Feed mixer wagons with separate containers and discharge conveyors

Abstract

Feed mixer wagon (10), with: a load-bearing structure in the form of a frame (12) supported on the ground by means of ground intervention devices (14, 16), a first container (20) arranged on the frame (12) for receiving feed, to which a first mixing device (24) is assigned, a second container (22) arranged on the frame (12) for receiving feed, to which a second mixing device (26) is assigned, a first discharge conveyor (42) for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the first container (20) to a first discharge point (52) for depositing the feed, and a second discharge conveyor (44) spatially separate from the first discharge conveyor (42) for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the second container (22) to a second discharge point (54) spatially separate from the first discharge point (52) for depositing the feed, characterized in that the containers (20, 22) are spatially separated and that separate weighing devices (32) are assigned to the first container (20) and the second container (22), each arranged between the container (20, 22) and the frame (12).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a feed mixer wagon with separate containers and discharge conveyors. State of the art

[0002] In modern agriculture, highly mechanized methods are used not only for cultivating and harvesting crops, but also for providing feed for livestock. This is achieved using feed mixers, which typically consist of an open-topped container into which various feed components are added sequentially. The towed or self-propelled feed mixer is loaded by a loading device, which can be, for example, a front loader bucket on a tractor or wheel loader (EP 2 204 088 A1) or a silage cutter with a blower and discharge spout (DE 2 225 783 A), separate from the feed mixer, or permanently coupled to the feed mixer (EP 1 563 725 A1, EP 1 577 663 A1, WO 2005 / 067704 A1, DE 10 2010 033 888 A1).Inside the container, a mixing device is arranged, usually in the form of a conical screw with a vertical axis of rotation, which serves both to mix and, to a certain extent, to grind the feed. Reference is made, for example, to the disclosure in DE 20 2016 106 837 U1. For larger quantities of feed, feed mixers are manufactured with a single, elongated container in which several screws with vertical axes of rotation are arranged one behind the other (DE 103 45 322 A1, DE 20 2015 104 960 U1).The (self-propelled or tractor-pulled) feed mixer wagon is transported to the location or feeding area of ​​the livestock after loading, mixing and chopping the feed, where the feed is unloaded by an unloading conveyor, usually to the side of the feed mixer wagon, so that it is unloaded along a line onto the ground or into a trough while the wagon is moving and can be consumed by the animals.

[0003] There are conceivable applications where several groups of animals need to be fed different feed mixtures. For such cases, feed mixer wagons with separate containers have been proposed, which can be loaded with different feed mixtures depending on the needs of the respective group being fed. Reference is made to the disclosures in DE 195 39 339 A1, DE 199 53 163 A1 and GB 2 482 035 A. In these applications, feed is drawn from the two containers in controllable rates and fed to a shared discharge conveyor in the form of a conveyor belt or screw conveyor, which deposits it at a desired location. By being able to adjust the discharge rates from both containers independently, the desired feed mixture can be prepared on-site.Similar arrangements, but for mixing the feed by a service provider for later application by another vehicle and with pneumatic conveying of the feed, are shown in DE 10 2008 019 995 A1 and DE 20 2009 011 076 U1.

[0004] The patents DE 103 48 206 A1 and DE 201 15 929 U1, considered to form the generic category, describe feed mixers with a first and second container separated by a pull-out partition. Each container includes a discharge opening and an associated discharge conveyor. Weighing devices are mounted between the wheels and the frame of the feed mixer and on the drawbar. Measuring the load of the individual containers is not possible with these devices. Task

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a feed mixer wagon which does not have these disadvantages or has them to a lesser extent. Solution

[0006] This problem is solved by the teaching of claim 1, wherein the subordinate claims describe advantageous embodiments.

[0007] A feed mixer wagon is equipped with a load-bearing structure in the form of a frame, supported on the ground by ground anchors; a first hopper for receiving feed, attached to the frame and equipped with a first mixing unit; a second hopper for receiving feed, attached to the frame and equipped with a second mixing unit; a first discharge conveyor for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the first hopper to a first discharge point for depositing the feed; and a second discharge conveyor, spatially separate from the first discharge conveyor, for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the second hopper to a second discharge point for depositing the feed, also spatially separate from the first discharge point. The hoppers are spatially separated, and separate weighing devices are assigned to the first and second hoppers, each located between the hopper and the frame.

[0008] The spatially separated dispensing conveyors avoid the problems mentioned at the beginning. Furthermore, it is conceivable to dispense different feed mixtures from both containers at different points simultaneously, for example, to feed a first group of animals on the left side of the feed mixer wagon only from one container, and a second group of animals on the right side of the feed mixer wagon only from a second container. Example of implementation

[0009] These and other tasks, features and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the person skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description and looking at the drawings. Fig. Figure 1 is a side view of a feed mixer wagon. Fig. Figure 2 is a top view of the feed mixer wagon.

[0010] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a feed mixer wagon 10, which is built on a supporting structure with a frame 12 that is supported on the ground by ground-penetrating elements in the form of wheels 14, 16. A drawbar 18 allows the feed mixer wagon 10 to be connected to a tractor (not shown), which can pull the feed mixer wagon 10. The feed mixer wagon 10 can also be powered by the tractor, either mechanically via a power take-off shaft, electrically, hydraulically, and / or pneumatically. In another embodiment, the feed mixer wagon 10 can also be self-propelled, i.e., equipped with its own drive system and operator station.

[0011] On the frame 12, a first container 20 and a second container 22 are arranged one behind the other. The containers 20 and 22 serve to hold feed, which is filled into the upwardly open containers 20 and 22 from above, and are each equipped with a first and second mixing device 24 and 26, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the mixing devices 24 and 26 are designed in the form of conical augers with vertical axes of rotation, which can be set in motion by drives 28 and 30 (e.g., pneumatic, electric, hydraulic, and / or mechanically connected to a power take-off shaft of the tractor). However, the mixing devices 24 and 26 could be equipped with horizontal axes of rotation and any tools other than augers for grinding and mixing the feed.

[0012] By means of weighing devices 32, which are arranged between the containers 20, 22 and the frame 12, the weight of each container 20, 22 can be recorded. This makes it possible to fill the containers 20, 22 with feed according to a predetermined recipe, i.e., with predetermined quantities of individual components, either automatically or by means of a corresponding display for the operator of the filling device. The containers 20, 22 can be filled sequentially or even simultaneously, either by two different filling devices from above or by a single filling device with separate containers, e.g., two silos with separate chambers.

[0013] After the containers 20 and 22 are loaded, the mixing devices 24 and 26 are set in motion by their drives 28 and 30 simultaneously or sequentially for the same or different time intervals to complete the feed mixture contained therein. The two separate containers 20 and 22 make it possible to create different feed mixtures suitable for different groups of animals. This reduces the number of trips between a feed storage location and the dispensing points where the feed is to be delivered.

[0014] The front, first container 20 has a first dispensing opening on its front, lower side, which is located in the Fig. 1 is closed by a slide 38. An actuator 40 allows adjustment of the slide 38 to vary the dispensing rate of the feed mixture from the first container 20. The feed passes through the (fully or partially) open dispensing opening onto a first dispensing conveyor 42, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a conveyor belt and conveys the feed transversely and discharges it at a dispensing point at its downstream end. The dispensing conveyor 42 is driven by a motor 48 or a mechanical drive train from a power take-off shaft of the tractor.

[0015] The rear, second container 22 has a second dispensing opening on its rear, lower side, which is located in the Fig. 1 is closed by a slide 34. An actuator 36 allows adjustment of the slide 34 to vary the dispensing rate of the feed mixture from the second container 22. The feed passes through the (fully or partially) open dispensing opening onto a second dispensing conveyor 44, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a conveyor belt and conveys the feed transversely and discharges it at a dispensing point at its downstream end. The dispensing conveyor 44 is driven by a motor 46 or a mechanical drive train from a power take-off shaft of the tractor.

[0016] A control unit 50 enables automatic or operator-controlled operation of the actuators 36, 40 and the motors 46, 48 (or the mechanical drive train of the discharge conveyors 42, 44). The quantity of feed dispensed per unit of time at the discharge point, whether the feed mixer wagon 10 is stationary or moving, can therefore be controlled based on a setting stored in the control unit 50 or entered by the operator (position-dependent).

[0017] The Fig.Figure 2 shows a top view of the feed mixer wagon 10. It can be seen that the discharge conveyors 42 and 44 can be extended laterally beyond the outline of the feed mixer wagon 10 (i.e., pulled out) to deposit the feed at discharge points 52, 54 located outside the reach of the wheels 14, 16, to the left or right as needed. Furthermore, the discharge point 52, 54 of each discharge conveyor 42, 44 can be positioned on either the left or right side relative to the forward direction of the feed mixer wagon 10. The conveying direction of the discharge conveyors 42, 44 is therefore also selectable, either to the left or right. Typically, the slide gate 34 and the discharge conveyor 44 are activated separately from the slide gate 36 and the discharge conveyor 42, since the different groups of animals to be fed are usually spaced apart from one another.However, it is evident that, if required, both discharge conveyors 42, 44 can be activated simultaneously (and both slides 34, 38 opened) to simultaneously deposit the feed at two discharge points 52, 54 to the left and right of the feed mixer wagon 10. It would also be conceivable to deposit the feed on one side (one above the other) via both discharge conveyors 42, 44, if necessary.

[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, two containers 20, 22 are arranged one behind the other. A third container (not shown) could also be added, which would have its own discharge conveyor or discharge its feed onto the discharge conveyor 40.

Claims

[1] Feed mixer wagon (10), with: a load-bearing structure in the form of a frame (12) supported on the ground by means of ground intervention devices (14, 16), a first container (20) arranged on the frame (12) for receiving feed, to which a first mixing device (24) is assigned, a second container (22) arranged on the frame (12) for receiving feed, to which a second mixing device (26) is assigned, a first discharge conveyor (42) for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the first container (20) to a first discharge point (52) for depositing the feed, and a second discharge conveyor (44) spatially separate from the first discharge conveyor (42) for conveying feed from a discharge opening of the second container (22) to a second discharge point (54) spatially separate from the first discharge point (52) for depositing the feed, characterized by, that the containers (20, 22) are spatially separated and that separate weighing devices (32) are assigned to the first container (20) and the second container (22), each arranged between the container (20, 22) and the frame (12). [2] Feed mixer wagon (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first and / or second mixing device (24) are designed as a conical screw with a vertical axis of rotation. [3] Feed mixer wagon (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first container (20) and the second container (22) can be filled from the top. [4] Feed mixer wagon (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first discharge conveyor (42) and the second discharge conveyor (44) are designed as conveyor belts. [5] Feed mixer wagon (10) according to claim 4, wherein the first discharge conveyor (42) and the second discharge conveyor (44) are configured to convey the feed transversely to a forward direction of the feed mixer wagon (10) and to deliver it to a discharge point (52, 54) located laterally next to the feed mixer wagon (10).

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