Broadcast spreader with swath manipulation

Abstract

A spreader with a material divider that is adjustable from side to side so as to change a percentage of a stream of material which flows through portions of the material divider and also supports and moves laterally with a spinner while the spinner is adjustable longitudinally. The geometry of spread patterns can be adjusted by laterally manipulating the location of the material divider.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of distributing matter comprising the steps of:
 providing a vehicle, having a longitudinal axis substantially in line with a non-turning direction of travel;   providing a source of matter to be distributed;   providing an adjustable material divider which is configured to be moved laterally with respect to said longitudinal axis;   providing a plurality of spinners configured to rotate; and   receiving a stream of matter which is to be broadcast and adjustably dividing variable amounts of the stream to be incident upon each of said plurality of spinners as to provide a variable broadcast swath shape characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 adjusting fore and aft a drop point of matter upon said plurality of spinners. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 providing said material divider so that said stream of matter is diverted and moved laterally by an adjustable amount as to provide a variable broadcast swath shape characteristic. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 causing the vehicle to move in a substantially straight line and adjusting a location of the adjustable material divider as the vehicle moves so as to create a broadcast pattern with a variable shape. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the variable shape is asymmetric with regard to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the steps of:
 adjusting the drop point of matter on said plurality of spinners by moving the plurality of spinners fore and aft while the vehicle is in motion. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said step of adjusting a location of the adjustable material divider and adjusting the drop point of matter is done in response to a determination of a then current location of the vehicle using global positioning system (GPS) receivers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said step of adjusting a location of the adjustable material divider and adjusting the drop point of matter is done in response to one of vehicle positioning, vehicle speed, application rate, material attributes, and swath shape requirements. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the steps of:
 adjusting a flow rate of said stream of matter to be broadcast. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of adjusting a flow rate comprises automatically adjusting a conveyor flow rate to maintain rate coverage. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of adjustably dividing variable amounts of the stream to be incident upon each spinner is adjustable between 0% to 100% of the stream of material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of providing a source of matter to be distributed originates from a plurality of sources. 
     
     
         13 . A method of distributing matter comprising the steps of:
 providing a vehicle, having a longitudinal axis substantially in line with a non-turning direction of travel;   providing, on said vehicle, a source of matter to be distributed;   providing, on said vehicle, an adjustable material divider which is configured to be moved laterally with respect to said longitudinal axis, so that said matter is diverted and moved laterally by an adjustable amount;   providing, on said vehicle, a plurality of spinners configured to rotate; and   providing, on said vehicle, a stream of matter, with an adjustable flow rate, which is to be broadcast and adjustably dividing variable amounts of the stream to be incident upon each of said plurality of spinners as to provide a variable broadcast swath shape characteristic.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  where said step of providing, on said vehicle, a stream of matter comprises the steps of:
 adjusting a conveyor flow rate for enabling variations in rate coverage. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said step of adjusting a conveyor flow rate comprising the steps of:
 automatically adjusting said conveyor flow rate to maintain a prescribed coverage characteristic. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of:
 adjusting fore and aft a drop point of matter upon said plurality of spinners. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of:
 adjusting the drop point of matter on said plurality of spinners by moving the plurality of spinners fore and aft while the vehicle is in motion. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of:
 adjusting a flow rate of said stream of matter to be broadcast.