Material-dispensing implement

• US 4,234,109 A
• Filed: 06/17/1977
• Issued: 11/18/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert D. Goodhart
• Original Assignee: Robert D. Goodhart
• Inventors: Goodhart, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handren, Frederick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/807,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 239/662, 239/663, 239/670, 239/675, 239/289, 222/609, 222/610, 222/608, 222/1, 222/413
• US Class Current: 222/609
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/006 Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/42 mounted on the load-transporting element

Abstract

A material-distributing implement which is mountable to the flat bed of a truck for distributing dry material in one configuration and liquid in a second configuration. The disclosed embodiment includes a frame, a hopper, three auger sections mechanically coupled in line with each other and an arrangement of mechanical components and features for converting the implement from the dry material configuration to the liquid configuration and back to the dry configuration. A first auger section driven by the truck'"'"'s power take-off is supported between the front and rear walls of the hopper. Dry material in the hopper is transferred through an aperture in the rear wall to a second auger section which is also mounted to the bed of the truck. The final auger section receives the dry material from the second section and transfers this material to a remote location, beyond the rear of the truck, for distribution. A shroud positioned within the hopper, and whose elevation is adjustable, controls the flow rate of dry material from the hopper to the first auger section. This same shroud is adaptable to seal around the first auger section when the implement is converted to a liquid configuration.

Claims

1. A material-dispensing implement mountable to a vehicle for distributing dry material when said implement is in a first configuration and liquid when in a second configuration, said implement being repeatedly changeable from one configuration to the other configuration, said material-dispensing implement comprising:

a frame mountable to said vehicle;

an open vessel attachable to said frame for holding dry material in one configuration and liquid in the other configuration;

mean for conveying dry material from within said vessel to a remote location when said implement is in said dry material configuration; and

means for changing said material-dispensing implement from one configuration to the other configuration, said changing means comprising;

(a) a shroud positioned within said vessel and above a portion of said conveying means;

(b) a plurality of gasket members attachable to the periphery of said shroud;

(c) a plurality of adjustable clamping devices attached to said vessel and to said shroud; and

(d) means for securing the periphery of said shroud;

with gasket members attached, against the interior surface of said vessel to make sealing contact therewith.

2. The material-dispensing implement of claim 1 in which said securing means comprises:

a plurality of studs attached to said shroud;

a plurality of bolts attached to the interior surface of said vessel, each of said bolts being adjacent to each of said studs; and

a plurality of locking lugs slidably received by said studs and by said bolts and positionable so as to tightly draw said shroud against the interior surface of said vessel.

3. The material-dispensing implement of claim 1 in which each of said adjustable clamping devices is operable to provide clearance between the shroud and the vessel when said implement is in a dry material configuration and operable to force said shroud against the interior surface of said vessel when in said liquid configuration, each of said adjustable clamp devices comprising:

a vertically extending rod having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said shroud;

a guide secured to said vessel and through which said rod extends;

a nut threadedly received by said rod and positioned between said shroud and said guide;

a hydraulic cylinder having an extendable and retractable piston;

a bracket connecting said piston to the second end of said rod.

4. The material-dispensing implement of claim 2 in which each of said adjustable clamping devices is operable to provide clearance between the shroud and the vessel when said implement is in a dry material configuration and operable to force said shroud against the interior surface of said vessel when in said liquid configuration, each of said adjustable clamp devices comprising:

a vertically extending rod having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said shroud;

a guide secured to said vessel and through which said rod extends;

a nut threadedly received by said rod and positioned between said shroud and said guide;

a hydraulic cylinder having an extendable and retractable piston;

a bracket connecting said piston to the second end of said rod.

5. The material-dispensing implement of claim 4 in which said vessel is a multiwalled hopper having an open top, a front wall and a rear wall with an aperture therein, and said conveying means comprises a rotatable auger member extending from the front wall of said hopper, through said aperture and to a remote location beyond the rear of said vehicle.

6. The material-dispensing implement of claim 5 in which a baffle plate is secured within said hopper between said front and rear walls and positioned above said shroud when said implement is in said liquid configuration.

7. The material-dispensing implement of claim 6 in which the open top of said hopper is fitted with a lid when in said liquid configuration, said lid being attachable to said baffle plate.

8. The material-dispensing implement of claim 7 in which said vehicle has a flat bed supported by a front and rear axle arrangement and the majority of the weight of said hopper is forward of said rear axle.

13. The material-dispensing implement of claim 2 in which said vehicle has a flat bed supported by a front and rear axle arrangement and the majority of the weight of said hopper when holding dry material as well as when holding liquid is forward of said rear axle.

9. A material-dispensing implement mountable to a vehicle for distributing dry material when said implement is in a first configuration and liquid when in a second configuration, said implement being repeatedly changeable from one configuration to the other configuration, said material-dispensing implement comprising:

a frame mountable to said vehicle;

an open vessel attachable to said frame for holding dry material in one configuration and liquid in the other configuration;

said vessel being a multi-walled hopper having an open top, a front wall and a rear wall with an aperture therein;

means for conveying dry material from within said vessel to a remote location when said implement is in said dry material configuration, said conveying means comprising a rotatable auger member extending from the front wall of said hopper, through said aperture and to a remote location beyond the rear of said vehicle; and

means for changing said material-dispensing implement from one configuration to the other configuration, said changing means comprising;

(a) a shroud positioned within said hopper and above a portion of said rotatable auger member;

(b) a plurality of gasket members attachable to the periphery of said shroud;

(c) a plurality of adjustable clamping devices attached to said hopper and to said shroud; and

(d) means for securing the periphery of said shroud, with gasket members attached, against the interior surfaces of said hopper to make sealing contact therewith.

10. The material-dispensing implement of claim 9 in which said rotatable auger member comprises:

a first auger section positioned within said hopper and operable to transfer dry material from within said hopper to said aperture;

a second auger section mechanically coupled in line with said first auger section and operable to transfer along its length dry material received from said first auger section at said aperture; and

a third auger section mechanically coupled in line with said second auger section and operable to transfer dry material from said second auger section to said remote location.

11. The material-dispensing implement of claim 9 in which said vehicle has a flat bed supported by a front and rear axle arrangement and the majority of the weight of said hopper is forward of said rear axle.

12. The material-dispensing implement of claim 10 in which said first auger section is rotated by means of a mechanical coupling arrangement connected to the power take-off of the vehicle transmission.

14. The material-dispensing implement of claim 12 in which said second auger section is detachable from said first and said third auger sections and once detached, said enclosing structure of said third auger section is mountable in an inverted position to the rear wall of said hopper, said enclosing structure thereby providing a mounting surface for attachment of a liquid delivery device when said implement is converted to said liquid configuration.

15. A method of converting a fertilizer and chemical-spreading implement from an auger transporting, dry material configuration to an auger driving, liquid configuration, said conversion being reversible, said implement having a material vessel, a shroud positioned therein and three adjoining, in-line, auger sections, which comprises:

removing virtually all the dry material from with said vessel;

disconnecting said shroud from said vessel by disconnecting said shroud from adjustable clamping devices attached to said vessel;

attaching a series of gasket members to the periphery of said shroud;

reconnecting said shroud to said vessel;

pushing downwardly on said clamping devices to press said shroud against said vessel such that the ends of said shroud make sealing engagement with said vessel and maintaining said engagement by means of said clamping devices;

securing a plurality of locking devices between the shroud and the vessel such that the sides of said shroud are held in sealing engagement against said vessel, thereby completing the steps to make said vessel liquid-tight;

placing a baffle plate within said container to disrupt waves of liquid sloshing from one end to the other of said vessel;

filling the vessel with a liquid;

fitting a lid to the open top of said vessel to enclose said liquid;

attaching said lid to said baffle plate;

removing the middle auger section from between the other two auger sections;

inverting the last auger section and attaching said last auger section to the rear wall of said vessel and to said first auger section which is positioned within said vessel; and

mounting a rotary driven pump atop said last auger section and connecting a belt and pulley arrangement between said last auger section and an input shaft of said pump.

16. A method of converting a fertilizer and chemical-spreading implement from an auger-transporting, dry material configuration to an auger-driving, liquid configuration, said conversion being reversible, said implement including a frame attached to the flat bed of a vehicle, said frame having a rear wall portion, a vessel attached to said frame, said vessel having a single storage compartment, drive auger means disposed within said vessel and extending through said rear wall, and material discharge means located relative to said vehicle by means of said rear wall portion and attached to said rear wall portion, said material discharge means being coupled to and powered by said drive auger means, said material discharge means including dry material spreading fan means in said dry material configuration and liquid pump means in said liquid configuration, said two configurations being separate and distinct from each other such that any dry material and any liquid are free of co-mingling with each other, said method comprising:

removing virtually all of the dry material from within said vessel;

disconnecting said dry material spreading fan means from said drive auger means and from said rear wall portion;

connecting said liquid pump means to said drive auger means and to said rear wall portion; and

filling said vessel with a liquid substance to be distributed.