Mount and feeder arrangement for a precision placement spreader

• US 6,398,137 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• 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:
  US09/692,670
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 239/672, 239/675, 239/681, 239/687, 239/688, 239/650, 239/671, 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 truck having a hopper for holding materials, a material spreader and a spreader mount, said hopper including a rear opening to allow said materials to be dispensed from said hopper, said material spreader positioned rearwardly of said hopper and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said hopper and spread said received materials onto a ground surface, said spreader mount adjustably positioning said material spreader relative to said hopper and reducing the incidence of damage to said material spreader during the operation of said material spreader, said spreader mount including an arrangement selected from the group consisting of a vertical pivoting arrangement to pivot upwardly or downwardly upon encountering a predetermined amount of upward or downward force, a lateral pivoting arrangement to pivot laterally upon encountering a predetermined amount of lateral force, and combinations thereof.

2. The truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said truck includes a truck frame, said spreader mount secured to said truck frame.

3. The truck as defined in claim 2, wherein said hopper pivotally secured to said truck frame.

4. The truck as defined in claim 2, wherein said spreader mount moveable between a storage position and an operational position, said material spreader in said storage position positioned to substantially not receive materials dispensed from said hopper, spreader in a nonoperational storage position, said material spreader in said operational position positioned to receive materials dispensed from said hopper.

5. The truck as defined in claim 4, wherein said spreader mount including an alignment guide to align said material spreader in said operational position.

6. The truck as defined in claim 5, wherein said alignment guide includes a locking member to secure said spreader mount in said operational position.

7. The truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said spreader mount includes a vertical pivoting arrangement to pivot upwardly or downwardly upon encountering a predetermined amount of upward or downward force.

8. The truck as defined in claim 4, wherein said spreader mount includes a vertical pivoting arrangement to pivot upwardly or downwardly upon encountering a predetermined amount of upward or downward force.

9. The truck as defined in claim 6, wherein said spreader mount includes a vertical pivoting arrangement to pivot upwardly or downwardly upon encountering a predetermined amount of upward or downward force.

10. The truck as defined in claim 7, wherein said predetermined amount of upward or downward force is adjustable .

11. The truck as defined in claim 9, wherein said predetermined amount of upward or downward force is adjustable.

12. A truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said spreader mount includes a lateral pivoting arrangement to pivot laterally upon encountering a predetermined amount of lateral force.

13. A truck as defined in claim 8, wherein said spreader mount includes a lateral pivoting arrangement to pivot laterally upon encountering a predetermined amount of lateral force.

14. The truck as defined in claim 11, wherein said spreader mount includes a lateral pivoting arrangement to pivot laterally upon encountering a predetermined amount of lateral force.

15. The truck as defined in claim 12, wherein said predetermined amount of lateral force is adjustable.

16. The truck as defined in claim 14, wherein said predetermined amount of lateral force is adjustable.

17. A truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said spreader mount includes a plurality of vertical positions to mount said material spreader in a plurality of operational positions spaced above a ground surface.

18. The truck as defined in claim 4, wherein said spreader mount includes a plurality of vertical positions to mount said material spreader in a plurality of operational positions spaced above a ground surface.

19. The truck as defined in claim 16, wherein said spreader mount includes a plurality of vertical positions to mount said material spreader in a plurality of operational positions spaced above a ground surface.

20. The truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said spreader mount includes a spring adapted to be connected to said spreader, said spring at least partially controlling the movement of said material spreader relative to said spreader mount when said material spreader is positioned in an operating position.

21. The truck as defined in claim 19, wherein said spreader mount includes a spring adapted to be connected to said spreader, said spring at least partially controlling the movement of said material spreader relative to said spreader mount when said material spreader is positioned in an operating position.

22. The truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said material spreader includes a material guider to guide the trajectory of substantially all said materials received from said hopper onto a ground surface.

23. The truck as defined in claim 21, wherein said material spreader includes a material guider to guide the trajectory of substantially all said materials received from said hopper onto a ground surface.

24. The truck as defined in claim 22, wherein said material spreader includes a mechanism to move said material guider into and out of engagement with said materials.

25. The truck as defined in claim 23, wherein said material spreader includes a mechanism to move said material guider into and out of engagement with said materials.

26. A truck as defined in claim 22, wherein said material guider including a varying width passageway having a wide portion and a narrow portion.

27. A truck as defined in claim 1, wherein said material spreader includes a rotating member, a rotating motor and a rotational monitor, said rotating member adapted to propel said materials received in said material spreader from said material spreader, said rotating motor causing said rotating member to rotate about an axis, said rotational monitor receiving a velocity signal and causing said rotating motor to rotate said rotating member at a speed that is a function of said velocity signal, said velocity signal including a signal that is selected from a velocity which is the function of the rotational speed of the rotating member, the forward speed of said truck, and combinations thereof.

28. The truck as defined in claim 27, wherein said rotational monitor causing said rotating member to rotate at a speed to obtain a material velocity of said ejected materials which is substantially zero relative to said ground surface when said truck is moving in a forward direction.

29. The truck as defined in claim 1, including a material mover at least partially positioned in the interior of said hopper, said material mover moving particulate material in said hopper toward said rear opening.

30. The truck as defined in claim 29, wherein said material mover includes a transport arrangement selected from the group consisting of a continuous belt, a chain link and an auger.

31. A truck as defined in claim 29, wherein said material mover includes a transport arrangement, a mover motor and a movement monitor, said mover motor moving said transport arrangement, said movement monitor receiving a velocity signal and causing said mover motor to move said transport arrangement at a speed that is a function of said velocity signal, said velocity signal including a signal that is selected from a velocity which is the function of the moving speed of the transport arrangement, the forward speed of said truck, and combinations thereof.

32. The truck as defined in claim 31, wherein said movement monitor causing said mover motor to move said transport arrangement at a speed to move a sufficient amount of materials through said rear opening to enable said spreader to deposit a substantially constant amount of said material on said ground surface per distance traveled by said truck.

33. The truck as defined in claim 1, including a guide arrangement positioned rearwardly of said rear opening, said guide arrangement guiding said material passing through said rear opening to said material spreader.

34. The truck as defined in claim 4, including a guide arrangement positioned rearwardly of said rear opening, said guide arrangement guiding said material passing through said rear opening to said material spreader.

35. The truck as defined in claim 25, including a guide arrangement positioned rearwardly of said rear opening, said guide arrangement guiding said material passing through said rear opening to said material spreader.

36. The truck as defined in claim 33, wherein said guide arrangement including a conveyor selected from the group consisting of a continuous belt, a chain link and an auger.

37. The truck as defined in claim 36, wherein said guide arrangement includes an auger.

38. The truck as defined in claim 34, wherein said guide arrangement including a conveyor selected from the group consisting of a continuous belt, a chain link and an auger.

39. The truck as defined in claim 35, wherein said guide arrangement including a conveyor selected from the group consisting of a continuous belt, a chain link and an auger.

40. The truck as defined in claim 33, wherein said guide arrangement guides said material at least partially toward at least one side of said hopper.

41. The truck as defined in claim 36, wherein said guide arrangement includes a trough-like structure, said conveyor positioned in said trough-like structure, said trough-like structure including an exit opening to allow materials move within said trough-like structure by said conveyor to exit said trough-like structure.

42. The truck as defined in claim 41, wherein said guide arrangement includes a conveyor motor to control the speed said conveyor moves material in said trough-like structures toward said exit opening.

43. The truck as defined in claim 38, wherein said guide arrangement guides said material at least partially toward at least one side of said hopper.

44. The truck as defined in claim 39, wherein said guide arrangement guides said material at least partially toward at least one side of said hopper.

45. The truck as defined in claim 44, wherein said guide arrangement includes a trough like structure, said conveyor positioned in said trough-like structure, said trough-like structure including an exit opening to allow materials to move within said trough-like structure by said conveyor to exit said trough-like structure.

46. The truck as defined in claim 43, wherein said guide arrangement includes a conveyor motor to control the speed said conveyor moves materials in said trough-like structures toward said exit opening.

47. The truck as defined in claim 46, wherein said material is at least partially prewetted in said guide arrangement.

48. The truck as defined in claim 43, wherein said guide arrangement is releasably connected to the rear of said truck.

49. The truck as defined in claim 47, wherein said guide arrangement is releasably connected to the rear of said truck.

50. The truck as defined in claim 49, wherein at least one removable pin is used to releasably connect said guide arrangement to the rear of said truck.

51. A spreader truck having a hopper for holding materials, a material spreader and a spreader mount, said hopper including a rear opening to allow said materials to be dispensed from said hopper, said material spreader positioned rearwardly of said hopper and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said hopper and spread said received materials onto a ground surface, said spreader mount adjustably positioning said material spreader relative to said hopper and reducing the incidence of damage to said material spreader during the operation of said material spreader, said material spreader including a guide arrangement positioned rearwardly of said rear opening, said guide arrangement guiding said material passing through said rear opening to said material spreader, said material is at least partially prewetted in said guide arrangement.

52. A spreader truck having a hopper for holding materials, a material spreader and a spreader mount, said hopper including a rear opening to allow said materials to be dispensed from said hopper, said material spreader positioned rearwardly of said hopper and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said hopper and spread said received materials onto a ground surface, said spreader mount adjustably positioning said material spreader relative to said hopper and reducing the incidence of damage to said material spreader during the operation of said material spreader, said spreader mount movable between a storage position and an operational position, said material spreader in said storage position positioned to substantially not receive materials dispensed from said hopper, spreader in a non-operational storage position, said material spreader in said operational position positioned to receive materials dispensed from said hopper.

53. The truck as defined in claim 52, wherein said spreader mount including an alignment guide to align said material spreader in said operational position.

54. The truck as defined in claim 53, wherein said alignment guide includes a locking member to secure said spreader mount in said operational position.

55. A spreader truck having a hopper for holding materials, a material spreader and a spreader mount, said hopper including a rear opening to allow said materials to be dispensed from said hopper, said material spreader positioned rearwardly of said hopper and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said hopper and spread said received materials onto a ground surface, said spreader mount adjustably positioning said material spreader relative to said hopper and reducing the incidence of damage to said material spreader during the operation of said material spreader, said material spreader including a guide arrangement positioned rearwardly of said rear opening, said guide arrangement guiding said material passing through said rear opening to said material spreader, said guide arrangement being releasably connected to the rear of said truck.

56. The truck as defined in claim 55, wherein at least one removable pin is used to releasably connected to said guide arrangement to the rear of said truck.

57. A spreader truck having a hopper for holding materials, a material spreader and a spreader mount, said hopper including a rear opening to allow said materials to be dispensed from said hopper, said material spreader positioned rearwardly of said hopper and adapted to receive materials dispensed from said hopper and spread said received materials onto a ground surface, said spreader mount adjustably positioning said material spreader relative to said hopper and reducing the incidence of damage to said material spreader during the operation of said material spreader, said spreader mount including an arrangement to enable movement in at least one plane upon encountering a predetermined amount of force at least partially in said plane.

58. The spreader truck as defined in claim 57, wherein said at least one plane is a vertical plane, said vertical plane defining upwardly or downwardly movement of said material spreader.

59. The spreader truck as defined in claim 57, wherein said at least one plane is a lateral plane, said lateral plane defining lateral movement of said material spreader.

60. The spreader truck as defined in claim 57, wherein said spreader mount movable between a storage position and an operational position, said material spreader in said storage position positioned to substantially not receive materials dispensed from said hopper, spreader in a nonoperational storage position, said material spreader in said operational position positioned to receive materials dispensed from said hopper.