Patent Document

FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a broadcast type apparatus for spreading material over the ground surface, and more particularly, to a broadcast apparatus for attachment to a material transporter of the pull-type or of a self propelled nature for receiving material from the material transporter and distributing the material over a path on the ground during travel of the material transporter. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Material transporters are used for spreading numerous types of materials over a ground surface, and spreaders of a particular type have been developed for use of turf maintenance, such as those used in the care of golf courses, where special attention must be taken to provide very even distribution of the material so as to leave the grass and adjacent areas in a well groomed condition. Moreover, it is useful that the same equipment used in making fine applications of materials such as light soil, sand and fertilizer on the greens and fairways can also be used in making even distribution of other materials, which may have other characteristics, including coarse materials, such as crushed rock, drain rock and other materials utilized as path materials. It is also desirable in some areas to have equipment capable of neatly spreading other bulky material or those which tend to clump or cling together such as mower clipping, bark material or aerified lawn cores. 
   Many of the existing material transporters and associated broadcasting units are of a design which have limited abilities in spreading different materials or in switching from making light to heavy applications in a single pass. While various units having completely different operating characteristics have been developed for separate attachment to the rear of available material transporters for handling certain materials of varying nature, the procurement and maintenance of such units add significantly to the cost of maintaining turf. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a broadcast apparatus capable of effectively spreading a wide variety of materials for attachment to available types of material transporters. 
   According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a broadcast apparatus for attachment to a material transporter for receiving material from the material transporter and distributing the material on a path along a ground surface as the material transporter travels over the ground surface, the material transporter being of the type having attachment mounting means for the broadcast apparatus thereon. The broadcast apparatus includes a chassis section, at least one spinner unit, and at least a first hopper section. The chassis has upper mounting means, a lower horizontal frame portion, and frame members suspending the lower frame portion spaced below the upper mounting means. The spinner unit or units are mounted on the lower frame portion and each includes a power driven disc having a substantially horizontal circular, upper surface, and a plurality of upright blade members affixed to the upper surface of the disc. The hopper section includes a hopper portion defining an upper opening for receipt of material from the material transporter and a lower outlet above the upper surface of the disc, and hopper mounting means disposed for engagement with the upper mounting means of the chassis section. Inter-connecting means are provided for detachably connecting the mounting means of the hopper section to the mounting means of the chassis section in a plurality of positions for permitting variable placement of the lower outlet of the hopper section relative to the upper surface of the disc. Either the chassis or the hopper section provide surfaces for interaction with the attachment mounting means of the material transporter for detachably mounting the broadcast apparatus on the material transporter. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a pair of spinner units mounted on a horizontal frame member in side-by-side relation, and each blade on the discs is provided with a pair of adjustable attachment means spaced along the length thereof permitting adjustment of the distance of opposite ends of the blade away from a common radial line extending outward from the center of the circular disc. 
   According to another aspect of a specific embodiment of the present invention, a spinner shield member is carried by the lower frame in front of forward portions of the spinner units. In cross section the spinner shield member has a right angle shape formed by an upright flange joined to a bottom horizontal flange. The upright flange projects upwardly to an upper edge at least at the level of the upper edges of the blades, and the horizontal flange extends rearwardly below forward portions of said discs and has a series of openings disposed therethrough approximately below the periphery of said discs of said spinner units. 
   Preferably, the broadcast apparatus includes a second hopper section including mounting rails of the same structure as the first hopper section for interchanging therewith on the chassis section. The hopper portion of the first hopper section and a hopper portion of the second hopper section are differently structured to provide interior structures for causing different flow characteristics of material therethrough from the upper inlet opening to at least one lower outlet opening. While the hopper portion of the first hopper section may have downwardly converging side walls and downwardly diverging front and rear walls, with these walls defining a single lower opening elongated in the transverse direction and extending across portions of both of the circular discs of said pair of spinner units, the hopper portion of said second hopper section may have a pair of downwardly converging side walls with each side wall having an opposed center wall so that the hopper portion forms a pair of side-by-side lower outlets, one each being located over a portion of one of the circular discs of the pair of spinner units. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings show different embodiments of the invention, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the broadcast, apparatus of the present invention as seen from a right hand rear corner thereof; 
       FIG. 2  is a left side elevational view of the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1  and illustrating the broadcast apparatus as attached to a material transporter; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the embodiment of the broadcast apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevational cross section view as seen from line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3  but illustrating the broadcast apparatus in relation to the material transporter during operation thereof; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of a chassis section of the broadcast apparatus prior to the mounting of spinner units thereon; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the chassis section as shown in  FIG. 5  and further illustrating the left hand spinner unit as mounted on the chassis; 
       FIG. 7  is a side-rear perspective of the chassis section as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , but with both spinners and associated motors mounted thereon; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged top view of the right hand end portion of the chassis section as shown in  FIG. 7  with the spinner unit mounted thereon; 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of the chassis section of  FIG. 8  as seen from the line  9 — 9  of  FIG. 8 , but with the hopper section in place so as to illustrate the relative position of a lower portion of the hopper section to the rotating disc of the spinner unit; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective top view from the front of an alternative embodiment of a hopper section for the broadcast apparatus of the invention; 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of the broadcast apparatus with the hopper section of the embodiment of  FIG. 10  in mounted position; and 
       FIG. 12  is a rear view of a spreader with the broadcast apparatus of the invention mounted thereon, but with the clamping means for attaching the broadcast apparatus removed for the sake of clarity. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
   In the drawings, the broadcast apparatus of the present invention is generally denoted by the reference number  20 , and consists of chassis section  21  and a separate hopper section  22 , which, as described below, are readily separable and are manually movable to different locked positions relative to each other. The broadcast apparatus  20  is designed for secure attachment to the rear of a material transporter  23 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  12 , from which a material  26  is fed to the broadcast apparatus  20  by a conveyor  24 , such as an endless belt conveyor, from a storage hopper  25  carried by the material transporter  23 . The material transporter  23  may be of a number of forms of spreaders, of both the pull-type or self-propelled type. As will be described in more detail, the illustrated embodiments of the invention are designed for attachment to the rear of a spreader, such as Model Number MH-400, manufactured and sold by TY-CROP Manufacturing Ltd. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the storage hopper  25  of the material transporter  23  is carried on a frame  27  mounted on ground engaging wheels  28 . The storage hopper  25  has a rear gate  30  which may be raised or lowered manually through operation of a crank  31  readily accessible at the left hand side of the material transporter  23 . As the gate  30  is raised, a space is developed between a lower edge of the gate and a rearwardly travelling belt  32  of the conveyor  24 . Accordingly, a layer of material  26  of a selected depth on an upper surface of the belt  32  is carried by the belt  32  from within the storage hopper  25  toward the rear of the material transporter  23  until it reaches a point where the belt  32  passes over a rear roller  33  ( FIG. 2 ). At this point, the material  38  tumbles into the hopper section  22  of the broadcast apparatus  20  of the invention. Thus, the setting of the height of the gate  30  above the belt in relation to a set speed of travel of the belt  32 , which may also be variable, determines the rate of delivery of the material  26  from the storage hopper  25  of the material transporter  23  to the broadcast apparatus  20 . At the rear of the material transporter  23 , there are provided clamp means for detachably connecting various attachments, such as the broadcast apparatus  20 , to the material transporter  23 . The clamping means includes a pair of forward support units  34 , 34  affixed to the frame  29  of the material transporter  23  and a pair of rearward manually operable locking clamps  35 , 35  carried at the rear end of rearwardly projecting side walls  36  of the spreader. When the broadcast apparatus  20  is fixed in position by the locking means, it is held a distance above ground surface  37  over which the material transporter  23  travels ( FIG. 12 ). Accordingly, as the material transporter  23  moves forward along a path of travel over a ground surface, the material  26 , such as soil, sand, mulch, crushed rock, etc. dropping into the broadcast apparatus  20  from the material transporter  23  is distributed over a pre-selected width in an pattern of even density as will be described in more detail below. 
   Features of the chassis section  21  of the broadcast apparatus can be more clearly seen in  FIGS. 5 to 8 . The chassis section  21  in the main may be formed by the welding of commercially available sections of steel. The chassis section  21  includes mounting means in the form of a pair of transversely spaced horizontal upper rails  40 , 40 , which are parallel and extend in the fore and aft direction of the apparatus. The rails  40 , 40  have an upper web  41  and downwardly projecting spaced side flanges  42 , 42 , the upper web  41  providing a flat horizontal upper surface  43  of each rail  40  ( FIG. 5 ). Projecting upwardly from the upper surface  43  of each rail  40  is a pair of threaded studs  44 , 44 , which are affixed to the upper web  41 , the threaded studs being spaced along the upper surface  43  in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail  40 . A pair of rods which form handles  45 , 45  extend through the side flanges  42 , 42  of each upper rail  40  and are secured thereto by means such as nuts  46  or welding and the like. The handles  45 , 45  which are provided with grips  47  at their outer ends project laterally from the rails  40 , 40  at opposite sides of the chassis section  21 . As is described in more detail, the handles are readily accessible to the operators of the material transporter  23  for mounting the complete broadcast apparatus on the rear of the material transporter  23 , or for adjusting the chassis section  21  and hopper section  22  relative to each other. 
   The chassis section  21  further provides a lower frame portion  50  including lower rails  51 , 51  which are shown as flanged channel sections spaced a distance below the upper rails  40 , 40  and extending parallel thereto. The lower rails  51 , 51  are suspended from the upper rails  40 , 40  by upright frame members  52 , 52  each formed by a lower vertical section  53 , and rearwardly slanted upper section  54  affixed one each to a top of the vertical sections  52 , 52 , such as by welding. Each vertical section  53  of the frame member  52  is affixed to a forward end of one of the lower rails  51 , which projects a significant distance forward of the front end of its associated upper rail  40 . An upper end of each slanted upper section  54  is affixed to the front end of the associated upper rail  40 . A transversely extending horizontal brace member  55  is affixed at opposite ends to the upright frame members  52 , 52 . 
   Each of the lower rails  51 , 51  is provided with a stand member  56  on which the chassis section  21  rests when the chassis section or the assembled broadcast apparatus  20  as a whole is demounted from the material transporter  23 . Each stand  56  includes a pair of vertical support members  57 , 57  affixed at upper ends to one of the lower rails  51 , 51  at a spaced distances therealong. A lower horizontal ground engaging support member  58  is welded between lower ends of the vertical support members  57 , 57 . The lengths of the vertical support members are selected to ensure that the lower frame section and the associated components are held sufficiently above the ground surface to prevent damage thereof when the broadcast apparatus  20  is removed from the material transporter  23 . 
   Extending transversely between the lower rails  51 , 51 , and secured at opposite ends thereto is a spinner supporting frame member  60 , which is provided with a pair of appropriately spaced openings  61 , 61  at locations where a pair of spinner units  62 , 62  are mounted as more fully described hereinafter. Secured to the top surfaces of the lower rails  51 , 51  at either end and also to the central portion of the frame member  60  is a spinner shield member  63 . In cross section, the shield member has a right angle shape consisting of a vertical upright flange  64  and a horizontal bottom flange  65 . In plan view, the upright vertical flange  64  has a pair of arcuate end sections  68 , each of which have a curvature radius slightly larger than the radius of flat discs  66 , 66  of the two spinner units  62 , 62 , the pair of arcuate end sections  68 ,  68  being joined by a reverse curvature section  67  at the center of the shield member. The horizontal bottom flange  65  has bottom portions  70 , 70  extending a distance rearwardly of each arcuate end section  68  of the upright vertical flange  64 , and bottom portions  70 , 70  are connected by a central enlarged bottom portion  71  extending rearwardly from the reverse curved section  67  of the upright vertical flange  64 . When the spinner units  62 , 62  are installed on the transverse frame member  60 , the discs  66 , 66  are spaced slightly above an upper surface  72  of the horizontal flange  65  in the areas of rearwardly extending bottom portions  70 , 70  of the horizontal flange  65 . Located in the horizontal bottom flange  65  immediately within the pair of arcuate end sections  68 , 68  of the upright flange  64 , and approximately on the same radius as the periphery of the discs  66 , 66  are series of openings  73 , through the horizontal flange. The openings  73  are spaced and are preferably elongated as illustrated. As is described further below, the openings  73  allow the escape of particles of material which enters the space between the discs  66 , 66  and the top surface  72  of the horizontal bottom flange  65  which particles otherwise accumulate in that space. It has been found that ridding that space of such accumulation greatly reduces abrasion of the flanges and the discs. 
   Each spinner unit  62  includes a hydraulic motor  75 , supplied with pressurized hydraulic fluid through a control valve  76  ( FIG. 2 ) mounted on upright frame member  52  on the left side of the chassis section  21 . The hydraulic fluid is supplied through hydraulic lines  77  from a hydraulic pumping system (not shown) carried by either the material transporter  23  or from a towing vehicle (not shown). The quantity of flow of fluid from the control valve  76  is varied by the setting of the control valve which sets the speed of rotation of the spinner units  62 , 62 , the connection of the hydraulic lines to the pair of hydraulic motors  75 , 75  being such that the motors rotate in opposite directions at the same speed as indicated by arrows A,A in  FIG. 8 . 
   Each spinner unit  62  is connected to the transverse frame member  60  by way of bolts  80  which pass through bolt holes in the frame member  60  and are screwed into threaded holes in the casing of the motors  75 , 75 . Each motor  75  is disposed beneath the frame and having an output shaft  81  which projects up through one of the openings  61 , 61  in the frame member  60  ( FIG. 9 ). Each disc  66  is fixed to the upper end of shaft  81  by way of a bolt connection  82  for rotation therewith. 
   As previously described each of the discs  66  has its forward portion located within one of the pair of arcuate end sections  68  of the upright flange  64  of the spinner shield member  63 , and these portions of the discs are spaced slightly above the rearwardly extending bottom portion  70  of the horizontal flanges  65 . Located on upper surface  83  of each disc  66  are a plurality of upright blade members  84  each having a forward material engaging surface  85 . The blade members  84  are of sufficient length to extend from an inner end closely spaced to the center of the upper discs surface  83  to a point near the outer periphery  86 , and in the embodiment shown, along the length of the blade member  84 , it is provided with a curvature so that as to provide the forward surface with a convex face. 
   Projecting rearwardly from each blade member at a lower edge thereof is a pair of lugs, an outer lug  87  and an inner lug  88 . The inner and outer lugs  87 ,  88  have bottom surfaces which are perpendicular relative to the upstanding blade member for flat engagement with the upper surface  83  of the disc. The disc  66  is provided with a pair of threaded openings for each blade member  84 , which openings are not necessarily on the same radial line extending from the center of the disc. Each of the lugs  87  and  88  are provided with slotted openings  90  and  91 , respectively. Each of the slotted openings  90  and  91  are struck on arcuate line to allow the outer end of the blade member and the inner end of the blade member to be shifted in an arcuate direction about the center of the threaded opening at the opposite end thereof as depicted by the arrows B and C in  FIG. 8 . This allows a considerable amount of variation of the position at the forward surface  85  of each blade member  84  relative to a radial line drawn from the center of the disc. Once a position of the blade member is selected, tightening of bolts  92  and  93 , which pass through the slotted openings  90  and  91  of the outer and inner lugs  87  and  88 , respectively, are threaded into the pair of threaded openings in the disc. 
   The hopper section  22  of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  and  9  is of a type used in spreading coarse or bulky materials, whereas the hopper section  22   a , as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , which can be readily substituted for the former, is of a type used on the same chassis section  21  when finer materials, such as sand, is being spread. The embodiment of the hopper section  22   a  has located midway between opposed side walls  96  a pair of downwardly diverging intermediate walls  120 , 120 , thus providing a pair of bottom openings  114 , 114  disposed to be located one each over the pair of spinner units  62 , 62 . 
   As viewed in  FIG. 3 , the hopper forming portion  95  per se of the hopper section  22  includes a pair of side walls  96 , 96  which converge downwardly from the top of the hopper forming portion  95 . A rear wall  97  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and a front wall  98  also converge downwardly from the top of the hopper section  22 . The walls  96 , 96 , 97  and  98  are formed of steel metal and are joined at the diverging corners  99 , such as by welding. The upper edges of walls  96 , 96 , 97  and  98  are in a substantially common horizontal plane as are the lower edges which are fastened, such as welding  94  to the edges of a rectangular opening in a horizontal disposed spinner cover plate  100 , which is shaped to fully cover the pair of discs  66 , 66  as well as the spinner shield member  63 . The cover plate  100  has a projecting rear portion  101  which extends some distance horizontally behind the discs  66 , 66 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, when the chassis section  21  and the hopper portion  22  are assembled, the cover plate  100  of the hopper section  22  is spaced only slightly above the top edges of the blade members  84  of the spinner units  62 , 62  installed in the chassis section  21  and immediately above the spinner shield member  63 . The hopper forming portion  95  is reinforced by side support member  102  which are welded to the top surface of the cover plate  100  and slope inwardly to an area somewhat below the top edges of the side walls  96 , 96 . At the rear of the hopper portion a rear support member  103  is welded to the top surface of the cover plate  100  and slopes inward to a top edge welded to rear wall  96  of the hopper forming portion  95  in the same plane as the top edges of side support members  102 , 102  of the side walls  96 , 96 . The end edges of the rear support member  103  are welded to the rear end edges of the side support members  102 . Attached to the top edge of the rear  97  of the hopper formed portion  95  is a rear deflecting plate  104  which slants forwardly somewhat over the material receiving opening defined by the upper edges of the walls  96 , 96 ,  97  and  98 . This deflecting plate is provided to intersect any of the material which may be projected rearwardly as the material leaves the conveyor  24 . A reinforcing member  109  is affixed along the forward side of the front wall of the hopper portion at its upper edge, which member is shown in the form of an angle iron. 
   Immediately adjacent the top edges of the side walls, there are attached thereto, a pair of mounting rails  105 , 105 , which extend in the fore and aft direction of the broadcast apparatus and have the same transverse spacing as the upper rails  40 , 40  of the chassis section  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mounting rails  105 , 105  are somewhat longer than the upper rails  40 , 40  and have a forward end projecting beyond the forward ends of the upper rails  40 , 40  when the chassis section and the hopper section are assembled. The mounting rails  105 ,  105  are in the form of an outwardly open channel member having parallel lower and upper flanges  106 , 107  respectively, as well as a connecting web  108 , which due to the slant of the side walls of the hopper portion  95  of the hopper section  22  against which the mounting rails are welded, is not at right angles to the horizontally projecting flanges  106 , 107 . When assembled as an operating broadcast apparatus the lower flange  106  of each mounting rail  105  directly to overlays the upper web  41  of the corresponding upper rail  40 , the lower flange  106  being provided with properly located openings  110  for reception of the upwardly projecting studs  44 , 44  of the upper rail as the lower surface of the flange  106  comes into contact with the upper surface  43  of the upper rail  40 . The studs  44 , 44  are of a length to project completely through the openings  110  which are elongated. 
   In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the clamping means of the material transporter  23 , consisting of the forward support units  34 , 34  and the rearward manually operable locking clamp  35 , 35  interact with opposite ends of the mounting rails  105 , 105  which are part of the hopper section, whether the hopper section be either the embodiment  22  or  22   a . As most easily seen in  FIG. 2 , the support units  34 , 34  enter the forward ends of the mounting rails  105 , 105  on opposite sides of the hopper section. Subsequent action of each of the pair of locking clamps  35  by pushing down on a lever  115  moves them into a locking condition. Due to a reaction of an over-center movement as the lever  115  is pushed down, a rod  116  which is connected to the rearwardly projecting side wall  36  of the material transporter  23  pulls a downwardly extending hook portion  117  of the locking clamp tightly into the rear end of the mounting rail  105 . 
   The chassis section  21  can be readily moved manually from one site to another when separated from the material transporter  23  and from the hopper section  20  by two persons on opposite sides of the chassis section grabbing the opposite pairs of handles  45 , 45  and lifting and carrying it. In this separated condition all parts of it are readily available for maintenance or replacement. Depending on the type of material to be spread, the orientation of the blade members  84  may be readily adjusted at this stage. The blade member  84  may be loosened from the disc surface  83  by turning the outer and inner bolts  92 , 93 . The blade members can then be shifted to a new position before retightening the bolts. 
   Again, depending on the type of material to be spread, an appropriate type of hopper section  22  is selected. While two different embodiments  22  and  22   a  of the hopper forming portion  93  have been illustrated, other forms which are designed for feeding the material through the bottom opening of the hopper form portion  95 , or openings  114 , 114  in the case of hopper section  22   a , and into the top of the spinner units  62 , 62 , may be found desirable, depending on the nature of the material to be spread. While the type of the hopper forming section  22  which is termed a bulk hopper is preferable for particles which are very coarse as well as materials which clump together, such as grass clippings, bark mulch and lawn covers. The spreading of finer materials, such as sand and some light soils is accomplished more even with the type of hopper section, which is referred to as a sand hopper, a separate opening  114  positioned above a corresponding spinner unit as shown for hopper section  22   a . With proper settings, this latter form of hopper is useful for other coarser material of equivalent, particulate material, such as crushed rock, drain rock or cart path material. 
   Having positioned the blade members  84  in the chassis section  21  and selected the form of the hopper section  22  or  22   a , the hopper section is lifted over the chassis section by hand and lowered on to the chassis so that the four threaded studs  44  on the upper rails  40 , 40  of the chassis section project through the elongated opening  110  in the lower flanges  106 , 106  of the mounting rails  105 , 105  of the upper section  22  or  22   a . Again, depending on the type of material to be spread the hopper section is moved either forwardly or rearwardly due to the movement permitted by the threaded studs  44  being received in the elongated openings  110 . When the relatively positioning of the hopper section  22  on the chassis section  21  has been completed, the four internally threaded knobs  112  are tightened by hand onto the threaded studs  44  to bring the lower surface of the flanges  106  of the mounting rail,  105 , 105  into tight engagement with the upper surfaces  43 , 43  of the upper rails  40 . This locks the two sections together to form an integral broadcast apparatus and holds the two in a set relationship, the latter being important as the prior shifting of the two sections results in the relative movement of the outlet opening at the bottom of the hopper forming portion of the hopper section  22  relative to the top of the spinner units  62 , 62 . The effect of varying the position of entry of the material  26  into the blade members  84  is important in establishing the pattern of distribution of the particles of the material  26 . 
   Having tightened the knobs  112 , the assembled unit can be lifted, again by two persons using the lateral projecting handles  45  to a position where the broadcast apparatus as a whole is moved towards the back of the material transporter  23  so that the forward support units  34 , 34  of the material transporter  23  are received in the forward end of the mounting rails  105 , 105 , thus supporting the forward part of the broadcast unit by the upper flange  107  of the mounting rails. The rear of the mounting rails is then levelled for reception of the hook portions  117  of the rear locking clamps  35  as the levers  115 , 115  are pushed down, thereby pulling the locking clamps  35  into engagement with the rear of the mounting rails  105 , 105  so as to tightly hold the mounting rails tight relative to the material transporter  23  ( FIG. 2 ). At this time the hydraulic lines  77 , 77  of the material transporter  23  are connected to the speed control valve  76  which is set for a selected speed, again taking into account the type of material to be spread. The flow of hydraulic fluid through the lines  77  is normally controlled by a valve on the material transporter  23  or the towing vehicle. 
   It may be noted that once the assembled broadcast apparatus  20  is mounted on the material transporter  23  ready for spreading or at any time during the spreading operation, its spreading characteristic for the particular material involved can be varied by shifting the relative position of the single outlet or outlets  114 , 114  of the hopper section to the part of the discs  66 , 66  onto which the material flows from the outlet. To make such an adjustment, it is necessary to loosen the knobs  112  only sufficiently to allow the operator, to slide the chassis section  21  in a forward or rearward direction by pushing the handles  45  in that direction. This causes the sifting of the chassis section  21  and the related chassis parts carried thereby, including the discs  66 , 66  and spinner sheets  63 , in the directions indicated by the double-headed arrow D ( FIGS. 4 and 9 ). It is to be appreciated that while the illustrated embodiment of the invention shows an embodiment in which the hopper section  22  provides mounting rails  105 , 105  which are clamped relative to the material transporter frame with the upper rails  40 , 40  of the chassis section  21  being moveable relative to the mounting rails once the two sections are no longer tightly clamped together, an alternative arrangement is substantially as effective. Such an alternative embodiment would involve, for example, that of simply arranging the upper rails  40 , 40  for receiving the clamping means of the material transporter  23  whereby on releasing the interconnecting means between the chassis section and the 16hopper section, such as already described as being threaded studs and associated internally threaded knobs or the like, the hopper section could be shifted relative to the chassis section, which is fixed relative to spreader, before retightening the interconnecting means between the two sections. 
   It has been found that in spreading various materials with the broadcast apparatus of this invention, proper combinations of settings can be established for obtaining very uniform distribution patterns along the path being covered. It is apparent from the relatively simple design described above, that there is provided by the structure, a broadcast apparatus which is convenient and inexpensive to produce and maintain while being light to handle. It is further apparent that the versatility of the broadcast apparatus, resides in the ability to switch, for example, from spreading bulk materials to that of spreading fine or equivalent particulate material in a manner of a few minutes. In spreading the bulk materials, it can be observed from the view through the outlet opening in the bottom of the hopper forming portion as seen in  FIG. 3 , that the material is affected by the action of both exposed portions of the two discs  66 , 66  together travelling in the direction of the arrows A—A. It has been found that the best separation and dispersal of this type of material is accomplished with the chassis section moved to rearwardly relative to the hopper section. On the other hand, in order to obtain optimum spreading of very fine material such as sand, it has been found that it is better to have the sand particles landing separately and only on the upper surfaces of the two discs so as to require the use of the form of the hopper illustrated in  FIG. 11 . It has been further established that to obtain an even pattern of distribution, it is preferable to arrange the setting of the relative positions of the chassis section  21  and the hopper section  22   a , to provide the longest period of contact between each sand particle and the forward surface  88  of the blade members. This requires the shifting of the chassis section  21  to its forward position relative to hopper section  22   a . Moreover, it is preferable with this type of material to reposition the relative position of the blade members  84  on the discs  66 , 66  to further accomplish the prolonged contact between the blade members and the sand particles. 
   Although only a single embodiment has been illustrated in relation to the chassis section and other associated parts, it is apparent that variations will be obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appending claims.

Technology Category: a