Manure spreader vehicle with heated floor

A vehicle has an upwardly opening bed mounted thereon within which manure can be stored. A manure spreader device is located at the trailing end of the vehicle, and a conveyor means moves manure from the interior of the bed into contact with the spreader device, whereupon the manure is uniformly spread over the terrain in the usual manner. A plurality of heated panels are attached to the underside of the floor of the bed. Each heated panel includes electrical heating elements therein which are arranged so that the floor of the bed is heated to a temperature which prevents the manure from freezing thereto. The panels are individually affixed to the floor of the bed in such a manner that they can be replaced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Farmers usually apply manure to their farmland during the winter months for 
the reason that there are no crops growing at this time. Furthermore, the 
farmer must always arrange his work schedule in such a manner that he can 
spread his multiplicity of unending tasks over the entire year. 
However, during the winter, freezing temperatures cause the manure to 
freeze to the bottom of the bed of the manure spreader vehicle. This 
unfortunate circumstance may cause the cross-pieces or chains of the 
conveyor to freeze to the floor, thereby damaging the drive chains and 
drive cogs located on the rear of the spreader. 
It is therefore desirable to be able to maintain the bed of a manure 
spreader apparatus above freezing temperatures by utilizing electric 
current for electricaly heating the floor of the bed. 
It is desirable that the heating apparatus have the capability of being 
retrofitted onto the bed of old manure spreading vehicles, and 
alternatively, that the heating apparatus have the capability of being 
affixed to manure spreader vehicles presently being manufactured. 
Furthermore, it is desirable that the heating apparatus should be readily 
replaceable in the event an unforeseen malfunction should occur thereto. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to farm equipment, and specifically to a heating 
apparatus by which the floor of a manure spreader vehicle can be heated to 
a temperature which prevents manure from freezing thereto. The heating 
apparatus includes a plurality of individual panels, each having an 
electrical heating element incorporated therewithin, with the panel being 
removably mounted in heat transfer relationship resepctive to the lower 
face of the floor which forms the bed of the vehicle. 
The panels are therefore each attached to the floor and insulated in such a 
manner that almost all of the heat is transferred from the panel into the 
floor, thereby elevating the temperature of the manure which is located 
immediately adjacent to the floor so that freezing of the manure to the 
floor is obviated. 
The heating elements are replaceably mounted in underlying relationship to 
the floor of the vehicle and include circuitry by which domestic current 
can be utilized to elevate the temperature of the floor. 
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is the provision 
of means by which the freezing of manure to the floor of a manure 
spreading vehicle is obviated. 
A further object of the invention is the provision of individual heating 
panels which may be removably affixed in underlying relationship to the 
floor of a manure spreader vehicle. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a thermostatically controlled 
heating means in combination with the floor of a manure spreader vehicle 
which prevents manure from freezing to the floor. 
A still further object of this invention is to disclose and provide 
improvements in a manure spreader vehicle which prevents damage occurring 
as a result of manure freezing to the floor. 
Another and still further object of the present invention is the provision 
of a plurality of spaced panels having heating elements therein in 
combination with the floor of the bed of a manure spreader vehicle which 
elevates the interface between manure contained within the bed and the 
floor so that freezing of the manure to the bed is prevented. 
These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become 
readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following 
detailed description and claims and by referring to the accompanying 
drawings. 
The above objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by 
the provision of a combination of elements which are fabricated in a 
manner substantially as described in the above abstract and summary.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The figures of the drawings disclose a prior art ground supported vehicle 
10 for spreading manure, having improvements incorporated therein made in 
accordance with the present invention. The vehicle is in the form of a 
wagon and preferably is provided with an upwardly opening bed or enclosure 
12 having spaced sidewalls 14, a forward wall 16, and a trailing end 
portion. A manure spreader apparatus 18 of prior art design is operatively 
affixed at the trailing end of the vehicle. 
The apparatus includes spaced longitudinal main frame members which 
converge to form a tongue 20 at the forward end thereof by which the 
apparatus can be pulled by a prime mover type vehicle, such as a farm 
tractor. A gear box 22 is driven by a power takeoff shaft 24 in the usual 
manner, for operating the various mechanism associated with the 
illustrated apparatus. 
Spaced endless chains 28 and 30 are drivingly fitted about spaced-apart 
rollers mounted forward and aft at 32 and 34. Spreader bars 36 are 
arranged in spaced, parallel relationship respective to one another, with 
the terminal ends thereof being attached to the spaced-apart endless 
chains. 
The floor 38 of the enclosure can be fabricated of wood or metal and is 
supported by a series of parallel, lateral, U-shaped members 40, which 
form transverse support members for the floor. The last said members are 
spaced apart from one another to cause the floor to be adequately bottom 
supported from the main frame 20. Located in underlying relationship 
respective to the floor 38 are a plurality of flat, rectangular heating 
elements 41 made in accordance with the present invention. The heating 
elements are in the form of panels, and each includes a metal base plate 
42 which has one face contiguously placed against the bottom face of the 
floor. A plurality of electrical heating elements 44 are attached in heat 
conducting relationship to the plate 42 so that generated heat emitted 
therefrom is readily transferred from the element, through the plate 
member 42, and into the floor. 
Thermal insulation 46 prevents loss of heat outwardly through the member 41 
toward ambient. The insulation 46 preferably is a self-supporting, foamed 
plastic having capabilities to withstand substantially high temperatures, 
and at the same time, provides a suitable K-factor for the control of heat 
transfer. A secondary external coating 48 can be added to protect the form 
from environmental abuse. Where deemed desired, an unbroken, thermal seal 
can be provided across the entire bottom of the floor 38 in the manner of 
FIG. 5 to thereby prevent heat loss occurring through the exposed frame 
members 40. 
A bottom view of the member 41 is disclosed in FIG. 3, and as seen therein, 
a plurality of parallel electrical heating elements 44 are electrically 
connected in series relationship respective to one another at 52 and 54 by 
electrical wiring 56. Electrical connector 50 is of conventional design 
and is used to connect each of the panels in parallel and to a common 
source of current. 
FIGS. 5 and 8 set forth a modification of the heating element seen in FIGS. 
4 and 7 wherein a flat insulator 144, such as ceramic, having good 
electrical insulation and high heat transfer properties, supports the 
individual heating wires 52 and 54 to thereby provide a low profile for 
the heating panel apparatus 41. 
FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the spreader and illustrates the spaced 
panels 41 of the invention being attached by any suitable fastener means 
60 which are placed through the illustrated apertures 58 of FIG. 3. The 
panels are each connected electrically in parallel with one another at 50 
and to the disconnect 62. The disconnect is of conventional design and 
enables connecting a domestic supply of current to the circuitry. 
In the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6, the individual panels 141 are 
seen to be provided with suitable heating elements 144 which are connected 
parallel to one another and to the disconnect 62. A thermostat 64 is 
attached to the plate member 42 and to the illustrated thermally actuated 
switch 66 to thereby enable the temperature between the floor and the 
plate 42 to be controlled within safe limits. The remaining panels 41 can 
be similarly individually controlled in the before described manner. This 
expedient prevents isolated floor areas from becoming overheated. 
For example, when manure covers only half the floor area, for example, the 
rear half of the bed, the covered floor is effectively insulated by the 
manure while the uncovered floor is not insulated by manure. Accordingly, 
it is wasteful to continue to heat the floor area beyond a temperature 
which assures that the isolated area is warmed; and accordingly, the 
individual thermostats offer considerable savings in energy and also 
extend the life of the individual panels. 
The insulation 46 preferably is a foamed, sprayed-on material which is 
relatively noncombustible and provides good thermal insulation. The 
exterior 48 can be painted with a tough coating to protect the insulation 
from the deleterious effects of outdoor environment. One source of this 
material is Cellin Manufacturing Company, Post Office Box 224, Lorton, 
Va., 22079. 
Other foamed plastics may be used as insulation at 46; however, the 
combustible nature of some plastics require precautionary coating of fire 
retardants to reduce the likelihood of fire from inadvertent short 
circuitry of the electrical system. 
The present invention prevents the crosspieces 36 of the conveyor from 
freezing to the bottom floor 38 of the bed, thereby eliminating the 
heretofore problem of breaking the drag chains 28 and drive cogs 32, 34 of 
the apparatus. The present combination maintains the bed of the spreader 
warm in freezing temperatures by utilizing domestic current for heating 
purposes. 
The individual heating panels preferably include inexpensive, quick 
disconnect electrical plugs 50 which are waterproof and utilized to 
complete the circuitry to the individual panels used on the entire area of 
the spreader bottom. This expedient enables the individual panels to be 
replaced where the invention is practiced on spreaders which are equipped 
with heating panels at the factory. 
The electrical system preferably is protected by a suitable fuse in the 
main line, as well as a smaller fuse which is incorporated into each of 
the individual panels so that should a short circuit occur in any one 
single panel, the fuse associated therewith will render the defective 
panel inoperative, and the remainder of the panels will maintain the 
remaining floor area in a heated condition. 
The entire system is located under the floor of the spreader and is 
sufficiently compact to eliminate any problem of interference of the drag 
chain or other objects which otherwise might inadvertently strike the 
system to cause a problem. 
The present invention can be used on any type of material handling 
apparatus that has difficulty in conveying material in freezing 
temperatures. 
The present system saves many manhours of labor in maintaining the 
spreaders in a thawed configuration during winter weather, and furthermore 
saves hundreds of dollars each winter which otherwise must be spent for 
costly drag chain and drag cog replacements, thereby cutting maintenance 
cost on this type of equipment.