An apparatus and a method are provided for a material spreader controller to meter particulate material flowing out of a discharge outlet of a hopper. The material spreader controller is comprised of a housing that receives a control cable from the discharge outlet. A control lever operatively coupled with the control cable may be pulled by a practitioner to adjust the discharge outlet from a completely closed position to an adjusted open position. A control knob enables the practitioner to selectively limit operation of the control lever. Upon turning the control knob, the practitioner may select a degree to which pulling the control lever opens the discharge outlet, thereby limiting the adjusted open position of the discharge outlet. The control knob may be indexed to indicate the position of the control knob relative to a selection indicator on the housing.

A loader bucket has material spreaders on opposing sides of the loader bucket to spread material from within the loader bucket received through discharge openings in the rear wall of the bucket from an auger located in the bottom of the bucket. Each material spreader includes a spinner formed with blades to spread the material received through the discharge openings. The material spreaders are positioned below the apex of the V-shaped bucket and operable within a path of distribution that includes an interior boundary member oriented with a forward end closer to the center of the bucket than the rearward end to provide a distribution forwardly and laterally of the bucket. A low baffle mounted at the bottom periphery of the spinner blades forces material upwardly into a fluffy pattern. A high baffle provides a second boundary limit for the distribution of material.

A spreader assembly to distribute materials on a ground surface, including a container to hold the materials, a frame affixed to the container, a beater assembly supported by the frame that receives the materials from the container and processes the materials to obtain processed materials, and a spinner assembly that receives the processed materials and expulses the processed materials from the frame onto the ground surface. The beater assembly includes a pair of rotating elements that blends the materials to produce the processed materials, and a deflector located between the pair of rotating elements configured to prevent the formation of agglomerates in the processed materials.

A spreader cover for a hopper of a spreader includes one or more modular hard covers that may be arranged to fully cover the hopper. In an embodiment, the spreader cover also includes a plurality of linkages, each linkage connected to one of the one or more modular hard covers. In another embodiment, the spreader cover includes a plurality of slide mechanisms, each slide mechanism connected to one of the one or more modular hard covers. The spreader cover may optionally include an extended handle assembly to facilitate opening the spreader cover while an operator is standing on the ground. The extended handle assembly may have an opening position and a closing position in which an external handle is unable to rotate, and a rotating position in which the external handle may be rotated and secured to the side of a vehicle.

A salt spreader for distributing a material includes a bucket including a front surface, a rear surface, first and second side surfaces, and a base surface, wherein the front and rear surfaces tend toward one another, and wherein the base surface includes an ejection port, a spinner mount attached to the base surface of the bucket under the ejection port, a spinner rotatably mounted atop of the spinner mount, and an auger positioned in a base of the bucket.

A spreader includes a frame having wheels mounted on an axle. A gear assembly on the axle is coupled with a shaft. A hopper is mounted on the frame and holds particulate that empties through an opening within the bottom wall. An impeller is mounted on the shaft and receives the particulate emptied from the hopper. A controlled-release assembly is mounted about the shaft and includes a drive housing secured to the hopper. The drive housing has a funnel opening to dispense the particulate therethrough. A transfer wheel within the drive housing is rotatably coupled to the shaft. When the shaft is rotating, the transfer wheel rotates whereby the particulate is delivered to the funnel. When the shaft is stationary, the transfer wheel is stationary whereby particulate is not delivered to the funnel.

A method of controlling a DC motor that includes the step of providing a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the DC motor. The PWM signal provides a voltage to operate the DC motor. The method also includes the steps of measuring a voltage generated by the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. In more particular embodiments, the method includes measuring a current being supplied to the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. The method may further require determining a motor speed of the DC motor based on the measured voltage. The method further includes controlling the DC motor to maintain a relatively constant motor speed with varying loads on the DC motor.

A method of controlling a DC motor that includes the step of providing a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the DC motor. The PWM signal provides a voltage to operate the DC motor. The method also includes the steps of measuring a voltage generated by the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. In more particular embodiments, the method includes measuring a current being supplied to the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. The method may further require determining a motor speed of the DC motor based on the measured voltage. The method further includes controlling the DC motor to maintain a relatively constant motor speed with varying loads on the DC motor.

An apparatus for broadcasting particulate or granular material over a ground surface involves a variable speed spinner and a material conveyor. The spinner is positioned generally horizontally below a discharge end of a material conveyor. The spinner has a disk having a generally radially disposed fin fixed to an upper side of the disk and radiating outwardly from a center of the disk. The spinner is positioned to receive material from the material conveyor at a location about half way along a length of the fin. In a method broadcasting particulate or granular material over a ground surface, the spinner is preferably rotated at a speed of 900 to 1,000 rpm. The apparatus and method provide for distribution of material over greater distances and can do so without pulverizing the material, creating a uniform pattern of distribution over a 50% wider swath.

An apparatus for broadcasting particulate or granular material over a ground surface involves a variable speed spinner and a material conveyor. The spinner is positioned generally horizontally below a discharge end of a material conveyor. The spinner has a disk having a generally radially disposed fin fixed to an upper side of the disk and radiating outwardly from a center of the disk. The spinner is positioned to receive material from the material conveyor at a location about half way along a length of the fin. In a method broadcasting particulate or granular material over a ground surface, the spinner is preferably rotated at a speed of 900-1000 rpm. The apparatus and method provide for distribution of material over greater distances and can do so without pulverizing the material, creating a uniform pattern of distribution over a 50% wider swath.