MATERIAL SPREADER SYSTEM WITH HYDRAULIC DRIVE AND SPEED CONTROL MEANS

• US 3,776,431 A
• Filed: 08/07/1972
• Issued: 12/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John R. Riley
• Original Assignee: John R. Riley
• Inventors: Riley, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kocovsky, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US05/278,680
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 222/178 239/677 60/431 137/344
• US Class Current: 222/627
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/203 Centrifugal spreaders with substantially vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/46 Automatic regulation in accordance with output requirements

Abstract

This invention relates to material spreaders of the type including: a hopper, a prime mover for propelling the hopper at predetermined speeds, a movable unloading assembly for spreading the material from the hopper on the ground at a rate dependent upon the nature of the material and the ground speed of the hopper, a hydraulic motor for driving the unloading assembly, a hydraulic pump, and a control unit between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor for varying the speed of the motor. The control unit employs a fluid-flow proportioning device connected in parallel-circuit relationship with an operable 3-way valve to provide at least two speeds for the motor.

Claims

1. A material spreader comprising:

a hopper mounted on a chasis, at least one axle for supporting said chasis, at least one pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said axle;

transmission means including an axle ratio selector for setting the ratio of said axle thereby controlling the speed of hopper propulsion over the earth'"'"''"'"'s surface;

a movable unloading assembly positioned under said hopper for receiving a material from said hopper and for spreading it on the ground;

a hydraulic motor coupled to said unloading assembly for driving it at a speed proportional to the speed of the motor'"'"''"'"'s shaft;

a hydraulic pump having a shaft mechanically coupled to said transmission means for feeding fluid to said motor from a reservoir;

said pump and said motor each being of the constant volume displacement type wherein the volume of fluid displaced is proportional to the angular speed of rotation of the shaft;

a hydraulic control unit coupled between said pump and said motor, said unit comprising;

a first 3-way valve in series circuit between said pump and said motor;

a first fluid-flow proportioning device in parallel circuit with said first valve, said valve being automatically and solely operable by said axle ratio selector thereby changing the ratio Vm/Vp between the volume Vp delivered by said pump and the volume Vm received by said motor, independence upon the setting of said axle ratio selector whereby the speed of the material-unloading assembly is automatically correlated with the speed of said axle.

2. The spreader of claim 1 wherein said control unit further includes:

a second 3-way valve in series circuit with said first 3-way valve;

a second fluid proportioning device connected in parallel circuit relationship with said first valve between said first and second valves; and

means for operating said second valve to thereby change from one predetermined volumetric ratio to another predetermined ratio of fluid delivered by said pump to said first valve.

3. The spreader of claim 1 wherein:

said axle ratio selector is electrically-operated, and said first valve is electrically-operated simultaneously with the operation of said axle ratio selector.

4. The spreader of claim 3 and further including:

a pilot valve coupled between said first and second valves, said pilot valve being electrically-operated.