GB2247631A

GB2247631A - Mixer apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2247631A
Application number: GB9118986A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samuel Joseph Hughes
Original assignee: REDROCK ENG Ltd
Current assignee: REDROCK ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1990-09-04
Filing date: 1991-09-04
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-09-04
Also published as: IE67623B1; IE913101A1; GB2247631B; GB9118986D0; GB9019284D0

Abstract

A mixer apparatus comprises an elongate mobile container (10), which can be hitched to a tractor, to receive foodstuff materials, e.g. silage, through an open top. The container (10) has an outlet (12) in one lateral side thereof through which materials are dispensable from the container (10). The outlet (12) has a passage (14) across which a rotatable kicker bar (16) is provided adjacent to the exit mouth of the outlet (12). The container (10) has a horizontally oriented, rotatable shaft (18) carrying a plurality of mixing paddles (20) projecting therefrom. Means are provided to rotate the the shaft (18) and the kicker bar (16). The kicker bar (16) has blades (17, Fig 2, not shown) that throw the material against an open flap which deflects it to the ground. <IMAGE>

Description

MIXER APPARATUS.

This invention relates to mixer apparatus for mixing foodstuff materials preparatory to, and to, distributing the mixed materials as foodstuffs to animals primarily, but not necessarily, in animal feeding houses.

Heretofore, materials has been mixed in a mobile container by mixing means having a horizontally oriented, rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of mixing paddles therearound. The top of the container is open or openable to allow materials and, if required, additives to be placed into the container however there is a problem in evenly dispensing the mixed materials in an animal house. A majority of animal houses has a passageway with animal pens located along each lateral side thereof. Mixed foodstuff materials are normally dispensed from mixing containers from one lateral side thereof as the container is moved along the passageway.

An object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the above-mentioned problem.

Accordingly, the present invention is a mixer apparatus comprising an elongate mobile container to receive foodstuff materials, the container having an outlet in one lateral side thereof through which materials are dispensable from the container, the outlet having a passage across which a rotatable kicker bar is provided adjacent to the mouth of the outlet, and means to rotate the kicker bar.

Preferably, the container has a horizontally oriented, rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of mixing paddles projecting therefrom. The paddles desirably each have an arm mounting a blade at its outer end. The paddles are preferably arranged in a balanced series radially of the shaft, each paddle being disposed angularly offset from its neighbour. The shaft is preferably driven externally of the container through power transfer means by a PTO shaft of an agricultural tractor to which the container is hitched. The arms are desirably spaced at different intervals lengthwise along the shaft.

Preferably also, three sets of three arms are provided with the arms in each of the two sets near to the outlet being angularly offset radially from each other by an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees or approximately so. Each two corresponding arms in the two sets have a combined blade which sweeps the inside wall of the container to feed mixed material to the outlet.

Preferably further, the outlet of the container has a door openable laterally of the container and inwardly of the passage and kicker bar. The door preferably moves horizontally between an opened position and a closed position. The exit mouth of the passage is desirably provided with a flap biased to a closed position, the flap being hinged along its top edge. The door is preferably openable by retraction of a hydraulic ram and cylinder arrangement. The flap is preferably connected to the arrangement whereby extension of the arrangement desirably moves the flap against its biasing to open the mouth of the outlet. The flap may also be opened and closed using a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, preferably activated in sequence with movement of the horizontal door. The flap preferably deflects material discharged through the outlet onto the ground.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above and a rear end of a mixer apparatus according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is, to a larger scale, a side view of a front part of a lateral side of a container showing an outlet of the container with a flap omitted.

Referring to the drawing, a mixer apparatus comprises an elongate mobile container 10 to receive foodstuff materials and, if required, additives or suppliments for mixing and thence for dispensing. The container 10 has an outlet 12 in one lateral side thereof through which the material is dispensable from the container 10. The outlet 12 has a passage 14 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the container 10, across which passage a rotatable kicker bar 16 is provided adjacent to the exit mouth of the outlet 12.

The container 10 is a horizontally-oriented, hollow cylinder adapted and having its top open to receive materials. The container 10 is mounted on a chassis having two ground-engaging wheels, one on each lateral side. The container 10 has a horizontally oriented, rotatable shaft 18 carrying a plurality of mixing paddles 20, nine in all, projecting therefrom.

The paddles 20 each have an arm 22 mounting a blade 24 at its outer end. The arms 22 are braced in their fixture to the shaft 18 by webs 26. The paddles 20 are arranged in three sets, each set being a balanced series radially of the shaft 18 and with each paddle 20 being disposed angularly offset from its neighbour in each set. The shaft 18 is driven externally of the front end of the container 10 through power transfer means, ie.

gear wheels and chain, by a PTO shaft of an agricultural tractor to which the container is hitched. The arms 22 are spaced at different intervals lengthwise along the shaft 18. Two sets of arms 22 near to the outlet 12 are angularly offset radially from each other by an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees or approximately so. Each two corresponding arms 22 in the two sets have a combined blade 28 which sweeps the inside wall of the container 10 to feed mixed material to the outlet 12.

The kicker bar 16 is a roller having a series of blades 17 extending outwardly, such as radially or tangentially, from its surface. The roller is on an axle, one end of which is journalled in bearing 30 and the other end, also journalled in a bearing (not shown), is fast with a sprocket gear wheel (not shown) in arrangement with the power transfer means. Means to rotate the kicker bar 16 comprises the sprocket wheel around which a chain of the power transfer means is entrained.

The outlet 12 has a door (not shown) openable horizontally, and laterally of the container 10 and inwardly of the passage 14 and kicker bar 16. The exit mouth of the passage 14 is provided with a flap (not shown) biased to a closed position. The flap is hinged along its top edge to a lateral extension of the container 10. The door is openable lengthwise of the container 10 by retraction of a hydraulic ram and cylinder arrangement (not shown). The flap is connected to the hydraulic arrangement through a wire arrangement (not shown) whereby retraction of the hydraulic arrangement moves the flap against its biasing to open the mouth of the outlet 12. The flap deflects material discharged through the outlet 12 onto the ground.

In use, with the container 10 hitched to a tractor and the PTO shaft connected up to the power transfer means and the hydraulic arrangement coupled to the tractor's hydraulic supply, foodstuff material, for example silage, and, if required, additives and/or suppliments, are placed in the container 10. The door is in the closed position and the PTO shaft is energised to mix the materials. The door and flap are then opened as described above and the material is delivered by the rotating blades 28 of the paddles 20 to the outlet 12 and into the passage 14 and to the kicker bar 16 thence to be thrown by the blades 17 against the inside wall of the flap to drop therefrom under gravity externally and laterally of the container 10.

In a modification, the flap is openahle and closable using one or more hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement(s).

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described above.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A mixer apparatus comprising an elongate mobile container to receive foodstuff materials, the container having an outlet in one lateral side thereof through which materials are dispensable from the container, the outlet having a passage across which a rotatable kicker bar is provided adjacent to the mouth of the outlet, and means to rotate the kicker bar.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the container has a horizontally oriented, rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of mixing paddles projecting therefrom.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the paddles each have an arm mounting a blade at its outer end.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the paddles are arranged in a balanced series radially of the shaft, each paddle being disposed angularly offset from its neighbour.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the shaft is driven externally of the container through power transfer means by a PTO shaft of an agricultural tractor or equivalent to which the container is hitched.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the paddles are spaced at different intervals lengthwise along the shaft.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 6, wherein three sets of three arms are provided with the arms in each set near to the outlet being angularly offset radially from each other by an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees or approximately so.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each two corresponding arms in the two sets have a combined blade which sweeps the inside wall of the container to feed mixed material to the outlet.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the outlet of the container has a door openable laterally of the container and inwardly of the passage and kicker bar.

10 Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the door moves horizontally between an opened position and a closed position.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the exit mouth of the passage is provided with a flap biased to a closed position.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the flap is hinged along its top edge.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the door is openable by retraction of a hydraulic ram and cylinder arrangement.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the flap is connected to the hydraulic ram and cylinder arrangement with extension of the arrangement moving the flap against its biasing to open the mouth of the outlet.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the flap is opened and closed using a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement is activated in sequence with movement of the hydraulic arrangement controlling movement of the horizontal door.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 16, wherein the flap deflects material discharged through the outlet onto the ground with the amount of opening of the flap determining the amount of material discharged.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the kicker bar is a roller having a series of blades extending outwardly from its surface.

19. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.