Knight Manufacturing Corp

William M Saunders

Ric S Joranlien

Stanley W Knight

William S Knight

A spreader apparatus is disclosed for spreading manure. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the manure. The container also defines an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the manure. A rotatable feed auger is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the manure through the container. The feed auger has an axis of rotation which extends through the container. A rotatable discharge auger is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed auger for moving the manure towards the outlet. The discharge auger has a further axis of rotation which is disposed spaced and parallel to and laterally below the axis of rotation of the feed auger. The arrangement is such that when the feed auger and the discharge auger are rotating, the manure is fed by the feed auger from the feed auger to the discharge auger even when the level of the manure drops below the level of the discharge auger so that all of the manure within the container is fed at a substantially constant rate towards the outlet. The spreader apparatus also includes an expeller for expelling the manure through the outlet.

Spreader apparatus for spreading manure

A mixer apparatus is disclosed for mixing materials. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the materials. The container also defines an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the materials. A rotatable feed auger is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the materials through the container. The feed auger has an axis of rotation which extends through the container. A rotatable mixing auger is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed auger for mixing the materials within the container. The mixing auger has a further axis of rotation which extends through the container. The further axis of rotation is disposed spaced and parallel relative to the axis of rotation of the feed auger. The container also includes a base which has a first portion which co-operates with the feed auger and a second portion which co-operates with the mixing auger. The second portion is disposed at a lower elevation relative to the first portion. The arrangement is such that when the feed auger and the mixing auger are rotating, all the materials within the container are fed at a substantially constant flow rate within the container.

Mixing apparatus for mixing materials

A spreader apparatus is disclosed for spreading manure. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the manure. The container has a first and a second end zone with the first end zone defining an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the manure. A rotatable feed device is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the manure through the container. The feed device has an axis of rotation which extends through the end zones of the container. A rotatable discharge device is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed device for moving the manure towards the outlet. The discharge device has a further axis of rotation which is disposed spaced and parallel to and laterally below the axis of rotation of the feed device. The arrangement is such that when the feed and discharge devices are rotating, all of the manure within the container is fed at a substantially constant rate towards the outlet.

An improved auger is used for conveying flowable materials, such as liquid and semi-solid manure, through a bed of a container such as a manure spreader and out through a discharge opening. The auger has a shaft with a back end and a front end, a continuous blade, and paddles for discharging the manure. The continuous blade extends radially outwardly from the shaft and includes helical portions and at least one plate portion which is substantially perpendicular to an axis of the auger. The plate portions extend between the helical portions of the blade to make the blade substantially continuous. The rotation of the auger causes helical portions of the blade to accelerate the manure in a direction of the front end wall and causes the plate portions to slow the movement of manure so that the rate of flow of manure is controlled and boiling action of manure against the front end wall of the container is inhibited. Additionally, the rotation causes the plate portions to create turbulence within the manure as it contacts the plates to disrupt bridging of manure over the auger.

Growing community of inventors

Brodhead, WI, United States of America

William M Saunders