GB1493525A - Agricultural broadcaster - Google Patents

Abstract

1493525 Spreaders R A LISTER & CO Ltd 13 April 1976 [1 April 1975] 13388/75 Heading AID A broadcaster has a hopper comprising upper and lower portions 10, 11 constructed from sheets of metal, and is supported in a frame 12 by which it is mounted on the three-point-lift of a tractor &c. A spinner 28, provided with channel-section blades 110, is mounted beneath the hopper and driven about a vertical axis by a drive shaft 83, Fig. 4, which is driven through a pair of bevel gears 70, 71 by a shaft 72 connected to the P.T.O. of the tractor. The bevel gears and shafts 83, 72 within the hopper are enclosed to avoid fouling by the material to be spread. A control mechanism, Fig. 5, is mounted between the hopper outlet 101, formed in a circular plate 100 welded to the bottom of the hopper, and the spinner 108. A first control plate 103 has apertures 130, 131 through which flow from the hopper reaches the spinner to be spread in two arcs on opposite sides of the path of the machine. A second control plate 104 has apertures 132, 133 which, by rotation of the plate 104 relative to the plate 103 can reduce the flow through the apertures 130, 131 to the spinner. A third control plate 105 can be positioned relative to the plate 104 such that it will obturate one, both, or neither of the apertures 133, 132, in this way the rate of flow to the spinner is controlled and also the material may be spread on one side only of the broadcaster. The plates 103, 104, 105 are also apertured to fit over an agitator 153 fitted on the spinner. When the broadcaster is lowered from the tractor a support 63, Fig. 1, is folded down and co-operates with frame members 36, 37 to support the broadcaster on the ground.