Patent ID: 6202944
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: A01C,E01C

Abstract:
A material spreading apparatus of the type for movement over a ground surface while broadcasting a material along a path on said ground surface, said apparatus including:a chassis,a hopper carried on said chassis for containing said material and defining an opening for metered flow of said material from said hopper,a conveyor system for receiving said material from said opening of said hopper and delivering said material to one end of said chassis, anda material broadcasting unit attached to said one end of said chassis for receiving said material from said conveyor system and distributing said material over said path on said ground surface;said conveyor system being in the form of a self-contained belt cartridge comprising:a separate framework including a pair of side rails,a continuous belt, andmounting means carried between said side rails and drivingly supporting said continuous belt to provide an upper material conveying flight movable in a direction from one end of said self-contained belt cartridge to the other;said chassis having means forming ledges supporting said framework of said self-contained belt cartridge thereon for removably mounting said self-contained belt cartridge in an operative position within said chassis,said ledges of said chassis and said framework of said self-contained belt cartridge being so constructed and arranged that said self-contained belt cartridge is removable from said chassis as an assembled unit.