US3979074A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for processing crop stacks
Assignee: Hay and Forage Industries
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Filing: 1974-10-11
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Granted: 1976-09-07
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Expires: 1994-10-11
Abstract
Abstract A machine particularly suited for the range or bunk feeding of animal foodstuffs in stacks, large bales, or groups of smaller bales is designed to disintegrate the mass of material on the move and to discharge the disintegrated material in a continuous stream along the ground or into the feed bunk. A vertically swingable lift on the machine picks up the mass and swings it into a raised position wherein the mass is tightly clamped against a deactivated bank of shredding rolls and is maintained protectively cradled in such position for transport to a feeding site. Actuation of the shredding rolls and continued swinging of the lift forces the mass into the rolls to completely disintegrate the mass while the machine is advanced. The bank of shredding rolls is inclined away from the lift such as to facilitate disintegration and discharge of even the last remnant of the mass and to enhance the cradling action provided for the mass during transport and disintegration.
Inventors
- 👤 Allen Andrew White
- 👤 Ray Addison Adee
- 👤 Ronald Henry Knopp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 06:09
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01F; A01F29/00; A01F29/005; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S241/00; Y10S241/605
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A farm implement for use in transporting a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a mobile frame; and a cradle mounted on said frame for transporting the mass during advancement of the frame, said cradle including a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging legs, one of said legs being fixed against movement relative to the frame and the other of said legs being swingable about a horizontal axis toward and away from a position adjacent said one leg for clamping a mass within the cradle for transport.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A farm implement for use in transporting a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a mobile frame; and a cradle mounted on said frame for transporting the mass during advancement of the frame, said cradle including a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging legs, one of said legs being fixed against movement relative to the frame and the other of said legs being swingable about a horizontal axis toward and away from a position adjacent said one leg for clamping a mass within the cradle for transport.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one leg includes structure for disintegrating the mass as said other leg swings the mass against said one leg.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said frame is provided with means for discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as the frame is advanced.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said discharging means includes a lateral conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said structure includes a bank of shredding rolls rotatable about axes transverse to the path of swinging movement of said other leg.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said other leg includes a series of lifting tangs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one leg and said other leg comprise the only legs of the cradle, said legs intersecting to form an upwardly opening corner of the cradle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cradle is provided with a floor spanning said corner above the latter in position to slidingly engage the mass as it is raised toward said one leg by said other leg.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A farm implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said axis of swinging movement of said other leg is located at said corner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus for handling a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a mobile frame having ground-engaging means supporting the frame for advancement over the ground; a vertically swingable lift on said frame for raising a mass from the ground into a position for transport; and structure on said frame cooperable with said lift for holding the mass substantially centered over said ground-engaging means in said transport position, said structure including means for disintegrating the mass as it is swung toward the structure by said lift, said frame being provided with means for discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as the frame is advanced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus for handling a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a mobile frame having ground-engaging means supporting the frame for advancement over the ground; a vertically swingable lift on said frame for raising a mass from the ground into a position for transport; and structure on said frame cooperable with said lift for holding the mass substantially centered over said ground-engaging means in said transport position, said structure including means for disintegrating the mass as it is swung toward the structure by said lift, said frame being provided with means for discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as the frame is advanced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus for handling a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a disintegrator supported above the ground for shredding the mass as it is presented thereto; and a swingable lift mounted for continuously pressing the mass against the disintegrator as the mass is progressively raised into the latter by the lift and progressively shredded thereby.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus for handling a mass of animal foodstuffs including: a disintegrator supported above the ground for shredding the mass as it is presented thereto; and a swingable lift mounted for continuously pressing the mass against the disintegrator as the mass is progressively raised into the latter by the lift and progressively shredded thereby.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the disintegrator and the lift are provided with a mobile frame supporting the same for movement over the ground.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said frame is provided with means for discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as the frame is advanced.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said lift is provided with means for holding the same in any one of a number of selected positions between the ground and the disintegrator for transporting the mass.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said disintegrator includes a bank of shredders, said lift being swingable toward and away from an upright position adjacent the bank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said bank includes a pair of superimposed shredders rotatable about axes transverse to the path of swinging movement of the lift.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said shredders are disposed to rotate upwardly against the mass during disintegration, and wherein is provided means above the shredders for metering passage of the foodstuffs up and over the shredders.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said metering means includes a stationary, tined baffle, said tines projecting downwardly toward said shredders.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said metering means includes a paddled rotor rotatable about an axis parallel to those of said shredders and rotatable in a direction opposite to the shredders.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said rotor is provided with means for selectively driving the same during continuous rotation of the shredders.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said bank of shredders is inclined and the bank and said lift converge toward the axis of swinging movement of the lift.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said disintegrator and the lift are provided with a common support frame, said frame having a pair of ground wheels on opposite sides thereof rotatable about an axis in coaxial relationship with the axis of swinging movement of said lift.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, there being an upwardly arched floor concentric with and spaced above said axis for slidably supporting the mass as it is swung toward the shredders.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of processing a mass of animal foodstuffs which includes the steps of pressing the mass against disintegrating structure while on the move and while the structure progressively disintegrates the mass, and discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as said movement continues.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of processing a mass of animal foodstuffs which includes the steps of pressing the mass against disintegrating structure while on the move and while the structure progressively disintegrates the mass, and discharging the disintegrated foodstuffs in a continuous stream as said movement continues.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A processing method as claimed in claim 24; and swingably clamping the mass against the structure during transport to a processing site prior to activating the structure.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A processing method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the mass is cradled during said clamping and transport.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A processing method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pressing action includes swinging the mass toward the structure.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A processing method as claimed in claim 27; and lifting the mass from the ground in the same swinging motion used for clamping and disintegration but prior to such latter steps.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A processing method as claimed in claim 28; and slidably supporting the mass from beneath as it is swung toward the disintegrating structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US2267237A
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US2606417A
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US3406848A
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US3841504A
Cited
US3863850A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-07 | 1980-03-08 | 1980-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-07 | 1984-03-08 | 1984-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-07 | 1988-03-08 | 1988-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |