US3621901A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Livestock feed processing apparatus
Assignee: Dodgen Ind Inc
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Filing: 1969-06-03
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Granted: 1971-11-23
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Expires: 1989-06-03
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for processing animal feed involving a chopper unit in a wagon being fed hay by a conveyor wherein the hay in under compression from a powered roller coordinated in its speed with the speed of the chopper unit. The chopper unit involves one or more rotatable units having blades around its periphery which cooperate with stationary blades in cutting the feed material. One or more pairs of chopper rollers may be provided which turn towards the chopper unit inlet and cooperate with adjacent stationary blades. The material from the wagon may be fed from the chopper unit directly into an apparatus for producing livestock feed pellets having a hammer mill or the like. The chopper unit may also be placed on the machine for producing the pellets. The ground feed prior to being pelletized may be screened by a baffle plate having magnets associated with it for extracting metallic foreign material in the feed. The pellets produced by the pelletizer unit may be sorted by eccentrically operated shaker to separate out the fines. The forward lower end of the shaker being pivotally connected to the frame while the rear raised end is connected to the powered eccentric and may move in random directions.
Inventors
- 👤 John N Dodgen
- 👤 Paul C Swigger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:16
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01F; A01F29/00; A01F29/005; A23; A23N; A23N17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A feed-processing machine comprising a wagon having a box with a chamber, said chamber having a discharge rear end; a chopper unit positioned for communication with said discharge end of said chamber, said chopper unit having housing walls, an outlet opening, and an inlet opening facing the front end of said chamber; a conveyor for moving feed into said inlet opening of said chopper unit; a horizontally disposed rotatable member within said chopper unit, said rotatable member having a plurality of sleeves carried rigidly adjacent its outer radial edge, said sleeves being in axial alignment and being spaced axially apart from one another; a plurality of blades each positioned between the axial ends of two of said spaced-apart sleeves; a rod extending through said sleeves and said blades for pivotally mounting said blades between said sleeves; said sleeves holding said blades in spaced-apart relationship on said rod; a plurality of stationary blades mounted on one of said housing walls of said chopper unit; said stationary blades being positioned to overlap with said blades on said rotatable member during rotation of said rotatable member; said sleeves having an axial length greater than the combined thickness of one of said stationary blades and one of said blades on said rotatable member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A feed-processing machine comprising a wagon having a box with a chamber, said chamber having a discharge rear end; a chopper unit positioned for communication with said discharge end of said chamber, said chopper unit having housing walls, an outlet opening, and an inlet opening facing the front end of said chamber; a conveyor for moving feed into said inlet opening of said chopper unit; a horizontally disposed rotatable member within said chopper unit, said rotatable member having a plurality of sleeves carried rigidly adjacent its outer radial edge, said sleeves being in axial alignment and being spaced axially apart from one another; a plurality of blades each positioned between the axial ends of two of said spaced-apart sleeves; a rod extending through said sleeves and said blades for pivotally mounting said blades between said sleeves; said sleeves holding said blades in spaced-apart relationship on said rod; a plurality of stationary blades mounted on one of said housing walls of said chopper unit; said stationary blades being positioned to overlap with said blades on said rotatable member during rotation of said rotatable member; said sleeves having an axial length greater than the combined thickness of one of said stationary blades and one of said blades on said rotatable member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A feed processing machine according to claim 1 wherein said box has a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a clearance opening therein adjacent said inlet opening of said chopper unit for permitting discharge of foreign solid materials within said box.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein a roller is positioned transversely of said chamber and carried by a pair of arms pivotally connected to said box, said roller being between said chopper unit and the front end of said wagon chamber, said roller being adapted to roll over the feed as it is moved into the inlet of said chopper unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The structure of claim 3 and power means for operating said chopper unit and rotating said roller, and control means for coordinating the speed of operation of said chopper unit with the speed of rotation of said roller such that a limited quantity of feed enters said chopper unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein said rotatable member includes a plurality of radial vanes having said pivotal blades on the periphery thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein a perforated arcuate screen is coaxially positioned closely adjacent the outer ends of said pivotal blades for cooperation therewith in cutting feed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein each of said pivotal blades has an outer free end having an outwardly opening V-shaped notch, the edges of said notch merge with the adjacent outer edges of said blade to form a pair of outwardly pointed cutting elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
A feed-procesSing machine comprising a wagon having a box with a chamber, said chamber having a discharge rear end; a chopper unit positioned for communication with said discharge end of said chamber, said chopper having an inlet opening in communication with said discharge end of said chamber; said chopper unit having at least two rotating members adapted to rotate about vertical axes; cutting members being carried on the outer radial periphery of said rotating members; a bottom wall in said chopper unit positioned below the lower axial ends of said rotating members, said bottom wall having openings therein; and a conveyor means below said bottom wall for carrying away material which falls through said openings in said bottom wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
A feed-procesSing machine comprising a wagon having a box with a chamber, said chamber having a discharge rear end; a chopper unit positioned for communication with said discharge end of said chamber, said chopper having an inlet opening in communication with said discharge end of said chamber; said chopper unit having at least two rotating members adapted to rotate about vertical axes; cutting members being carried on the outer radial periphery of said rotating members; a bottom wall in said chopper unit positioned below the lower axial ends of said rotating members, said bottom wall having openings therein; and a conveyor means below said bottom wall for carrying away material which falls through said openings in said bottom wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A feed-processing machine according to claim 8 wherein said two rotating members are positioned adjacent one another and said cutting members of said two rotating members overlap.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A feed-processing machine according to claim 8 wherein said chopper unit includes vertical sidewalls and stationary cutting members mounted on said sidewalls, said stationary cutting members being positioned so as to intermesh in close relationship with said cutting members on said rotating members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-22 | 1975-05-24 | 1975-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-22 | 1979-05-24 | 1979-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-22 | 1983-05-24 | 1983-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |