Flail type material spreader with pivoted shield

Claim 1

IN A MATERIAL SPREADER, IN COMBINATION: A FRAME; A GENERALLY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER ON SAID FRAME HAVING END WALLS AND CONTINUOUS ARCUATE BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR UPPER MARGINS; A LONGITUDINAL UNLOADER SHAFT ON THE AXIS OF THE CONTAINER; A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE FLAILS ON SAID UNLOADER SHAFT; MEANS FOR DRIVING THE SHAFT TO CAUSE SAID FLAILS TO DISCHARGE MATERIAL OVER A SIDE OF THE CONTAINER; ARCUATE HOOD MEANS HAVING OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES ONE OF WHICH IS POSITIONED AT THE UPPER MARGIN OF ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS TO PROVIDE AN UPWARD EXTENSION OF SAID ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AROUND THE ADJACENT UPPER QUADRANT OF THE CYLINDER; MOVABLE MOUNTING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID HOOD MEANS FOR ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF SAID EDGES ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE CONTAINER TO SELECTIVELY POSITION THE LATTER IN ONE UPPER QUADRANT OR THE OTHER AND HAVING AN EDGE POSITIONED AT ONE SIDE WALL TO THE OTHER; MOVABLY MOUNTED ACTUATING MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A FIXED PART OF THE SPREADER AND TO THE MOUNTING MEANS FOR PIVOTING THE LATTER ABOUT SAID AXIS; AND MEANS FOR REVERSING THE DRIVING MEANS TO DISCHARGE MATERIAL OVER THE SIDE OF THE CONTAINER REMOTE FROM THE HOOD MEANS.