The present invention generally relates to spreader systems, and more particularly to a broadcast particulate spreader, and still more particularly to a controlled-release broadcast particulate spreader wherein particulate is dispersed only when the spreader is moving.
Spreaders, such as broadcast spreaders are used across an array of applications, including farms, golf courses and residential properties, to apply particulate, such as grass seed, fertilizers, snow and ice salt/sand and the like. As such, these spreaders may need to cover a large area. To apply particulate material to these large areas, broadcast spreaders generally include a hopper, impeller, shaft and two wheels supported by an axle. The hopper holds a large volume of material which is funneled to an outlet such that the material may fall onto the impeller. A gear assembly is mounted on the axle between the wheels whereby rotation of the axle along a horizontal axis is translated to rotation of the shaft along a vertical axis. The impeller is mounted on the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the impeller. As a result, the impeller may then cast the particulate material across the coverage area. Locomotion of the spreader may be manual, such through use of a push bar, or mechanical, such as through mounting the spreader to a tractor, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or other similar vehicle.
One drawback to these systems, however, is that the particulate matter continues to fall through the outlet onto the impeller even when the spreader is not moving. As a result, the particulate material builds up on the impeller, and may even overflow the impeller and fall directly on the grass/surface. The material build-up will then be immediately dispersed once the spreader is again moving. However, the volume of material immediately dispersed will be significantly larger than during the remainder of the spreading operation. This large amount of material may be damaging to the grass/surface and also results in a waste of material, thereby increasing cost of operation. This drawback also leads to a further waste of time and/or material. For instance, a user may load the hopper with a volume of material estimated to complete the intended task. However, if the task is completed with material still in the hopper, a user may simply continue the spreading operation until the hopper is emptied rather than attempting to pour the unused material from the hopper into a container, thereby wasting material and incurring additional time to empty the hopper. Conversely, if too little material was added, the user will be forced to reload the hopper, taking time, and then continue operation until the hopper is empty, as described above.
To alleviate the above drawback, spreader systems have been developed whereby a shut off plate is positioned proximate the discharge opening of the hopper. While such systems may mitigate waste of material by closing the hopper discharge when material is not to be dispersed, these systems are tedious as an operator must continually manually adjust the shut off plate to open and close the discharge openings of the hopper, particularly when using a tow-behind spreader. Alternatively, mechanical systems have been designed which have a powered actuator which selectively opens or closes the shut off plate. However, such systems are costly and have a large number of moving parts. Actuation of the shut off plate via a battery may also require manual input of the operator.
Thus, there remains a need for a spreader that can broadcast particulate while the spreader is moving but automatically prevent unwanted build-up of material on the impeller when the spreader is stationary. The present invention satisfies this as well as other needs.
In view of the above and in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a spreader configured to disperse particulate matter includes a frame having wheels rotatably mounted on an axle. A gear assembly is arranged on the axle an intermediate distance between the wheels. A shaft is coupled to the gear assembly at a first end. The shaft is configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation when the axle rotates about a second axis of rotation. In one aspect of the present invention, the first axis of rotation is perpendicular to the second axis of rotation. A hopper is mounted on the frame with a second end of the shaft extending through a bottom wall of the hopper to terminate within a cavity defined by the hopper. The hopper is configured to hold the particulate matter whereby the particulate matter empties from the hopper through a hopper opening defined within the bottom wall. An impeller is mounted on the shaft between the gear assembly and the hopper and is configured to receive the particulate matter emptied from the hopper. A controlled-release assembly is mounted about the shaft between the hopper and the impeller. The controlled release assembly includes a drive housing secured to the hopper. The drive housing defines a funnel having a funnel opening configured to dispense the particulate matter therethrough to the impeller. A transfer wheel is received within the drive housing and is coupled to the shaft whereby rotation of the shaft rotates the transfer wheel. When the shaft is rotating, the transfer wheel rotates whereby the particulate matter from the hopper is delivered to the funnel of the drive housing. When the shaft is stationary, the transfer wheel is stationary whereby particulate matter from the hopper is not delivered to the funnel of the drive housing.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the controlled-release assembly further includes a funnel cover mounted to the drive housing and defines a cover opening therein. The cover opening is configured to coincide with the hopper opening. Still further, the controlled-release assembly may include a rotary gate that is mounted to the funnel cover and defines a gate opening therein. The rotary gate is selectively positionable between a fully open position whereby the gate opening fully coincides with the cover opening and hopper opening, and a fully closed position whereby the rotary gate fully occludes the cover opening and hopper opening. In one aspect of the present invention, the rotary gate is selectively positionable in a partially occluded position whereby the gate opening partially overlaps with the cover opening and hopper opening.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the funnel cover includes a cover extension configured to extend outwardly beyond a side wall of the drive housing. The cover extension includes a slot defined therein and the rotary gate includes a handle portion adapted to overlap a portion of the cover extension with the handle portion having a tab configured to travel within the slot. A sidewall defining the slot may have a scalloped profile defining a plurality of notches while the tab is dimensioned to selectively reside within one of the plurality of notches at a time.
In another aspect of the present invention, the spreader may further include an agitator fixedly secured to the second end of the shaft with the agitator residing within the hopper cavity and configured to prevent agglomeration of the particulate matter within the hopper. Additionally, the frame may include a hitch coupling configured to mount to a vehicle-borne receiver or a push/pull bar configured to be grasped by a user.
In still a further aspect of the present invention, the drive housing may include an elliptical mounting sidewall configured to mount to the hopper and a conical funnel sidewall depending downwardly from the mounting sidewall and defining the funnel. A first portion of the conical funnel sidewall coincides with a first portion of the elliptical mounting sidewall whereby the funnel opening is located at or proximate to a vertical axis passing through a focus of the elliptical mounting sidewall. A remaining second portion of the conical funnel sidewall is coupled to a remaining second portion of the elliptical mounting sidewall by a planar bottom wall. The planar bottom wall may be perpendicular to the elliptical mounting sidewall. Still further, the transfer wheel may have a circular side edge and may be received within the drive housing whereby a portion of the transfer wheel lies adjacent to the bottom planar wall with a portion of the side edge proximate the second portion of the elliptical mounting sidewall. A remaining portion of the transfer wheel may then extend over a portion of the funnel.
Additional objects, advantages and novel aspects of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate currently preferred embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
Referring now to
With continued reference to
Fixedly mounted on shaft 110 is an impeller 126 such that rotation of shaft 110 causes rotation of impeller 126. As a result, particulate matter from hopper 114 may land on impeller 126 and be dispersed through angular momentum imparted to the particulate matter through rotation of impeller 126. To assist in this dispersion, impeller 126 may include one or more vanes 128. One or more of vanes 128 may also be curved to further assist in dispersal of material.
Mounted about shaft 110 between hopper 114 and impeller 126, is controlled-release assembly 130, which generally comprises a drive housing 132, transfer wheel 134, funnel cover 136 and rotary gate 138. With additional reference to
Received within drive housing 132 and rotatably coupled to shaft 110 is transfer wheel 134. As shown in
When spreader 100 is moving, shaft 110 rotates thereby rotating transfer wheel 134. Particulate matter on transfer wheel 134 rotates from hopper opening 124 over funnel 148 where it may then fall off and pass through funnel opening 150 to impeller 126 for dispersal, as described above. However, should spreader 100 be stopped, such as for a short period of time, particulate matter may accumulate on transfer wheel 134 rather than dropping onto the impeller. Thus the particulate matter does not accumulate on the ground and is not rapidly dispersed when spreader 100 resumes movement. If spreader 100 is not moved for a longer period of time, a sufficient amount of material may build up on transfer wheel 134 such that hopper opening 124 may be occluded by the accumulated material, at which point no additional particulate material would exit hopper 114 until spreader 100 is moved and shaft 110/transfer wheel 134 is rotated. In either event and in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, when spreader 100 resumes movement following a stationary period of time, the dispersal of particulate matter is mitigated by transfer wheel 134 such that only a portion of the accumulated material is dispersed as spreader 100 travels, thus preventing over-application of material to a small area.
With additional reference to
With reference to
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor is it intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified in light of the above teachings. The embodiments described are chosen to provide an illustration of principles of the invention and its practical application to enable thereby one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that described in the following claims.