Abstract: Apparatus for mixing and dispensing feed material particularly for cattle comprises a cylindrical drum which has an inlet in the form of a longitudinal slot along part of the length of the drum which is closable by doors pivoted on the drum. An outlet is formed by a plurality of openings arranged around the drum at a portion thereof spaced from the inlet opening. A sleeve around the drum can be moved to open and close the outlet openings. A belt wrapped around the drum catches material discharged from the drum and feeds is out to one side of the drum. The drum can be mounted upon a vehicle for transportation along a line of receptacles so that rotation of the drum discharges material into the receptacles. The drum is free from inner moving parts or bearings which contact the feed material.

Abstract: The feed mixing device of the present invention includes a sub-frame, a frame suspended on the sub-frame, and a polygonally-shaped drum rotatably mounted on the frame. A drive system is provided for rotating the drum and an auger assembly axially mounted within the drum. A hopper introduces feed into the drum while an adjustable discharge opening adjacent the end of the auger permits selective removal of feed from the drum. A plurality of rows of elongated mixing paddles are secured to the interior of the side wall of the drum such that the longitudinal axis of the paddles are angularly disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the drum. The paddles within each row are staggered with respect to the paddles in adjacent rows. Convex, channel-shaped scoop blades are mounted to the rear wall of the drum and carry mixed feed to the auger as the drum rotates. A strain gauge is operatively connected to the suspended frame for sensing the displacement of the frame in response to loading of the drum.

Abstract: A shipping drum containing liquid poloxalene is supported in tilted orientation on a platform scale, and a spigot at the lower end of the drum is operable to cause the poloxalene to flow through piping means and into a pressure vessel. The platform scale provides indication of the amounts of poloxalane received by the vessel. Subsequently, the vessel is sealed and pressurized to approximately 50-60 psi whereupon a valve is opened so that the poloxalene is directed out of the vessel and into a conduit means. A plurality of discharge orifices disposed in the conduit means overlie a dry feed mixer, and the mixer is operable to constantly agitate a quantity of solid carrier such as a vitamin and mineral supplement or, alternatively, a grain such as cracked corn or milo. The mixer provides relative motion between all of the carrier granules and the discharge orifices so that the poloxalene is evenly distributed over substantially all surfaces of the granules.

Abstract: A hardened animal feed block is formed from dry ingredients including CaO and liquid ingredients including molasses in a continuous flow mixing system under exothermic conditions so as to be discharged at 80.degree. F. to 170.degree. F. and poured into a container for self-setting without compression forces. The calcium oxide need be present only in limited controlled amounts, and the ingredients and process do not require additional water. The finished block provides desired daily annual consumption of the block nutrients, medicaments, and vitamins.

Abstract: This invention relates to a plant for the preparation of floated fodder, i.e. fodder in aqueous suspension made from humid grit or granulate and water with supplementary nutritional components and is based on a gastight high-rise silo comprising a central gravity shaft to which the grit is fed and from which the grit is extracted at the bottom via a conveyor facility. In accordance with the invention, a metering worm or screw opening onto a mixer is joined in gastight manner to the outlet of the bottom silo extractor, a second open mixer receiving supplementary nutritional components from containers which are not necessarily gastight, via individual metering worms or screws being situated in the water supply pipe or in the delivery pipe of the mixer.

Abstract: A feed mixer includes a mixer tank with a bottom wall having two curved wall portions defining the bottom of a large main chamber and smaller auxiliary chamber with an elongated ridge therebetween. A rotor having several elongated rotor bars adjacent the outer periphery is supported in the main chamber for rotation in a direction for movement of the rotor bars across the bottom of the main chamber toward the auxiliary chamber. The auxiliary chamber includes a pair of stacked augers adapted for moving material from one end of the tank to the other in opposite directions. Material is thus continuously cycled from the main chamber into a lower portion of the auxiliary chamber where it is moved toward one end of the mixer, forced upwardly into an upper portion of the auxiliary chamber and then directed toward the opposite end of the tank while spilling back into the main chamber for efficient end-to-end mixing of even long stringy hay material.

Abstract: An agricultural mixing and grinding machine including a plurality of bins respectively adapted to contain different feed material to be ground and/or mixed, a grinding unit mounted adjacent one end of the plurality of bins, and a receiving hopper adjacent the opposite end of the plurality of bins. Each bin having metering auger therein arranged to discharge material from the bins at a common location into a confluence and mixing auger extending longitudinally beneath the bins from the receiving hopper toward the grinding unit and communicating at one end with an elevating auger which transfers the material to an upper distributing auger that extends in one direction along the upper portions of the bins and also in an opposite direction to communicate with the grinding unit.

Abstract: An agricultural feed mixing and blending machine including a plurality of bins for different feed materials, variable speed metering augers in the bottoms of each bin to feed individual materials respectively to a confluence and mixing auger beneath the bins and operable to transfer the mixed material to a grinding unit, the confluence auger being operable when the metering augers are idle, to feed individual materials from an inlet hopper to an elevating auger and an upper transfer auger to deliver different materials respectively to the bins, the upper transfer auger also being reversible to deliver mixed material to the grinding unit, and a discharge auger being operable to receive mixed material and discharge it from the machine.The present invention primarily is concerned with the inclusion of a container for an additive, such as chemicals or medicinal drugs, to the discharge mechanism for the mixed material for blending the additive in a controlled manner.

Abstract: An animal feeder includes a hopper (20) that stores a quantity of pelletized material and is partially closed at the bottom by a restricting plate (40) that has an orifice (38) extending therethrough and offset from the center of the hopper (20). The orifice (38) extends downwardly and rearwardly into an agitation chamber (32). A rotor (34) having paddles (41), (42) and (43) disposed radially outward thereof, is disposed in the bottom of the agitation chamber (32) for rotation about the central axis thereof. An outlet port (46) allows exit of agitated pelletized material from the agitation chamber for dispensing into an eating bowl (16). The paddles (41)-(43) are shaped such that particles of pelletized matter that may be trapped between the lateral edge of the outlet port (46) and the edge of one of the paddles (41)-(43) are forced upwardly and outwardly from the paddle. This results in the pelletized matter either exiting the outlet port (46) or falling back into the agitation chamber (32).

Abstract: An industrial and feed mixing system including a mixing tank being supplied in part by a hammermill. A pair of vertical augers rotatably mounted in the tank convey feed upwardly. A bottom horizontal auger includes inner and outer auger flights of opposite hand that move feed inwardly to the pair of vertical augers. A horizontal agitator agitates feed at its ends and moves feed inwardly toward the pair of vertical augers. A top horizontal auger has top flights of opposite hand that convey feed outwardly from the pair of vertical augers.

Abstract: A feed mixer includes a mixer tank with a bottom wall having two curved wall portions defining the bottom of a large main chamber and smaller auxiliary chamber with an elongated ridge therebetween. A rotor having several elongated rotor bars adjacent the outer periphery is supported in the main chamber for rotation in a direction for movement of the rotor bars across the bottom of the main chamber toward the auxiliary chamber. The auxiliary chamber includes a pair of stacked augers adapted for moving material from one end of the tank to the other in opposite directions. Material is thus continuously cycled from the main chamber into a lower portion of the auxiliary chamber where it is moved toward one end of the mixer, forced upwardly into an upper portion of the auxiliary chamber and then directed toward the opposite end of the tank while spilling back into the main chamber for efficient end-to-end mixing of even long stringy hay material.

Abstract: An automatic animal feeder has a motor driven auger for supplying milk powder from a storage hopper to a mixing vessel. The mixing vessel has outlets for the continuous supply of liquid feed mixture to animal feeding locations. An electrical pump supplies water from a storage tank in the feeder to the mixing vessel. The auger and the pump are connected to an electrical control unit for delivering powder and water to the mixing vesel simultaneously in batches, the batches being automatically timed to provide a required powder to liquid ratio according to the setting of concentration selector switches on the front panel of the feeder. The batches of powder and water are supplied to the mixing vessel together in pairs when the liquid feed mixture is below a level determined by a sensor in the mixing vesel. Calibration of the powder supply is carried out by weighing a sample batch dispensed during a fixed calibration period and setting the measured weight on a calibration dial on the front panel.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing particulate livestock feed with a viscous fluid such as syrup, the apparatus including a drum for receiving feed, "U-shaped mixing blades contained in the drum and mounted on a rotatable shaft for agitating and mixing the feed, a fluid pump for pumping syrup into the mixing drum, an outlet connected to the mixing drum at the end opposite the inlet of the livestock feed to the mixing drum, and an auger conveyer located beneath said outlet for conveying the mixture of feed and fluid to a desired location, the apparatus being inclined at an acute angle with the horizontal to position the outlet of the mixing drum at a height lower than the inlet.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus in which parallel augers are located in a box. The upper mixing augers have specially shaped flighting which provides straight edges linked by corners rather than the conventional helical edge. The lower conveying auger is a helically edged auger with notches at intervals along the edge providing radially oriented surfaces which assist in engaging the material.The flighting of the special straight edged augers is produced from a square blank of sheet metal by pressing it into the spiral configuration required and attaching it to the auger shaft. The complete flighting is made up by several such sections joined end to end.

Abstract: A small batch mixer having a cylindrical mixing drum which defines a closed mixing chamber is provided for the mixing of livestock feeds in a dust-free operation. Materials are loaded into the mixing chamber through an access opening in the sidewall whereas materials are unloaded through a discharge outlet in the end-wall. The drum is supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis and is inclined such that the materials move by gravity from the front portion to the rear portion of the mixing chamber. As the drum is rotated, vanes along its sidewall tumbles the materials about the mixing chamber while an auger disposed along the longitudinal axis of the drum conveys the materials from the rear portion to the front portion of the mixing chamber in thereby achieving a thorough mixing of the materials. The auger is supported at only one end of the mixing drum.

Abstract: A self-propelled mixing and feeding machine on which the operator can ride. The machine comprises a wheeled, steerable chassis having a hopper mounted thereon. The hopper includes a mixing chamber provided with chain driven mixing means for the cattle feed. A discharge chamber is located in the hopper below one area of the mixing chamber. A feature of the machine is the low location of the discharge chamber and its discharge opening whereby the flow of feed is aided by gravity. Another feature resides in the novel means to minimize compacting of the feed in the vicinity of the opening between the mixing and discharge chambers. Still another feature of the machine is a means for quickly and easily replacing a discharge auger of one diameter with an auger of another diameter. When the machine is provided with an electronic scale that gives a digital reading of the weight of the feed in the hopper, another of its features is an independent suspension means for connecting the hopper to the machine chassis.

Abstract: A mixer having an open top mixing box accommodating a pair of lower augers and a pair of upper paddle conveyors drivably connected to the augers. A power box pivotally mounted on one end of the mixing box is drivably connected to the augers with releasable drive connections. The power box is a motor driven power transmission assembly that can be disconnected from the augers and removed from the mixing box. A movable door associated with the bottom of the mixing box is used to selectively open and close a discharge opening allowing mixed and blended material to be discharged into a conveyor.

Abstract: A mixing device for forage and similar product has a rotatable, sloping mixing chamber with its closed rear axial end lower than its open forward axial end. The forward end receives and discharges the forage. Generally linear mixing vanes extend forwardly from adjacent the rear end of the mixing chamber for tumbling the forage during chamber rotation. An axial tubular housing within the mixing chamber encloses a rotatable axial auger, which communicates with the rear end of the mixing chamber to receive forage from the mixing chamber and feed it back toward and out of a forward end of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle carrying a grinder-mixer providing a low bin profile and improved mixing through the use of complementing horizontal and vertical circulatory paths of the ground feed, which is produced by a pair of cooperating parallel auger conveyors extending in a horizontal plane along the bottom of the mixing bin in side by side relationship and rotating so as to move the feed in opposite directions, each feeding the other, in cooperation with a pair of vertical cooperating augers spaced axially of the horizontal augers and moving and mixing the ground feed along a circulatory path in vertical planes, the said horizontal and vertical circulatory paths intersecting to thereby greatly increase the mixing action. One of the horizontal augers is connected to a discharging system and is reversible to cooperate with the latter to empty the bin.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous manufacture of a mixed fodder comprises a stationary drum having an infeed opening for straw bales at one end of the peripheral drum wall and an outlet for finished fodder mix at the opposite end. Centrally of the drum there rotates a shaft which carries chopping means in the region of the infeed opening and mixing means in a subsequent longitudinal section. For introducing solid additives there are provided one or more openigns at the first mentioned end of the drum. A liquid binding agent can be supplied through the hollow shaft and be sprayed through nozzles secured in the section of the shaft which carries the mixing means. Further liquid constituents may, if desired, be supplied from the opposite shaft end and be sprayed through other nozzles in the shaft. The apparatus is very compact because all constituents are introduced into the drum and processed and mixed therein. It has a low power consumption and it delivers a very homogeneous mixture.

Abstract: The manure spreader includes a wheeled, V-shaped body having a longitudinally positioned impeller rotatively carried near the bottom of the V-configuration. The impeller blades are positioned on a multi-sided body and are arranged in oppositely generated helices to urge the manure both from the rear of the body and from the front of the body toward an outlet gate which is positioned in the body intermediate its ends. A rotary spinner is carried outwardly of the body in position to receive the effluent from the outlet gate and a suitable drive mechanism is provided to rotate the spinner at many times the rotative speed of the impeller. The spinner and the impeller are simultaneously rotated by a common drive, which may be a tractor PTO, and an adjustable deflector is provided in effluent path from the spinner to easily vary the spray pattern.

Abstract: A grain cake breaker device is provided for placement within a storage bin to facilitate the removal of grain therefrom. The device includes a support structure having a number of legs which are connected to the storage bin floor at their lower ends. The legs converge together at their upper ends where they are joined with a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is connected to a shaft which extends downwardly toward the bottom of the storage bin. A plurality of nonrotatable, rigid cutting arms extend outwardly and upwardly from the shaft. When the hydraulic cylinder is powered, the shaft moves in a substantially vertical reciprocal direction so that the cutting arms loosen caked grain when contacted by the cutting arms. The grain then flows to the bottom of the storage bin where it is carried from the storage bin by a conveyor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cattle feeding device in the form of a movable container provided with a plurality of augers, some extending horizontally and some inclined in order to effect proper mixing of feed introduced into the container together with means for discharging the thoroughly mixed feed for consumption by cattle.

Abstract: A mixing device for bulk materials, particularly an agricultural trailer for mixing and dispensing silage, concentrates and other animal feedstuffs, includes a non-tipping body (10) within which rotates a main agitator (12) having members (14) which travel closely along the walls (11) of a lower zone of the body to carry material therein upwardly during part of their travel, and a secondary rotating agitator (16) towards the top and to one side of the body which operatively intercepts material carried towards it by the main agitator, separates it therefrom and returns it thereto. A part (15) of the body containing the secondary agitator can be opened for discharge of material under the same action of the agitators, in the case of a feed trailer discharge being at sufficient height to clear the feed fence of a stockyard.

Abstract: A grinder-mixer having a trough-shaped mixing tank, a horizontal transfer and mixing auger seated along the bottom of the tank and extending into the hammer mill, and a vertical auger in the tank for elevating the material for recirculation or discharge. Mixing capacity is increased with the larger tank and bridging of material is minimized with steeply inclined tank walls, a centrally mounted agitator and the trough-mounted mixing auger. Power train demands are reduced through utilizing only two auger conveyors to transfer material from the hammer mill, mix it in the tank and elevate it for recirculation or discharge. Improved intermixing is provided through stepped pitch flights provided on the horizontal mixing auger.

Abstract: An in-line mixer for animal feed is provided. The mixer receives feeds from a plurality of sources, mixes the feeds in a short distance, and deposits the mixed feed on a conveyor which carries it to animal feeding stations. The mixer includes a housing forming an upright passage containing baffles and rapidly rotating agitator blades which maintain the feeds in a fluidized condition and accomplish the mixing operation in a short time. Consequently, the mixer itself is short and requires relatively little space.

Abstract: Improved feed mixer apparatus, wherein interconnected, auger mixing conveyors are operatively connected to a crank arm driven by a pair of pivotably mounted hydraulic cylinders which are in turn driven by a hydraulic power source providing for smooth and timed transition from low pressure to high pressure in the retraction and extension chambers thereof, thereby to avoid damage and/or excessive wear to the crank arm and/or cylinder components.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in the continuous treatment of cellulosic matter to improve the digestibility thereof, comprising means for receiving finely divided cellulosic matter, acidic process chemicals, and steam; a first attrition mill wherein the steam, cellulosic matter, and process chemicals are intimately mixed and initially reacted; a reactor with rotatable sweeps therein to complete the reaction; and a second attrition mill wherein the reacted material is neutralized to the desired level.

Abstract: A mixer with a substantially conical mixing chamber supported vertically with its apex lowermost. A tapered auger is situated in the mixing chamber and mixer drive is provided at the base of the mixing chamber. The narrowmost end of the tapered auger is connected to the drive such that the auger rotates around its own axis and its upper end rolls around the upper periphery of the mixing chamber.The upper end of the auger has a wheel to allow the auger to freely roll around the upper periphery of the mixing chamber and to insure that the auger does not contact the walls of the mixing chamber. The wheel is held in contact with the upper periphery of the mixing chamber under the action of the weight of the auger.

Abstract: Whole grain kernels are admitted through an inlet at one end of a closed tubular vessel, and are entrained by a blade-type rotor in the presence of metered quantities of liquid, being accelerated so that they form in the vessel a whirling tubular veil which continuously travels lengthwise of the vessel towards an outlet thereof and wherein each kernel becomes uniformly wetted over its entire surface and moistened to a predetermined value.