Abstract:
A combination portable horizontal grinder mixer for processing a variety of grains includes a housing that includes an upwardly opening lid and which defines and encloses therein a mixing chamber having a horizontally disposed reel-type mixer extending therethrough for simultaneously tumbling and mixing the grains and a spiraled auger that pushes the grain toward the rear of the housing for conveyance through a discharge auger that communicates with the mixing chamber and thence into a storage bin and interconnected to the housing is an infeed chute for delivering grain to a hammer mill that processes grain that requires milling before the grain can be fed into the mixing chamber with the reel-type mixer within the housing being horizontally oriented so that the mixer has greater capacity, eliminates bridging and has a low center of gravity for stable transport.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to farm processing equipment, and more particularly pertains to a piece of farm equipment machinery designed to grind, mill, mix and transport a variety of grains. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The operation of a farm, whether small, medium or large-scale, requires the use of numerous types and kinds of equipment. Irrespective of whether the farm is primarily a dairy farm, a cattle farm, or an agricultural farm, the various and numerous pieces and types of farm equipment are each designed for a specific function and job. 
         [0003]    With specific reference to farms that include livestock and animals of any kind, such as goats, chickens, pigs, horses, diary cows, cattle, etc, one of the most critical aspects of raising healthy stock pertains to the proper processing of the feed grain and other products—minerals, vitamins, supplements—for the animals. The processing of the material can include grinding, milling, mixing, distribution and, in many cases, the transport of the material to other sites, locations, farms, etc., and the processing of the feed material must be thorough to assure mix uniformity as the various types of grains are all non-uniform in shape and configuration before processing. 
         [0004]    The type of farm equipment used to process the various types and kinds of feed material is a grinder mixer having a vertically extending mixing chamber and a tapering or cone-shaped bottom. The vertically oriented mixing chamber is supported and mounted on a frame or carriage that includes two pairs of wheels for transport. Extending upwardly from the cone-shaped bottom is a vertical mixing auger. Despite the popularity of vertical mixing augers they have a number of defects. First, bridging of the material being mixed is common, especially when the material is damp and/or bulky. Second, the vertically oriented mixing auger is unstable in transport due to the high center of gravity. Also, capacity within the mixing chamber is limited due to the height restrictions (imposed for safety and ease of material unloading). Finally, the configuration of the vertically oriented mixing auger—it is too high and the wrong shape—makes is difficult to load with loader equipment, and there is less reach with the unload. auger—the length of the unload auger is limited—due to interference of the tractor cab. Thus, the prior art discloses a number of devices that attempt to rectify these shortcomings. 
         [0005]    For example, the Henkensiefken et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,499) discloses a portable feed grinder-mixer that includes a pair of complementing horizontal and vertical augers. 
         [0006]    The Seymour patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,781) discloses an agricultural feed blending apparatus that includes a plurality of bins for different feed materials, variable speed metering augers and a mixing augur beneath the bins for transferring the mixed material to a grinding unit. 
         [0007]    The Seymour patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,805) discloses an agricultural mixing and grinding machine that includes a plurality of bins each containing different feed material with each bin having a metering auger for discharging the material to a common. location. 
         [0008]    The High, Jr. et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,747) discloses a feed mixing apparatus that includes a tank enclosing therein bottom and upright augers. 
         [0009]    The Miller patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,321) discloses a vertical screw mixer that includes a container having an opening and a plurality of generally conical processing screws. 
         [0010]    The McGuffin et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,113) discloses a mixer-grinder having an upwardly angled trough ergonomically designed with regard to the discharge opening, cleaning purposes and the location of the worm. 
         [0011]    The Rhee patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,497 B1) discloses a pair of chambers with each chamber having a pair of inclined mixing/feeding units for producing feed stuff or organic fertilizer from edible waste material such as domestic and commercial food waste products. 
         [0012]    The Neier et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,393 B1) discloses a horizontal feed mixer and method that includes two horizontal augers located above a rotor all rotating in the same direction and enclosed in a chamber for cutting product such as hay and other feed ingredients. 
         [0013]    Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a horizontal, reel-type mixing chamber that allows the farmer to auger the finished product into a storage bin. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The present invention comprehends a piece of farm equipment machinery that is designed to process feed material including, but not limited to, the grinding, milling, mixing and transporting of various feed grains, vitamins, and minerals for eventual consumption by livestock. More specifically, the farm equipment machinery is a combination portable hammer mill and horizontal bar reel mixer that grinds, mixes, blends, and mills the many and varied types of livestock feed grain, vitamins, and minerals. 
         [0015]    The combination portable horizontal grinder mixer of the present invention includes a housing defining and enclosing therein a mixing chamber. The housing is mounted on a chassis or framework having front and rear wheels for transport from site to site. The housing includes a roof part of which is openable to allow for top loading of the material and a discharge door at the lower part of the rear wall of the mixing chamber so allowing the mixing chamber to communicate with a discharge auger that feed the material into a storage bin. The discharge auger extends upwardly alongside the rear wall and across the top of the mixing chamber with the discharge nozzle extending past the front of the mixing chamber. The discharge auger is able to tilt and pivot to reach storage bins for the unloading the material therein. Located in front of the mixing chamber and in communication with the mixing chamber is a connecting conduit member and enclosed within the connecting conduit member is an intake auger that forces the material into the mixing chamber. A hammer mill is contained within the hammer mill housing and is used to process grains that require milling whereupon the milled grains are augered into the mixing chamber. The hammer mill housing registers with and is connected to the connecting conduit member. An infeed chute is mounted to and extends upwardly from the hammer mill housing and register with the hammer mill housing. An infeed auger is located within the infeed chute and the infeed auger lifts the material—grain—into the hammer mill. Enclosed within the mixing chamber are at least two mixing and moving means for processing and discharging the various types of grains. Extending through the mixing chamber of the housing is a horizontally disposed reel-type mixer, commonly referred to as a bar reel, and located adjacent to the inside of one sidewall is an auger spiraled to push the processed grain towards the rear of the housing so that the grain can be conveyed through the discharge auger and into the storage bin. The reel-type mixer is of a spiral configuration and simultaneously tumbles, mixes, and moves the grain toward the front of the mixing chamber for eventual movement rearward by the spiraled auger for conveyance through the discharge auger for deposition into the storage bin. Disposed within the mixing chamber is a measurement scale that is electronically interconnected to an electronic scale reader externally mounted to one sidewall for immediately and visually registering the weight of the material deposited within the mixing chamber. A PTO (power take-off) shaft driven by tractor power powers for elements such as the hammer mill and the intake auger. 
         [0016]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that has a low center of gravity to facilitate the stable transport of the combination grinder mixer; 
         [0017]    It is another objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that has a greatly increased capacity with respect to standard and existing vertically oriented grinder mixers having vertical mixing augers; 
         [0018]    It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that has a low height and rectangular configuration that allows for top loading with a loader tractor; 
         [0019]    It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that allows for greater capacity to load and unload due to the auger length; 
         [0020]    It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal mixer grinder that allows for more flexibility in the types and kinds of materials that are to be mixed; 
         [0021]    It is still yet a further objective of the present invention to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer having a design and configuration that provides for a more balance in loaded transport situations; 
         [0022]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that is able to grind, mill, mix, blend, process and transport many varied types of livestock feed grain, vitamins, and minerals; 
         [0023]    Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that provides for a simultaneous and continuous tumbling of the material as well as an end to end mixing of the material and avoids bridging of the material within the mixing chamber because of the low height and rectangular configuration of the grinder mixer; 
         [0024]    Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that provides for the bi-directional tumbling and movement of the material within the mixing chamber; 
         [0025]    Still yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that combines a hammer mill with a portable, horizontal reel-style mixer; 
         [0026]    Still yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that includes an electronic scale for weighing the amount of material such as the various grains that are deposited in the mixing chamber for processing; 
         [0027]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that includes a discharge or unload auger having an increased length and doesn&#39;t interfere with the tractor cab and which is capable of both hydraulically actuated pivotable and tilting movement allowing for a higher reach into taller bins; and 
         [0028]    A yet further objective of the present invention is to provide a combination horizontal grinder mixer that can be used on small, medium and large scale farm and dairy establishments that includes, but are not limited to, dairy, beef, hog and chicken farms. 
         [0029]    These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the combination horizontal grinder mixer of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the structural elements within the mixing chamber; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is rear sectioned elevational view of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  illustrating the disposition of the structural elements contained within the mixing chamber from a rear view; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a sectioned elevational view of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention illustrating the rotational orientation of the longitudinal bar reel and the tumbling orientation and direction of the feed product or food material; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a sectioned elevational view of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention illustrating the bi-directional movement of the feed, food product or material within the mixing chamber whereby the material is continuously pushed and moved from the back to the front and then from the front to the back of the mixing chamber for conveyance to a storage bin; 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention illustrating the pivotal movement of the discharge auger from the rest position to a lateral rearward discharge position; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a representative flowchart of the combination grinder mixer of the present invention illustrating the series of processing steps undertaken when using the mixer grind 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0037]    Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7  is a horizontally oriented grinder mixer  10  for processing a wide variety of material  11  or product such as feed grains, livestock grains, vitamins, minerals, supplements, etc., through grinding, milling, and mixing so that the material  11  is thoroughly processed before being directed and discharged into some type of receptacle or storage container such as a storage bin. The grinder mixer  10  of the present invention provides for the constant and simultaneous tumbling of the material  11  as well as the end to mixing of the material  11 . In addition, the grinder mixer  10  of the present invention is designed to prevent the bridging of the material  11 ; the intermixing of material  11  that has been processed with material  11  that has not been processed by the constant tumbling action. 
         [0038]    Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the grinder mixer  10  includes a horizontally shaped, extending or configured housing or container  12 . The housing  12  includes a front wall  14 , a rear wall  16 , a pair of opposed sidewalls  18 , and an arcuate or curved floor or bottom  20 , and a roof  22  with the roof  22  being partially of fully openable by including a roll tarp top or a hinged lid  24 . This allows for direct top loading of the material  11  by a loader bucket; a special concentrate hopper can also be used to load material. The housing  12  further defines an interior mixing chamber  26  that is also horizontally shaped or configured. The material  11  is loaded into the mixing chamber  26  for processing therein through the constant tumbling and mixing action. In addition, the housing  12  and the interior mixing chamber  26  are further defined by having or delineating a front  28  and a rear  30 . Located at the lower end of the rear wall  16  of the housing  12  is a discharge door  32  that interconnects the interior mixing chamber  26  to structure hereinafter further described. Mounted to the rear wall  16  and interconnected to and in communication with the interior mixing chamber  26  is an unloading or discharge auger  34 . The discharge auger  34  extends upwardly alongside the rear wall  16  and alongside and immediately above the roof  22  toward the front  28  of the mixing chamber  26 . A hydraulic lift  36  is mounted to the roof  22  at the rear  30  thereof and connects to the discharge auger  32  and is used to tilt and pivot the discharge auger  34  from a non-use transport position to a use and unload position. The discharge auger  34  is actuated by the hydraulic lift  36  for pivoting and tilting movement to unload the material  11  into the storage means such as the aforementioned storage bin.  FIG. 1  illustrates the discharge auger  32  in the rest, transport or non-use disposition and  FIG. 4  illustrates the discharge auger  32  in the pivoting position for unloading material  11  from the mixing chamber  26 . The extended length of the discharge auger  34  allows it to extend along and above the roof  22  and projects past the front  28  of the housing  12  whereupon the nozzle  38  is located between the front  28  of the housing  12  and the cab  40  of a vehicle  41  such as a tractor and the length of the discharge auger  32  allows for a higher reach into tall storage bins. The housing  12  is supported on a carriage or framework  42  that includes at least one pair of wheels  44  and the present embodiment includes two pairs of wheels  44 . A hitch bar  46  extends horizontally from the carriage  42  and includes a hitch  48  for attaching to the hitch ball of the vehicle  41  for towing and transporting the grinder mixer  10  from site to site. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  the grinder mixer  10  includes a means to determine the weight of the material  11  deposited in the interior mixing chamber  26 . The weight determining means includes a scale  50  incorporated with the floor  20  of the housing  12  and which is electrically interconnected to an electronic scale reader  52  externally mounted to one sidewall  18  and which immediately and visually registers the weight of the material  11  held within the mixing chamber  26  of the housing  12 . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6 , a circular connecting conduit member  54  is secured to the front wall  14  of the housing  12  and communicates with the mixing chamber  26  of the housing  12 . A hammer mill housing  56  is connected to the connecting conduit member  54  and is communication therewith. Contained within the connecting conduit member  54  is an intake auger  58  which may also be considered to be located at the bottom of the hammer mill housing  56  but not actually contained within the housing  56 . The intake auger  58  conveys the material  11  into the mixing chamber  26  for processing. A hammer mill  60  is contained within the hammer mill housing  56  and is used to process material  11  such as grains that first need milling before being augered by the intake auger  58  into the interior mixing chamber  26 . Extending upwardly from the hammer mill housing  56  and connected to and in communication therewith is an infeed chute  62  that contains or encloses therein an infeed auger  64 . The infeed auger  64  lifts or conveys grain into the hammer mill housing  56  for processing by the hammer mill  60 . Extending from the tractor  41  rearward to the hammer mill housing  56  is a PTO (power take-off shaft)  66  that is driven by tractor power and that may be used to power elements such as the hammer mill  60  and the intake auger  58 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , the grinder mixer  10  includes a means for continuously tumbling and mixing the material  11  within the mixing chamber  26 . The means for tumbling and mixing is configured to avoid bridging of material  11  so that the material  11  is processed in a uniform and thorough manner. The means for tumbling and mixing includes a reel mixer  68  such as a reel-type mixer that extends through the mixing chamber  26  from the rear wall  16  to the front wall  14 . It is actuated by any standard motive means interconnected to the PTO  66 . The reel-type mixer  68  is horizontally oriented and can be of any desired configuration such as a spiral reel type, a paddle reel type, a ribbon reel type, etc. In the present embodiment the reel-type mixer  68  is a spiraled bar reel that tumbles the material  11  as well as forcing the material  11  toward the front  28  of the mixing chamber  26 . Shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  are longitudinal or horizontal directional arrows  70  that indicate both the tumbling action or movement and the horizontal movement of the material  11  within the mixing chamber  26  effectuated by the reel mixer  68 . In addition, the material  11  is tumbled and mixed in an up-and-down or essentially vertical orientation as shown by directional arrows  71  in  FIG. 4  also by the action of the reel mixer  68 . The reel-type mixer  68  extends the complete horizontal length of the mixing chamber  26  and is rotatably mounted to the inside surfaces of the rear wall  16  and the front wall  14  and is centrally located within the mixing chamber  26 . The reel mixer  68  continuously and simultaneously tumbles the material  11  within the mixing chamber  26  and also forces the material  11  toward and to the front  28  of the mixing chamber  26  where the material  11  moves to a spiraled secondary auger  72  to be force fed back to the rear  30  of the mixing chamber  26  for conveyance through the discharge door  32  and thence through the unloading/discharge auger  34 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 , the grinder mixer  10  also includes the horizontally oriented secondary auger  72  positioned adjacent one sidewall  18  and to one side of the bar reel mixer  68 . The secondary auger  72  is spiraled to move the material  11  rearward toward and thence through the discharge door  32  for conveyance through the discharge auger  34  and thence into the storage bin. Thus; mixing reel  68  extending through the mixing chamber  26  subjects the material  11  to bi-directional movement within the mixing chamber  26  without causing the bridging of the material  11  so that the material  11  is thoroughly mixed and processed. 
         [0042]    Illustrated in  FIG. 7  is a representative schematic or flowchart  74  for the processing steps involved in the grinding and processing of the material  11  within the mixing chamber  26 . The first step requires an answer to the question of whether the material  11 —the grain—needs milling. If the answer is no then the material  11  can be directly deposited into the mixing chamber  26  by any of the aforedescribed means; and after thorough mixing the material  11  is unloaded by the discharge auger  34 . On the other hand, if the material  11 —the grain—needs to be milled, then the material  11  is first fed into the hammer mill  60  and after sufficient processing the material  11  is fed into the mixing chamber  26  by the intake or hammer mill auger  58 , and after thorough mixing in the mixing chamber  26  the material  11  is forced by the spiraled auger  72  to the discharge or unloading auger  34  for unloading from the mixing chamber  26  and into the storage bin. 
         [0043]    While the invention has been shown and described in a preferred embodiment, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous alterations, modifications, and variations will possible and practicable without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the appended claims.