FR2782239A1 - Hopper for distributing animal provisions, consists of hopper with means of ejecting food and fitted with scraper to distribute products over ground - Google Patents

Abstract

The food distribution hopper is fitted with the means of ejection (1) of the products. The hopper is fitted with at least a scraper (2), which pushes the product along the ground as the hopper advances.

Description

Integrated scraper bucket for the distribution of products intended

to breeding.

  The invention relates to the field of agriculture.

  More specifically, the invention relates to the field of the manufacture of skips used in livestock farming to distribute feed to animals. This type of device is mainly used to treat food intended for livestock, such as in particular silage or fodder, in the compact form of boots or bales, for chopping it into small pieces which can be easily ingested by animals and then distribute it in appropriate quantities in the troughs provided for this purpose or, more often,

  directly on the ground so that it can be easily consumed by animals.

  These devices can also be conventionally used to distribute other types of products than animal feed, such as for example

straw at the feet of animals.

  This type of bucket, conventionally called "straw-silter-

  mixer ", is of great interest, especially in large farms since it reduces the preparation and distribution times of

food rations.

  Dumpsters of this type are described in FR2753045 and FR2760017 in the name of the Applicant as well as in EP120574 which describe dumpsters including a curved ejection chute in the form of a swan neck allowing the product to be distributed outside the grab. The ejection means used to distribute the products contained in the bucket outside of the latter can however be

  present in other form than a chute.

  Once the food is distributed, the animals tend to scatter part of this food when they are out of their reach. Indeed, these animals are generally retained in stalls by restraint devices such as for example comrnadis for cattle. In order not to waste food, it is necessary to bring the scattered food close to the animals so that they can consume it. Such an operation can be carried out manually using a suitable tool such as a shovel. This operation is then long and tedious. It can also be done using a scraper mounted on a tractor that scrapes the ground and pushes the food product there towards animals. It is therefore advisable to proceed in two stages, a first stage during which the feed distribution bucket is used and a second stage during which the tractor fitted with the scraper is driven. Such an action in

  two stroke decreases productivity.

  The objective of the present invention is to propose a device which makes it possible to simplify the operation consisting in bringing back the food scattered by the

animals to them.

  In particular, an objective of the invention is to propose a device which makes it possible to optimize such an operation with the actual distribution operation. In particular, an objective of the present invention is to describe such a

  device that saves farmers time.

  Another objective of the present invention is to disclose such a device

  which can be easily implemented.

  These various objectives are achieved thanks to the invention which relates to a bucket for the distribution of products intended for farming of the type having means for ejecting said product outside of said bucket, characterized in that it has at least one scraper intended to repel said product located at the

  ground during the advancement of said bucket.

  The present invention therefore proposes a new device which, to its knowledge had never been proposed in the state of the art, despite the fact that the silage-spreaders-mixers constitute a relatively old material. In an original way, the present invention therefore proposes to couple a bucket for the distribution of products intended for breeding (mainly food products, but which can also consist of other products such as straw) and at least one scraper. allowing the said product to be folded down towards the animals when the grab advances. Such a device allows the farmer to save precious time since it is no longer necessary to devote specific time to the operation of bringing the scattered product to the animals, either manually or using a tractor fitted with a scraper.

  It could be envisaged to fix said scraper in different places of the bucket.

  However, according to a preferred variant of the invention, said scraper is positioned

  at one of the front corners of said bucket.

  Note that we can also consider making said scraper according to several embodiments. However, according to a preferred variant, this scraper has an upper steel part and a thick lower flap made of flexible material. Such a lower flap is in contact with the ground and its flexibility can allow it to retract if it encounters an obstacle too heavy to move, such as for example a stone. The thickness of the flap will be chosen so as to allow it to retract only when it encounters rigid elements but not when it encounters the agricultural product to be repelled towards the animals. In practice, depending on the materials chosen to constitute it,

  the thickness of the flap in question will generally be a few centimeters.

  According to an advantageous variant of the invention, said lower flap is

made of rubber.

  Preferably, the rigid steel upper part of the scraper has

  meanwhile, a thickness of between 5 and 10 mm.

  Also according to a preferred variant of the invention, the bucket in question also includes means for tilting said scraper with respect to the longitudinal axis of said bucket. The longitudinal axis of the scraper can thus form with the longitudinal axis of the bucket, a variable angle which can in practice be

  preferably between 90 o and 135.

  Also advantageously, the grab according to the invention can also

  include means for lifting said scraper.

  According to the embodiments, the means of tilting and lifting the scraper mentioned in the preceding paragraphs can be actuated manually. However, according to a preferred variant of the invention, the bucket includes automatic means for controlling said tilting means and / or

lifting of said scraper.

  The dimensions of the scraper may vary depending in particular on the nature of the product distributed and the nature of the animals to which the product is distributed. In general, the height of the scraper can be arbitrary. Her

  width will preferably be between 60 cm and 1.20 m.

  Finally, in order to facilitate its function, it will be noted that said scraper equipping the

  grab according to the invention will advantageously be curved.

  The invention, as well as the various advantages which it presents, will be more

  easily understood thanks to the following description of an embodiment

  non-limiting thereof with reference to the single appended figure which represents a

  perspective view of such a device.

  As can be seen in the figure, the embodiment of the invention presented here consists of a bucket for the distribution of products intended for

  breeding including means 1 for ejecting this product outside the bucket.

  In the context of this embodiment, these ejection means include a chute but they could be in other forms in other modes

for carrying out the invention.

  These ejection means are provided at the rear of the bucket and make it possible to distribute the food product on the side thereof on the ground in the immediate vicinity of the animals (generally contented) so that they can easily consume this product . Since the product in question is generally in the form of a dry chopped product, such as silage or fodder, it is generally light and therefore easy to disperse. When eating, animals involuntarily repel part of the food that ends up

then out of their reach.

  Thanks to the scraper 2 provided at the front of the bucket (it could be provided in another position in other embodiments), it is possible to push towards the animals the scattered food distributed during a previous passage of the grab. The passage of the bucket thus makes it possible to cumulate the distribution of fresh food and to represent the scattered food not consumed coming from the previous distribution. The device proposed by the invention can therefore save

  considerable time to the farmer.

  The scraper 2 used in the present embodiment comprises an upper curved steel part having a thickness of 8 mm and a thick lower rubber flap 2a secured to said upper part. The scraper

  has a height of 40 cm and a width of about 1 m.

  The device is provided with means making it possible to vary the inclination of the scraper 2 and to raise it. These means include a set of double rods 3 forming a parallelogram which can be actuated by means of automatic control including a set of jacks (not shown). They are thus able to raise the scrapers if necessary and to adapt their positioning as required. The tilting means make it possible to vary the angle ax between the longitudinal axis X of the bucket and the longitudinal axis Y of the scraper 2. In the context of the present embodiment, this angle can thus vary from 100 to 120 about. The embodiment of the invention described here is not intended to reduce the scope thereof. Many modifications can therefore be made without departing from its scope. In this regard, it will be noted in particular that the bucket may have means for ejecting the product having an architecture different from that shown, that the scraper may be positioned at another location in the bucket and

  that it may have a different shape and dimensions.

Claims (10)

  1. Bucket for the distribution of products intended for farming of the type having means for ejecting (1) said product outside of said bucket, characterized in that it has at least one scraper (2) intended for repel said product lying on the ground during the advancement of said bucket. 2. A bucket according to claim 1 characterized in that said scraper is   positioned at one of the front corners of said bucket.   3. Skip according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that   that said scraper (2) has an upper part (2a) of steel and a flap   thick lower (2b) made of flexible material.   4. Skip according to claim 3 characterized in that said lower flap (2b) is made of rubber.   5. Skip according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said part   upper (2a) has a thickness between 5 and 10 mm.   6. A bucket according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that   that it includes means for tilting (3) said scraper with respect to the axis longitudinal (X) of said bucket.   7. A bucket according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that   that it includes means for lifting said scraper (2).   8. A bucket according to any one of claims 6 or 7 characterized in that   that it includes automatic means for controlling said tilting means   (3) and / or lifting of said scraper (2).   9. A bucket according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that   said scraper (2) has a width of between 60 cm and 1.20 m.   10. Skip according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that said scraper (2) is curved.