Patent Description:
The term "fertilizer spreaders" in the following context is intended to be understood to include machines for the broadcast distribution of granular material which is generally obtained by the effect of a centrifugal type distributor, for example, machines for scattering granular chemical products, such as fertilizers, salt spreading machines, broadcast sowers and the like. The raised wall of this invention is preferably used in such machines, but is configured to be used in hoppers which are also intended for other purposes.

Fertilizer spreaders can be configured with hoppers with capacities which are different in accordance with the requirements of the user. In order to obtain machines with different capacities, it is possible to construct different hoppers to be combined from time to time with the single basic machine or it is possible to take a basic hopper as a basis and to subsequently add raised portions (raised walls) in order to achieve the total desired capacity.

It is very important for the hopper, however it is constructed, to be substantially sealed, that is to say, not to have openings or discontinuities from which the material to be distributed can be discharged, becoming scattered over the environment. This is because this can cause both environmental damage and a useless waste of expensive product.

In order to overcome these disadvantages, a known technique is to construct entire hoppers of various sizes which are obtained by welding the panels which constitute them to each other. However, such a methodology involves a large number of disadvantages because it is necessary to know well in advance the configuration selected by the client, it is necessary to have available hoppers with different capacities and it further involves higher costs for the economic expenditure, transport and storage of the hoppers which are constructed in this manner.

The most flexible solution for obtaining hoppers with different capacities is instead to construct a basic hopper, the capacity of which can be enlarged by means of raised walls which are joined to each other and to the basic hopper by means, for example, of bolted fixings. In this case, however, the inevitable tolerances and technical limitations during the preparation of the metal sheets which are constructed with the normal bending techniques lead to the inevitable formation of small openings from which the product to be distributed can be discharged, in particular at the edges of the hopper.

One solution for overcoming the problem is to seal the junctions with silicone. However, this selection is least appreciated both in terms of aesthetic effect and in terms of durability. The silicone over time becomes dirty, changes colour but particularly becomes detached.

Another known solution is to use corner pieces made from plastics material. In this case, the entire edge of the hopper or the raised wall is constructed from plastics material. The component made from plastics material becomes a structural element of the hopper which, over time, can break as a result of the phenomena of ageing of the plastics material. Furthermore, it involves high costs of investment for constructing the moulds.

There is also provision for constructing sides and corner pieces of the hopper by moulding in a single piece from sheet metal. In this case, the investment costs are also very high but can be reduced by constructing sides and corner pieces from sheet metal which are subsequently joined by welding. However, even this hypothesis is disadvantageous as a result of some aspects connected particularly with the manpower necessary for taking up the components and the potential grinding of the welds.

An example of a hopper is described in <CIT>.

The invention involves this technical context. The main problem confronted by the invention is to provide a raised wall for hoppers which is structurally and functionally configured to overcome at least some of the defects set out with reference to the cited prior art. It is further preferable for the hopper to be able to be assembled at any time, including after delivery to the client, and for it to be able to be modified in terms of capacity and dimensions even at times after the original construction thereof.

This problem is solved according to the invention by means of a raised wall for hoppers, particularly though not exclusively conceived to be used in fertilizer spreading machines, and constructed according to one or more of the claims listed below.

The raised wall comprises at least one panel with at least a first end and a second end which are arranged for mutual connection to corresponding ends of at least one adjacent panel and a seal which is provided to be applied between adjacent panels in the region of the connection zone.

There is defined in a panel suitable for constructing the raised wall a plugging surface which is provided with identically orientated longitudinal flanges which are configured to be joined in a superimposed manner on an adjacent flange.

Therefore, it will be appreciated that, preferably, the longitudinal flanges perform the function of flanges. The longitudinal flanges are interrupted in the region of the application zone of the seal where the panel is continued only by the plugging surface. The seal comprises a first surface which is intended to be in abutment with the plugging surface from the exterior of the hopper, a second surface which is intended to be in abutment with the plugging surface from the interior of the hopper, a bridge between the first surface and second surface delimiting a channel between the surfaces in which there is received the plugging surface of adjacent panels for recovering and blocking the gap generated by the interruption of the flanges.

In a preferred embodiment, the seal has an angular shape.

According to one embodiment, the channel is shaped to receive four plugging surfaces of four corresponding adjacent panels, both longitudinally and in a superimposed state.

It is preferable for the first surface to have a greater extent than the second surface so as to overhang with respect to the projection thereof in the plane of the first surface and to overhang beyond the gap generated by the interruption of the flanges. There is thereby obtained both a correct anchoring of the seal to the panels of the raised wall and a correct seal in the region of the gap.

Advantageously, the channel comprises a portion including a superimposition zone, in which the channel has double the width with respect to that of another portion of the channel in such a manner that the superimposition zone can receive two superimposed plugging surfaces and the other portion can receive a single one of the plugging surfaces. There is thereby constructed a solid junction between adjacent panels by superimposing the ends in the region of the corners.

Preferably, the first surface has an inflected course in the region of the end of the superimposition zone. This allows the first surface to return in a manner tight against the corresponding panel just beyond the superimposition zone.

The seal is made from plastics material or rubber or other material which is sufficiently resilient and which withstands corrosive phenomena.

The first surface of the seal in the region of the inflected course is shaped so as to return in a manner tight against the corresponding plugging surface with a terminal portion thereof which extends so as to cover from the exterior a portion of the plugging surfaces, in which the flange is still present.

A hopper with variable capacity in accordance with the contingent requirements can thereby be constructed by assembling on a hopper base at least one raised wall ring which is constructed with raised walls constructed according to one or more of the preceding features.

The features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:.

In the Figures, there is generally designated <NUM> a hopper with a variable volume for a fertilizer spreading machine which is not illustrated. The hopper <NUM> comprises a hopper base <NUM>, for example, with a frustopyramidal shape or frustoconical shape which tapers towards the bottom and which is formed by panels <NUM> which are joined by angular profiles <NUM> and which are terminated towards the upper portion (or at the side with the greater extent) with a peripheral edge <NUM> with a relief which is folded in an L-shaped manner towards the interior of the hopper so as to constitute an end wall thereof. As will be better illustrated below, one or more raised wall rings <NUM> are positioned and fixed on the peripheral edge <NUM>.

The raised wall rings <NUM> are constructed by assembling a plurality of panels <NUM>, one for each hopper side. In the exemplary configuration, this involves a hopper with a quadrangular outline and therefore each ring is composed of four panels <NUM> with a main longitudinal extent, each one having respective longitudinally opposite ends 7a, b which are provided for mutual connection with corresponding ends 7b,a of at least one adjacent panel <NUM>.

The panels <NUM> have a plugging surface <NUM> which is provided with longitudinal flanges <NUM> which preferably run along the two greater sides and which are preferably obtained by bending the sheet metal of the plugging surface <NUM> in an identically orientated manner at right-angles. The term "flange" is therefore preferably intended to refer to the shaping of the sheet metal edges.

As also shown in the embodiments of <FIG>, the longitudinal flanges <NUM> advantageously act as flanges. More particularly, in addition to stiffening and rigidifying this surface <NUM>, the flanges <NUM> are provided with through-holes <NUM> for screw/bolt connections which serve to join a respective flange <NUM> to an adjacent flange <NUM> with overlap, respectively. Therefore, this allows to construct by superimposing a plurality of panels a continuous wall for extending the hopper base <NUM> as high as necessary to bring about the desired charging capacity in the hopper <NUM>. It will be observed that the peripheral edge <NUM> at the apex of the hopper base <NUM> is preferably equal to the flanges <NUM> of the panels so as to allow the connection thereof over the entire desired height of the wall (raised wall) with overlap.

The longitudinal flanges <NUM> are interrupted at the ends 7a,b, bringing about in the angle junctions between panels a gap zone which is generally designated <NUM>. This gap zone <NUM> is closed according to the invention by applying a seal <NUM>; <NUM> between the panels.

It may be observed that the ends 7a,b of the panels <NUM> are preferably formed, the first one 7a in the form of a substantially planar wing which is positioned in continuation of the corresponding plugging surface <NUM> but with a height which is slightly reduced with respect to the distance between the flanges <NUM> and the second one 7b with the same wing terminated by orthogonal folding at right-angles relative to the longitudinal dimension with which this end is connected with overlap to the planar wing of the end 7a. The joint is preferably completed by connections <NUM>, for example, of the screw/bolt type or the like.

The seal <NUM>; <NUM> is preferably made from rubber or another moulded plastics material and comprises two sides <NUM>, <NUM> which are preferably at right-angles relative to each other. It can be constructed as an end seal <NUM> between adjacent panels of raised wall rings <NUM> which are superimposed or as an intermediate seal <NUM> between panels which are both longitudinally adjacent and vertically superimposed.

The difference between the two is that the first one corresponds to the lower half of the second one, the second one preferably being specularly symmetrical with respect to a centre plane.

Having carried out this introduction, there will be described in detail below only the intermediate seal <NUM>, it being understood that the end seal <NUM> in practice constitutes the lower half of the seal described.

Advantageously, the end seal <NUM> may comprise a covering portion <NUM> which is able to at least partially cover a respective gap zone <NUM> of the raised wall ring <NUM> which is more remote with respect to the hopper base <NUM>.

The seal <NUM> is applied as has been set out to the panels <NUM> in the gap zone <NUM> and comprises a first surface <NUM> which is intended to be in abutment against the plugging surface <NUM> at the exterior of the hopper <NUM>, a second surface <NUM> which is intended to be in abutment against the plugging surface <NUM> from the interior of the hopper <NUM>, a bridge <NUM> between the first and second surfaces delimiting a channel <NUM> between the same surfaces, in which the plugging surface <NUM> of adjacent panels <NUM> is received for recovering and blocking the gap <NUM> generated by the interruption of the flanges <NUM>.

The channel <NUM> extends in the seal <NUM> both in the upper half and in the lower half while it is provided in the seal <NUM> only in the lower portion, that is to say, the only portion present.

The first external surface <NUM> has a greater extent than the second internal surface <NUM> so as to overhang with respect to the projection thereof in the plane of the external surface and to overhang beyond the gap zone <NUM> which is determined by the interruption of the flanges <NUM>.

At locations where the two wings of the ends 7a,b are superimposed, the channel <NUM> has a portion including a superimposition zone <NUM> in which the channel <NUM> has double the width with respect to the width of another portion of the channel <NUM>. In this manner, the superimposition zone can receive two superimposed plugging surfaces. In the other portion, however, the channel <NUM> has such a width as to be able to receive only one of the end surfaces. At the end of the superimposition zone <NUM>, the first surface <NUM> forms an inflected course <NUM> so as to return adherent to the corresponding plugging surface <NUM> with a terminal portion <NUM> thereof which extends so as to cover from the exterior a small portion of the plugging surfaces <NUM> in which the flange <NUM> is still present.

Claim 1:
A raised wall (<NUM>) for hoppers (<NUM>), in particular for fertilizer spreading machines, comprising at least one panel (<NUM>) with at least a first end (7a) and a second end (7b) which are arranged for mutual connection to corresponding ends (7b, 7a) of at least one adjacent panel (<NUM>) and a seal (<NUM>; <NUM>) which is provided to be applied between adjacent panels (<NUM>) in the region of the connection zone, there being defined in the at least one panel (<NUM>) a plugging surface (<NUM>) which is provided with longitudinal flanges (<NUM>) which are configured to be joined in a superimposed manner on an adjacent flange (<NUM>), characterized in that the longitudinal flanges (<NUM>) are interrupted in the region of the application zone of the seal (<NUM>; <NUM>) where the panel (<NUM>) is continued only by the plugging surface (<NUM>) and the seal (<NUM>; <NUM>) comprises a first surface (<NUM>) which is intended to be in abutment with the plugging surface (<NUM>) from the exterior of the hopper (<NUM>), a second surface (<NUM>) which is intended to be in abutment with the plugging surface (<NUM>) from the interior of the hopper (<NUM>), a bridge (<NUM>) between the first surface (<NUM>) and second surface (<NUM>) delimiting a channel (<NUM>) between the surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) in which there is received the plugging surface (<NUM>) of at least one of the adjacent panels (<NUM>) for recovering and blocking the gap (<NUM>) generated by the interruption of the flanges (<NUM>).