Mount and feeder arrangement for a precision placement spreader

• US 6,220,532 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
• Original Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
• Inventors: Wilton, Melvin L., Hagemeyer, Roland L., Manon, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Lisa Ann
• Application Number:
  US09/469,108
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 239/650, 239/671, 239/672, 239/675, 239/681, 239/687, 239/688, 414/462, 222/612, 222/626, 222/160, 224/401, 224/400, 224/410, 224/494, 224/495, 224/548, 224/502, 224/924, 224/917.5
• US Class Current: 239/672
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/18 with endless chains , i.e. side transporting elements, e.g. auger or screw conveyors, swash plates
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 17/001 Centrifugal throwing devices with a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/203 Centrifugal spreaders with substantially vertical axis

Abstract

A truck having a material spreader and a control mechanism to regulate the velocity of materials ejected from the material spreader. The material spreader includes a material guider to guide the trajectory of substantially all the materials in a direction substantially opposite the direction of forward movement of the truck. The control mechanism includes a velocity sensor adapted to detect the velocity of the truck and to send a signal indicative of the truck velocity to a velocity controller. The velocity controller sends a signal to the material spreader which is dependent on the truck velocity to control the velocity of the materials ejected from the material spreader. The material spreader is mounted to the truck to allow the material spreader to be moved between a non-operational and operational position. The material spreader is also mounted to allow for lateral and/or upward movement upon encountering a predetermined force.

Claims

1. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, an upward tension member and a spreader connector, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extension leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg member in said upward direction until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

2. The spreader mount as defined in claim 1, wherein said spreader is pivotally interconnected to said extension leg.

3. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, an upward tension member and a spreader connector, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extension leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members, said upward tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

4. The spreader mount as defined in claim 3, including a lateral tension member, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said lateral tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said lateral direction until a predetermined lateral force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

5. The spreader mount as defined in claim 4, wherein said lateral tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

6. The spreader mount as defined in claim 5, including a flexible support member secured between said extension leg and said spreader.

7. The spreader mount as defined in claim 6, wherein said spreader is pivotally interconnected to said extension leg.

8. The spreader mount as defined in claim 7, wherein said extension leg includes a sleeve and an arm member, said sleeve at least partially encircling said arm member and at least partially rotatable about said arm member.

9. The spreader mount as defined in claim 8, wherein said sleeve includes a releasable lock to enable said sleeve to be locked and unlocked in position about said arm member.

10. The spreader mounts as defined in claim 9, including an alignment slot for establishing the relative position of said sleeve about said arm member to operate said material spreader.

11. The spreader mount as defined in claim 10, wherein said sleeve is positionable in a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of said arm member.

12. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, an upward tension member, a spreader connector and a lateral tension member, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extenison leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said lateral tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said lateral direction until a predetermined lateral force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

13. The spreader mount as defined in claim 12, wherein said lateral tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

14. The spreader mount as defined in claim 12, wherein said extension leg includes a sleeve and an arm member, said sleeve at least partially encircling said arm member and at least partially rotatable about said arm member.

15. The spreader mount as defined in claim 14, wherein said sleeve includes a releasable lock to enable said sleeve to be locked and unlocked in position about said arm member.

16. The spreader mount as defined in claim 15, including an alignment slot for establishing the relative position of said sleeve about said arm member to operate said material spreader.

17. The spreader mount as defined in claim 14, wherein said sleeve is positionable in a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of said arm member.

18. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, an upward tension member, a spreader connector and a flexible support member, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extension leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members, said flexible support member secured between said extension leg and said spreader.

19. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, an upward tension member and a spreader connector, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extension leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members, said extension leg includes a sleeve and an arm member, said sleeve at least partially encircling said arm member and at least partially rotatable about said arm member.

20. The spreader mount as defined in claim 19, wherein said sleeve includes a releasable lock to enable said sleeve to be locked and unlocked in position about said arm member.

21. The spreader mount as defined in claim 19, including an alignment slot for establishing the relative position of said sleeve about said arm member to operate said material spreader.

22. The spreader mount as defined in claim 19, wherein said sleeve is positionable in a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of said arm member.

23. A spreader mount for securing a material spreader to a vehicle comprising a vehicle attachment flange, an extension leg interconnected to said attachment flange, a tension member and a spreader connector, said extension leg including a plurality of leg members lying in a longitudinal axis of said extension leg, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an two directions relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members until a predetermined upward force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

24. The spreader mount as defined in claim 23, wherein said tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

25. The spreader mount as defined in claim 23, wherein said tension member includes a lateral tension member, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said lateral tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said lateral direction until a predetermined lateral force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

26. The spreader mount as defined in claim 25, wherein said tension member includes an upward tension member, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one of said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined lateral force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

27. The spreader mount as defined in claim 26, wherein said lateral tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

28. The spreader mount as defined in claim 27, including a flexible support member secured between said extension leg and said spreader.

29. The spreader mount as defined in claim 28, wherein said extension leg includes a sleeve and an arm member, said sleeve at least partially encircling said arm member and at least partially rotatable about said arm member.

30. The spreader mount as defined in claim 29, wherein said sleeve includes a releasable lock to enable said sleeve to be locked and unlocked in position about said arm member.

31. The spreader mount as defined in claim 30, including an alignment slot for establishing the relative position of said sleeve about said arm member to operate said material spreader.

32. The spreader mount as defined in claim 31, wherein said sleeve is positionable in a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of said arm member.

33. The spreader mount as defined in claim 25, wherein said lateral tension member includes an adjustable compressed spring.

34. The spreader mount as defined in claim 23, wherein said tension member includes an upward tension member, at least one of said leg members moveable in at least an upward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said extension leg, said upward tension member restricting movement of at least one said leg members in said upward direction until a predetermined lateral force is applied to at least one of said leg members.

35. The spreader mount as defined in claim 23, including a flexible support member secured between said extension leg and said spreader.

36. The spreader mount is defined in claim 23, wherein said extension leg includes a sleeve and an arm member, said sleeve at least partially encircling said arm member and at least partially rotatable about said arm member.

37. The spreader mount as defined in claim 36, wherein said sleeve includes a releasable lock to enable said sleeve to be locked and unlocked in position about said arm member.

38. The spreader mount as defined in claim 36 including an alignment slot for establishing the relative position of said sleeve about said arm member to operate said material spreader.

39. The spreader mount as defined in claim 36, wherein said sleeve is positionable in a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of said arm member.