Top dresser
First Claim
1. A top dresser adapted to be pulled across the ground in a first direction comprising, in combination:
- a frame;
means for movably supporting the frame upon the ground;
a hopper mounted to the frame and having closed first and second sides, a closed bottom, and an open front;
a discharge gate movable between the sides of the hopper in the first direction from a first, expanded position to a second, unloaded position adjacent to the open front of the hopper;
a cylindrical dispensing drum rotatably mounted adjacent to the front of the hopper about an axis located below the closed bottom of the hopper;
a metering gate movably mounted at the front of the hopper and movable relative to the dispensing drum to meter the amount of material passing between the metering gate and the dispensing drum, with the discharge gate moving the material in the hopper in the first direction towards the dispensing drum for dispensing thereby, with the movably supporting means being spaced from the dispensing drum in a direction opposite to the first direction, with the material being dispensed by the dispensing drum in front of the hopper and the movably supporting means as the top dresser is being pulled in the first direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A top dresser (10) is disclosed in a first preferred form including a discharge gate (56) of a pusher (44) movably mounted in a hopper (30) for forcing material forward towards a rotating, cylindrical, dispensing drum (66) as the top dresser (10) is being pulled forward. The pusher (44) is slideably mounted by slides (50) secured to ears (48) extending between the sides (36) and the bottom (34) of the hopper (30) and slideable on tubular rails (52) positioned on the outside of the hopper (30). The pusher (44) is moved by expandable and contractable actuators (58, 60) pivotally mounted by their opposite ends to the frame (12) and the pusher (44) in a non-parallel, crossing manner. The drum (66) includes corrugated sheeting (70) around its periphery for gripping the material in the hopper (30) and drawing it under a metering gate (72) and a rotating brush (74) which propels the material onto the ground. The top dresser (10) is movably supported by four wheel assemblies each having a pair of wheels (16) rotatable about an axle (28) of a block (24) pivotable about stub shafts (26) pivotally mounted to the free end of a cantilevered mounted leaf spring (20). In an alternate form, a top dresser (100) is disclosed including an endless conveyor (140) including the corrugated sheeting (70) in the form of an endless belt passing around spaced, parallel rollers (148, 160) and beneath a hopper (136) for dispensing the material from the hopper (136) onto the ground and through the end of the hopper (136).
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A top dresser adapted to be pulled across the ground in a first direction comprising, in combination:
- a frame;
means for movably supporting the frame upon the ground;
a hopper mounted to the frame and having closed first and second sides, a closed bottom, and an open front;
a discharge gate movable between the sides of the hopper in the first direction from a first, expanded position to a second, unloaded position adjacent to the open front of the hopper;
a cylindrical dispensing drum rotatably mounted adjacent to the front of the hopper about an axis located below the closed bottom of the hopper;
a metering gate movably mounted at the front of the hopper and movable relative to the dispensing drum to meter the amount of material passing between the metering gate and the dispensing drum, with the discharge gate moving the material in the hopper in the first direction towards the dispensing drum for dispensing thereby, with the movably supporting means being spaced from the dispensing drum in a direction opposite to the first direction, with the material being dispensed by the dispensing drum in front of the hopper and the movably supporting means as the top dresser is being pulled in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- a frame;
-
16. In a hopper including first and second closed sides, a closed bottom, an open first end, and a discharge gate extending between the first and second sides, an improved construction for movably mounting the discharge gate for movement between a first position spaced from the first end and a second position adjacent to the first end comprising, in combination:
- first and second slide rails mounted to the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being located intermediate the first and second slide rails, with the first and second sides being spaced above the bottom; and
first and second means extending oppositely from the discharge gate and between the first and second sides and the bottom for slideable support on the first and second slide rails. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- first and second slide rails mounted to the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being located intermediate the first and second slide rails, with the first and second sides being spaced above the bottom; and
-
19. In a hopper including first and second closed sides, a closed bottom, an open first end, and a discharge gate extending between the first and second sides, an improved construction for moving the discharge gate in a first direction between a first position spaced from the first end and a second position adjacent to the first end comprising, in combination:
- at least a first expandable and contractable actuator having a first end and a second end;
means for pivotably mounting the first end of the first actuator adjacent to the first end of the hopper about an axis;
means for pivotably mounting the second end of the first actuator to the discharge gate about an axis, with a plane extending through the axes of the first actuator being at an angle to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- at least a first expandable and contractable actuator having a first end and a second end;
-
21. In a hopper including first and second closed sides, a closed bottom, an open first end, and a discharge gate extending between the first and second sides, an improved construction for moving the discharge gate in a first direction between a first position spaced from the first end and a second position adjacent to the first end comprising, in combination:
- at least a first expandable and contractable actuator having a first end and a second end;
means for pivotably mounting the first end of the first actuator to the hopper about a vertical axis; and
means for pivotally connecting the second end of the first actuator to the discharge gate about a vertical axis spaced from and parallel to the vertical axis of the first end of the first actuator, with the first actuator located vertically below the bottom and between the first and second sides.
- at least a first expandable and contractable actuator having a first end and a second end;
-
22. In a top dresser adapted to be moved across the ground in a first direction comprising:
- in combination;
a frame;
means for movably supporting the frame upon the ground;
a hopper mounted to the frame and having an end;
means for dispensing the material from the hopper onto the ground through the end of the hopper; and
a metering gate movably mounted at the end of the hopper and movable relative to the dispensing means to meter the amount of material being dispensed;
with the dispensing means being improved and comprising corrugated sheeting movable relative to the end of the hopper;
wherein the corrugated sheeting comprises a multiplicity of spaced, parallel ribs extending continuously in a direction generally perpendicular to the first direction between the sides of the corrugated sheeting with the ribs defining spaced channels therebetween of generally constant depths for receiving material and not being parallel to the metering gate. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
- in combination;
-
27. Method for dispensing material from a hopper into the ground through an end of the hopper as the hopper is moved across the ground in a first direction comprising the steps of moving corrugated sheeting relative to the end of the hopper, wherein the corrugated sheeting comprises a multiplicity of spaced, parallel ribs extending continuously in a direction generally perpendicular to the first direction between the sides of the corrugated sheeting, with the ribs defining spaced channels therebetween of generally constant depths for receiving material;
- and moving a metering gate relative to the end of the hopper and to the corrugated sheeting to meter the amount of material being dispensed, with the ribs not being parallel to the metering gate.
- View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
Specification