Patent EP-0046718-A1 (EP)
Inventor: PRADIER MATHIEU PIERRE
IPC: A01F25/20
Filed: 1981-08-20
Abstract: 1. A Silo Unloader Mixing Distributing Trailer, usable with an agriculatural tractor, set in motion by the power take-off and the hydraulic circuit of said tractor, designed for desiling mechanically a quantity of fodder (grass, corn, pulp or others) directly in the silo of outer type, for loading said silage fodder also mechanically (simultaneously with the desiling), for receiving thereafter a certain quantity of fodder with long blades (or straw or other) by chopping it on the way, for mixing homogeneously all the products present and introduced in the trailer bucket, for distributing mechanically said mixture thus prepared either to the bunk feeders of the animals, or in large capacity, fixed or mobile feeding hoppers of sometimes great height, and comprising : - a frame (1) having a shape, seen in a plane, similar to letter A, equipped with pneumatic wheels, a coupling hitch for an agricultural tractor, a retractable crotch (10), two front vertical posts (3) having a connecting crossbeam and two reinforcement oblique arms (5) provided with steps, and - a bucket (12) carried by the frame and of constant length and variable depth over its length, composed of two side flanges (13) of appropriate shape, a bottom (14) provided with a conveyor belt (16), a U-iron crossbeam (18) placed on the bottom rearwardly, with also to the rearward end of the bottom an unequal angle crossbeam, equipped with a settable scraper (21), a set of crossbeams (22) in the front used as support for the power take-off mechanism, a round crossbeam (23) for pivoting the bucket on its bearings (4) supported by the frame front posts (3), a front wall, a curved rear wall, used simultaneously as crossbeam and hood, said bucket forming the body of the machine and the storing member of said machine ; - a hydraulic jack (11), single-acting, telescopic, for regulating the height of the rear portion of bucket (12), bearing on the frame and supporting the bucket via the crossbeam (18) ; - a cylindrical milling cutter (26) with horizontal axis, fixed via its bearings on the rear portion of bucket (12) and provided with sharp cutters (22) and flexible pallets ; - a mobile shell (30) composed of a curved cloth (31) matching partly the working circumference of the milling cutter (26), fixed between two flanges connecting it to bearings, disposed concentric to the rotation axis (29) of milling cutter (26), said shell receiving and guiding the silage fodder torn out and entrained by the milling cutter (26) into bucket (12) ; - an inspection window (43) prolongating a rear curved wall (25) of bucket (12) above milling cutter (26) ; - an upper floor (48) situated above and on the major portion of the bucket and serving as platform for the introduction of the ingredients ; - a cowling (49) on a feeding orifice (50) formed above and slightly frontwardly of the milling cutter, between the rear wall with its inspection window and the upper floor (48) ; - a transverse conveyor band (51) proximate the milling cutter (26) for the side discharge of the pre-mixed fodder, during distribution, with flaps (55) and (57) bordering it for preventing outer projections during distribution ; - a unit of mechanical transmissions, set in motion by the tractor power take-off, for providing the driving of all the mobile parts, in the required direction and at the required speed for each function (desiling, mixing, distribution) ; characterized by the fact that this set of known principles is completed by the following elements, in combination : - a means in the form of a flexible flap (32) bordering the oscillating shell (30) and allowing it to match the silo shape, by accommodating the small faults of perpendicularity of the trailer with respect to the working face, in order to limit the silage losses between silo and machine ; - a means (34) pivoting about the milling cutter axis for the cowling of the milling cutter (26) during introduction of the fodder, so that said fodder be canalized, in addition to shell (30) and the rear wall (25), up to bucket (12), when driven by the milling cutter (26) ; - a means (38) for shredding the fodder at the level of the feeding orifice (50) for said fodder, in conjunction with the rotation of the milling cutter (26) in the appropriate direction, said means being retractable when the means (34) moves above the milling cutter ; - a means (44) for bringing back the products projected upwardly by the milling cutter (26) to the front of bucket (12), said means being disposed on the top of bucket (12), but below the upper floor (48), so as to cover the bucket on a major portion of its length ; - a means for retracting the transverse side discharge conveyor belt (51) during the desiling and mixing operations, by bringing it above the rear wall (25) of the milling cutter (26) so that it does not catch, during the downward motion of the rear portion of bucket (12) the silage mass left on the spot during the desiling work of the milling cutter (26) ; - a means for reversing the rotation direction of the milling cutter (26) so that said cutter can rotate in a determined direction for the desiling and mixing operations and in a reverse direction for the distribution operation.