Patent US3584448A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3584448A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Strawbuncher
Assignee: PATENTS Inc
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Filing: 1969-07-02
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1989-07-02
Abstract
Abstract A fodder bunching apparatus, commonly known as a strawbuncher, comprising a wheeled container adapted to be towed behind a harvesting implement to receive animal fodder from the implement as they move about a field. The container has a normally idle apron or ladder type conveyor on its floor to feed collected material out the open rear end of the container intermittently in response to the opening of a barricade which normally closes the rear end; and an infeed auger conveyor receives material from the harvesting implement and scatters it along the container floor where it collects for intermittent discharge.
Inventors
- 👤 Werner William Martinmaas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:33
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D75/00; A01D75/06; A01D85/00; A01D85/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
In a fodder bunching apparatus which includes a wheeled container having a floor and an open rear end, said container being adapted to be towed behind a harvesting implement to receive and collect animal fodder from said implement as the latter is moved about a field, and means for intermittently dumping collected animal fodder from the rear end of the container tO leave a plurality of relatively small, loose bunches of fodder in the field, the improvement comprising: a movable barricade normally closing the open rear end of the container; normally idle conveyor means on the floor of the container for moving collected fodder out of said open rear end; drive means for said conveyor means; barricade control means for controlling movement of said barricade between closed and open positions; and means for operating said drive means in coordination with the movement of said barricade to open position to cause the conveyor means to move collected fodder out of the container when the barricade is in said open position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a fodder bunching apparatus which includes a wheeled container having a floor and an open rear end, said container being adapted to be towed behind a harvesting implement to receive and collect animal fodder from said implement as the latter is moved about a field, and means for intermittently dumping collected animal fodder from the rear end of the container tO leave a plurality of relatively small, loose bunches of fodder in the field, the improvement comprising: a movable barricade normally closing the open rear end of the container; normally idle conveyor means on the floor of the container for moving collected fodder out of said open rear end; drive means for said conveyor means; barricade control means for controlling movement of said barricade between closed and open positions; and means for operating said drive means in coordination with the movement of said barricade to open position to cause the conveyor means to move collected fodder out of the container when the barricade is in said open position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which includes transversely extending pivotal mounting means for the barricade positioned a substantial distance above the container floor, and in which the barricade control means includes means for pivoting the barricade to swing its lower end rearwardly to open position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the barricade control means also includes means for retaining the barricade in its closed position against the pressure exerted on it by fodder collecting in the container, said retaining means releasing the barricade for movement to open position when pressure exerted on the barricade by said collecting fodder reaches a predetermined level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 3 which includes means for adjusting the pressure level at which the retaining means releases the barricade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which the pivotal mounting means for the barricade comprises a pivot shaft, and in which the retaining means comprises a lever secured to the pivot shaft and prestressed spring means which is to one side of an extended dead center position when the barricade is closed and which is moved by the pressure of fodder on the barricade through said dead center position, said spring means past said dead center position acting to pivot the barricade shaft rapidly to move the barricade to open position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 5 which includes means for adjusting the prestress of the spring means to vary the pressure level of fodder required to move the spring means through the dead center position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the lever is a bellcrank fulcrumed on the pivot shaft, the spring means are connected to one arm of the bellcrank, and a drive engaging member is connected to the other arm of the bellcrank to mechanically engage the drive means when the springs move past dead center position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the drive means includes a constantly driven member, normally idle power transmitting means operatively connected to the conveyor means, and means for operatively engaging the power transmitting means with the driven member in response to movement of the drive engaging member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 3 which includes a movable drive engaging member operatively connected to the barricade, to mechanically engage the drive means when the barricade moves to open position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the barricade control means comprises means for retaining the barricade in its closed position, said retaining means releasing the barricade for movement to open position in response to a predetermined condition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 10 in which the retaining means is constructed to release the barricade in response to the presence in the container of a predetermined general quantity of fodder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 11 which includes means for adjusting the quantity of fodder required to release the barricade.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the barricade comprises a transverse bar, means pivotally mounting said bar a substantial distance above the container floor, and a plurality of depending generally parallel rods which are fixedly mounted on said bar and have free lower ends.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 13 in which, when the barricade is in closed position, the rods are forwardly iNclined with respect to the transverse bar.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which includes infeed conveyor means having an upwardly open front end portion which is forward of the container to receive fodder from the harvesting implement, said infeed conveyor means extending longitudinally above the container floor to drop fodder onto the floor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 15 in which the infeed conveyor means includes an auger which extends from a point forward of the container substantially to the rear end of the container, and an upwardly open trough surrounding the forward portion of the auger and extending a short distance into the container so the auger may scatter fodder along the container floor forward of said trough.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 16 in which the trough is of a shallow U-shape and has sidewalls that span more than half the width of the container.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 16 in which the auger is upwardly inclined from front to rear, the front end of the auger being generally coplanar with the container floor and the rear end of the auger being generally coplanar with the top of the barricade.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 in which the infeed conveyor extends substantially to the rear of the container and is adapted to scatter fodder along the container floor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 15 which includes means at the front end of the infeed conveyor means for agitating material received from the harvesting implement as such material enters the infeed conveyor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 20 in which the material agitating means comprises a tray and means for oscillating the tray.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 21 in which the infeed conveyor includes an auger having a shaft which is journaled below the tray, and the tray oscillating means comprises an eccentric on said shaft and a link from said eccentric to the tray.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a fodder bunching apparatus which includes a wheeled container having a floor and an open rear end, said container being adapted to be towed behind a harvesting implement to receive and collect animal fodder from said implement as the latter is moved about a field, and means for intermittently dumping collected animal fodder from the rear end of the container to leave a plurality of relatively small, loose bunches of fodder in the field, the improvement comprising: infeed conveyor means having an upwardly open front end portion which is forward of the container to receive fodder from the harvesting implement, said infeed conveyor means extending longitudinally above the container floor to drop fodder onto the floor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a fodder bunching apparatus which includes a wheeled container having a floor and an open rear end, said container being adapted to be towed behind a harvesting implement to receive and collect animal fodder from said implement as the latter is moved about a field, and means for intermittently dumping collected animal fodder from the rear end of the container to leave a plurality of relatively small, loose bunches of fodder in the field, the improvement comprising: infeed conveyor means having an upwardly open front end portion which is forward of the container to receive fodder from the harvesting implement, said infeed conveyor means extending longitudinally above the container floor to drop fodder onto the floor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which the infeed conveyor means includes an auger which extends from a point forward of the container substantially to the rear end of the container, and an upwardly open trough surrounding the forward portion of the auger and extending a short distance into the container so the auger may scatter fodder along the container floor to the rear of said trough.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 24 in which the trough is of a shallow U-shape and has sidewalls that span more than half the width of the container.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which the auger is upwardly inclined from front to rear, the front end of the auger being generally coplanar with the container floor and the rear end of the auger being generally coplanar with the top of the barricade.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which the infeed conveyor extends substantially to the rear of the container and is adapted to scatter fodder along the container floor.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 23 which includes means at the front end of the infeed conveyor means for agitating material received from the harvesting implement as such material enters the infeed conveyor.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which the material agitating means comprises a tray and means for oscillating the tray.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 29 in which the infeed conveyor includes an auger having a shaft which is journaled beloW the tray, and the tray oscillating means comprises an eccentric on said shaft and a link from said eccentric to the tray.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 23 which includes means for sensing generally the amount of fodder in the container, and means responsive to operation of said sensing means for intermittently dropping collected fodder from the container.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 31 in which the means for sensing generally the amount of fodder in the container comprises a barricade normally closing the rear end of the container, and means operatively associated with said barricade which senses the rearward pressure of collected fodder on the barricade and moves the barricade to open position when said pressure reaches a predetermined level.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 32 in which the means operatively associated with the barricade may be adjusted to move the barricade to open position at different levels of pressure on the barricade.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 32 in which the barricade is mounted on a transverse pivot shaft above the container floor, and the means operatively associated with the barricade comprises a lever secured to said shaft and spring means which is to one side an extended dead center position when the barricade is closed and which is moved by the pressure of fodder on the barricade through said dead center position, said spring means past said dead center position acting to pivot the barricade shaft rapidly to move the barricade to open position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |