A technological mixture preparation device

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a vehicle for preparing a technological mixture, comprising a technological mixture container with a mixture mixing device, which container has, in its front part, a loading-unloading opening, a separating device structure, a control unit, characterized in that between the technological mixture container (2) with the mixing device (9) and the structure of the device (5) separating the ingredients of the technological mixture it comprises a movable partition (3). The invention also refers to a vehicle comprising a flexible shelf configured to cooperate with the loading-unloading opening (2a) in order to prevent the technological mixture from falling out of the container (2).

Description

[0001] A technological mixture preparation device

[0002] The subject of the invention is a vehicle for preparing a technological mixture. The technological mixture may be animal feed in known forms. The technological mixture may also be a biomass batch for a biogas plant or the like.

[0003] Polish patent application P.447024 discloses an autonomous feed preparation vehicle, comprising a mobile support frame on which at least one feed mixing container is mounted, comprising a pair of parallel side walls and a rear wall extending between them, the walls defining the interior of the feed mixing container, and inside the feed mixing container, between the side walls and perpendicular to the side walls, extends at least one shaft connected with at least one first drive with radially arranged mixing elements for breaking up and mixing the feed, wherein the vehicle has a front section and a rear section and is characterized in that at least one movable arm is rotatably attached to the support frame parallel to the side walls of the feed mixing container, with its first end connected to a second drive and with its second end extending from the first end towards the front section of the vehicle, preferably the vehicle comprises two movable arms, a milling cutter for extracting feed is attached to at least one second end of the arm, parallel to the drive shaft, and on the milling cutter side the feed mixing container is provided with a loading-unloading opening connected to the interior of the container, the loading-unloading opening extending between the side walls and the upper edge of the loadingunloadingwindow and the lower edge of the loading-un loading opening, wherein the lower edge defines the loading threshold, the loading threshold preferably being parallel to the milling cutter, and the container is connected to the support frame through weight sensors configured to determine the weight of the feed mixing container, wherein in the rear section the vehicle comprises a cutting knives arrangement for cutting the feed inside the feed mixing container.

[0004] Another Polish patent application, P.451015, describes the structure of an autonomous vehicle for feeding animals other than humans. The vehicle described therein comprises a frame,navigation devices and safety systems, a feed container that is mounted on weighing means, provided with feed mixing means, a control unit, a power supply unit, a rotary separating device structure having a movable mechanism for moving the feed separating device and a feed separating device for separating animal feed from a feed pile, and weighing means. The axis of rotation of the feed separating device and the axis of rotation of the mixing means are parallel, where the weighing means are configured to determine the change in weight of at least the feed container and the structure of the rotary separating device altered by the weight with which the separating device presses on the animal feed pile, in order to measure the parameters of the animal feed pile.

[0005] It was found that the devices from applications P.447024 and P.451015 have an additional usefulness, which is the use of the device in the processes of preparing technological mixtures, as a batch for a biogas plant, or composting organic materials, where there is a need to cut and mix fibrous materials of organic origin (manure, tree leaves, branches, grass, corn, etc.). In the following part of the specification, the term "technological mixture" refers to a mixture of feed ingredients for feeding animals, a mixture of batch ingredients for fermentation processes in biogas production process, or, for example, a mixture of ingredients of plant origin for compost production. In the following part of the specification, the terms "mixture" or "batch" refer to the term "technological mixture". The extracted ingredients of the technological mixture are, for example: corn silage, grass silage, haylage bales, straw, tree leaves, grass, manure, etc. In the following part of the specification, they will be referred to as mixture ingredients or simply ingredients.

[0006] The devices described in P.447024 and P.451015 are able to mix a limited amount of a technological mixture. Both devices are characterized by a low loading threshold for the mixture through a loading opening in both devices. Thanks to this, the device separating mixture ingredients from a pile of a given ingredient can freely load the extracted ingredients into a mixture container. This translates into reduced power consumption during the loading of ingredients, as the ingredients do not have to counteract the force of gravity in order to fall intothe mixture container, whereas during the mixing process, the mixture falls through an opening between the interior of the mixture container and the ingredient separating device.

[0007] The mixing method carried out in devices according to P.447024 and P.451015 allows for such rotation of the mixture in the container that during mixing, it does not fall out through said opening, but this solution greatly limits the amount of mixture that can be mixed. In practice, it has been proven that the mixture container may be filled to approximately 50% of its volume so that the mixture does not fall out of the container during mixing. The claws of the mixing device collect mixture ingredients loaded into the container by the separating device and move the ingredients to the rear wall of the container, where the feed falls down and does not fall out of the container. However, during mixing, the mixture carried on the claws of the mixing device falls out. During the rotation of the mixing device, residues of the mixture remain on the mixing claws and are carried over the loading-unloading opening. During further rotation of the mixing claws, the mixture detaches from the claws and falls out of the container through the loading-unloading opening. Once the mixture container is more than 50% full, the problem is exacerbated, as not only are the residues of the mixture carried on the mixing claws, but also larger quantities of the mixture are moved towards the loading-unloading opening. The mixture falls out of the container, often onto the separating device, jamming the device and changing the composition of the mixture.

[0008] Therefore, there has been a need to develop a solution that would enable increasing the amount of mixture mixed in the technological mixture container above said 50% and preventing the mixture from falling out of the container during operation.

[0009] The object of this invention is to stop the batch from falling out during mixing with both a smaller load and a load exceeding 50%, thereby increasing the efficiency of the mixture preparation device with the same container volume.

[0010] This object is achieved by using a movable partition between the ingredient separating device and the interior of the mixture container, which closes when the separating device lifts the ingredients.Furthermore, it was also surprisingly found that equipping the vehicle for preparing a technological mixture did not solve the problem of the technological mixture sliding off the blades of the mixing device and falling out of the container, as well as onto the structure of the separating device during the mixing process. This object was achieved by providing the separating device structure with a flexible shelf.

[0011] The subject of the invention is a vehicle for preparing a technological mixture, comprising a technological mixture container with a mixture mixing device, which container has, in its front part, a loading-unloading opening, a separating device structure, a control unit, characterized in that between the technological mixture container with the mixing device and the structure of the device separating technological mixture ingredients it comprises a movable partition.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable partition is movable between a closed and an open position.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable partition is mechanically connected to the separating device structure in a manner that causes it to move together with the separating device.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable partition has a shape adapted to the peripheral wall of the container and a width corresponding to the distance between the side walls of the container.

[0015] In a different preferred embodiment of the invention, the technological mixture container is mounted on weighing sensors configured to determine the weight of the technological mixture in the container in real time.

[0016] The second subject of the invention is a vehicle for preparing technological mixtures, comprising a technological mixture container with a mixture mixing device, which container has, in its front part, a loading-unloading opening, a separating device structure, a control unit, characterized in that between the technological mixture container with the mixing device and the structure of the device separating technological mixture ingredients it comprises a movable partition and thestructure of the device separating the mixture ingredients comprises a flexible shelf located at the loading-unloading opening and extending between the side walls of the container.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible shelf extends between the side walls of the mixture container.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible shelf is mounted to mounting points located on the structure of the separating device by means of a shelf mounting element.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the shelf is rotatably mounted to the mounting points by means of a flexible shelf mounting element.

[0020] In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible shelf is made of flexible material or as a rigid element mounted on springs to ensure bending of the shelf.

[0021] The preferably flexible shelf is divided into at least two parts.

[0022] In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure of the device separating mixture ingredients extracts the ingredients of the technological mixture from top to bottom or from bottom to top, wherein the position of the partition and the flexible shelf is adjusted relative to the structure of the device separating mixture ingredients in order to optimize the loading of the ingredients of the technological mixture and its mixing.

[0023] In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the partition and the flexible shelf are operatively connected to a vehicle control unit, which controls their position in order to adjust its position relative to the structure of the device separating mixture ingredients in order to optimize the loading of the ingredients of the technological mixture and its mixing.

[0024] Preferably, the structure of the device separating mixture ingredients comprises a cover of the separating device.

[0025] Preferably, the mixture container is mounted on sensors determining the weight of the technological mixture in the container in real time.When the separating device is in the lower position, the movable partition is retracted below the bottom of the mixture container. Thanks to this position, the separating device, e.g., in the form of a rotary milling cutter or a scooping blade, does not have to overcome the height barrier in order to load ingredients above a high loading threshold. This solution works perfectly during the extraction of ingredients with the separating device from the lower position on the floor of the separating device by moving the ingredient separating device upwards, when the amount of mixture in the mixture container, during the lifting of the separating device, increases with the extraction of ingredients during the upward movement. Together with the upward movement of the separating device, the movable partition is also lifted, increasing the effective capacity of the mixture container.

[0026] There is a second method of extracting the ingredients, which is to move the separating device from the top position downwards. In this case, as the amount of feed in the mixing container increases, the movable partition is lowered together with the separating device, reducing the effective capacity of the mixing bin; in this case, the mixture in the container falling from top to bottom and carried on the mixing arms, falls out of the container through the loading opening. To prevent the mixture from falling out in this operation variant, a flexible shelf has been used above the inlet opening of the bin. The feed falling from above lands on said shelf (Fig. 2), and under the weight of the falling feed, the shelf bends and the feed falls down, passing the loading opening. An additional advantage of designing the shelf as a flexible element is that it does not interfere with the mixing blades. Upon contact with the claw of the mixing device, the shelf bends without causing a collision; additionally, the claw of the mixing device 9 removes any residue of the mixture from the shelf, which is highly preferable, as they do not remain on the shelf and are mixed with other ingredients. For the duration of contact between the claw and the shelf, when the shelf is bent downwards, although the loading opening is reduced, this solution allows for additional loading of the container when the separating device is in the lower position, even when the container is almost full. It is preferable to divide the shelf into at least two parts if the mixing blades are half the width of the basket. In this case, one part of the loading opening is always open, allowing for continuous loading of material. A preferable solution is a movable rotation point for the shelf, so that the position of the shelf may be adjusted using an additionalmechanism. This takes place when, for example, there is a need to completely close the loading opening when the mixture preparation device is moving, so as not to litter the surrounding area. In a preferred embodiment, the shelf may be constructed as a rigid element on a spring suspension.

[0027] In the embodiments presented below, the device separating ingredients of the mixture being prepared is made as a rotary milling cutter. In a preferred embodiment, the separating device may be made as a blade that scoops the ingredients of the technological mixture through the opening into the mixture container.

[0028] Embodiments for carrying out the invention have been illustrated in the figures, where:

[0029] Fig. la shows a cross-section of the mixture preparation device with the partition lowered, Fig. lb shows a cross-section of the mixture preparation device with the partition lifted, Fig. 2a shows a cross-section of the mixture preparation device with the shelf,

[0030] Fig. 2b shows a cross-section of the mixture preparation device with the shelf, with the loadingunloading opening closed,

[0031] Fig. 3. Projection view of the vehicle with the shelf visible.

[0032] Example 1. A technological mixture preparation device with a retractable partition

[0033] The structure of the autonomous technological mixture preparation device is shown in Fig. 1. The structure of the autonomous vehicle is based on the structure of the device from the Polish patent application P.451015. The structure of the autonomous mixture preparation device may also be based on the structure described in application P.447024.

[0034] Fig. la shows a side view of the vehicle 1 according to the invention, presenting its left side. Feed container 2 is mounted on wheels 7 and 8. Wheels 7, 8, in this case, may be driven by motors, such as electric motors. The container 2 comprises a mixing device 9 for mixing the mixture 11 in the form of mixing blades. The mixture mixing device 9 in the container 2 may have a structure according to patent application P.451015 or P.447024, or another one comprising a rotating shaft extending from at least one wall of the container 2. In the following part of the specification, the invention will be described by way of example of the structure according to the description ofthe autonomous vehicle structure disclosed in patent application P.451015. However, a person skilled in the art, due to significant similarities, will have no major problems applying the following improvements to the structure of the device described in application P.447024.

[0035] Figures la-lb. show the device 1 for preparing the mixture 11 to illustrate the subject of the invention. In the front part of the feed container 2 there is a loading-unloading opening 2a and a structure of a device 5 for separating ingredients from a pile. The front part of the mixture container 2 comprises a movable partition 3.

[0036] During the lifting of the ingredient separating device 5 structure, the movable partition 3 is lifted together with the device 5 structure. It is made in the form of sheet metal in a shape similar to a circle, which corresponds to the circumferential shape of the wall of the container 2, and its width is determined by the distance between the side walls of the feed container 2. The partition 3, during the lifting of the ingredient separating device 5 structure, is extended upwards, and during lowering, it is retracted under the bottom of the mixture container 2. The partition 3 may be permanently connected to the ingredient separating device 5 structure, and be lifted together with it by means of devices 6, as in solutions described in patent applications P. 451015 or P.447024, or it may be an independent element and extend by means of additional devices, e.g., piston or hydraulic actuators, or other mechanisms known from the prior art not described in the application. The positioning of the partition 3 may be determined by the vehicle control unit. Extending the partition 3 prevents the mixture 11 in the container 2 from falling out. Such a solution increases the efficiency of the entire device, as the effective volume of the mixture container 2 increases from being approx. 50% to approx. 90% full. Such a solution allows for loading a larger batch of the mixture for single preparation.

[0037] Example 2. A technological mixture preparation device with a retractable partition and a shelf The general structure of the feed preparation device in this embodiment does not differ from the structure described in Example 1. The general structure should be understood as a mixture container 2 mounted on wheels and, in a preferred variant, additionally through a frame. The differences between Example 1 and the present one will be presented below.The structure of the autonomous feed preparation vehicle according to this embodiment has been illustrated in Figures 2a-2b. In the feed preparation device 1, a shelf 4 is additionally used, besides the movable partition 3. The shelf 4 is made of flexible material, such as flexible plate of rubber, plastic, or resilient metal alloys. It has the form of at least one plate and is mounted at mounting points 4a located on the ingredient separating device 5 structure. The shelf 4 moves together with the separating device 5 structure and faces the interior of the container 2. Furthermore, a cover for the separating device 10 is preferably permanently installed on the separating device 5 structure, which moves together with the device 5 structure and prevents the feed from falling out of the container 2. The cover 10 may be made of a metal plate formed to match the shape of the mixture container 2.

[0038] The advantage of the flexible shelf 4 is that it remains situated in a horizontal position when it is not in contact with the claws of the mixing device 9 (Fig. 2a). The elements forming the shelf 4 are attached to a metal rod 4b with a length similar to the width of the shelf. This rod 4b may be divided into at least two independently moving elements if the shelf 4 consists of more than one segment. Upon contact with the blades of the mixing device 9, the shelf 4 bends without disrupting the operation of the mixing device 9, and after the blades of the mixing device 9 have passed, it returns to its horizontal position, preventing the mixture in the container 2 from falling out through the loading-unloading opening 2a.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the shelf 4 may be made of fragments, e.g., in the form of rods or said flat plates, of any resilient material, arranged in such a way as to prevent the mixture from falling out of the container 2. In Fig. 3, the shelf 4 is shown in a plate form divided into smaller parts. It, i.e. the shelf 4, may also be rotatably mounted at the mounting point 4a. The mounting rod 4b may be set in rotational movement by means of a mechanism such as a motor with a gearbox, a piston or electric actuator via a lever. The rotation function of the shelf 4 allows for adjusting its angle of inclination relative to the axis of the separating device 5 by means of the vehicle control unit. The key advantage of this solution is the possibility to close the loadingunloading opening 2a, e.g. during travel of the device 1, as shown in Figure 2b.This solution is particularly useful during extraction of mixture 11 ingredients into the container 2, when the separating device 5 structure moves from top to bottom. As the amount of mixture 11 in the mixing container 2 increases, the movable partition 3 moves together with the separating device 5 structure, reducing the effective volume in the container 2. In this variant, the mixture 11 falls from top to bottom and could fall out through the loading-unloading opening 2a, which is prevented by the flexible shelf 4.

[0040] The shelf 4 should extend across the entire width of the loading-unloading opening 2a, between the side walls of the container 2. The mixture 11, falling from the top, lands on the shelf 4 (Fig.

[0041] 2a), which bends under its weight, allowing the feed to fall down but without falling out through the loading-unloading opening 2a. Thanks to the flexible structure, the shelf 4 does not interfere with the blades of the mixing device 9, as it bends upon contact.

[0042] Upon contact between the blades of the mixing device 9 and the shelf 4, the loading opening 2a is gradually closed by the shelf, which is pressed down by the mixing blades. This process continues when the blade is opposite the loading-unloading window. After it passes, the opening opens again, allowing further loading of the container 2 with mixture ingredients, even when it is already more than 50% full and the separating device 5 is operating in the lower position. Thanks to this, additional ingredients may be added to the mixture without disrupting the mixing process.

[0043] It is preferable for the shelf 4 to be divided into at least two parts (Fig. 3), in particular if the blades of the mixing device 9 are half the width of the bin. In such a case, one part of the loading opening 2a remains open, which allows for continuous loading of mixture ingredients. It is recommended to mount the shelf 4 rotatably at the mounting point 4a so that its position may be adjusted using the mechanism described in Example 2. Such a solution allows the loading opening 2a to be completely closed during the transport of the device, preventing the feed from falling out.

[0044] To prevent the shelf 4 from interfering with the rotating mixing device 9, it is preferable to manufacture it from a rubber mat or other flexible materials that bend upon contact with themixing elements. In another embodiment, the shelf 4 may be a rigid element mounted on springs or made in the form of spring wires, which bend under pressure.

[0045] Designations:

[0046] 1. an autonomous technological mixture preparation device,

[0047] 2. technological mixture container,

[0048] 3. movable partition,

[0049] 4. shelf,

[0050] 4a. rotation / mounting point of the shelf,

[0051] 4b. shelf rod,

[0052] 5. device separating ingredients of the technological mixture,

[0053] 6. device moving the separating device structure,

[0054] 7. wheel of the autonomous device,

[0055] 8. wheel of the autonomous device,

[0056] 9. mixing device,

[0057] 10. a cover installed on the structure of the device separating mixture ingredients,

[0058] 11. technological mixture,

[0059] 12. ingredients of the technological mixture.

Claims

Claims1. A technological mixture preparation vehicle, comprising a technological mixture container with a mixture mixing device, which container has, in its front part, a loadingunloading opening, a separating device structure, a control unit, characterized in that between the technological mixture container (2) with the mixing device (9) and the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients it comprises a movable partition (3).

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable partition (3) is movable between a closed and an open position.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the movable partition (3) is mechanically connected to the separating device (5) structure in a manner that causes it to move together with the separating device (5).

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the movable partition (3) has a shape adapted to the peripheral wall of the container (2) and a width corresponding to the distance between the side walls of the container (2).

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the technological mixture container (2) is mounted on weighing sensors configured to determine the weight of the technological mixture in the container (2) in real time.

6. A vehicle for preparing technological mixtures, comprising a technological mixture container with a mixture mixing device, which container has, in its front part, a loadingunloading opening, a separating device structure, a control unit, characterized in that between the technological mixture container (2) with the mixing device (9) and the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients it comprises a movable partition (3) and the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients comprises a flexible shelf (4) located at the loading-unloading opening (2a) and extending between the side walls of the container (2).

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the flexible shelf (4) extends between the side walls of the container (2).

8. The vehicle according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the flexible shelf (4) is mounted to mounting points (4a) located on the separating device (5) structure by means of a mounting element (4b) of the flexible shelf (4).

9. The vehicle according to claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the flexible shelf (4) is rotatably mounted to mounting points (4a) by means of a mounting element (4b) of the shelf (4).

10. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the flexible shelf (4) is made of flexible material or as a rigid element mounted on springs to ensure bending of the shelf (4).

11. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the flexible shelf (4) is divided into at least two parts.

12. The vehicle according to any of claim 6 to 11, characterized in that the device (5) separating mixture ingredients extracts the ingredients of the technological mixture from top to bottom or from bottom to top, wherein the position of the partition (3) and the flexible shelf (4) is adjusted relative to the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients in order to optimize the loading of the ingredients of the technological mixture and its mixing.

13. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 or 12, characterized in that the partition (3) and the flexible shelf (4) are operatively connected to a vehicle control unit, which controls their position in order to adjust its position relative to the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients in order to optimize the loading of the ingredients of the technological mixture and its mixing.

14. The vehicle according to any of claim 6 to 13, characterized in that the structure of the device (5) separating mixture ingredients comprises a cover of the separating device (10).

15. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the container (2) is mounted on weighing sensors determining the weight of the technological mixture in the container (2) in real time.

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