Means for ensilaging

Claim 2

The capsule of claim 1, further comprising: at least one reinforcing element firmly attached to and extending substantially the length of the tubular sidewall; and connecting means rearwardly located relative to the capsule and firmly attached to the at least one reinforcing element, whereby a pulling force may be applied to the capsule through the connecting means and at least one reinforcing element to urge rearward sliding of the capsule.

Claim 3

The capsule of claim 1, the means for closing the tubular sidewall comprising: a rigid ring enclosing an area smaller than the closure member face area and having a peripheral face with a peripheral groove formed therein, the ring being adapted for having brought into said groove a portion of the tubular sidewall having a surface area extending around all the periphery of the tubular sidewall; a plate formed from a substantially gas-impervious material and having a peripheral flange which complements the ring peripheral face anD is adapted to slip over the latter while said surface area of the tubular sidewall is in the groove; and means adapted for compressing the peripheral flange against said portion of the tubular sidewall to bring said surface area into close, fixed contact with the ring.

Claim 4

The capsule of claim 4, the plate having an opening therethrough adapted for attaching to the plate a valve providing one-way passage of gases from the interior to exterior of the capsule.

Claim 5

A receiver for receiving thereinto an inflow of chopped vegetable feedstuff particles and for constraining the same jointly to assume a predetermined configuration as they accumulate in the receiver to form a mass, said receiver being of tubular configuration and comprising of a pair of mutually spaced sidewalls, a top wall, and a bottom wall free of downwardly extending convexity, said walls being elongated and connected together to surround a volume and each having forward and rear edges and the receiver further having means for closing one of its ends during deposition therein of the feedstuff, and The sidewalls being connected to the bottom wall and sloping upwardly and inwardly therefrom and toward each other at an angle to the bottom wall approximating the angle of repose of the chopped feedstuff.

Claim 6

The receiver of claim 6, the sidewalls forming approximate tangents to a semicircle the diameter of which is approximately in register with the bottom wall inner surface and the top wall having an inner surface approximately following the arc of the semicircle remaining above the points of tangency of the sidewalls with the semicircle.

Claim 7

The receiver of claim 6, there being rearward divergence between the top and bottom walls and between the sidewalls.

Claim 8

The receiver of claim 6, the top wall being longitudinally divided into at least two portions movable relative to each other to form and to close an opening through the top wall extending longitudinally of the receiver.

Claim 9

The receiver of claim 9, the sidewalls being elastically yielding for permitting said relative motion between the at least two portions of the top wall.

Claim 10

The receiver of claim 6, the top wall being flat and having an inner surface approximately parallel to the bottom wall.

Claim 11

The receiver of claim 6, the sidewalls being connected by the top wall and the top wall having a plurality of planar portions each lying at a lesser angle to the bottom wall than the angle of either of the sidewalls to the bottom wall.

Claim 12

The receiver of claim 6, said receiver having a forward rim formed by the forward edges of its walls and defining a front opening lying in a surface all parts of which are inclined relative to the bottom wall at an angle approximating the angle of repose of the fresh, chopped feedstuff, the receiver further having a rear rim formed by the rear edges of its walls and defining a rear opening lying in a surface all parts of which are at an angle to the bottom wall less than the angle of repose of the fresh, chopped feedstuff, the receiver still further having movably mounted thereon means for closing the rear opening.

Claim 13

The receiver of claim 6, the width of the bottom wall being approximately twice the feeding reach, from its front feet, of a representative one of the animals to which the feedstuff is to be fed.

Claim 14

The receiver of claim 6, said receiver being provided with means for its pivotal mounting on means for transporting the receiver.

Claim 15

The receiver of claim 6, said receiver having, in the vicinity of the forward edges of its walls, means for holding the mouth of a capsule, upon the capsule being placed in the receiver, in position for receiving into the capsule any inflow of chopped feedstuff directed into the receiver.

Claim 16

The receiver of claim 6, the inner surface of at least the bottom wall being smooth.

Claim 17

The receiver of claim 6, said means for closing one of the receiver ends being a door moveable between a first position in which it closes said at least onE end of the receiver and a second position in which it has an edge spaced from the receiver and an upper surface which is smoothly continuous with the inner surface of the receiver bottom wall.

Claim 18

The receiver of claim 6, said means for closing one of the receiver ends comprising at least one door pivotable on the receiver.

Claim 19

The receiver of claim 6, said means for closing one of the receiver ends being a pair of doors laterally pivotable on the sidewall rear edges between a first position in which their distal edges substantially meet and a second position in which the associated one of the receiver ends is unobstructed by the doors.

Claim 20

In combination with the receiver of claim 6, an elongated sheet substantially covering the receiver bottom wall and so positioned within the volume surrounded by the receiver walls as to lie between the receiver bottom wall and said inflow of chopped vegetable feedstuff into the receiver.

Claim 21

The elongated sheet of claim 21, said sheet extending rearwardly from the bottom wall rear edge.

Claim 22

The elongated sheet of claim 21, said sheet having upturned, lateral edge portions, each edge portion extending upwardly relative to the receiver bottom wall and adjacent a respective receiver sidewall.

Claim 23

In combination with the receiver of claim 6, a tubular, flexible, substantially gas-impervious container housed in the receiver and having a volume, when filled, at least as great as said volume surrounded by the enclosure walls, the container having a mouth positioned for receiving into the container any inflow of chopped vegetable feedstuff into the receiver.

Claim 24

Means for encapsulating and ensilaging a freestanding mass of chopped, fresh feedstuff plant material of predetermined size and shape and to be fed to animals, said means comprising: means for receiving and lying beneath the feedstuff mass, said means comprising an elongated sheet forming a bottom wall and having flexible margins extending outwardly beyond and encompassing said predetermined size and shape; means for cooperating with the bottom wall to encapsulate the feedstuff mass and comprising a sheet having edges free of connection with the bottom wall during reception of the feedstuff mass thereon and thereafter moveable into a position in which the sheet covers the feedstuff mass and the sheet edges are in overlapping relation with the bottom wall margins when the latter are turned upwardly and adjacent the feedstuff mass; and means for sealing the sheet edges to the bottom wall all around the feedstuff mass, whereby the mass is substantially isolated from air outside the capsule thus formed by the sheet and bottom wall and the sheet and bottom wall being air -and water-impervious.

Claim 25

The means named in the preamble of claim 25, the bottom wall being of a material a plurality of times stronger than the sheet.

Claim 26

The means named in the preamble of claim 25, the sheet being a thin plastic material preshaped to fit the feedstuff mass.

Claim 27

The means named in the preamble of claim 25, the sheet being formed of a material thicker than the bottom wall and preshaped to fit the feedstuff mass.

Claim 28

The means named in the preamble of claim 25, the bottom wall being of a width approximately twice the feeding reach, from its front feet, of a representative one of the animals to which the ensilaged feedstuff is to be fed.