Discharge apparatus for discharging materials

• US 6,206,306 B1
• Filed: 09/11/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KUHN Knight Incorporated (Bucher Industries AG)
• Original Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp. (Bucher Industries AG)
• Inventors: McFarlane, Claude L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US09/394,479
• Time in Patent Office: 563 Days
• Field of Search: 239/63, 239/67, 239/69, 239/155, 239/658, 239/665, 239/668, 239/676, 239/677, 239/683, 239/684, 239/687, 239/689, 364/145, 364/420
• US Class Current: 239/684
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 17/008 Devices controlling the quantity or the distribution pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 3/06 Manure distributors, e.g. dung distributors

Abstract

A discharge apparatus is disclosed for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field. The apparatus includes a power discharge device which is disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container. The arrangement is such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through the outlet towards the power discharge device for discharging the materials at a location on the field. A power source is drivingly connected to the power discharge device for rotating the power discharge device. A power sensor is provided for sensing the power supplied by the power source which is approximately the power used by the power discharge device, the power sensor generating a first signal which is correlated to the spread rate of the materials discharged.

Claims

1. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means; and

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged.

2. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including:

control means connected to said power sensing means such that said first signal is fed into said control means, the arrangement being such that said first signal is used for varying said control means for controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged.

3. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein

said control means is an electronic control.

4. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein

said control means is a hydraulic control circuit.

5. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said power means is a hydraulic motor.

6. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said power means is an electric motor.

7. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said power means is a gas engine.

8. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including:

a drive belt for drivingly connecting said power means to said power discharge means.

9. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

control means connected to said power sensing means such that said first signal is fed into said control means, the arrangement being such that said first signal is used for varying said control means for controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged;

means connected to said control means for generating a second signal that is fed into said control means; and

said control means including;

a comparator circuit for comparing said first and said second signals, said comparator circuit generating a third signal based on a comparison of said first and second signals, the arrangement being such that said third signal is used for variably controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged so that when the container is moved across the field, the materials are discharged.

10. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

said discharge means including;

an axle rotatably driven about a rotational axis by said power means; and

a plurality of arms connected to said axle, each of said arms having a first and a second end, each of said first ends of said arms being secured in spaced relationship along said axle, said arms extending outwardly away from said axle so that on rotation of said axle, said arms propel the materials in a direction from the container and through said power discharge means.

11. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein

said axle is disposed horizontally.

12. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein

said axle is disposed vertically.

13. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including:

a further axle disposed parallel and spaced relative to said axle;

a further plurality of arms connected to said further axle, each of said further arms having a first and a second end, each of said first ends of said further arms being secured in spaced relationship along said further axle, said further arms extending outwardly away from said further axle so that on rotation of said further axle, said further arms cooperate with said arms to propel the materials in a direction from the container and through said power discharge means.

14. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein

each of said second ends of said arms include a hammer.

15. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

said power sensing means including;

a driving device extending from said power means to said power discharge means for driving said power discharge means;

a pulley cooperating with said driving device such that said pulley bears against said driving device; and

a load cell disposed adjacent to said pulley such that as said pulley bears against said driving device, said load cell senses a change in tension of said driving device, said change in tension being proportional to said power supplied by said power means so that said load cell generates said first signal which is proportional to said power supplied by said power means.

16. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein

said driving device is a belt drive.

17. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein

said driving device is a chain drive.

18. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

control means connected to said power sensing means such that said first signal is fed into said control means, the arrangement being such that said first signal is used for varying said control means for controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged;

means connected to said control means for generating a second signal that is fed into said control means;

said control means including;

a comparator circuit for comparing said first and said second signals, said comparator circuit generating a third signal based on a comparison of said first and second signals, the arrangement being such that said third signal is used for variably controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged so that when the container is moved across the field, the materials are discharged; and

said means being connected to said control means is a programmable means.

19. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein

said programmable means includes:

a source of information which generates said second signal which is unique to a soil analysis of said location on the field;

a global positioning system for determining when said power discharge means is disposed over said location on the field, said second signal being triggered when said location on the field is determined by said global positioning system so that the materials are discharged at said spread rate at said location on the field.

20. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein

said source of information is compiled from data supplied from said soil analysis for a plurality of locations within the field;

said global positioning system operating in conjunction with said source of information such that when said global positioning system determines that said power discharge means is disposed in a vicinity of one of said locations of said plurality of locations, said source of information is operative to supply said second signal which is unique to said one of said locations so that said second signal is fed to said comparator circuit for assisting in varying said power discharge means to correspond with said soil analysis for said one location such that said particular spread rate is achieved;

said first signal also being compared by said comparator circuit so that if a consistency of the material being discharged varies, said comparator circuit compares said first and second signals and generates said third signal based on said comparison of said first and second signals, said third signal controlling said rate of discharge of the materials so that such rate is commensurate with said consistency of the material and so that such rate corresponds with said soil analysis for said one location.

21. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 20 further including:

an analyzing device secured to said apparatus for continuously analyzing the soil to provide said source of information.

22. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein

said source of information is a prerecorded memory.

23. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

control means connected to said power sensing means such that said first signal is fed into said control means, the arrangement being such that said first signal is used for varying said control means for controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged;

means connected to said control means for generating a second signal that is fed into said control means;

said control means including;

a comparator circuit for comparing said first and said second signals, said comparator circuit generating a third signal based on a comparison of said first and second signals, the arrangement being such that said third signal is used for variably controlling said particular spread rate at which the materials are discharged so that when the container is moved across the field, the materials are discharged; and

said first signal providing an indication to an operator of the apparatus which permits said operator to manually control said rate at which the materials are discharged by said power discharge means.

24. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means; and

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by said power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is directly proportional to a spread rate of the materials discharged.

25. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means;

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by said power means which is approximately the power used by said power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is directly proportional to a spread rate of the materials discharged;

control means connected to said power sensing means such that said first signal is fed into said control means;

means connected to said control means for generating a second signal that is fed into said control means; and

said control means including;

a comparator circuit for comparing said first and said second signals, said comparator circuit generating a third signal based on a comparison of said first and second signals, the arrangement being such that said third signal is used for controlling said spread rate at which the materials are discharged so that when the container is moved across the field, the materials are discharged onto the field at an optimal spread rate.

26. A discharge apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein

said power used by said power discharge means is a product of the revolutions per minute and the torque of said power discharge means.

27. A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field, said apparatus comprising:

a power discharge means disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through said outlet towards said power discharge means for discharging the materials at a location on the field;

power means drivingly connected to said power discharge means for rotating said power discharge means; and

power sensing means for sensing the power supplied by the power means which is approximately the power used by the power discharge means, said power sensing means generating a first signal which is correlated to a spread rate of the materials discharged, the arrangement being such that a repeatable relationship between the power supplied and the rate of materials discharged is achieved.