AU594443B2 - Apparatus for mixing and feeding fluid to be applied to particulate material - Google Patents

Description

r 17 AU51IKALIA COMPLETE 43CFIAI (ORI GINAL) FOR OFFICE USE: -7,5i19i Application Number: Lodged; Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority-, Related Art: 99 .9 9 9 9 99 99 9 9 **q~eof Applicant(s): KEVI~q JOHN CHARLES WEST -7777.ti toAddress of Applicant(s):, 0 t9 4 drs orSrie PO BOX BEVERLEY, Weste3'n Australia Australia.- KEVIN JOH-N CHARLES WEST

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Kelvin Lord Co., 4 Douro Place, WEST PERTH, wvstern Australia 6005.

Complete Specification for t invention entitled: "APPARATUS FORhm TO PARTICULATE

MATERIAL"

4 following statement is a full description of thixs4 inI~n 4lu digt h best method of performing it known to me/ us :u~i- -:9 j 2 4* n 9, .9 *C 4 p 9 4.I 9 *94: 9 94*4 .4 4 *4* The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and feeding fluid bbe applied poicula: e rmheiaI.

The fluid may comprise an inoculant to be applied to particulate material, such as grain seed.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for mixing and feeding -Ln be applied z pablicul2Ce as ll fluidcomprising: mixing means for mixing said fluid; feed means for feeding fluid when mixed; and pump means and pulley means to control the rate of flow of fluid, wherein said pulley means is selectively engagable and arranged to rotate and transfer drive to said pump means to operate said pump.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, 15 tith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a lower perspective view of a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention incorporating an electric motor; Figure 2 is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention incorporating a petrol engine; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the first embodiment showing the apparatus connected to a particulate material conveyor.

In the drawings, there is shown an apparatus 10 for

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ii;iiI' 1 -3mixing and feeding fluid to be applied to a particulate material comprising a container 12 and an agitator 14.

The agitator 14 comprises a shaft 16 and two sets of agitator blades 18 and The container 12 may conveniently have volumetric graduations 13, eg., in litres, on the outer casing thereof. The graduations 13 may be seen in Figures 2 and 3.

The lower set of agitator blades 20 may be fixedly 1 attached to the end of the shaft 16, eg., by welding.

The upper set of agitator blades 18 may be formed so (cc as to be selectively positionable along the length of the shaft 16, according to the amount of material to be placed in the container 12. The container 12 is used as a mixing and storage container.

The upper portion of the shaft 16 remote from the set of agitator blades 20 rotates in bearings 24 and 26, k ~above the container 12. The bearings 24 and 26 are carried by a pair of arms 28 and 30, respectively, of an upper frame 32. The upper frame 32 is that part of the frame structure of the apparatus 10 generally shown in Figure 1.

The upper frame 32 has support gussets 34 and is 4 pivotally connected to a lower frame 36 via pins 38.

The lower frame 36 is provided with support gussets i; OF, rr F 4~i i 4 0* 04 a o a at *r 0 at (r 46.

A pulley 40 is rigidly mounted on the upper portion of the shaft 16.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3, the pulley is connected to an electric motor 42 via a drive-belt 44.

The drive-belt 44 passes around tne pulley 40 and around a pulley 48 rigidly mounted on the end of the output shaft 50 of the electric motor 42.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the pulley 40 is 10 connected to a petrol engine 52 via a drive-belt 54.

The drive-belt 54 passes around the pulley 40 and around a pulley 56 rigidly mounted on the end of the output shaft 58 of the motor 52. The drive-belt 54 also passes over pulleys 60 and 62.

The pulleys 60 and 62 are necessary in the embodiment of Figure 2 to charge the plane in which the drive-belt 54 moves. This is required because the shaft 16 and the output shaft 58 of the engine 52 are in different phases, viz, at right angles. When the electric motor 42 is used, the pulleys 60 and 62 are removed.

Below the pulley 40, and rigidly mounted on the shaft 16, there is a variable-pulley arrangement consisting of three pulleys 64, 66 and 68. The pulleys 64, 66 and 68 are of different diameters. The pulleys 64, 66 and 68 are best seen in Figure 3.

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a A l ri b _i 5 The pulleys 64, 66 and 68 may be individually connected to a pulley 70, by way of a drive-belt 72. In the Figures 1, 2 and 3, the drive-belt 72 is shown as connecting the pulley 66 with the pulley The pulley 70 is rigidly connected to a shaft 74 which is rotatable in bearings 76 and 78.

The upper end of the shaft 74 has a pulley 80 rigidly mounted thereon. The pulley 80 is connected to a pulley 82 by way of a drive-belt 84. The pulley 82 is 10 rigidly mounted on a shaft 86. The shaft 86 is rotatable in an upper bearing 112.

The shaft 86 is connected to a pump 90 via a suitable joint 88, eg, a universal joint. The pump 90 may be mounted to the lower portion of the upper frame 32. The pump 86 may conveniently be a small neoprene vane type pump.

A hose 92 leads from the container 12 to the inlet 94 of the pump 90 and a hose 96 leads-from the outlet 98 of the pump 90 to a material conveyor 100. The material conveyor 100 contains an auger 102. The auger 102 feeds material along a conduit 104 in the direction shown by the arrow.

SThe belt 84 may be tensioned by engaging a clutch arrangement 106. In this way, rotation may be transferred from the shaft 16 to the shaft 86 via the

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-6 pulley 66 (or 64 or 68, as the case may be), pulley shaft 74, pulley 80 and pulley 82 and drive-belts 72 and 84.

This allows the shaft 16 and the shaft 86 to rotate simultaneously. The joint 88 transfers drive to the pump The clutch 106 arrangement is engaged by way of an over centre lever 108, which maintains the clutch arrangement 106 in the engaged position.

Springs 110 hold the lever 108 in the disengaged position, ;t when the clutch 106 is disengaged.

The clutch arrangement 106 comprises a bar member 120 which is rigidly connected to the upper bearing 112. The bar *member 120 is slidable in a pair of guide sleeves 122. The 15 bar member 120 has a depending portion 124 at the end thereof remote from the bearing 112. The depending portion 124 has a slotted metal strip 126 attached thereto. A pair of belt retaining stops 128 are fixedly repositionable along the slot of the metal strip 126, on either side of n 20 the depending portion 124.

When the lever 108 is operated to engage the clutch arrangement 106, the bar member 120 is caused to move in the sleeves 122 in a direction away from the pulley This causes the shaft 86 to adopt a more vertical disposition (since the joint 88 permits movement, as will be later described). This movement of the bar member 120 also tensions the drive-be Lt 84 and brings it into contact with the pulley J naiTN The springs 110 maintain the lever 108 and bar member 120

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t: 84 is not in contact with the pulley 80 and does not transfer drive to the pulley 82. The belt retaining stops 128 retain the drive-belt 84 in a substantially oblong shape when the clutch arrangement 106 is in the disengaged position. This keeps the drive-belt 84 out of contact with the pulley 80 thereby preventing frictional contact between the drive-belt 84 and the pulley 80 and thus the drive-belt 84 does not rotate.

The universal joint 88 allows the shaft 86 to move slightly about 13mm) to the right, as seen in Figure 3, when o 9 the lever 108 is operated to engage the clutch arrangement 10Q6 and tension the drive-belt 84.

o 15 The shaft 86 is rotatable in the bearing 112.

A bushing (not shown) of resilient material, e.g. rubber is -A provided around the bearing 112. The bushing allows the S' bearing 112 to flex slightly when the shaft 86 is moved slightly upon tensioning of the drive-belt 84.

20 The pulleys 64, 66 and 68, are of a size such that the rate of flow of fluid from the outlet 98 of the pump 90 to the material conveyor 100, may correspond to the rate of flow "of material created by the auger 1042 in the conduit 104, by using the appropriate sized pulley 64, 66 or 68, as circufmstances require. As the pulleys 64, 66 and 68 are of different diameters, each will 1 NJ r 1 .i ii 4

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~44 p 94l 4 r4 8 cause the shaft 74, and thereby the shaft 86 to rotate at a different speed, when selected. The speed of rotation of the shaft 86 determines the speed at which the pump 9Q0 /pe.ates. This, in turn, determines the rate of flow of fluid from the container 12 to the material conveyor 100.

The manner of operating the apparatus to apply fluid to particulate material, eg, inoculant to grain seeds, will now be described.

The appropriate pulley from the pulleys 64, 66 and 68 is selected and connected to the pulley 70 via the drive-belt 72. For this purpose, the pulley 70 may be formed so as to be repositionable along the shaft 74. This may be effected, for example, by a screw or screws passing through an upper collar 114 of the pulley 70 and engaging the shaft 74.

An appropriate amount of cold water is then added to the container 12. The motor 42 or engine 52 is then started so as to rotate the shaft 16. The required amount of glue powder is then sprinkled into the water in the container 12 along with the required amount of inoculant to form a fluid mixture. Further cold water is then added to bring the volume of the fluid mixture, in the container 12, up to the requiredamount, in relation to the amount of seed to be treated. Generally, this is a 91 E a rt 9 litres of fluid mixture to each 1000kg of seed to be treated.

The glue powder is added to the mixture to ensure that the inoculant powder sticks to the seeds.

Due to rotation of the shaft 16 the fluid is mixed due to the agitation caused by the agitator blades 18 and Once the fluid is thorougly mixed (usually after about 4 to 5 minutes) the auger 102 is started. The end 116 of the material conveyor 100 may be connected to a grain silo (not shown). The auger 102 feeds the seed material from the silo along a conduit 104, in the direction of S thearrow. The conduit 104 may conveniently lead to a S truck bin, prior to sowing, .r 15 Once the auger 102 is started, the lever 108 is operated to engage the clutch arrangement 106 to thereby tension the drive-belt 84.

This then transfers drive to the shaft- 86, in the manner previously described. The shaft 16 and the shaft 86 thus rotate simultaneously.

The pump 90 commences pumping fluid from the container 12 to the material conveyor 10C via the hoses 92 and 96.

This causes the seed passing from the silo to be coated with inoculant as it passes through the auger 102.

The clutch arrangement 106 allows the shaft 16 to rotate N 10 continuously (thereby providing continuous agitation of the fluid in the container 12), as the pump 90 pumps fluid from the container 12 to the material conveyor 100.

The flow rate of fluid from the container 12 to the material conveyor 100,.created by the pump 90 is selectively controlled so as to match the flow rate of seeds through the auger 102. This is done on the basis that a certain quantity of fluid is necessary for each 1000kg of seeds treated. Generally, this is about litres.

The flow rate of seeds through the auger 102 is first t C determined by allowing it to pass seeds for a pre-set period of time. The weight of seeds thus delivered is determined and then used to calculate the required rate of flow of fluid to the material conveyor 100 to ensure adequate coating of the seeds, in accordance with the above guide-lines.

The rate of flow of fluid created by the pump 90 may be selectively controlled by using the appropriate pulley 64, 66 or 68.

t In this way, the speed of rotation of the shaft 86 may be selectively concxolled, which in turn, controls the flow rate created by the pump 90. Further control of the fluid flow rate to the material conveyor 100 is possible by substituting pumps of different sizes for the ii pl~p--a li~D i-i*b-lrs~-- 11 pump 90. By using combina'': 'ns of about three different pumps with differentcapacities with the pulleys 64, 66 or 68, a flow range of about 1.2 litres/minute to 14 litres/ minute It is also possible to obtain further control of the rate of flow of fluid by substituting different sized pulleys for the pulleys 40, 64, 66,68, 70, 80and 82.

When the required amount of seeds has been treated, the lever 108 is moved to disengage the clutch arrangement 106 to stop the pump 90. The seed flow is stopped after allowing a small quantity of clipan grain through to flush S the auger 102 clean.

The hose 92 is removed from the container 12 and the hose 96 is disconnected from the material conveyor 100,

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and the end of the hose 92 placed into a receptacle of 15 clean water 4 The pump 90 is then turned on again briefly, to flush clean the hoses 92 and 96 and the pump The motor 42 or engine 52 is then switched off and a latch (not shown), provided on the lower frame 36, is unlocked. This allows the upper frame 32 to pivot about pins 38 and be tilted back, to ri't substantially at right angles to its operative position, using the .l handle 118. The container 12 may then be easily claned.

The apparatus is then ready for its next use.

A cover (not shown) may be provided for the top part of N A -12 the apparatus.

The apparatus may be used to apply inoqulant to lupin seeds. iowever, the apparatug could be used to apply or cocat or simnilarly treat any suitable, particulate material with fluid.

Modif ications and var'iations such as would~ be apparent to a sjdlled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention, Ot 8

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for mixing and feeding fluidJcomprising: mixing means for mixing said fluid; feed means for feeding fluid when mixed; and pump means and pulley means to control the rate of flow of fluid, wherein said pulley means is selectively engagable and arranged to rotate and transfer drive to said pump means to operate said pump.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein drive is transferred to said pump means from said mixing means.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein in first rotatable shaft is joined to said pump means to transfer drive to said pump means.

4. Apparatus according to any one of' claims 1 to 3, 15 further comprising clutch means movable between a first position and a second position such that when said clutch means is in said first position drive is transferable to said pump means.

Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said pulley means comprises first pulley means provided on said mixing means and said first pulley means comprises at least two pulleys of different diameters which are selectively engagable individually such that said pump means is operable at different flow rates.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said pulley means further comprises second and third pulley means carried on a second rotatable shaft and fourth pulley means carried on said first rotatable shaft and wherein first S drive belt means extends between said first pulley means -I 0 nK 14 and said second pulley meaii and second drive belt extends between said third pulley means and said fourth pulley means, and said mixing means comprises agitator means carried on a third rotatable shaft.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said second drive belt means is tensionable and de-tensionable via said clutch means such that when said clutch means is in said first position said second drive belt means is tensioned around said third and fourth pulley means to transfer rotation from said third pulley means to said fourth pulley means and drive is transferable from said first pulley means to said pump means via said first drive belt means, said second pulley means, said second rotatable shaft, said third pulley means, said second drive belt means, said fourth pulley means, said first rotatable shaft and joint means connecting said first rotatable shaft and said pump means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein -said clutch means comprises a bar member which is connected with said first rotatable shaft and movable between said first and second positions such that when said bar member moves from said second position to said first position said first rotatable shaft moves from a first position to a second position and said second drive belt means is tensioned around said third and fourth pulley means.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein said clutch means further comprises retaining means to retain said second drive belt means out of rotational A4/ contact with said third pulley means when said clutch means o t "i is in said second position.

Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said feed means comprises hose means.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to further comprising container means in which said fluid is mixed.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 11, further comprising fifth pulley means carried on said third rotatable shaft and connected to a power source by third drive belt means to transfer rotational drive to said third ,rotatable shaft. o

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, S, wherein said fluid is fed trom said apparatus to p'erticulate material conveyor means such that said fluid is 15 applied to particulate material and the rate of flow of said fluid is adjustable depedant upon the flow rate of said particulate material along said particulate material conveyor means by said pump meains and pulley means. appicd (Lo pa4cuk;CLe( b me/ial

14. Apparatus for mixing and feeding fluidi substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. DATED QCTOBER 3, 1989 KEVIN JOHN CHARLES WEST By His Patent Attorneys KELVIN LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA