초록 ▼

A material spreader comprising a mobile tank for receiving and discharging waste material, such as manure. The spreader includes a conveying assembly comprising one or more augers rotatably mounted in the tank for conveying material received in the tank to a discharge area. An opening in the vicinit

A material spreader comprising a mobile tank for receiving and discharging waste material, such as manure. The spreader includes a conveying assembly comprising one or more augers rotatably mounted in the tank for conveying material received in the tank to a discharge area. An opening in the vicinity of the discharge area permits material to be dispensed to a slinger assembly mounted outside the tank adjacent the opening. Material is distributed by the slinger in a controlled pattern as the tank is transported over a field. A control system is provided for selectively controlling the rate and pattern of the material being distributed, based on characteristics of the material. A field is divided into cells and data relating to the nutrient demand of each cell is collected and stored in tables in a memory. A GPS receiver detects the location of the spreader as it moves over a field. Nutrient demand data, specific to the cell in which the spreader is located, is the read from the memory to control the rate at which nutrient material is dispersed from the spreader.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:] [1.] In a nutrient material spreader comprising a main frame supported on ground engaging wheels, a tank mounted on said frame for receiving material to be distributed, a conveyor, a conveyor drive motor for driving the conveyor so that the

[ Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:] [1.] In a nutrient material spreader comprising a main frame supported on ground engaging wheels, a tank mounted on said frame for receiving material to be distributed, a conveyor, a conveyor drive motor for driving the conveyor so that the conveyor conveys material received in said tank to a discharge area, an opening in said tank in the vicinity of said discharge area, and at least one slinger driven by a slinger motor and mounted outside said tank for receiving material discharged through said opening and dispersing the material on a field as the tank is transported over the field, the improvement comprising:a control system responsive to a nutrient demand signal for controlling the speed of the auger drive motor so that nutrient material is conveyed to said opening at a rate such that a desired weight of nutrient material per unit area of the field, as specified by said nutrient demand signal, is dispersed on the field;said control system having sensing means producing feedback signals and circuit means for determining, from the feedback signals and said nutrient demand signal, the difference between the desired weight and the actual weight of nutrient material per unit area being dispersed, said circuit means producing an error signal for changing the speed of the auger drive motor to reduce said difference.