US3780915A

US3780915A - Detachable mounting of dispenser machine

Info

Publication number: US3780915A
Application number: US00140037A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Teagle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-05-04
Filing date: 1971-05-04
Publication date: 1973-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-25

Abstract

An adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper of a machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser or other granular material, is supported in an aperture in a second plate, which clips onto a seat for the hopper, by means of a forked arm pivotally mounted on the second plate for movement about a vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and coacts with a pin on the latter to retain the plate in one of its positions of adjustment, and an open position in which the arm is swung clear of the adjustable plate.

Description

United States Patent [191 Teagle Dec. 25, 1973 [54] DETACHABLE MOUNTING OF Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman DISPENSER MACHINE PARTS Attorney-Norris & Bateman [76] Inventor: William Thomas Teagle, Blackwater, TI'Ul'O, England [22] Filed: May 4, 1971 Appl. No.: 140,037

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1879 Weaver 222/557 X l0/l918 Shaw 222/557 X An adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper of a machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser or other granular material, is supported in an aperture in a second plate, which clips onto a seat for the hopper, by means of a forked arm pivotally mounted on the second plate for movement about a vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and coacts with a pin on the latter to retain the plate in one of its positions of adjustment, and an open position in which the arm is swung clear of the adjustable plate.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU DEC 2 5 I975 SHEET 101- 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM THOMAS TEAGLE ATTO RNEYS PATENTEDBE025 I975 3.780.915 SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM THOMAS TEAGLE zav} 1 W1 ATTORNEYS 1 DETACHABLE MOUNTING OF DISPENSER MACH NEJLABT This invention relates to means for controlling the discharge of material from a hopper or other storage container, comprising an adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom'of the hopper and'its object is to facilitate easy removal of the plate for maintenance or cleaning without the use of tools.

To this end, according to the invention, there is provided a forked arm pivotally mounted atone end for movement about a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and an open position, in which the arm isclear of the adjustable plate. 1

The invention is particularly applicable to machines for broadcasting seed, fertiliser and other granular material discharged from the outlet atthe bottom of a hopper through an adjustable aperture in a plate extending across the bottom of a hopper, onto a distributor which rotates about a substantially vertical axis to eject the material on to the ground by means of centrifugal force and a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of such a broadcasting machine with a part of the hopper and its mounting broken away;

FlG.-2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 with the hopper removed; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of tbe forked arm showing its attachment to a part of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, an annular plate 1 is carried by transverse members 2 and inclined members 3 of a supporting frame which also includes twin upright members 4 provided with pins 5 passing through plates 6 and adapted to be secured to the arms (not shown) of a tractor hydraulic lift by nuts 7 and washers 8. Alternatively the members 4 may be secured to a trailer (not shown) to be towed by a tractor. The plate 1 forms a seat for the open base of a hopper 9 and is provided with an upstanding flange l'0'to surround the hopper base and a'circular opening 11 adapted to register with the base opening of the hopper. The upper ends of the upright. members 4 are secured to cross-pieces 12 which are connected together at one end by an angle- .section bar 13 and at the other end by a rail 14 shaped to conform to the external contour of the hopper 9 and secured to the cross-pieces by bolts 15 which pass with considerable clearance through apertures.(not shown) in the cross-pieces to enable the rail to be slackened for removal of the hopper. As an added precaution against accidental displacement of the hopper 9 due to sudden jolts, additional securing means may be provided in the form of bolts 16 which hook over the rim of the hopper and pass through the rail 14 to which they can be secured by wing nuts 17 acting through springs 18 on washers 19. A rotary distributor 20 is mounted on a shaft 21 which passes through a sleeve 22 carried by transverse frame members 23, extends into tbe hopper where it carries

agitators

29 and 30 and is driven from the power take-off shaft 24 of the tractor through

universal joints

25,26 and

bevel gears

27 and 28.

A plate 31, clipped'to the underside of the plate 1 by hooks or lugs 52, has a central aperture 316 for the passage of the shaft 21 and a rectangular aperture 31a extending from a fixed cross bar 31 at one side of the shaft 21 to a point (not shown) adjacent one edge of the plate 31 to accommodate a panel 32 slidable radially of the distributor 20 on pins 33 secured to the underside of the plate 31. The panel 32 is apertured to receive one end of a rod 34 secured at its other end to a pin 35 rotatably mounted in arms 36 on the plate 31 and secured to a lever 37 having a hand-grip 38 and connected to the plate 31 by a spring 39. The panel 32 can be drawn back by the lever 37 to leave an elongated discharge aperture in the form of a slot 40 between the inner edge 41 of the panel and the adjacent inner edge 42 of the rectangular aperture in plate 31, which slot 40 is offset from tbe axis of the distributor 20 and extends across a sector of the circle described by the rotating distributor so that material falling through the slot 40 onto the distributor is ejected thereby in the form of an arc the rate or intensity of distribution of which can be varied by inward or outward adjustment of the panel 32. I

. The spread or length of the arc of distribution is varied by altering the length ofthe slot 40 and this is achieved by an angularly adjustable masking plate 43 of circular form with a part of its periphery cut away. The plate 43 is apertured to fit freely round the shaft 21 and is supported in its rotatably adjusted position by an arm 44 pivotally mounted at 45 on the plate 31 for movement about a substantially vertical axis and provided with a forked portion the lower limb 46 of which, in the closed position of the arm, engages beneath the masking plate and the upper limb 47 of which engages over the plate 1. An adjusted position of plate 43 is shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 2. The lower limb 46 carries a plate 48 formed with slots 49 which are adapted to selectively receive a locating pin 50 on the underside of the masking plate dependent upon the position of adjustment of the latter and the arm 44 is adapted to be held in its closed position by a spring 51, one end of which is adapted to be detachably secured to the outer end of the arm and the other end of which is anchored to the plate 31.

To remove the plate 31 for cleaning or maintenance purposes, it is only necessary to unhook the spring 51, swing the arm 44 out of engagement with the undersideof the plate 43, disengage the lugs or hooks 52 and remove the plate from the machine.

l claim:

1. Means for controlling the discharge of material from a hopper or other storage container, comprising an adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means for detachably mounting said plate beneath said discharge aperture, said means comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movement about a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.

2. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the lower fork of said arm is formed with slots for selective engagement with a pin on the underside of said adjustable plate to locate said plate in one of its positions of adjustment.

3. Control means according to claim 1, wherein said arm is pivotally mounted on a second plate extending across the bottom of said hopper and apertured to receive said adjustable plate.

4. Control means according to claim 3, wherein said second plate is provided with an anchorage for one end of a coil spring the other end of which is adapted to engage over the free end of said forked arm when the latter is in its closed position.

5. Control means according to claim 3, wherein said second plate is interposed between the underside of an annular seat for the bottom of the hopper and a distributor rotatable about a substantially vertical axis to eject material received thereby from the hopper, by means of centrifugal force.

6. Control means according to claim 5, wherein said second plate supports a panel slidable relative thereto radially of said distributor to define a variable width discharge slot which is offset from the axis of, and extends across a sector of the circle described by, said distributor, and said adjustable plate is movable about its axis relative to said second plate to vary the length of said discharge slot.

7. Control means according to claim 5, wherein said second plate is provided with supporting means which engage over that part of said annular seat remote from said forked arm.

8. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser and other granular material, comprising a hopper for said material, a discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper, a rotary distributor mounted beneath said discharge aperture to receive material therefrom and eject it onto the ground by centrifugal force, an adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means for detachably mounting said plate beneath said discharbe aperture. said means comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movement about a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.

Claims

8. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser and other granular material, comprising a hopper for said material, a discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper, a rotary distributor mounted beneath said discharge aperture to receive material therefrom and eject it onto the ground by centrifugal force, an adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means for detachably mounting said plate beneath said discharbe aperture, said means comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movement about a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.