GB2139079A - Agricultural feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

An agricultural feeder comprises a conveyor 12 having an upper, conveying, surface which is inclined relative to the horizontal in a downward direction towards the delivery end, and beater means comprising a pair of rotatable drums 15 and 16 which are each provided with a plurality of projections adapted to engage the material to be distributed. The drums 15 and 16 are each rotatable about a horizontal axis and a plane containing the two axes is inclined to the vertical in such a direction that it defines, with the plane of the conveying surface of the conveyor, an acute angle. The drums 15 and 16 may be provided with a plurality of paddles 18-23 which not only engage material which is to be distributed but also create windage which helps to carry lighter materials through the discharge opening of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural feeder This invention relates to an agricultural feeder in the form of a machine which is intended for use in distributing forage, silage, or straw or other materials.

In conventional machines the forage or other material is contained in a storage area and is delivered, usually by a moving floor or conveyor system, to one or more beaters which break up and cut the material and deliver it to another conveyor or equivalent mechanism for throwing the material out of the machine, or which delivers it directly out of the machine.

In such known machines there have been proposed a number of configurations of conveyor or moving floor and beaters but in many machines, the advancing of the material towards the beaters is unsatisfactory and also there is a tendency for the material, particularly where long strands are included, to wrap around the beaters and clog the device. Furthermore, feeding of the material towards the beaters is a particular problem where large blocks or bales are involved.

It is the object of this invention to provide an agricultural feeder which efficiently controls delivery of the chopped material with minimum risk of clogging whilst ensuring that the material reaches the beaters for processing.

In accordance with the invention there is provided an agricultural feeder comprising a container having rotatable beater means and conveyor means arranged in use to displace towards said rotatable beater means material which is to be distributed by the feeder, said rotatable beater means comprising a pair of rotatable drums which are each provided with a plurality of projections adapted in use to engage the material to be distributed and which are disposed adjacent to a discharge opening formed in said container, said drums being respectively rotatable about generally horizontal axes which are themselves contained in a plane which is inclined to the vertical, and said conveyor means having a conveying surface which extends in a plane inclined to the horizontal and in a downward direction in the direction of conveying so that said plane containing the rotatable axes of said drums and said plane of the conveying surface ofthe conveyor means define between them an acute angle.

With the above described arrangement, the upper rotatable beater drum is offset, relative to them lower rotatable beater drum, in a direction towards the input end of the conveyor means. At least one, and preferably each of said drums, is provided on its peripheral surface with paddle means which conveniently comprise a plurality of generally axially extending paddles which not only assist in feeding material through the discharge opening but also act in use to create windage (i.e. currents of air) which help to carry lighter materials (such as straw) through the discharge opening.Each of said beater drums is conveniently provided with a plurality of projecting tines and in the case of the upper drum said tines may each be provided with a leading edge which extends in a generally radial direction with respect to the axis of said upper drum whereas in the case of the lower drum the leading edge of each of its tines is preferably raked outwardly and rearwardly (i.e. the tip of its leading edge is disposed behind the root) with respect to the direction of rotation of the lower drum. Furthermore, the upper drum at least is preferably provided with a plurality of serrated discs which each extend in a plane perpen dicularto the axis of the drum, the discs being spaced in an axial direction and acting in use to break up large lumps of material or stop such lumps from being discharged from the feeder.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a schematic end view showing one example of a n an agricultural feeder in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a view, looking in the direction of arrow 'A', of the beater assembly of the feeder seen in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown in Figure 1 one example of a n an agricultural feeder constructed in accordance with the present invention. The feeder includes a body or container 10 which is mounted on wheels 11. In use the feeder is conveniently towed behind an agricultural tractor over ground on to which material such as for example silage or straw or other material is to be distributed. Such material is loaded into the body 10 through a closable opening (not shown) which may be formed in the top or in any other suitable position in the body.

Within said body 10 is mounted conveyor means in the form of an endless conveyor 12 which is conveniently formed from a chain 13 having slats 14 and in use said chain is driven in the direction of arrow 'B' indicated in Figure 1 by means of a conventional power take-off drive provided on the tractor and connected to the conveyor through a suitable gearbox. As will be seen from Figure 1 the conveyor 12 is inclined so that its upper, load supporting surface is inclined to the horizontal in a downward direction in the direction of conveying. In other words the input end of said conveyor is somewhat higher than the delivery end thereof.

Also mounted within said body 10 is a beater assembly comprising a pair of rotatable drums namely a lower drum 15 and an upper drum 16. Each of said drums is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body 10 and as will be seen from Figure 1 the two axes of said drums 15 and 16 are contained in a plane which is inclined to the vertical, the upper drum being thus offset relative to the lower drum, in a direction towards the input end of the conveyor 12.

Furthermore as will be seen from Figure 1 the plane which contains the axes of said two drums 15 and 16 and the plane which contains the upper surface of said conveyor 12 define between them an acute angle. The two drums 15 and 16 are in use rotated in the same direction of rotation (indicated by arrows 'C' and 'D' in Figure 1) also through a suitable gearbox from the tractor power take-off drive.

Each of said beater drums 15 and 16 is provided with a plurality of projections which are adapted to engage material fed towards the drums by said conveyor 12. Thus at least one, and preferably each of said drums, is provided on its peripheral surface with a plurality of generally axially extending paddles which not only assist in feeding material through a discharge opening which in the example shown will be situated in side 17 of the body 10 but also such paddles will act in use to create windage which will help to carry lighter materials (such as straw) through said discharge opening. In the example shown the upper drum 16 has two such paddles indicated respectively by reference numerals 18 and 19 whereas the lower drum 15 has four paddles indicated respectively by reference numerals 20,21, 22 and 23. In addition each of said drums is provided with a plurality of projecting tines.In the case of the upper drum 16 each of said tines 24 is provided with a leading edge (considering the direction of rotation of said drum 16) which is generally radial with respect to the axis of said drum 16. In the case of the tines (indicated by reference numeral 25) which are provided on the lower drum 15 however, the leading edge of each tine is raked back with respect to the direction of rotation of the drum. In other words the tip of each leading edge of a tine 25 is displacd rearwardly relative to the root of said leading edge.

In the case of the tines 25 of the lower drum 15 the raked backieading edges assist in breaking up the hard core that may be found in certain types of cylindrical bales of material which may be distributed by the feeder whereas the radial leading edges of the tines 24 of the upper drum 16 provide an effective means of transporting material collected by said drums and thereafter discharging it from the body 10.

The upper drum 16 is also provided with a plurality of axially spaced serrated discs 26 which each extend in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum. These serrated discs have the function of breaking up and/or stopping large lumps of material from being thrown from the body 10. Furthermore, with the above-described arrangement, the material fed along the conveyor 12 is fed towards the lower drum 15 but larger blocks or bales of the material contact both of the beater drums 15 and 16. A wedging action then occurs between the conveyor and the beater drums thus providing an effective and efficient operation of the beater drums.

Beyond the beater drums there may be auger or conveyor discharge arrangements which may be transverse with respect to the direction of travel of the material along the conveyor 12. Alternatively the material may be fed directly out of the machine from the beater drums.

The present invention tends to minimise the risk of binding of long material around the beater drums and provides for uniform discharge of chopped and distributed material.

Claims (7)

1. An agricultural feeder comprising a container having rotatable beater means and conveyor means arranged in use to displace towards said rotatable beater means material which is to be distributed by the feeder, said rotatable beater means comprising a pair of rotatable drums which are each provided with a plurality of projections adapted in use to engage the material to be distributed, and which are disposed adjacent to a discharge opening formed in said container, said drums being respectively rotatable about generally horizontal axes which are themselves contained in a plane which is inclined to the vertical, and said conveyor means having a conveying surface which extends in a plane inclined to the horizontal and in a downward direction in the direction of conveying so that said plane containing the rotatable axes of said drums and said plane of the conveying surface of the conveyor means define between them an acute angle.

2. An agricultural feeder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein at least one of said drums is provided on its peripheral surface with paddle means which extend in a generally axial direction.

3. An agricultural feeder as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the projections of said upper drum comprise a plurality of tines which each have a leading edge which extends in a generally radial direction with respect to the axis of said upper drum.

4. An agricultural feeder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the projections of the lower drum comprise a plurality of tines which each have a leading edge which is raked outwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the lower drum.

5. An agricultural feeder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper drum at least is provided with a plurality of serrated discs which each extend in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, said discs being spaced in an axial direction.

6. An agricultural feeder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless belt provided with projecting slats.

7. An agricultural feeder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.