Feed mill and mixer

Claim 2

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent said hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base of the hammer mill and a base in the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill through the mixing tank; a blower carried by the frame structure and having an inlet connected to the transfer tube near the outlet of the hammer mill, said blower having an outlet therefrom and including an impellor driven by the drive means of the hammer mill for simultaneous and proportional operation with the hammer mill; a separator means having an air inlet connected to the outlet of the blower means and including a material outlet for transferring the separated material from the blower means and the separator and including an exhaust means for venting air from the separator; tube means connecting the material outlet of the separator means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill and a low pressure point therein; a drive means in the mixer tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank, said blower being adapted to lower the pressure at the outlet side of the hammer mill to increase the flow of material in the mixing tank with operation of the conveying means; and means for removing mixed material from the tank.

Claim 3

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 in which the separator means is a cyclone type separator.

Claim 4

The feed mill of claim 1 in which the conveying means in the transfer tube is an auger type conveyor.

Claim 5

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 and including a shredder positioned at the inlet to the hammer mill and adapted to receive and shred material fed to the hammer mill; said shredder being driven by the drive means of the hammer mill.

Claim 6

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 in which the hammer Mill includes plates with pivoted hammer members thereon and the outlet across the same includes a curved screen with square apertures therein to cooperate with the hammers in shearing materials passed therethrough.

Claim 7

The feed mill and mixer of claim 5 in which the plates of the hammer mill includes knife means positioned on directly opposite points of the same and spaced from said pivoted hammers to cooperate with similar knives fixed to the screen when said hammers are deflected.

Claim 8

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 in which the material outlet of the separator is fed back to the hammer mill through the enclosure and adjacent the access of rotation of the hammer mill.

Claim 9

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 in which the mixing tank includes an additional auger type inlet at the base of the same independent of the transfer tube for adding additional material to the base of the mixing tank to be moved by the drive means therein raised with the material from the transfer tube.

Claim 10

The feed mill and mixer of claim 1 and including a vent passage means from the top of the mixing tank to the inlet of the blower.

Claim 11

The feed mill and mixer of claim 9 in which the separator means is a cyclone type separator whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the blower means and with the air outlet of the cyclone including a pivoted cover which is only opened with operation of the blower and air movement through the cyclone.

Claim 12

The feed mill and mixer of claim 4 and including additional passage means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill for the insertion of materials to the interior of the hammer mill independent of the shredder.

Claim 13

The feed mill and mixer of claim 11 and including means to close the communication between the shredder and the hammer mill to seal the passage therebetween.

Claim 14

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a rotary hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent the said hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base of the hammer mill and a base of the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill to the mixing tank; ventilation means connected to said transfer tube at the base of the hammer mill and including means for increasing air flow through the hammer mill; said ventilation means providing an exhaust to the hammer mill at the low pressure area thereof adjacent to axis of rotation of the same; drive means for the mixing tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank; shredder means positioned at the inlet to said hammer mill adapted to receive and shred material fed to said hammer mill, said shredder means being positioned so that the outlet therefrom is fed tangentially to the inlet of the hammer mill; and means for removing mixed material from the tank.

Claim 15

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a rotary hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent the said hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base of the hammer mill and a base of the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill to the mixing tank; ventilation means connected to said transfer tube at the base of the hammer mill and including means for increasing air flow through the hammer mill; said ventilation means providing an exhaust to the hammer mill at the low pressure area thereof adjacent to axis of rotation of the same; drive means for the mixing tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank; shredder means positioned at the inlet to said hammer mill adapted to receive and shred material fed to said hammer mill, said shredder means being positioned so that the outlet therefrom is fed tangentially to the inlet of the hammer mill; and means for removing mixed material from the tank.

Claim 16

The feed mill and mixer of claim 13 in which the shredder means includes a plurality of rows of knives mounted on a rotating element forming a part of said shredder means and cooperating with a single row of stationing knives positioned on the frame structure said knives being distributed circumferentially about the rotating element of the shredder means to form a plurality of rows in spaced relationship circumferentially about the rotating element with the positioning of knives on the adjacent rows being offset axially to provide a staggered relationship and with the stationary knives being mounted in pairs to cooperate with and be positioned on each side of a knife mounted on the rotating element as the shredder means is rotated.

Claim 17

The feed mill and mixer of claim 13 in which the hammer mill includes a rotating element mounted on a shaft with a plurality of spaced-apart plates positioned axially along the extent of the shaft and with each plate having a plurality of hammers positioned radially from the shaft on the plate in diameTrically opposed relationship from a corresponding hammer and with the hammers pivoted to move circumferentially between an extended position to a retracted position upon engaging solid material as the shaft is rotated, at least a pair of cutting knife blades positioned diametrically with respect to said shaft on each of said plates and between adjacent hammers with the hammers being capable of being pivoted on the plates clear of the knives to permit exposure of the knives and cutting therefrom with deflection of the hammer means.

Claim 18

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a rotary hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent the same hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base of the hammer mill and a base in the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill to the mixing tank; ventilation means connected to said transfer tube at the base of the hammer mill and including means for increasing air flow through the hammer mill; said ventilation means providing an exhaust to the hammer mill at the low pressure area thereof adjacent the axis of rotation of the same; drive means for the mixing tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank; shredder means positioned at the inlet to said hammer mill adapted to receive and shred material fed to said hammer mill, said shredder means being positioned so that the outlet therefrom is fed tangentialy to the inlet of the hammer mill; said hammer mill including a rotating element mounted on a shaft with a plurality of spaced-apart plates positioned axially along the extent of the shaft and with each plate having a plurality of hammers positioned radially from the shaft of the plate in diametrically opposed relationship from a corresponding hammer and with the hammers pivoted to move circumferentially between an extended position to a retracted position upon engaging solid material as the shaft is rotated, at least a pair of cutting knife blades positioned diametrically with respect to said shaft on each of said plates and between adjacent hammers with the hammers being capable of being pivoted with the plates clear of the knives to permit exposure of the knives and cutting therefrom with deflection of the hammer means, means for removing mixed material with the tank, and a curved screen member positioned across the outlet of the hammer mill and having a plurality of square apertures distributed along the same and at least one row of knives cooperating with the knives positioned on the rotating element of the hammer mill to provide a shearing action therebetween as material is passed around the rotating element and through the square apertures in the screen to the outlet of the hammer mill.

Claim 19

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a rotary hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent the same hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base of the hammer mill and a base in the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill to the mixing tank; ventilation means connected to said transfer tube at the base of the hammer mill and including means for increasing air flow through the hammer mill; said ventilation means providing an exhaust to the hammer mill at the low pressure area thereof adjacent the axis of rotation of the same; drive means for the mixing tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank; shredder means positioned at the inlet to said hammer mill adapted to receive and shred material fed to said hammer mill, said shredder means being positioned so that the outlet therefrom is fed tangentialy to the inlet of the hammer mill; said hammer mill including a rotating element mounted on a shaft with a plurality of spaced-apart plates positioned axially along the extent of the shaft and with each plate having a plurality of hammers positioned radially from the shaft of the plate in diametrically opposed relationship from a corresponding hammer and with the hammers pivoted to move circumferentially between an extended position to a retracted position upon engaging solid material as the shaft is rotated, at least a pair of cutting knife blades positioned diametrically with respect to said shaft on each of said plates and between adjacent hammers with the hammers being capable of being pivoted with the plates clear of the knives to permit exposure of the knives and cutting therefrom with deflection of the hammer means, means for removing mixed material with the tank, and a curved screen member positioned across the outlet of the hammer mill and having a plurality of square apertures distributed along the same and at least one row of knives cooperating with the knives positioned on the rotating element of the hammer mill to provide a shearing action therebetween as material is passed around the rotating element and through the square apertures in the screen to the outlet of the hammer mill.

Claim 20

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent said hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base in the hammer mill and a base of the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill through the mixing tank; a blower carried by the frame structure and having an inlet connected to the transfer tube near the outlet of the hammer mill, said blower having an outlet therefrom and including an impellor driven by the drive means of the hammer mill for simultaneous and proportional operation with the hammer mill; a separator means having an air inlet connected to the outlet of the blower means and including a material outlet for transferring the separated material from the blower means and separator and including an exhaust means for venting air from the separator; tube means connecting the material outlet of the separator means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill and a low preSsure point therein; a drive means in the mixer tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank, said blower being adapted to lower the pressure at the outlet side of the hammer mill to increase the flow of material in the mixing tank with operation of the conveying means; a shredder positioned at the inlet of said hammer mill and adapted to receive and shred material fed to the hammer mill; said shredder being driven by the drive means of the hammer mill; additional passage means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill for the insertion of materials to the interior of the hammer mill independent of the shredder; means for closing communication between the shredder and the hammer mill to seal the passage therebetween; and means for removing the mixed material from the tank; said drive means for the shredder being coupled to the drive means for the hammer mill and includes a centrifugal clutch coupling and belt drive with a pump driven from the belt drive, said drive means including a self-contained hydraulic system with a reservoir and said pump with control valve means leading to an orbit motor driving the rotating element of the shredder.

Claim 21

A feed mill and mixer comprising: a frame structure with a hammer mill mounted on the frame structure including enclosing walls and a drive means for driving the same; a mixing tank mounted on the frame structure adjacent said hammer mill; a transfer tube connected through the base in the hammer mill and a base of the mixing tank and including conveying means therein to transfer material from the hammer mill through the mixing tank; a blower carried by the frame structure and having an inlet connected to the transfer tube near the outlet of the hammer mill, said blower having an outlet therefrom and including an impellor driven by the drive means of the hammer mill for simultaneous and proportional operation with the hammer mill; a separator means having an air inlet connected to the outlet of the blower means and including a material outlet for transferring the separated material from the blower means and separator and including an exhaust means for venting air from the separator; tube means connecting the material outlet of the separator means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill and a low preSsure point therein; a drive means in the mixer tank for raising materials delivered from the transfer tube to the interior of the mixing tank, said blower being adapted to lower the pressure at the outlet side of the hammer mill to increase the flow of material in the mixing tank with operation of the conveying means; a shredder positioned at the inlet of said hammer mill and adapted to receive and shred material fed to the hammer mill; said shredder being driven by the drive means of the hammer mill; additional passage means through the enclosing walls of the hammer mill for the insertion of materials to the interior of the hammer mill independent of the shredder; means for closing communication between the shredder and the hammer mill to seal the passage therebetween; and means for removing the mixed material from the tank; said drive means for the shredder being coupled to the drive means for the hammer mill and includes a centrifugal clutch coupling and belt drive with a pump driven from the belt drive, said drive means including a self-contained hydraulic system with a reservoir and said pump with control valve means leading to an orbit motor driving the rotating element of the shredder.

Claim 22

The feed mill and mixer of claim 17 in which the control valve means includes a variable flow control valve to vary the flow of hydraulic fluid through the reservoir to the pump to the orbit motor of the shredder to vary speeds thereof in proportion to the speed of the drive means of the hammer mill.

Claim 23

The feed mill and mixer of claim 18 and including a slidable gate means positioned in the frame means common to the enclosures of the shredder and the hammer mill and adapted to open and close the tangential feed from the shredder to the inlet of the hammer mill, and additional passage means including an auger and an hydraulic orbit motor driving the same for providing an alternate passage to the interior of a hammer mill, said orbit motor being driven by said control valve means and coupled to the hydraulic system of the shredder motor.

Claim 24

The feed mill and mixer of claim 19 and including selector valve means included in the hydraulic system with the control valve means and adapted to selectively connect the hydraulic pump to the shredder motor and to orbit motor of the auxiliary feed means.

Claim 25

The feed mill and mixer of claim 20 in which the drive means for the hammer mill includes a rotating shaft adapted to be connected to a power take off drive from a towing vehicle.

Claim 26

The feed mill and mixer of claim 21, in which ventilation system includes a blower carried by the frame structure and having an inlet connected to the transfer tube near the outlet of the hammer mill with the blower having an impellor driven by the drive means to the hammer mill for operation therewith and including separator means having inlet connected to the blower to receive outlet air therefrom and separate material from the blower exhausting ventilated air from the blower to receive outlet air therefrom and separate material from the blower exhausting ventilated air from the blower and separating material therefrom returning the same through a coupling with the hammer mill to an area of low pressure therein.

Claim 27

The feed mill and mixer of claim 22, and including drive means for said mixing tank, conveying means, hammer mill and the means for removing material from the tank, all being mechanically connected to the drive shaft and operated from the power take off.