Abstract:
A new type of feed crop harvesting system. The feed crop is cut as in the prior art. A vacuum is used to lift the relatively moist feed crop off the ground and blow it into a mobile storage container. The feed is allowed to compress under its own weight within the storage container. Three or more harvesting cycles can be used to completely fill the storage container. Multiple containers can be used to harvest large feed crops. The containers are then parked in a convenient location awaiting winter. When winter arrives, the feed containers are towed to the feeding area. Doors in the lower portion of the containers are opened to allow access to the feed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to the field of agriculture. More specifically, the invention comprises an animal feed harvesting system wherein the feed is vacuumed into a series of large containers for storage and subsequent delivery to farm animals. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   It is common in the field of agriculture to grow food crops for subsequent feeding to animals. These crops must be produced during the growing season, but are typically fed to the animals during the winter months. Typical food crops include hay, alfalfa, and peanuts. Hay harvesting provides a good example of the prior art approach. 
   Hay is grown to a desired height. A sickle-bar mower is then passed through the hay to shear the stalks near ground-level. The sheared hay is then allowed to sit in the sun for several days (assuming the weather cooperates) in order to dry. Once sufficiently dried, a hay rake is passed over the loose material in order to bunch it into lofted rows. A hay baler then run over the lofted rows. The bailer gathers the cut material and compresses it into round or square hay bails, typically bound by twine or sheet plastic. 
   These hay bales must be loaded and conveyed to a storage barn. They will remain in the barn until needed in the winter. At that point the bales are reloaded and transported out to the animals. They are then typically placed in a feeding device (a “stock feeder”). The feeding device limits the animals&#39; complete access to the hay so that they can eat it without stomping it into the ground or otherwise spoiling it. 
   The reader will thereby appreciate that the prior art approach to a feeding cycle contemplates many operations, including: 
   1. Cutting the hay; 
   2. Drying the hay in the sun; 
   3. Raking the hay into rows; 
   4. Baling the hay; 
   5. Transporting the hay bales to a storage barn; 
   6. Transporting the hay bales from the storage barn to the feeding area; and 
   7. Placing the bales in a stock feeder. 
   The prior art is obviously labor intensive. It also results in a substantial loss of nutritional value. The prior art operation typically does not harvest the plant leaves, since these are lost in the drying, raking, and baling operations (particularly through the use of wire-toothed pick up wheels on the balers). A great deal of nutritional value is found in the leaves, and this is lost. Further, the prior art approach eliminates most of the moisture found in the harvested hay. The loss of moisture content further erodes the nutritional value of the feed material. A system which reduces or eliminates these problems is obviously desirable. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises a new type of feed crop harvesting system. The feed crop is cut as in the prior art. A vacuum is used to lift the relatively moist feed crop off the ground and blow it into a mobile storage container. The feed is allowed to compress under its own weight within the storage container. Three or more harvesting cycles can be used to completely fill the storage container. 
   Multiple containers can be used to harvest large feed crops. The containers are then parked in a convenient location awaiting winter. When winter arrives, the feed containers are towed to the feeding area. Doors in the lower portion of the containers are opened to allow access to the feed. The animals pull the feed from the containers. Gravity pulls the containers&#39; contents down to the open feeding ports. The animals are thereby able to completely empty the contents of the portable container. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view, showing the harvesting assembly. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view, showing the portable storage container. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view, showing the rear of the storage container. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view, showing the vacuum. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view, showing the tongue and hitch on the front of the storage container. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view with a cutaway, showing the harvesting operation. 
       FIG. 7  is a detail view, showing the vent in the rear of the storage container. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view, showing the harvesting assembly in a turn. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view, showing two storage containers. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view, showing a storage container open for feeding. 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view, showing the air flow created by a supplemental blower. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10 
                 harvesting assembly 
                 12 
                 tractor 
               
               
                 14 
                 vacuum 
                 16 
                 storage container 
               
               
                 18 
                 chassis 
                 20 
                 wheel 
               
               
                 22 
                 tongue 
                 24 
                 hitch ball receiver 
               
               
                 26 
                 intake port 
                 28 
                 nose shroud 
               
               
                 30 
                 roof 
                 32 
                 side wall 
               
               
                 34 
                 front wall 
                 36 
                 feeding door 
               
               
                 38 
                 curing door 
                 40 
                 back wall 
               
               
                 42 
                 vent 
                 44 
                 main wheel 
               
               
                 46 
                 support wheel 
                 48 
                 vacuum head 
               
               
                 50 
                 ejector chute 
                 52 
                 hitch frame 
               
               
                 54 
                 hydraulic cylinder 
                 56 
                 lifting carriage 
               
               
                 58 
                 hitch ball 
                 60 
                 ejected feed 
               
               
                 62 
                 louver 
                 64 
                 elevation jack 
               
               
                 66 
                 pad 
                 68 
                 ventilation port 
               
               
                 70 
                 feed 
                 72 
                 stabilizer 
               
               
                 74 
                 supplemental blower 
                 76 
                 deflector 
               
               
                 78 
                 center marker 
                 80 
                 air flow 
               
               
                 82 
                 feeding port 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention contemplates that the crop to be harvested must first be cut using prior art methods. Hay harvesting will again be used as a common example. A sickle-bar mower is passed through the crop to shear the stalks off near ground level. They remain on the ground in an un-raked state. 
     FIG. 1  shows the major components used in the present invention, designated as harvesting assembly  10 . Tractor  12  tows vacuum  14  and storage container  16 . The components are preferably connected by pivoting hitches, so that reasonably tight turns are possible. The tractor provides power to the vacuum via a rotating PTO shaft. 
   Harvesting assembly  10  is run through the sheared crop. Vacuum  14  sucks the crop up off the ground and discharges it into storage container  16 . Sets of wheels are provided on the vacuum and the storage container so that they will roll along the ground with the tractor offering minimal rolling resistance. 
     FIG. 2  shows more detail of storage container  16 . Chassis  18  provides structural support. It mounts a plurality of wheels  20 , using common features such as leaf springs and axles. Tongue  22  extends from the front portion of chassis  18 . It features a coupling device. For the particular embodiment shown, hitch ball receiver  24  is used. 
   Front wall  34  faces the vacuum when the storage container is used in the harvesting operation. It features intake port  26 , which is simply an opening into the container&#39;s hollow interior. The hollow interior is bounded by the chassis, front wall  34 , two side walls  32 , a back wall, and roof  32 . 
   Nose shroud  28  is attached over intake port  26 . It includes two side walls and a downward sloping front wall. The purpose of nose shroud  28 , which will be more thoroughly explained subsequently, is to direct projected materials into intake port  26 . 
   Other openings are provided to allow access to the hollow interior of the storage container. On the side wall  32  facing the viewer, a feeding door  36  is provided. This can be opened to provide access to the container&#39;s contents. Higher on the side wall, a curing door  38  may optionally be provided. This is used to provide extra ventilation if the container&#39;s contents need to be dried. The far side wall  32  may also contain feeding and curing doors. 
     FIG. 3  shows storage container  16  from the back. Back wall  40  includes vent  42  near its upper extreme. This vent can be opened in order to allow air flow coming in through the intake port to exit the container. 
     FIG. 4  shows vacuum  14  in greater detail. It includes a pivoting hitch on its front end (obscured in the view) which allows its attachment to the tractor. A rotary PTO shaft also feeds power into the forward end of the vacuum. Two main wheels  44  support the weight of the device, while two support wheels  46  (which are mounted on pivots) keep the device level. 
   Vacuum head  48  contains a vacuum-creating device (such as a rotary impeller or series of fans). The PTO shaft powers the vacuum-creating device. Openings on the lower side of vacuum head  48  provide access to the vacuum created within vacuum head  48 . Thus, as the device rolls along, loose materials on the ground are sucked into the vacuum head. They are then propelled upward and rearward through ejector chute  50 . They are then ejected out deflector  76  at considerable velocity. The pitch of deflector  76  can be adjusted relative to the ejector chute in order to adjust the pitch of the stream of ejected material. All these features of vacuum  14  just described are known in the art. Thus, these components (such as the internal details of the vacuum-creating device) have not been described in further detail. Suffice it to say that the device sucks loose material off the ground and propels it out the open end of deflector  76 . 
   Several novel features have been added to the vacuum, however, in order to accommodate its use in the present invention. The need for these will now be explained, returning briefly to  FIG. 1 . When harvesting the crop, the tractor and vacuum will run a course over the cut material until the storage container is full. At this point, the storage container will be parked and a new (and empty) storage container will be attached to the vacuum. The process continues until the crop is harvested. Thus, many storage containers may be used. 
   Further, the storage container will initially fill up with uncompacted crop material. It can then be parked for several days or weeks while gravity settles the contents. It may then be attached to the vacuum and filled with additional material. Those skilled in the art will know that a farmer can often achieve three hay cuttings per growing season. By the time the second cutting arrives, the contents of the first cutting will have settled far enough to allow a previously full storage container to accept another load. 
   These practical considerations make plain that several storage containers will typically be in use, and that they must be easily connected and disconnected from the vacuum. Returning now to  FIG. 4 , the mechanisms facilitating this easy connectivity will be explained. Hitch frame  52  is mounted on the rear of vacuum  14 . Lifting carriage  56  slides up and down within hitch frame  52 . In the embodiment shown, it is propelled up and down via hydraulic cylinder  54 . Other devices could be substituted, such as an electric or hydraulic screw drive. 
   Hitch ball  58  is mounted on lifting carriage  56 . The hydraulic supply to hydraulic cylinder  54  is provided by tractor  12  (using one of the tractor&#39;s auxiliary circuits). Thus, the tractor operator can control the raising and lowering of hitch ball  58  without leaving the tractor&#39;s seat. 
     FIG. 5  shows the forward portion of tongue  22  on chassis  18 . It includes ball hitch receiver  24 , which is sized to clamp over hitch ball  58 . An elevation jack  64  with a descending pad  66  is preferably also provided. Elevation jack  64  is adjusted so that ball hitch receiver  24  rests above the position of hitch ball  58  when lifting carriage  56  is lowered to its lowest position. In order to attach a particular storage container, the user backs the tractor and vacuum up to the storage container until hitch ball  58  lies beneath hitch ball receiver  24 . The user then actuates hydraulic cylinder  54  to raise the hitch ball into the ball hitch receiver. The user then continues raising the hitch ball in order to raise pad  66  well clear of the ground. At this point the storage container can be towed forward. 
   To park a particular storage container the reverse procedure is followed. The user maneuvers the storage container into the desired position. The user then lowers the hitch ball. The hitch ball comes free of the receiver and the tongue&#39;s weight will then rest on pad  66 . 
   Of course, the user cannot see the location of the hitch ball or receiver while he or she is backing the tractor and vacuum. Returning to  FIG. 4 , the reader will observe that center marker  78  has been added to the top of the vacuum. The user can align this feature with the center of the storage container (which can be provided with suitable alignment markings) in order to align the hitch ball. The user then backs the tractor until the hitch frame contacts the forward portion of the ball hitch receiver. At this point, the alignment is proper and the hitch ball can be raised to couple the storage container. 
     FIG. 6  shows the assembly of  FIG. 1  in operation. The cutaway shows the hollow interior of the storage container. The reader will observe ejected feed  60  being ejected out of deflector  76 , through the intake port, and into the interior of the storage container. Hinge  78  allows the angle of deflector  76  to be adjusted with respect to ejector chute  50 . Using this adjustment, the user can direct the ejected feed at the appropriate angle so that it evenly accumulates in the bottom of the storage container. 
   Vent  42  is opened to allow the air flow carrying the ejected feed to escape the rear of the storage container.  FIG. 7  shows a detailed view of vent  42 , which preferably includes a series of louvers  62 . These louvers are biased toward the closed position by gravity or small springs. When air flows into and through the storage container, they open in order to allow the air to escape (thereby allowing free flow). 
   Those skilled in the art will know that the assembly shown in  FIG. 1  must be able to turn.  FIG. 8  shows the assembly in a left-hand turn. In a fairly tight turn, the ejected feed issuing from ejector chute  50  may miss intake port  26  in front wall  34  (It will tend to shoot out to one side). Nose shroud  28  is provided to remedy this problem. Nose shroud  28  includes two side walls and a downward-sloping front wall. The side walls tend to deflect any errant stream of feed back into the intake port. The nose shroud can also accommodate pitch undulations between the vacuum and the storage container. If the ejector chute pitches upward with respect to the storage container, the forward wall fo the nose shroud will deflect the feed into the intake port. 
   Once a storage container is full, it is parked until the contents are needed.  FIG. 9  shows two storage containers  16  parked side by side. For some applications it may be desirable to allow moisture to escape from the stored feed. If this is the case, ventilation ports  68  covered by curing doors  38  are provided. These curing doors can be opened—as shown—in order to allow additional air circulation through the container. Adjustment means can be provided to hold the curing doors in a desired position. Of course, some embodiments will not need this feature and will therefore omit the ventilation ports and curing doors altogether. 
   When the time comes to dispense the feed, the storage container is towed to the desired feeding location.  FIG. 10  shows a storage container  16  configured to dispense the feed. Feeding doors  36  are locked open to expose feeding ports  82  (which can be provided on both sides of the storage container). If the feed is prone to falling out, stabilizers  72  can be added. These retain the feed and force the animals to pull the feed out of the container. This produces a steady and controlled feeding process. 
   For certain types of crops the embodiments previously described may not evenly fill the storage container. An additional element is therefore needed.  FIG. 11  shows this element. Supplemental blower  74  is added to direct air flow  80  as indicated by the arrows. This air flow tends to loft the material elected from the ejector chute a bit higher and further back in the storage container. The supplemental blower is preferably mounted on the underside of the ejector chute, though it could be mounted on the storage container or some other location. 
   The supplemental blower can be powered by an auxiliary drive belt off of the main vacuum-producing device down in the vacuum head. On the other hand, it can be powered by an electrical motor. Such a motor could be fed DC current by the tractor. Other power sources (such as hydraulic pressure) could also be used. 
   The position and orientation of the auxiliary blower can be made adjustable, so that the air flow can be precisely directed. This adjustment, which is optional, would allow fine-tuning for different sorts of harvested crops. 
   The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It is should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.