Material distributing apparatus

Claim 2

A material storage and discharge apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising, a supply hopper for storing a quantity of material and having an outlet opening, discharge conveyor means communicating with said outlet opening aNd including first and second conveyor sections and means for driving said first and second conveyor sections to feed material from a first end toward a second end of each conveyor sections, said first and second conveyor sections having said first ends thereof disposed adjacent each other and said first and second conveyor sections extending from their respective first ends in relatively opposite directions, means mounting said discharge conveyor means for shifting movement in a direction lengthwise thereof relative to said outlet opening from an intermediate position in which said first ends of both said first and second conveyor sections are positioned to receive material from said outlet opening selectively to at least one other position in which only the conveyor section is positioned to receive material from said outlet opening whereby the discharge conveyor means is selectively operable to feed material to the outer end of one or both the first and second conveyor sections.

Claim 3

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said discharge conveyor means includes a material feed auger having first and second oppositively directed flights forming said first and second conveyor sections, and said drive means comprises a common drive motor for simultaneously driving both said first and second conveyor sections.

Claim 4

A material storage and discharge apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising, a supply hopper for storing a quantity of material and having an outlet opening and longitudinal conveyor means for conveying material to the outlet opening, cross conveyor means including first and second conveyor sections disposed in end-to-end relation and means for driving said first and second conveyor sections to feed material from a first end toward a second end of each conveyor section, said conveyor sections having said first ends disposed adjacent each other and extending from their respective first ends in relatively opposite directions, means mounting said cross conveyor means to extend crosswise of said longitudinal conveyor means adjacent the outlet opening in said supply hopper, and means for shifting said cross conveyor means in a direction lengthwise thereof and crosswise of the first conveyor means from an intermediate position in which the first ends of both said first and second conveyor sections are positioned to receive material from said outlet opening selectively to a first position in which only the first conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening, and to a second position in which only the second conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening whereby the cross conveyor means is selectively operable to feed material to the second end of one or the other or both of the first and second conveyor sections.

Claim 5

A material storage and discharge apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising, a supply hopper for storing a quantity of material and having an outlet opening and longitudinal conveyor means for conveying material to the outlet opening, cross conveyor means including first and second conveyor sections disposed in end-to-end relation and means for driving said first and second conveyor sections to feed material from a first end toward a second end of each conveyor section, said conveyor sections having said first ends disposed adjacent each other and extending from their respective first ends in relatively opposite directions, means mounting said cross conveyor means to extend crosswise of said longitudinal conveyor means adjacent the outlet opening in said supply hopper, and means for shifting said cross conveyor means in a direction lengthwise thereof and crosswise of the first conveyor means from an intermediate position in which the first ends of both said first and second conveyor sections are positioned to receive material from said outlet opening selectively to a first position in which only the first conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening, and to a second position in which only the second conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening whereby the cross conveyor means is selectively operable to feed material to the second end of one or the other or both of the first and second conveyor sections.

Claim 6

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said cross conveyor means includes a material feed auger having first and second oppositively directed flights forming said first and second conveyor sections, and said drive means comprises a common drive motor for simultaneously driving both said first and second conveyor sections.

Claim 7

A material storage and discharge apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising, a supply hopper for storing a quantity of material and having an outlet opening, an elongated material guide having an intermediate portion positioned to receive material from said outlet opening, said material guide extending in relatively opposite directions from said outlet opening and having first and second discharge outlets spaced in relatively opposite directions from said outlet opening, discharge conveyor means in said material guide including a first and second conveyor sections and means for driving said first and second conveyor sections to feed material from a first end toward a second end of each conveyor section, said first and second conveyor sections having their first ends disposed adjacent each other and extending from the respEctive first ends in relatively opposite directions along the material guide respectively toward said first and second discharge outlets, means supporting said discharge conveyor means for shifting movement lengthwise of said material guide from an intermediate position in which the first ends of both the first and second conveyors are positioned adjacent said outlet opening to receive material therefrom selectively to a first position in which only the first conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening and to a second position in which only the second conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening.

Claim 8

A material storage and discharge apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising, a supply hopper for storing a quantity of material and having an outlet opening, an elongated material guide having an intermediate portion positioned to receive material from said outlet opening, said material guide extending in relatively opposite directions from said outlet opening and having first and second discharge outlets spaced in relatively opposite directions from said outlet opening, discharge conveyor means in said material guide including a first and second conveyor sections and means for driving said first and second conveyor sections to feed material from a first end toward a second end of each conveyor section, said first and second conveyor sections having their first ends disposed adjacent each other and extending from the respEctive first ends in relatively opposite directions along the material guide respectively toward said first and second discharge outlets, means supporting said discharge conveyor means for shifting movement lengthwise of said material guide from an intermediate position in which the first ends of both the first and second conveyors are positioned adjacent said outlet opening to receive material therefrom selectively to a first position in which only the first conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening and to a second position in which only the second conveyor section is positioned to receive material from the outlet opening.

Claim 9

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 5 including first and second rotary spreader means mounted adjacent said first and second discharge outlets to spread material therefrom.

Claim 10

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said supply hopper has a feed conveyor means for feeding material to said outlet opening, said discharge conveyor means extending crosswise of said feed conveyor means.

Claim 11

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 5 including fluid actuator means for shifting said discharge conveyor means relative to said trough and valve means controlling said fluid actuator means.

Claim 12

A material storage and discharge apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said fluid actuator means includes a first fluid actuator means operable to move the discharge conveyor means from said intermediate position to said first position and back, and a second fluid actuator means for moving said discharge conveyor means from said intermediate position to said second position and back.

Claim 13

A material-distributing apparatus for use on a vehicle to enable spreading of material at one or the other or both sides of the vehicle simultaneously comprising an elongated material guide having a material inlet adjacent the center thereof and first and second discharge outlets adjacent relatively opposite ends thereof, a material discharge auger having first and second sections with oppositely directed spiral flights extending from adjacent the center of the auger toward opposite ends of the auger, means for rotating the auger in a direction to feed material from the center toward opposite ends of the auger, means mounting the auger in the material guide for shifting movement in a direction lengthwise of the material guide between a centered position in which the center of the auger is approximately centered with relation to said material inlet to deliver material to both discharge outlets and first and second displaced positions in which the center of the auger is offset to one side or the other of said material inlet to deliver material to one or the other of said discharge outlets.

Claim 14

A material-distributing apparatus for use on a vehicle to enable spreading of material at one or the other or both sides of the vehicle simultaneously comprising an elongated material guide having a material inlet adjacent the center thereof and first and second discharge outlets adjacent relatively opposite ends thereof, a material discharge auger having first and second sections with oppositely directed spiral flights extending from adjacent the center of the auger toward opposite ends of the auger, means for rotating the auger in a direction to feed material from the center toward opposite ends of the auger, means mounting the auger in the material guide for shifting movement in a direction lengthwise of the material guide between a centered position in which the center of the auger is approximately centered with relation to said material inlet to deliver material to both discharge outlets and first and second displaced positions in which the center of the auger is offset to one side or the other of said material inlet to deliver material to one or the other of said discharge outlets.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 10 including first and second rotary spreader apparatus mounted on the material guide adjacent said first and second discharge outlets respectively for spreading material from the respective discharge outlet.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said material guide is in the form of an open top trough, and carriage means slidably mounted on said trough supporting said auger for shifting movement lengthwise of the trough.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 10 including first fluid actuator means for moving said auger means from said centered position to said first displaced position and a second fluid actuator means for moving said auger from said centered position to said second displaced position, and valve means for controlling flow of fluid to said first and second fluid actuators.