Abstract: A centrifugal pump driven by a tractor draws material, as liquid manure, through a suction hose and discharges the material into one of two discharge hoses. A first discharge hose directs the material back into the source of material to agitate and mix the material. The second discharge hose is used to deliver material from the pump to a transport tank spreader. The pump has a housing rotatably supporting an impeller. A cone-shaped member connects the inlet side of the housing to the suction hose. The inlet end of the suction hose has a one-way door valve which allows the material to move into the suction hose and restricts reverse movement out of the suction hose. The inlet end of the suction hose has an exit opening closed with a movable cover. The cover can be moved to an open position so that material in the suction hose can drain back into the holding area. A primer pump mounted on the housing is operable to prime the pump with fluid.

Abstract: A vane air pump is used to selectively supply air under pressure to a tank or evacuate air from the tank. A control valve mounted on the pump has a housing with an air inlet area and an air outlet area. A spool rotatable in the housing to a first position connects the pump and valve passages to supply air under pressure to the tank and a second position connects the pump and valve passages to evacuate air from the tank. A lubricating apparatus having a reservoir for storing oil is connected to the air inlet area of the control valve to draw oil into the control valve and the pump to lubricate the spool of the control valve and bearings and vanes of the pump. An adjustable metering valve controls the flow of oil into the control valve and pump.

Abstract: A hay stacking machine having a platform for supporting a stack of hay. A radial trough extends from the center to the outer peripheral edge of the platform for accommodating hay being transported to it from a rake pickup. The trough includes a longitudinally extending side wall and a bottom wall which extends laterally to merge with the platform top surface. The bottom wall merges at its forward inner end with a portion of the bottom wall extending upwardly to merge with the platform surface. A portion of the platform surface extends over the vertical wall of the trough and over reciprocating out of phase feed teeth in the bottom wall and vertical wall of the trough. An annular frame extends around the platform and rotates relative thereto. A plurality of upright posts are attached to the annular frame. Compression arms extending to the center of the platform are pivoted on the posts and engage hay located on the platform.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendantly supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with an automatic leveling and drive structure. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The leveling and drive structure mounted on the outer end of the collector has leading and trailing drive wheels connected with adjustable mounts to a leveling apparatus. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to the power transmission for the augers of the collector. The leveling apparatus has a base secured to the collector. Supports pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the base are attached to the mounts for the wheels. A linear actuator connected to the supports operates to concurrently pivot the supports in opposite directions so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position.

Abstract: A hay stacking machine having a platform for supporting a stack of hay. The platform has a trough extended from its center to the outer peripheral edge for accommodating hay. A hay feeding mechanism having reciprocating teeth operates to move hay from the outer edge of the platform generally toward the center thereof. One embodiment of the machine has a movable elevator member located in the center of the platform operable to move hay upwardly to build the center of the stack. An annular cage extends around the platform and rotates relative thereto. The cage has a plurality of upright posts carrying compression arms which extend toward the center of the platform. The pressure arms move with the cage and engage the hay located on the platform to sweep it along the platform top surface causing a stack of hay to form from the bottom up. The unloading of the hay stack from the platform is accomplished by opening gate sections of the cage and tipping the platform rearwardly and downwardly.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader equipped with a lift attachment connected to a lifting cable used to raise and lower the silo unloader in a tower silo. The lift attachment has an elongated body releasably connected at one end to the impeller housing of the unloader. A pair of downwardly and outwardly directed legs are secured to the opposite end of the body. The lower ends of the legs are attached to the frame members of the collector of the silo unloader. A sleeve slidably mounted on the body is connected to the lifting cable. Releasable lock members on the sleeve operate to fix the position of the sleeve on the body to control the angular position of the unloader carried by the lifting cable.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreading apparatus having a tank and a pump selectively operable to evacuate air from within the tank or supply air to the tank. A safety shut off valve located in the tank having a ball and an elongated float confined in a cage is operable to block the evacuation of air from the tank when the tank is full of liquid manure. A control valve mounted on the pump has a single spool selectively moveable with a handle to an air evacuating position and an air supplying position. A single air line is connected to the valve and tank.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreading apparatus having a tank and a pump selectively operable to evacuate air from within the tank or supply air to the tank. A safety shut off valve located in the tank having a ball and an elongated float confined in a cage is operable to block the evacuation of air from the tank when the tank is full of liquid manure. A control valve mounted on the pump has a single spool selectively moveable with a handle to an air evacuating position and an air supplying position. A single air line is connected to the valve and tank.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreading apparatus having a tank and a pump selectively operable to evacuate air from within the tank or supply air to the tank. A safety shut off valve located in the tank having a ball and an elongated float confined in a cage is operable to block the evacuation of air from the tank when the tank is full of liquid manure. A control valve mounted on the pump has a single spool selectively moveable with a handle to an air evacuating position and an air supplying position. A single air line is connected to the valve and tank.

Abstract: An endless single chain conveyor for moving bulk material to separate selective locations. The conveyor has a dropout section including a sliding door movable to an open position to allow material to drop from the conveyor intermediate the ends of the conveyor. Shaker structure movable to an operable position when the door is in its open position has a roller engageable with the chain of the conveyor so that the chain repetitively moves up and down as it rides over the roller so that the material carried by the conveyor will fall through the discharge opening of the dropout section of the conveyor.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreader having a tank for carrying liquid manure. An auger assembly driven by a power takeoff from a tractor delivers the manure to a pump mounted on the back of the tank. The pump discharges the material through a spreading structure. A valve operated by a hydraulic cylinder controls the flow of manure from the pump to the spreading structure. The spreading structure has a horizontal plate that directs the material in a wide, relatively low spread pattern onto the ground. The tank has a fill hole equipped with a safety grid assembly.

Abstract: An open top box having a chamber for carrying particulate materials. An open grid covers the top of the box. A tongue and wheel assembly is removably connected to the base frame of the box. A plurality of augers removably located in the chamber rotate to mix and blend the materials in the chamber. Power transmitting structure mounted on the back of the box operates to rotate the augers. A material discharge conveyor attached to the side of the box operates to laterally discharge the mixed materials to a desired location.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreader having a tank for carrying liquid manure. An auger assembly driven by a power take-off from a tractor extends longitudinally along the bottom of the tank and delivers liquid manure to an impeller mounted on the back wall of the tank. The center section of the auger assembly is carried by a bearing mounted on the transverse baffle. The impeller discharges the liquid manure under pressure through a valve to a spreader structure. The spreader structure has a generally horizontal spreader plate which directs the liquid manure in a wide, relatively low spread pattern. A gate adjustably mounted on the spreader structure varies the density of the manure in the spread pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for discharging material, as feed, to a location having a plurality of end-to-end pan sections. An elongated belt slidably located on the upper surfaces of the pan sections is moved to carry material to the location. The pan sections have adjacent ends. A transverse member located between and mounted on each adjacent end of the pan sections elevates portions of the belt from the upper surfaces of the pan sections. A power sweep operates to move material from the belt to the desired location.

Abstract: An implement for dispensing liquid and liquid-like materials, as liquid manure and the like, into and below the surface of the soil. The implement has a transverse hollow bar supporting a plurality of earthworking tools. Lift arms controlled with hydraulic cylinders connect the tool bar to a vehicle carrying the material. The vehicle delivers the material through a hose to the hollow tool bar. Separate hoses connected to the tool bar and to nozzles attached to the earthworking tools carry the material from the tool bar to the nozzles for discharge below the surface of the soil behind the earthworking tools.

Abstract: A portable tiltable platform includes a trough extending to the peripheral edge for communication with hay being transported to it from a rake pickup which feeds it to an auger and in turn to a compressing roller and then into the inlet end of the trough at the peripheral edge of the platform when the platform is in the horizontal transport position. The trough includes a longitudinally extending side wall and a bottom wall which extends laterally to merge with the platform top surface. The bottom wall merges at its forward inner end with a portion extending upwardly to merge with the platform surface. A portion of the platform surface extends over the vertical wall of the trough and over reciprocating out of phase feed teeth in the bottom wall and vertical wall of the trough. An annular frame extends around the platform and rotates relative thereto. A plurality of posts are provided which have compression arms extending to the center of the platform which receives hay from the outlet end of the trough.