Apparatus for spreading granular materials from vehicle

Abstract

A material spreader is adapted, to dispense granular material from a vehicle. The material spreader includes a feed chute having a discharge opening and a discharge disc assembly disposed below the feed chute. The discharge disc assembly includes a spinner disc adapted to receive granular material from the feed chute, a shroud disposed in at least partial covering relation to the spinner disc, and a rotational drive operatively connected to the spinner disc such that the spinner disc is rotatable within the shroud about a rotational axis. The shroud includes a pass-through opening disposed in substantially aligned relation with the discharge opening of the feed chute at a position radially removed from the central rotational axis. The discharge disc assembly is rotatably mounted in pivoting relation about a pivot axis extending through the pass-through opening and the discharge opening of the feed chute.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A material spreader adapted to dispense granular material from a vehicle, the material spreader comprising:
 a feed chute having a feed chute discharge opening; and   a discharge disc assembly disposed below the feed chute, the discharge disc assembly including:
 a spinner disc arranged with the feed chute discharge opening to receive granular material dispensed from the feed chute, 
 a rotational drive operatively connected to the spinner disc such that the spinner disc Is rotatable within the shroud about a rotational axis, 
 a shroud disposed in at least partial covering relation to the spinner disc and defining a spinner disc discharge opening, and 
   wherein at least the shroud of the discharge disc assembly is rotatably mounted with respect to the feed chute such that the spinner disc discharge opening is selectively rotatable through an angle about a pivot axis.   
     
     
         25 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the pivot axis is disposed in offset relationship to the rotational axis. 
     
     
         26 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the pivot axis extends through the feed chute discharge opening along the feed chute. 
     
     
         27 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the feed chute assembly includes a converging chute of substantially inverse pyramid shape disposed at the interior of a box frame. 
     
     
         28 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the converging chute of substantially inverse pyramid shape includes a substantially circular apex segment. 
     
     
         29 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the converging chute of substantially inverse pyramid shape includes a fixed body portion and a removable cover portion. 
     
     
         30 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the fixed body portion is secured in place relative to the box frame. 
     
     
         31 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the discharge disc assembly is operatively connected to the box frame at a turret connection comprising a rotatable ring disposed in surrounding relation to an apex of the converging chute, the rotatable ring being held in rotating relation to base segments of the box frame. 
     
     
         32 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 31 , wherein a shroud attachment ring projects from an upper surface of the shroud in surrounding relation to a pass-through opening defined by the shroud, the pass-through opening disposed in substantially aligned relation with the feed chute discharge opening, the shroud attachment ring adapted for insertion into an annular opening between the apex of the converging chute and the rotatable ring for attachment to the rotatable ring. 
     
     
         33 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the spinner disc discharge opening of the shroud is disposed along a portion of the perimeter of the shroud. 
     
     
         34 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the shroud includes an extensible and retractable diverter slidably adjustable across at least a portion of the discharge opening to adjust a discharge pattern of the granular material through the discharge opening. 
     
     
         35 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 34 , wherein the spinner disc discharge opening of the shroud is disposed along a portion of the perimeter of the shroud. 
     
     
         36 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the discharge disc assembly includes:
 a turret connection rotatably mounts the discharge disc assembly in pivoting relation about the pivot axis such that the discharge disc assembly rotates through an angle about the pivot axis upon rotation of the turret connection.   
     
     
         37 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the discharge disc assembly includes:
 a linear drive member having a selectively extensible and retractable arm operatively connected to a portion of the turret connection such that extension or retraction of the arm produces rotational movement of the turret connection and corresponding articulation of the discharge disc assembly.   
     
     
         38 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the feed chute assembly includes a converging chute of substantially inverse pyramid shape disposed at the interior of a box frame. 
     
     
         39 . The material spreader as recited in  claim 38 , wherein the turret connection comprises a rotatable ring adapted for disposition in surrounding relation to an apex of the converging chute, the rotatable ring being held in rotating relation to base segments of the box frame. 
     
     
         40 . A vehicle comprising;
 a chassis;   a body mounted on the chassis, the body adapted to store a mass of granular material;   a conveyor assembly adapted to transport the granular material out of the body; and   a material spreader including a feed chute adapted to receive granular material from, the conveyor assembly and to discharge granular material out a feed chute discharge opening thereof and a discharge disc assembly disposed below the feed chute, the discharge disc assembly including;
 a spinner disc arranged with the feed chute discharge opening to receive granular material dispensed from the feed chute, 
 a rotational drive operatively connected to the spinner disc such that the spinner disc is rotatable within the shroud about a rotational axis, 
 a shroud disposed in at least partial covering relation to the spinner disc and defining a spinner disc discharge opening, and 
 wherein at least the shroud of the discharge disc assembly is rotatably mounted with, respect to the feed chute such that the spinner disc discharge opening is selectively rotatable through an angle about a pivot axis. 
   
     
     
         41 . The vehicle as recited in  claim 40 , wherein the discharge disc assembly of the material spreader includes:
 a turret connection rotatably mounting the discharge disc assembly in pivoting relation about the pivot axis such that the discharge disc assembly rotates through an angle about the pivot axis upon rotation of the turret connection.   
     
     
         42 . The vehicle as recited in  claim 40 , further comprising:
 at least one fluid holding tank in fluid communication with a liquid dispensing system for application of liquid to a surface supporting the vehicle.   
     
     
         43 . The vehicle as recited in  claim 42 , further comprising:
 a storage and dispensing apparatus disposed within the body, the conveyor assembly and the at least one fluid holding tank disposed within the storage and dispensing system.