GB1600407A - Machines for broadcasting seed fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINES FOR BROADCASTING SEED, FERTILIZER AND OTHER GRANULAR OR POWDERED MATERIALS (71) I, WILLIAM THOMAS TEAGLE, a British Subject of, Blackwater, Truro, Cornwall. do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to tractor-mounted machines for broadcasting seed, fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials and more particularly to machines of the kind in which the material is carried in a hopper from which it is discharged through a shutter-controlled outlet at the base of the hopper onto a rotary distributor which is rotated about a substantially vertical axis from the tractor power take-off shaft and broadcasts the material over the ground by centrifugal force.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine having an increased width of spread and speed of operation and to this end, according to the invention, the material is carried in two hoppers arranged side by side in a frame carried by the power lift arms of the tractor and is discharged through selectively operable shuttercontrolled outlets at the bases of the hoppers onto two rotary distributors which are rotatable about substantially vertical axes from the tractor power take-off shaft through a common belt drive.

A preferred form of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure I is a front elevational view of a machine in accordance with the invention, mounted on a stand; Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the machine with the stand removed; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the belt drive shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary side and front elevational views respectively on a larger scale of the manually operable mechanism shown in Figure 1 for selectively operating the shutters at the bases of the hoppers.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, two hoppers 1 and 2 of synthetic plastics material are supported in a frame, indicated generally by the numeral 3, which is shown in Figure 1 as being mounted on a stand having legs 4 and an upstanding arm 5, but is intended to be mounted in similar manner on the usual three-point linkage at the rear of a tractor.

The lower ends of the hoppers 1 and 2 rest in seats 6 and 7 respectively carried at the ends of a frame member 8 and are formed with discharge outlets controlled by shutters (not shown) operable, in a manner to be described, from the driving seat of the tractor. Immediately below the discharge outlets of the hoppers 1 and 2 are rotary distributors 9 and 10 respectively which are mounted on shafts 11 and 12 rotatable in sleeves 13 and 14 carried by a frame member 15, said shafts being provided at their lower ends with pulleys 16 and 17 respectively. The pulleys 16 and 17 are driven in opposite directions, indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, from a driving pulley 18 to be mounted on the power take-off shaft of the tractor, through a belt 19 which passes from the upper end of the pulley 18 around a spring-tensioned idler pulley 20, the rotary pulley 17, the rotor pulley 16 and back to the lower end of the pulley 18. The idler pulley 20 is inclined at a small angle to the vertical, as shown in Figure 3, to provide free access to the belt 19 as it approaches the driving pulley 18 and leaves the idler pulley and the belt is twisted through 90 between the idler pulley and the rotor pulley 17 and between the rotor pulley 16 and the driving pulley and through 1800 between the two rotor pulleys.

The use of twin hoppers and twin distribu tors enables a wide spread of material to be achieved with a comparatively simple driving system and when, for example, the space on one side of the machine is restricted, such as when the machine is operating close to a hedgerow, the discharge of material on that side can be prevented by remote operation of the control shutter on the associated hopper.

The control shutters on the hoppers 1 and 2 are connected by Bowden-type cables 21 and 22, to levers 23 and 24 respectively, manually operable from the driver's seat and pivotally mounted on a pin 25 extending transversely of the direction of movement of the tractor and carried by a plate 26 which is supported by a bracket 27, shown as secured to a plate 28 on the arm 5 but adapted to be secured to a mudguard or other suitable body portion of the tractor by bolts passing through holes 29. The plate 26 carries another pin 30 which forms an anchorage for one end of each of two tension springs 31 and 32, the other ends of which are secured to pins 33 and 34 respectively carried by the levers 23 and 24. Each lever and its spring constitutes an over-centre arrangement so that the spring holds the lever in both of its extreme positions corresponding to the open and closed positions of the associated shutter. In this manner the tractor driver is able to control the area over which the material is spread by stopping the flow of material from either of the hoppers.

In addition, the amount and direction of material falling from each hopper onto the associated distributor may be adjusted in known manner to vary the spread and direction of the arc of distribution of the material in relation to each hopper.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials, comprising two hoppers arranged side by side in a frame adapted to be mounted on the power-lift arms of a tractor with the hoppers spaced in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the tractor, a shutter-controlled outlet at the lower end of each hopper through which material is discharged onto a rotary distributor below each hopper, manually operable means mounted at the forward end of said frame and operatively connected to said shutters for selectively opening and closing said outlets and driving means including a single transmission belt for operatively connecting both rotary distributors to the power take-off shaft of the tractor for simultaneous operation.

2. A machine according to Claim 1, wherein said manually operable means comprises two levers pivotally mounted in sideby-side relationship for independent operation by the tractor driver and each connected to one of said shutters by a Bowdentype cable, means being provided for retaining each lever and its associated shutter in either of its positions of adjustment.

3. A machine according to Claim 2, wherein said retaining means comprises over-centre spring devices, each associated with one of said levers.

4. A machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said rotary distributors are carried at the upper ends of substantially vertical shafts rotatably mounted in said frame and provided at their lower ends with driven pulleys and said transmission belt passes from a driving pulley, adapted to be mounted on the power take-off shaft of the tractor and around a spring-tensioned idler pulley and both driven pulleys before returning to the driving pulley.

5. A machine according to Claim 4, wherein said idler pulley is inclined at a small angle to the vertical to allow free passage of the belt as it returns to the driving pulley and as it leaves the idler pulley.

6. A machine according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said belt is twisted through 90" between the idler pulley and one of said driven pulleys and between the other of said driven pulleys and the driving pulley and is twisted through 1800 between the two driven pulleys.

7. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tors enables a wide spread of material to be achieved with a comparatively simple driving system and when, for example, the space on one side of the machine is restricted, such as when the machine is operating close to a hedgerow, the discharge of material on that side can be prevented by remote operation of the control shutter on the associated hopper. The control shutters on the hoppers 1 and 2 are connected by Bowden-type cables 21 and 22, to levers 23 and 24 respectively, manually operable from the driver's seat and pivotally mounted on a pin 25 extending transversely of the direction of movement of the tractor and carried by a plate 26 which is supported by a bracket 27, shown as secured to a plate 28 on the arm 5 but adapted to be secured to a mudguard or other suitable body portion of the tractor by bolts passing through holes 29. The plate 26 carries another pin 30 which forms an anchorage for one end of each of two tension springs 31 and 32, the other ends of which are secured to pins 33 and 34 respectively carried by the levers 23 and 24. Each lever and its spring constitutes an over-centre arrangement so that the spring holds the lever in both of its extreme positions corresponding to the open and closed positions of the associated shutter. In this manner the tractor driver is able to control the area over which the material is spread by stopping the flow of material from either of the hoppers. In addition, the amount and direction of material falling from each hopper onto the associated distributor may be adjusted in known manner to vary the spread and direction of the arc of distribution of the material in relation to each hopper. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials, comprising two hoppers arranged side by side in a frame adapted to be mounted on the power-lift arms of a tractor with the hoppers spaced in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the tractor, a shutter-controlled outlet at the lower end of each hopper through which material is discharged onto a rotary distributor below each hopper, manually operable means mounted at the forward end of said frame and operatively connected to said shutters for selectively opening and closing said outlets and driving means including a single transmission belt for operatively connecting both rotary distributors to the power take-off shaft of the tractor for simultaneous operation.

2. A machine according to Claim 1, wherein said manually operable means comprises two levers pivotally mounted in sideby-side relationship for independent operation by the tractor driver and each connected to one of said shutters by a Bowdentype cable, means being provided for retaining each lever and its associated shutter in either of its positions of adjustment.

3. A machine according to Claim 2, wherein said retaining means comprises over-centre spring devices, each associated with one of said levers.

4. A machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said rotary distributors are carried at the upper ends of substantially vertical shafts rotatably mounted in said frame and provided at their lower ends with driven pulleys and said transmission belt passes from a driving pulley, adapted to be mounted on the power take-off shaft of the tractor and around a spring-tensioned idler pulley and both driven pulleys before returning to the driving pulley.

5. A machine according to Claim 4, wherein said idler pulley is inclined at a small angle to the vertical to allow free passage of the belt as it returns to the driving pulley and as it leaves the idler pulley.

6. A machine according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said belt is twisted through 90" between the idler pulley and one of said driven pulleys and between the other of said driven pulleys and the driving pulley and is twisted through 1800 between the two driven pulleys.

7. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertilizer and other granular or powdered materials, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.