is to be used, the carriage member B is rolled along the track A onto the outside section 21 thereof, and the boom arm 22 is swung on its pivot 24 to align the conveyor assembly C with a gutter 13 and position the intake chute 47 in the positioning well 14 with its outer end in the trough 15.

At this time the cable 77 is fully wound upon the Winch reel 75, and the cable trip lug and washer 115a are abutted against the yoke arm 79 so that the winch drive linkage is disengaged. .The latch arm 103 is in its latching position, locking the yoke arm 79 so that the drive linkage cannot be engaged.

The motor 64 may be started to operate the conveyor chains 61, and since the cable trip mechanism is against the yoke arm 79 the friction clutch plate 91 simply slips on the clutch shoes 92 of the winch reel 75, so that the winch remains stationary. The operator may then take the drag scoop 78 by its handle 84 and walk alongside the gutter 13 for about one-third the length of the gutter and place the drag scoop blade 85 in the gutter, holding onto the handle to guide the scoop manually along the gutter. As the cable 77 is unreeled, the winch reel 75 rotates counterclockwise against the light frictional driving force of the constantly engaged clutch plate 91 and clutch shoes 92. The latch trip lug 114 on the reel plate 88 contacts the spring latch finger 113 of the latch bar 103 on each revolution of the reel; but since the spring finger is secured to the bar 103 only at its inner extremity it can bend freely to let the trip lug past.

To manipulate the drive linkage control mechanism and engage the linkage to drive the winch positively, the operator need only grasp that part of the cable 77 which extends parallel to the drag scoop handle 84 and pull few feet of cable through the eye 83. When this slack is released the winch reel 75 is free to rotate under the light frictional driving force of the clutch plate 91, and when the reel has made one revolution in a clockwise 9 direction the latch trip lug I14- strikes the spring finger 113 from below, so that the finger is. not free to flex, and pivots the; latch arm it about its pivot 105, thus releasing the yoke arm- 7 9 from the latch piece 109'. The force of the spring 102 swings the yoke arm about its pivot 99, sliding the drive plate 93'- on the shaft 72 to engage the drive studs 94' with the. drive slots 95 of the winch reel side plate 87. The winch isthus positively driven through the linkage to wind the cable 77 on the reel 75. When the yoke arm 79 is in driving position,

its free end 79a overlies the latch piece 109- to hold it in inoperative position. As the reel turns the latch trip lug I14 strikes the spring finger 113 on each, revolution; but due tothe arrangement of the latch spring 111 the latch arm 103 is free to pivot against the tension of said spring, and thus the lug H4 rocks the latch arm and slides: past it.

As the drag scoop 78 slides along the gutter it pushes the refuse ahead of it, and the material is usually of the proper consistency to pile up only moderately ahead of the scoop blade 85' so that it forms a sort of slug of material ahead of the scoop blade. Much of the material pushes along en masse into the intake chute 47 of the conveyor assembly, and passes through the chute onto the ramp 38 where it is picked up by the chain conveyor scrapers 62 and moved to the-elevated discharge end of the ramp 38 where it is pushed over the end of the ramp zc fallI into a disposal means such as a truck box T The cable 77 continues to wind on the reel until the cable trip lug I15 and washer 115a strike the yoke arm 79. Ordinarily the lug 115 will be so positioned on the cable that it strikes the yoke arm when the drag scoop blade 85 is close to the upper end of the intake chute 47, so that the scoop may be used to clear all refuse from the chute onto the conveyor ramp 38. When the trip lug 115 and washer 115a strike the yoke arm 79 they ride along the diagonal portion 79b until the leverage is great enough to pivot the arm against the force of the spring 102 to disengage the drive linkage; and when the yoke arm has pivoted a sufficient distance the latch piece 109 is released from beneath the free end 79a of the yoke arm and the latch spring 111 pivots the latch arm 103 to latching position.

This operation has cleaned about one-third of the gutter, more or less, depending upon the length of the gutter and the amount of refuse in it. The operation is repeated, pulling the drag scoop farther along the gutter each time until the entire gutter is clean. The lower end of the conveyor assembly C may then be elevated slightly, and the boom 22 swung to align the assembly with the other gutter. The operation is then repeated in the sec ond gutter as many times as is necessary to clean that gutter.

From the description of the operation, it is clear that each cleaning cycle breaks down into two substantially separate operations which occur in sequence. First a slug of refuse is slid along the gutter by the drag line scoop assembly D, and it is only at about the time the scoop is relieved of load that the conveyor C assumes a load. This sequential operation serves to keep power requirements low. Likewise, it is preferred to drive the conveyor C at a higher speed than the scoop assembly D so that the conveyor discharges its load before the scoop is moved out to pick up a new slug of material. A suitable speed for the drag line scoop is 100 feet per minute and for the conveyor 125 feet per minute.

When a barn has an even number of gutters, a swinging boom is preferred. When there is an odd number of gutters, the track parallel to the end of the building is preferred. In the latter case, the conveyor is preferably stored in the space having the single gutter. Where there are four or six gutters, it is preferable to use a swinging boom with each pair and connect the two with. a section of track and two curves within the stable itself.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

l. in a portable barn gutter cleaner having means for moving refuse to an end of a bar-n gutter, mobile refuse removal apparatus comprising: a wheeled carriage adapted to be moved from .a storage location inside .a barn to a working location outside the barn; an inclined conueyor ramp on said carriage having continuous upstanding sidewalls; sprockets at the ends of said ram-p5; drive means for the sprockets; continuouseonveyo-r chains extending over the sprockets at the two sides of the conveyor ramp within the sidewalls, said chains having transverse scrapers tov scrape theramp; an arcuate fluid trap surrounding 'the lower end of the ramp and positioned to have its inner surface contacted by the scrapers; and a pivoted intake chute, having its inner end above the lower portion of the conveyor; ramp and above the fluid trap, said chute being adapted to have its outer end abut against a step at the end ofa barn gutter.

2'. The apparatus of claim 1' wherein a return pan is spaced below the conveyor ramp and extends parallel to the conveyor ramp. from the fluid trap to the discharge end ofthe ramp.

3. In a portable barn gutter cleaner having means for moving refuse to. an end of a gutter, in combinationa carriage member adapted to be moved from a storage location inside a barn to a working location outside the barn; an elevating conveyor assembly supported on said carriage, said assembly having an inclined ramp with an elevated discharge end; and a shallow conveyor positioning box for-med in the barn floor at the end of a barn gutter to receive and position the lower end portion of the conveyor assembly, there being a small step down from the gutter to the positioning boxagainst which the outer end of the conveyor assembly abuts when in said positioning box.

4. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 31 in which the conveyor positioning box has a floor which is above the gutter level and slants downwardly toward the gutter end, and includes a shallow troughportion immediately adjacent the gutter end to receive liquid from the, gutter end and the box.

5. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 4 in which the conveyor positioning box has a lip at its outer end to provide a dam which is substantially flush with the cleaning alley floor.

6. The barn guttercleaner of claim 5 in which the outer face of the dam is continuous with the end of the barn floor to provide a contacting surface for the lower portion of the barn door.

7. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 3 in which the lower end of the conveyor assembly is provided with a pivoted intake chute which is narrower than the lower end of the conveyor assembly ramp and has its inner end above the end of the ramp, and which is broader than the gutter end.

8. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 7 in which the entire conveyor positioning box is wider than the gutter, and the box walls diverge away from the gutter end.

9. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 3 in which the lower end of the conveyor assembly is provided with hold-down means, and the conveyor positioning box has engaging means which cooperate with said liold=down means to releasably lock the conveyor assembly with its lower end abutting the end of the gutter.

10. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 9 in which the hold-down means comprises a pair of retractible spring pressed plungers which extend beyond the sides of the conveyor assembly, and the engaging means are a pair of cups in the box wall to receive the ends of the plungers.

11. The barn gutter cleaner of claim 10 in which the plungers are retracted by means of a chain which extends upwardly from the plungers and spans the lower end of the conveyor ramp.

12. In a portable barn gutter cleaner having means for moving refuse along a gutter, a m e elevating cone veyor assembly having ,an'inclined conveyor with'a re.- ceiving end and an elevated discharge end, and an in= take chute which has an outer end adapted to be posi-. tioncd to receive refuse from said first named means' and an inner end above said receiving end of said inclined conveyor, said intake chute being at least as wide at its inner end as it is at its outer en and being free of lat-. eral restrictions,

13. In a p rta le arn gu te cle ner havin means for moving fuse to n en of a gutt m il l rating convey r assem y ha ng n in li e mp i a receiving end and an elevated d ch rg end, m n for mov g re use up said ramp, and a in ake .chute to receive refuse from sai first named means, said chute be n id r than a b rn gutter a d a rowe han s ramp, and being mono-te for p votal mo ement in a vertical plane with its inner end positioned above the receiving end of said ramp and its outer end at the end of a barn gutter, said intake chute being at least as wide at its inner end as it is at its outer end, and being free of lateral restrictions.

14. In a portable barn gutter cleaner having means for moving refuse to an end of a gutter, in combination, a shallow positioning box formed in the barn floor at the end of a barn gutter which is wider than said gutter and has its inner end below the gutter end to provide a shallow step extending across the gutter end, a wheeled carriage, an elevating conveyor having an inclined ramp provided with refuse moving means supported by said carriage, and an intake chute mounted at the lower end of said ramp for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said chute being wider than the gutter and narrower than said ramp so that it may be positioned with one end against said step and the other end above the lower portion of said ramp.

15. A portable barn gutter cleaner", comprising: a wheeled carriage; an elevating conveyor assembly supported by said carriage, said assembly including an inclined ramp; an intake chute having its inner end above the lower end of said ramp, said chute being at least as wide at its inner end as it is at its outer end and being free of lateral obstructions; conveyor mechanism in said assembly; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along a barn gutter; motor means mounted on the conveyor assembly for driving said conveyor mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

16.A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a row of cow stalls with a refuse gutter therebehind having a shallow step down at an end adjacent the barn door and a cleaning alley extending alongside the gutter, comprising: an overhead track mounted above the cleaning alley floor, said track having a portion extending outside the barn; a wheeled carriage mounted for rolling movement on said track from a storage location inside the barn to a working location outside the barn; support means depending from said carriage and mounted thereon for pivotal movement about a vertical axis; an inclined elevating conveyor assembly hung from said support means so that when the carriage is outside the barn said assembly may be positioned with only its lower receiving end portion inside the barn and its elevated discharge end outside the barn; conveyor mechanism in i against the step at the end of the gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter into and through said refuse intake means for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

17. A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a row of cow stalls with a refuse gutter therebehind having a shallow step down at an end adjacent the barn door and a cleaning alley extending alongside the gutter, comprising: an overhead track mounted above the cleaning alley floor, said track having a portion extending outside the barn; a wheeled carriage mounted for rolling movement on said track from a storage location inside the barn to a working location outside the barn; support means depending from said carriage mounted thereon for pivotal movement about a vertical axis; an inclined elevating conveyor assembly hung from said support means so that when the carriage is outside the barn said assembly may be positioned with only its lower receiving end portion inside the barn and its elevated discharge end outside the barn; conveyor mechanism in said assembly to move refuse from said receiving end to said discharge end; an intake chute pivotally mounted at the receiving end of the assembly with its inner end portion positioned above the lower end of said conveyor mechanism, said intake chute having a base plate provided with a transversely extending outer margin which may be butted against the step at the end of the gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter into and through said intake chute for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

18. A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a cleaning alley extending inwardly from the door, refuse gutters flanking the cleaning alley which have a shallow step down at the ends adjacent the door, and a row of cow stalls flanking each gutter, comprising: an overhead track extending inwardly from the door above the cleaning alley floor; a swinging boom pivoted on the outer wall of the barn above the door and provided with a track which connects with said overhead track; a wheeled carriage mounted for rolling movement on said track from a storage location inside the barn to a working location on the track on said boom whereby said carriage may be positioned opposite the end of either gutter; support means depending from said carriage and mounted thereon for pivotal movement about a vertical axis; an inclined elevating conveyor assembly hung from said support means so that when the carriage is outside the barn said assembly may be positioned with only its lower receiving end portion inside the barn and its elevated discharge end outside the barn; conveyor mechanism in said assembly to move refuse from said receiving end to said discharge end; refuse intake means at the receiving end of the assembly including a base plate having a transversely extending outer margin which may be butted against the step at the end of the gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter into and through said refuse intake means for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winchdrive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

19. A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a row of cow stalls with a refuse gutter therebehind having a shallow step down at an end adjacent the barn door and a cleaning alley extending alongside the gutter, comprising: an overhead track mounted above the cleaning alley floor, said track having a portion extending outside the barn; a wheeled carriage mounted for rolling movement on said track from a storage location inside the barn to a working location outside the barn; support means depending from said carriage and mounted thereon for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said support means including a yoke having a transversely extending pivot pin; an elevating conveyor assembly hung from said pivot pin with its weight distributed substantially evenly on both sides of said pivot pin so that it may be readily moved between an elevated horizontal storage position above the cleaning alley floor and an inclined loading position, whereby said elevating conveyor assembly may be positioned with only its lower receiving end portion inside the barn and its elevated discharge end portion outside the barn; conveyor mechanism in said elevating conveyor assembly to move refuse from said receiving end to said discharge end; refuse intake means at the receiving end of the assembly including a base plate having a transversely extending outer margin which may be butted against the step at the end of the gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter into and through said refuse intake means for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

20. A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a row of cow stalls with a refuse gutter therebehind having a shallow step down at an end adjacent the barn door and a cleaning alley extending alongside the gutter, comprising: wheeled supporting carriage means of small longitudinal dimension, said carriage means having a horizontal pivot; a normally inclined elevating conveyor assembly supported on said pivot with both its lower receiving end and its upper discharge end spaced a substantial distance from any portion of said carriage means, and said lower receiving end being of small height; conveyor mechanism in said assembly to move refuse from said receiving end to said discharge end; a bridge frame spanning the receiving end of the conveyor assembly and spaced only slightly thereabove; cable guide means secured to said bridge frame; an intake chute pivotally mounted on said bridge frame with its inner end portion positioned above the lower end of the conveyor mechanism, said intake chute having a base plate with a transversely extending outer margin which may be butted against the step at the end of a gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly close to said horizontal pivot; a drag scoop secured to a cable which extends through said cable guide means and is wound on said winch, whereby said drag scoop may be drawn by said cable and manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter through said intake chute for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and means for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

21. A portable gutter cleaner for a barn which has a row of cow stalls with a refuse gutter therebehind having a shallow step down at an end adjacent the barn door and a cleaning alley extending alongside the gutter, comprising: an overhead track mounted above the cleaning alley floor, said track having a portion extending outside the barn; a wheeled carriage mounted for rolling movement on said track from a storage location inside the barn to a Working location outside the barn; support means depending from said carriage and mounted thereon for pivotal movement about a vertical axis; an inclined elevating conveyor assembly hung from said support means so that when the carriage is outside the barn said assembly may be positioned with only its lower receiving end portion inside the barn and its elevated discharge end outside the barn; conveyor mechanism in said assembly to move refuse from said receiving end to said discharge end; refuse intake means at the receiving end of the assembly including a base plate having a transversely extending outer margin which may be butted against the step at the end of the gutter; a winch mounted on said assembly; a drag scoop secured to a cable wound on said winch and adapted to be manually guided along the barn gutter to move any desired percentage of the refuse in the gutter into and through said refuse intake means for pickup by the conveyor mechanism; motor means for driving said mechanism and said winch; winch drive mechanism including a drive linkage connecting the motor means and the winch; and mechanical means controllable by movement of the drag scoop cable for engaging and disengaging the drive linkage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,053,206 Myers Feb. 18, 1913 1,668,815 Livingston May 8, 1928 1,699,175 Yarn Jan. 15, 1929 1,800,814 Boldt Apr. 14, 1931 1,885,069 Baker Oct. 25, 1932 2,395,238 Thwaites Feb. 19, 1946 2,491,245 Bergman Dec. 13, 1949 2,509,097 Hinz May 23, 1950 2,516,798 Peterson July 25, 1950 2,529,954 McCann Nov. 14, 1950 2,535,961 Schutt Dec. 26, 1950 2,547,270 Kunz Apr. 3, 1951 2,547,773 Pittman Apr. 3, 1951 2,558,424 Dretzke June 26, 1951 2,586,981 Nagel Feb. 26, 1952 2,603,371 Hershey July 15, 1952 2,636,593 Baehr Apr. 28, 1953 2,639,803 Tonagel et a1. May 26, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 422,068 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1935 OTHER REFERENCES Kewaunee Eng. Co. Barn Cleaner Publication, Adrian, Michigan. Recd in Div. 4, Aug. 15, 1950. (Copy available in Div. 4, Class 198 O. X.)