Abstract:
A drum shredder including a fan aggression adjustment system provides easy-to-use control for the speed of processing bales and the cut length of the material removed from the bale as a result of the processing. Additionally, a loading frame, which preferably has forks and includes a conveyance system, assists in the loading of bales into the processing tub without the use of external loading machinery.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to farm machinery for shredding bales and, more particularly, to a drum shredder.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    In the livestock industry, large round and square bales are shredded to feed and bed livestock. The most common type of bale processors currently in the market typically include a flail drum which is mounted longitudinally inside a processing chamber. This flail drum engages a bale of material inside the processing chamber, shreds the material and distributes the shredded material to one side of the bale processor. Exemplary bale processors of this type are those currently sold by the Applicant. Problems with this type of bale processor include difficulty controlling processing speed and consistency, and difficulty controlling the cut length of the shredded material.  
           [0003]    The “drum shredder” is another type of bale processor in which a bale is loaded into a processing tub that tilts and rotates to bring the bale in contact with a cutting device (typically, a cutting fan) that processes the baled material. An exemplary drum shredder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,615 owned by Teagle Machinery Ltd. of Cornwall, U.K..  
           [0004]    Although existing drum shredders and tub grinders allow the user to control feed rate and cut length, exercising this control is difficult. Additionally, the loading of large round and square bales into these bale processors is generally performed by separate machinery.  
           [0005]    The present invention is intended to provide an improved drum shredder, including provision for easy adjustment of processing speed and cut length, that processes baled material consistently and provides convenient means for loading bales.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0006]    A drum shredder is disclosed including an aggression adjustment system for the cutting device, which provides an easy-to-use control for the processing speed and cut length. A loading frame that assists in loading bales into the processing tub without the use of external loading machinery is also disclosed.  
           [0007]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a drum shredder comprising a processing tub having a longitudinal axis, a closed end and an open end, said open end being adapted to receive a bale to be shredded in said processing tub; and a cutter operable to cut material from said bale for discharge from said drum shredder mounted toward said closed end of said processing tub such that the extent of protrusion of said cutter into said processing tub may be adjusted, along an axis generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said processing tub, to vary the length of the material cut.  
           [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a drum shredder comprising a processing tub having a longitudinal axis, a closed end and an open end, said open end being adapted to receive a bale to be shredded in said processing tub wherein said processing tub is mounted on a tub frame and wherein a loading frame is pivotally mounted to said tub frame and adapted to pivot between a loading position wherein said bale to be shredded is loaded on said loading frame and a tub acceptance position wherein said loading frame is pivoted toward said open end of said processing tub to facilitate loading of said bale to be shredded into said processing tub.  
           [0009]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    In the figures which illustrate an embodiment exemplary of the invention:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drum shredder according to the invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back and left side of the drum shredder of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a top view of the drum shredder of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the drum shredder of FIG. 1 along sections line A-A shown in FIG. 3;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the drum shredder of FIG. 1 showing the pivoting of the tub frame and the loading frame;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the front of an exemplary fan for use in the drum shredder of FIG. 1;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the back of the exemplary fan of FIG. 6;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8A is a top view of a front wall of a processing tub of the drum shredder of FIG. 1 showing a fan aggression adjustment system, where the fan aggression adjustment system is in a first state;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8B is a view of FIG. 8A where the fan aggression adjustment system is in a second state; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the front and left side of the drum shredder of FIG. 1 wherein an axle assembly has been exploded to show a width adjustment mechanism. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 illustrates a drum shredder  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    The drum shredder  100  has a frame structure that includes a main frame  102  having a hitch  104  and an axle assembly  106 . The hitch  104  on the main frame  102  allows for connection of the drum shredder  100  to a tractor. The axle assembly  106  supports the main frame  102  on two wheels  220  (see FIG. 2).  
         [0023]    A tub frame  116  is pivotally connected to main frame  102  by a pair of hinges  122 . Tub frame actuators  502  (see FIG. 5) may be actuated to pivot tub frame  116  relative to main frame  102 . Tub frame actuators  502  may be any suitable mover including manual, electric or, as shown, hydraulic cylinders. Pivoting of tub frame  116  is adapted to change the angle of processing tub  108  from a relatively horizontal position to a position just less than vertical (i.e., under 90 degrees).  
         [0024]    Preferably, processing tub  108  is cylindrical and has sufficient dimensions to define an interior cavity  222  (see FIG. 2) that may receive and process large round or large square bales. Processing tub  108  has an open back end and a front end closed by a front wall  124  (se FIG. 1). Front wall  124  is mounted on tub frame  116  and is not connected to, and does not rotate with, processing tub  108 . Front wall  124  includes a first opening  125  and a second opening  127  (see FIG. 2). The first opening  125  is provided to facilitate monitoring processing and for maintaining a rear view while backing up to load a bale. The second opening  127  is adapted to receive a rotary cutting fan  208  mounted in a fan housing  110  (see FIG. 1).  
         [0025]    Fan housing  110  has a right side discharge spout  112  and a left side discharge spout  114  (see FIG. 9). A pair of support members  134  mount fan housing  110  to tub frame  116  and support a frame member  132 .  
         [0026]    In the illustrated embodiment, processing tub  108  is rotated using an endless loop, which may be a belt or chain (not shown), around processing tub  108 . Preferably, processing tub  108  is driven to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of rotary cutting fan  208 . In the view of FIG. 2, rotary cutting fan  208  rotates clockwise and processing tub  108  rotates counter-clockwise.  
         [0027]    A set of stabilizing rollers  206  is mounted to tub frame  116  to cooperate with v-groove tracks  402  (FIG. 4) that extend around the circumference of processing tub  108  in order to stabilize rotation of processing tub  108 .  
         [0028]    A tub rotator  126  (see FIG. 1), that may be any suitable power source including an electric motor, a gas/diesel engine or a hydraulic motor, is mounted on tub frame  116  to drive a drive roller  128  to drive the endless loop to drive the rotation of processing tub  108  about a center axis  404  (see FIG. 4). Also shown in FIG. 1 is a spring loaded tensioner (roller)  129 , which is also mounted on tub frame  116 . Spring loaded tensioner  129  is biased against said endless loop to maintain a generally constant tension on the endless loop (belt or chain).  
         [0029]    Guide vanes  406 , shaped to encourage the baled material to move forward (i.e., toward the front of processing tub  108  and toward rotary cutting fan  208 ) as processing tub  108  is rotated, are mounted on the inside walls of processing tub  108 .  
         [0030]    Rotary cutting fan  208  is connected through a fan shaft  410  (see FIGS. 1, 8A and  8 B) to a Power Take-Off (PTO)  130  through a pivotal connection, which may include a universal joint or a constant velocity joint. As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, typical tractors include a PTO stub to which may be connected a PTO that telescopes to allow for a range of distances between the tractor and the device to which power is being supplied. Fan shaft  410  extends through a bearing assembly  136 . A universal joint, which is a standard feature of PTO  130 , provides the ability to pivot fan shaft  410  relative to the axis of rotation of PTO  130  thereby facilitating operation of the cutting fan at variable angles to the main frame.  
         [0031]    Bearing assembly  136  (see FIGS. 1, 8A and  8 B) is mounted to fan shaft  410  between the end of fan shaft  410  that connects to PTO  130  and the point where fan shaft  410  enters into fan housing  110 . As shown in FIG. 8A, bearing assembly  136  includes bearing mounts  804  secured to either end of a box member  802 . The combination of box member  802  and bearing mounts  804  allows fan shaft  410  to rotate while restricting axial movement of fan shaft  410 . Box member  802  is secured to frame member  132  by a pair of brackets  806 . Axial movement of fan shaft  410 , i.e., the adjustment of the extent of protrusion of rotary cutting fan  208  into processing tub  108 , is allowed when brackets  806  are loosened. Box member  802  may then be repositioned, thereby easily selecting the extent of protrusion of rotary cutting fan  208  into processing tub  108 . Brackets  806  may be tightened to maintain box member  802  in the selected position.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the fan aggression adjustment system in two positions. In FIG. 8A, the position of rotary cutting fan  208  has been adjusted such that a distance  808  has been established between the front disk  604  and the front wall of the fan housing. In FIG. 8B, the aggression has been adjusted such that rotary cutting fan  208  protrudes into the interior of the processing tub  108  to a lower degree (i.e., distance  808  between front disk  604  and the front wall of the fan housing has been reduced).  
         [0033]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that loosening brackets  806  to reposition box member  802  is only presented as an exemplary method of axially adjusting the extent of protrusion of rotary cutting fan  208  into processing tub  108 . It will be further understood that axial adjustment of the extent of protrusion of rotary cutting fan  208  into processing tub  108  may be effected in a number of ways. For instance, the position of frame member  132 , to which box member  802  is fastened by brackets  806 , may be adjusted. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a linkage system may be used to axially adjust the extent of protrusion of rotary cutting fan  208  into processing tub  108 . Such a linkage system may be dependent upon the angle of processing tub  108  relative to main frame  102 .  
         [0034]    Although the PTO  130  is a convenient power source for rotary cutting fan  208  whose protrusion into processing tub  108  is adjustable, power may be supplied by any one of a number of alternative powers sources, such as an electric motor. If the shaft connecting the electric motor to fan shaft  410  is not telescopic, provision must be made to adjust the position of the electric motor in conjunction with the adjustment of the position of bearing assembly  136 , or frame member  132 .  
         [0035]    Preferably, the axis of rotation of the rotary cutting fan  208  is maintained generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the processing tub  108 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, preferably center axis  408  of rotary cutting fan  208  and center axis  404  of processing tub  108  are substantially parallel. Processing tub  108  and rotary cutting fan  208  are preferably mounted in line with the direction of travel of drum shredder  100 .  
         [0036]    As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, rotary cutting fan  208  includes two disks: a front disk  604 ; and a back disk  606 . Front disk  604  is attached to back disk  606  by fan blades  608 . As shown in FIG. 6, apertures  602  are provided in front disk  604 . A hole  614  in front disk  604  is adapted to receive and engage with fan shaft  410 . Fan shaft  410  is attached to rotary cutting fan  208 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 7 shows the configuration of back disk  606  including a number of cut-outs  610 , where each cut-out  610  is associated with a material diverter  616 . The configuration of back disk  606  also includes mounts for a number of cutting knives  612  adapted to engage the baled material in operation and such that the material diverters  616  may direct the cut material through the cut-outs  610  toward the fan blades  608 . In the illustrated embodiment, rotary cutting fan  208  is adapted to rotate clockwise, facilitating it being driven from typical tractor PTO&#39;s without rotation conversion means. Generally rotation of the rotary cutting fan  208  will be in the range of 1000 RPM or higher.  
         [0038]    The diameter of rotary cutting fan  208  is, preferably at least one half the diameter of the processing tub  108  (see FIG. 2). Further, it is preferably located such that the bottom edge of fan housing  110  is generally tangential to the bottom edge of processing tub  108 . Given this size and placement of rotary cutting fan  208 , situations wherein bales being processed by the drum shredder  100  have portions that are not being shredded may be minimized.  
         [0039]    In the preferred embodiment of the drum shredder  100 , a loading frame  118  (see FIG. 2) is pivotally attached to the tub frame  116  having forks  120  pivotally mounted directly behind, and in line with, the processing tub  108 . Forks  120  are connected to each other proximate processing tub  108  by a connecting bar  230 . Loading frame  118  may include a bale support  140  mounted between forks  120 .  
         [0040]    Loading frame actuators  202 , which may, like tub frame actuators  502  (FIG. 5), be any suitable mover including manual, electric or, as shown, hydraulic cylinders, are mounted to support members  205  downwardly extending from the tub frame and to each of the forks  120 . The loading frame actuators  202  may be actuated to pivot loading frame  118  relative to the tub frame  116 .  
         [0041]    Fork-based conveyance members, which, in the illustrated embodiment, are continuous drive chains  210 , are associated with each of the forks  120 . The drive chains  210  assist loading bales (not shown) onto the forks  120  and into the processing tub  108 . Each drive chain  210  cooperates with a drive sprocket wheel  216  on drive axle  212  and freely rotatable sprocket wheel  214  positioned toward a distal end of the corresponding fork  120 . The drive axle  212  is driven by conveyor motor  204 . As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, the fork-based conveyance members may alternatively be continuous belts, driven rollers or any other suitable conveyor system and any suitable known drive means may be utilized.  
         [0042]    In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor motor  204  may be replaced by a transmission unit that contacts the wheel  220  carried by the axle assembly  106  of the main frame  102 . Such a transmission unit acts to convert rotation of one of the wheels  220  to rotation of the drive axle  212 . Reverse movement of the main frame  102  leads to reverse rotation of the wheel  220  and consequent rotation of the transmission unit and the drive axle  212 . Rotation of the drive axle  212  and the drive sprocket wheels  216  acts to move the drive chains  210  to urge the bale toward the open end of the processing tub  108 .  
         [0043]    Bale support  140  may be necessary to prevent bales from falling between forks  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, bale support  140  includes a central conveyance member in the form of an endless conveyor belt  226  that extends from drive axle  212  to a roller  228  and back. Roller  228  is freely rotatable and supported in a position between forks  120  by support bars  224 , which extend, generally parallel to forks  120 , from connecting bar  230 . In addition, to preventing bales from falling between forks  120 , the rotation of drive axle  212  moves endless conveyor belt  226  to urge the bale toward the open end of processing tub  108 . In an alternative embodiment, the central conveyance member may include multiple chains in place of endless conveyor belt  226 .  
         [0044]    In alternative embodiments, the support function of bale support  140  may be performed by a third fork, a planar platform or any other suitable support member located between the forks  120 .  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 9 illustrates a mechanism for adjusting the width of the axle assembly  106  of the main frame  102 . Axle assembly  106  is constructed as a “tube-inside-a-tube”, wherein a first tube  906  is fixed to the main frame  102  and a second tube  902 , which carries the axle of one wheel  220 , is slidably received by the first tube  906 . Second tube  902  is held in place relative to first tube  906  by a pin (not shown) that passes through an appropriately sized aperture  908  in first tube  906  and a similarly-sized aperture  904  in second tube  902 .  
         [0046]    In the illustrated embodiment, there is need to power rotary cutting fan  208 , tub rotator  126 , tub frame actuators  502 , loading frame actuators  202  and conveyor motor  204 . A preferred power arrangement is to drive the rotary cutting fan  208  from the towing tractors PTO. The remaining actuators and motor may be powered through the typical modern tractor&#39;s hydraulic system using available remotes and suitable hydraulic connections. For clarity, the hydraulic connections have been omitted from the figures. Further, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the required power for the various actuators and motors may be effectively provided in a number of suitable known ways.  
         [0047]    In operation, the angle of loading frame  118  is adjusted to a loading position using loading frame actuator  202 . In the loading position, shown in FIG. 4, the ends of the forks  120  are arranged to float on the ground surface thus facilitating sliding underneath a bale to be processed. The fork-based conveyance members are also close to the ground and are able to assist loading the bale onto the forks  120  upon activation of the conveyor motor  204  (see FIG. 3). This causes rotation of drive axle  212  that acts to move the fork-based conveyance members to, in turn, urge the bale toward the open end of the processing tub  108 . The central conveyance member associated with bale support  140  may also, responsive to rotation of drive axle  212 , urge the bale toward the open end of the processing tub  108 .  
         [0048]    Once the bale to be processed is entirely, or at least substantially, supported by loading frame  118 , tub frame  116  and loading frame  118  are pivoted from the loading position to a tub acceptance position (see FIG. 5). Such pivoting acts to facilitate the bale moving into the open end of the processing tub  108 . Additional encouragement is provided by action of drive chains  210 , endless conveyor belt  226  and drive axle  212 , where drive axle  212  has a square cross-section between forks  120  of the loading frame  118 , as shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0049]    When a first bale has been loaded into the processing tub  108  a second bale may be loaded onto the loading frame  118  whether or not processing of the first bale has commenced or been completed. If two bales are loaded on the bale processor, when operating, as the length of the first bale is reduced through processing, the second bale may commence entering the interior cavity  222  (see FIG. 2) of the processing tub  108 .  
         [0050]    To process a bale, PTO  130  is driven by a power source to rotate rotary cutting fan  208 . As discussed above, rotary cutting fan  208  is adapted to rotate clockwise at approximately 1000 revolutions per minute. As noted, the power source may be any suitable source but in the preferred arrangement is through the tractor PTO. With PTO  130  rotating the rotary cutting fan  208 , the cutting knives  612  (see FIG. 6) cut into the baled material and material diverters  616  direct the cut material through the cut-outs  610  toward the fan blades  608 . Rotary cutting fan  208  is contained within the fan housing  110 , which, as discussed hereinbefore, includes two discharge spouts  112  (see FIG. 1) to facilitate discharging processed material from the drum shredder  100 . The fan blades  608  act to propel the cut material via centrifugal force towards the discharge spouts  112 , 114 . Apertures  602  in front disk  604  allow air to enter rotary cutting fan  208  to assist in the propulsion of the cut material towards the discharge spouts  112 ,  114 . Each discharge spout  112 ,  114  may be individually opened and closed to choose either right hand discharge or left hand discharge or both.  
         [0051]    Depending upon the application, the bale processor is adjusted to control feed rate and material cut length. Generally, the higher the angle of the processor tub relative to the horizontal and the higher the speed and protrusion distance of the rotary cutting fan, the higher the feed rate. The higher the protrusion distance of the rotary cutting fan, the longer the cut length.  
         [0052]    For transport, the loading frame  118  is placed in a somewhat vertical transport position and acts as a retainer to keep unprocessed baled materials inside the processing tub  108 . The width of the axle may also be narrowed for transport.  
         [0053]    As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, many alternative embodiments exists for the loading frame  118 . For instance, in one alternative embodiment, the loading frame  118  may be provided with more than two forks  120  and could, in fact, be realized as a single, flat loading platform.  
         [0054]    Other modifications within the ambit of the following claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, the invention is accordingly defined by the claims.