US4448361A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-loading bale disintegrating machine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1983-05-23
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Granted: 1984-05-15
•
Expires: 2003-05-23
Abstract
Abstract The machine has a normally upright, open top, rotary tub provided with a high speed, disintegrating rotor below the floor of the tub that projects through an opening in the floor to progressively reduce the mass of crop materials into disintegrated form as the tub rotates to agitate the mass. The disintegrating rotor serves also as a means for blowing and forcibly projecting the disintegrated materials out a discharge spout as disintegration occurs, without the aid of an intermediate conveyor or the like. The tub is mounted on a wheeled chassis in such a manner that it can be tipped essentially ninety degrees from its normal operating position to a lowered position in which the top of the tub is essentially vertically disposed, thereby permitting the tub to scoop up and load into itself a mass of materials as the machine is backed toward and into the materials. After then swinging the tub back up to its operating position, the mass may be transported by the machine to a desired site for disintegration, whereupon rotation of the tub and activation of the rotor commences the disintegration process.
Inventors
- 👤 Dewey R. Marcy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:35
CPC Classifications
B; B02; B02C; B02C18/00; B02C18/06; B02C18/067; A; A01; A01F; A01F29/00; A01F29/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
249 words
A self-loading machine for disintegrating and discharging a mass of crop material comprising: a mobile chassis having a pair of opposite ends with respect to a normal path of travel thereof; a container on said chassis having an internal mass-receiving area bounded at lateral extremities by normally generally upwardly projecting, mass confining agitator means, said confining agitator means being rotatable as a unit about a normally generally upwardly projecting axis passing through said mass-receiving area, and the container having an open entry mouth to said area defined by normally uppermost, end extremities of said confining agitator means; apparatus associated with the container for disintegrating and discharging a mass of material contained therein as said confining agitator means is rotated to agitate the mass after the latter is loaded into said receiving area; means mounting said container for fore-and-aft tipping movement relative to the chassis between a raised, disintegrating position and a lowered, self-loading position in which the confining agitator means projects generally horizontally with a lower portion thereof generally adjacent the ground and said axis of rotation extending generally parallel to said path of travel, said container being configured for slipping said confining agitator means under and around the mass to scoop the same into said mass-receiving area in a self-loading action upon shifting of the chassis toward the mass along said path of travel with the container lowered and said mouth thereof leading; and means for effecting said movement of the container between said disintegrating and self-loading positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
249 words
A self-loading machine for disintegrating and discharging a mass of crop material comprising: a mobile chassis having a pair of opposite ends with respect to a normal path of travel thereof; a container on said chassis having an internal mass-receiving area bounded at lateral extremities by normally generally upwardly projecting, mass confining agitator means, said confining agitator means being rotatable as a unit about a normally generally upwardly projecting axis passing through said mass-receiving area, and the container having an open entry mouth to said area defined by normally uppermost, end extremities of said confining agitator means; apparatus associated with the container for disintegrating and discharging a mass of material contained therein as said confining agitator means is rotated to agitate the mass after the latter is loaded into said receiving area; means mounting said container for fore-and-aft tipping movement relative to the chassis between a raised, disintegrating position and a lowered, self-loading position in which the confining agitator means projects generally horizontally with a lower portion thereof generally adjacent the ground and said axis of rotation extending generally parallel to said path of travel, said container being configured for slipping said confining agitator means under and around the mass to scoop the same into said mass-receiving area in a self-loading action upon shifting of the chassis toward the mass along said path of travel with the container lowered and said mouth thereof leading; and means for effecting said movement of the container between said disintegrating and self-loading positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A self-loading machine as claimd in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is mounted against travel with the container during said movement of the latter, said container having an opening therein disposed to communicate the mass-receiving area thereof with said apparatus when the container is in said raised, disintegrating position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said container includes a floor movable with the confining means between said raised and lowered positions, said opening being in said floor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said floor is provided with means holding the same against rotation with said confining means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A self-loading machine as claimd in claim 3, wherein said opening in the floor is positioned to provide viewing access to an aft end of the machine and the mass being picked up when the container is in its lowered position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chassis and the container are provided with a pivot therebetween, said tipping movement being about said pivot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a discharge spout for directing a stream of the disintegrated material from the machine while the latter is advancing along its path of travel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a rotor situated below said container when the latter is in said raised position thereof for receiving materials from the container, said rotor having a housing about the same provided with a discharge spout for receiving disintegrated materials projected thereinto by the rotor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rotor is operable about an axis of rotation generally parallel with said path of travel and is provided with means for coupling the same with a power take off shaft of a towing vehicle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said confining means is provided with fork means projecting outwardly beyond said normally uppermost extremities thereof for assisting in slipping under mass during loading thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said container is provided with a fluid pressure operated rotary motor for driving the confining means about said axis of rotation, said motor being coupled with the container for movement therewith between said positions whereby to permit rotational positioning of said fork means when the container is in said loading position thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said confining means comprises a continuous, circumferentially extending wall.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container is provided with a fluid pressure operated rotary motor for driving the confining means about said axis of rotation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A self-loading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for effecting movement of the container between said positions includes a fluid pressure piston and cylinder assembly connected between the chassis and the container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1987-05-15 | 1987-11-14 | 1988-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-05-15 | 1991-11-14 | 1992-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-05-15 | 1995-11-14 | 1996-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |