IMPROVED UNLOADING AND CONVEYING ARM

Abstract: A drawing and conveying arm includes a box-like duct (1) which is internally provided with a conveyor belt (3) and has, at one end, a wide drawing inlet (5) in which a mill (6) for drawing and cutting material is located. The opposite end (2) of the arm is articulated to a container for the drawn material and/or to a supporting framework. The improved drawing and conveying arm also includes a second counter-rotating mill (11) which is provided in the drawing inlet in a position which is parallel and proximate to the first mill. Both mills can conveniently be removed to load for example farinaceous products.

Description: The present invention relates to an improved unloading and conveying arm for silaged materials which can be used for example in zootechny to load machines for mixing and distributing animal fodder. Unloading and conveying arms are known and currently commercially available; each arm is constituted by a box-like duct in which the material which is removed from a silage material pile and cut by a terminal mill and is conveyed and sent by a conveyor belt having an end connected to a mixing machine for loading thereof. Said mill is constituted by two opposite scrolls welded on a single shaft which is arranged perpendicular to said arm so as to draw the material toward the center. Said scrolls are peripherally provided with cutters for cutting and removing the drawn product. The fibrous nature of the products to be unloaded entails, however, problems for the mill regarding both removal and loading onto the belt. The action of the cutters is in fact often insufficient in order to obtain satisfactory shredding, and the material often entangles around the scrolls that become clogged compromising the operation. The conveyance action of the scrolls is also often insufficient for a satisfactory loading of the conveyor belt. Unloading and conveying arms are known, which are provided with a second mill inside the box-like structure, above the conveyor belt, in the inlet region; said second mill has the purpose of shredding the material, facilitating its conveyance. This however has turned out to be a contrivance for merely reducing the problems but has not eliminated them. Said known arms are furthermore designed and built so as to be adapted to load exclusively fibrous products which however are only some of the materials to be mixed in order to form animal fodder. FR-A-2 258 330 discloses an unloading and conveying arm having the features contained in the preamble of Claim 1. The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved unloading and conveying arm which overcomes the disadvantages described above in the known art. A consequent primary object is to provide an unloading and conveying arm adapted to load both fibrous and farinaceous or granular products. Another important object is to provide an unloading and conveying arm having a simple structure and which may be easily produced. Not least object is to produce the arm with low costs with conventional production systems. This aim, these objects and others, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an unloading and conveying arm according to the preamble of claim 1 in providing such an arm with the characterizing features of said claim 1 Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of some embodiments thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the unloading and conveying arm having some features of the invention; figure 2 is a schematic top view of the drawing end of the unloading and conveying arm of figure 1; figure 3 is a partial side view of the drawing end of a second embodiment of the unloading and conveying arm having some features of the invention; figure 4 is a front view of the drawing inlet of the unloading and conveying arm of figure 3; figure 5 is a schematic partial side view of the unloading end of a third embodiment of the unloading and conveying arm having some features of the invention, from which the loading mills have been removed; figure 6 is a schematic front view of the inlet of figure 5; figure 7 is a partial side view of the unloading end of an unloading and conveying arm according to a further aspect of the invention; figures 8 and 9 are broken partial front views of the smaller mill of the unloading end, according to a further aspect of the invention, and respectively having helicoidal and straight blades. With reference to the above figures 1 and 2, an improved unloading and conveying arm comprises, in a first embodiment, a box-like duct 1, preferably made of sheet metal, an end 2 whereof can be articulated to a container and/or to a supporting framework, both of which are not illustrated in the figures. The articulation of the duct 1 can conveniently be controlled and actuated by adapted fluid actuated cylinders which act between said duct and the structures to which it is articulated. A conveyor belt 3 is longitudinally provided inside the duct 1 and connects the end 2 to the opposite unloading end 4 provided with an inlet structure 5, also preferably made of sheet metal and arranged orthogonally to the axis of the duct 1. A first large-diameter mill 6, of a per se known type, has conveying scrolls 7 and 8 welded onto a rotating shaft 9 and peripherally provided with shredding cutters 10. The first mill 6 is mounted at said inlet structure 5, which substantially has the shape of a hopper inclined on one side. As shown in figure 2, the first mill 6 is conveniently perpendicular to the duct 1 and co-operates with a second rotor element or mill 11 which has a smaller diameter and rotates in the opposite direction with respect to said first mill 6; said second mill is also provided with two convergent scrolls 12 and 13 which are welded to a shaft 14 and have shredding blades 15. Said second mill 11 is arranged rearward with respect to said first mill 6 in a region which is above the end of the conveyor belt 3, and the cutters of one mill are proximate to those of the other mill so as to improve the shredding action and loading. The two mills 6 and 11 can conveniently be provided with either a single drive or with two separate drives, and the rotation of the second mill 11 can in any case be locked when the first mill 6 is rotated in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of normal operation in order to free it from any product which might accumulate on the shaft. This is done to avoid damage to the structure due to the considerable pressures exerted between the two mills when the product clogs them. With reference now to figures 3 and 4, the improved unloading and conveying arm comprises, in a second embodiment, a duct 101 with a conveyor belt 103 and having an unloading end 104 provided with an inlet structure 105. A first mill 106 and a second mill 111, similar to said previous mills 6 and 11, are located in said inlet structure 105. As can be seen in the figures, the second mill 111 is arranged parallel to the first one 106 in a position which is above it and proximate thereto so as to leave a wide inlet for the duct 101 which facilitates loading onto the belt 103. The inlet structure 105 extends transversely and reaches below the duct 101 so as to provide an improved removing loading of silaged product into the arm. Figures 5 and 6, show a third embodiment of the unloading and conveying arm, which is again composed of a duct 201 with a conveyor belt 203. In this arm the mills are removably mounted in the inlet structure 205, which has the same transverse configuration of the previously described inlet structure 105 but a smaller opening and can be used as scoop for the loading of powdery or granular products, thus becoming a multi-function apparatus. In Fig. 5 and 6 the mills are removed from the inlet structure. Figures 7-9 show a further embodiment of the unloading and conveying arm comprising a duct 301 having an inlet structure 305 provided with a first larger mill 306 and a second smaller rotating element 311 or 331 substantially in the same relative positions of the previously described mills 106 and 111. In this case though, the rotating element 311, respectively 331, is provided with shredding blades 312, having helicoidal ends 312a, as shown in figure 8, or completely straight shredding blades 313, as shown in figure 9. The helicoidal ends 312a of blades 312 help in converging the silage material being unloaded toward the center of the unloading inlet. From what has been described, the intended aim and objects are achieved, an unloading and conveying arm having been provided which, with the aid of a second counter-rotating mill or rotor which co-operates with the already-known one, achieves an improvement in the shredding and conveying action. The possibility of removing the mills allows to increase the versatility of the arm and therefore its possibilities of use. The unloading and conveying arm according to the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the claims. Details not claimed may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. The box-like duct of the arm may naturally be of a fixed type or of a telescopingly extendable type. In practice, the materials employed, so long as compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

Claims: Unloading and conveying arm comprising a box-like duct (1,101,201,301) having internal conveyor means (3,103,203), said duct (1,101,201,301) being provided at one end (4,104) with an unloading inlet structure (5,105,205,305), said inlet structure (5,105,205,305) being provided with a first mill (6,106,206,306) for cutting and unloading silage material and a second mill or rotor element (11,111,211,311,331) which is provided in said inlet structure (5,105,205,305) in a parallel position with respect to said first mill (6,106,206,306), said second mill or rotor element (11,111,211,311,331) having a longitudinal extension which is equal to that of said first mill (6,106,206,306) and rotating in opposite direction with respect to the rotational direction of said first mill (6,106,206,306), said second mill or rotor element (11,111.211,311,331) being mounted in a rearward position with respect to said first mill (6,106,206,306), characterised in that the duct is provided at its opposite end (2) with means for being articulately connected to a container for material unloaded from said arm (1,101,201,301) or to a supporting framework, in that the second mill or rotor element is proximate to the first mill such as to graze said first mill (6,106,206,306), and in that said first mill (6,106,206,306) and said second mill or rotor element (11,111,211,311,331) are removably mounted in said inlet structure (5,105,205,305) and being removed for unloading farinaceous products through said inlet structure (5,105,205,305) alone, therefore providing a scoop with adjoining duct (1,101,201,301) with conveyor means (3,103,203). Unloading and conveying arm according to claim 1, characterized in that said second mill or rotor element (11,111,211,311,331) has a smaller diameter than said first mill (6,106,206,306). Unloading and conveying arm according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotation of said second mill or rotor element (11,111,211,311,331) can be stopped when said first mill (6,106,206,306) is operating. Unloading and conveying arm according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second mill (11,111,211) comprises two opposite scrolls (12,13) associated with a shaft (14), said scrolls (12,13) converging toward the center and being peripherally provided with blades (15). Unloading and conveying arm according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second rotor element (331) comprises a plurality of longitudinal straight blades (313). Unloading and conveying arm according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second rotor element (313) comprises a plurality of longitudinal straight blades (312) and in that each of said blades has helicoidal ends (312a).

Inventors: FACCIA, TIZIANO
Applicants: FACCIA, TIZIANO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A01F25
IPC codes: A01F25