US2716552A - Sump outlet valve for manure spreaders - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1955 Filed Dec. 18, 1952 E. w. JOHNSON 2,716,552

SUMP OUTLET VALVE FOR MANURE SPREADERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l0 0 l2 o I Elmer W Johnson INVENTOR.

Aug. 30, 1955 E. w. JOHNSON 2,716,552

SUM OUTLET VALVE FOR MANURE SPREADERS Filed Dec. 18, 1952 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Fig.3

Elmer W. Johnson INVENTOR.

United States Patent SUMP OUTLET VALVE FOR MANURE SPREADERS Elmer W. Johnson, Nelson, Minn.

Application December 18, 1952, Serial No. 326,716

2 Claims. (Cl. 2753) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in manure spreader attachments and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a remote actuator for the sump outlet valve of a spreader which is operatively connected to the conveyor control lever of the spreader so that during operation of the conveyor the sump outlet will remain open.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an automatic lever for manure spreaders including linkage which is operatively connected to the pull rod of a sump outlet valve and the control lever of the spreader conveyor to be actuated as the control lever is moved to a position for engaging the conveyor drive mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sump outlet valve actuator that is quickly and readily applied to or removed from a conventional spreader to be actuated by the usual control lever of the spreader.

A still further aimof the present invention is to provide a device of the aforementioned character that is extremely simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structure, efiicient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and service, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spreader and showing the present invention operatively attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view resents a well known manure spreader which includes an elongated body or hopper 12 having a sump outlet 14 in its bottom. A sump outlet control disk valve 16 is secured to the hopper 12 by a. spring tension pivot 18 for horizontal swinging into open and closed positions and is provided with an arm 20 to which a pull rod 22 is slidably pivotally attached for manual operation to swing said valve 16. A latch support 24 secured to the hopper 12 slidably receives the pull rod 22 to guide the same as it is pulled for opening the disk valve 16.

The spreader 10 is also provided with a control lever 26 that is secured to one end of a handle rotated shaft 28. The lower end of the control lever 26 is secured by a fastener 32 to the forward end of a control rod of a chain drive 29 for the spreader so that as the lever 26 is swung forwardly to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the conveyor 34 of the spreader will be rendered inoperative and when the lever 26 is swung rearwardly the conveyor 34 will be rendered operative.

The present invention does not attempt to claim the above well known conventional structure but is merely an attachment therefor, whereby the disk valve 16 will be moved to open the outlet 14 when the conveyor is in operation so that the fluid manure in the hopper can drain from the outlet 14 without requiring an operator to descend from the tractor to operate the pull rod 22.

To accomplish the desired results, there is provided a triangular plate 36 having first, second and third corners 38, 40 and 42, each of which is provided with an aperture. An angle bracket 44 is secured to the side of hopper 12 opposite the latch 24 by a fastener 45 and supports a vertical pivot pin or bolt 46 that extends through the aperture in corner 40 to pivotally attach the plate 36 in horizontal position to the bracket 44.

The eye end 48 of a pull link 50 is pivotally attached to the corner 38 of plate 36 by a pivot pin 52. The other end of link 50 terminates in a closed loop 54 that engages about the pull rod 22. The loop 54 is adapted to selectively engage spaced stops 56 and 58 secured to the rod 22 in a manner presently to be described.

A pitman or rod connects the plate 36 to the operating lever 26. The rear eye end 62 of the pitman is pivoted to corner 42 of plate 36 by a pivot 64 and the forward eye end 66 of pitman 60 receives and is held on the fastener 32. A combined stop and spacer element 68 is fixed to the pitman 60 and will engage the hopper as the pitman 60 is moved forwardly to pivot the disk valve 16 to its closed position.

Referring now to the operation of my invention, when the lever 26 is swung forwardly into the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pitman 60 is pulled forwardly to pivot the plate 36 clockwise as viewed in Figure 3 and counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 4 into the full line position shown in Figure 3 and the dotted line position shown in Figure 4. Such pivoting of the plate 36 exerts a pull on the link 50 which pulls against the stop 56 so that rod 22 thrusts against arm 20 to swing disk valve 16 into closing position relative to the sump outlet 14, all as shown in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4.

When the lever 26 is swung rearwardly from the front end 10a of the spreader, the pitman 60 is thrust rearwardly thereby to swing plate 36 into the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 and full line position shown in Figure 4 and such swinging of said plate 36 will thrust loop 54 of link 50 into engagement with stop 58 to thrust rod 22 in a direction to pull against arm 20 to swing said disk valve 60 to open position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 4.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood, and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a manure spreader having a hopper provided with a bottom sump outlet, a disk valve pivoted to said hopper and horizontally swingable in opposite directions to open and close said outlet, a rod pivoted to said valve and pivotally and slidably connected to said hopper for endwise movement in opposite directions to correspondingly swing said valve, and a pivoted upright lever on the hopper swingable in opposite directions; an attachment for said spreader for operatively connecting said lever to said rod for endwise movement of the rod in opposite directions by swinging of the lever in opposite directions comprising a a triangular plate having corners, a pivotal mounting for one corner of the plate attachable to the hopper, a pitman having one end pivoted to another corner of said plate and its other end pivotally attachable to said lever for movement of said pitman in opposite directions by saidlever to pivot said plate in opposite directions, a pair of stops attachable to said rod in spaced relation, and a link having one end pivoted to another corner of said plate and its other end pivotally and slidably attachable to said rod between said stops whereby pivoting of the plate in opposite directions will correspondingly move said rod.

2. In a manure spreader according to claim 1, and a stop on said pitman engageable with said hopper to limit movement of the pitman in one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS tebbins Dec. 28, 1909 Schellenger June 18, 1912 Seaman Aug, 27, 1912 Bauer Nov. 16, 1943 Acton Oct. 18, 1949 Neighbour et al Apr. 18, 1950 Heltzel May 12, 1953

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