A material spreader that permits selective liquid treatment of particulate material from the same spreader bed. The spreader bed is comprised of a hopper, a plurality of chain belts, a liquid treatment system, and a mixing and drying assembly which delivers the treated particulate material to the spreaders. The chain belts can drive in a forward direction for liquid treating or an aft direction for no liquid treating. Selective bypass permits non-treated particulate material to be spread without contamination from the liquid treatment.

A material spreader that permits selective liquid treatment of particulate material from the same spreader bed. The spreader bed is comprised of a hopper, a plurality of chain belts, a liquid treatment system, and a mixing and drying assembly which delivers the treated particulate material to the spreaders. The chain belts can drive in a forward direction for liquid treating or an aft direction for no liquid treating. Selective bypass permits non-treated particulate material to be spread without contamination from the liquid treatment.

The invention relates to a method for spreading spreading material onto agricultural land (12) by way of an agricultural spreader (10), with the steps of: providing information on spreading boundaries (14) of agricultural land (12) to an electronic control device and moving the agricultural spreader (10) in the direction of a predetermined activation point in the vicinity of a spreading boundary (14) of the agricultural land (12) at which the start of dispensing spreading material onto at least one spreading disk is intended, where, while the dispensing of the spreading material is interrupted, the electronic control device automatically induces an anticipatory setting for a start configuration predetermined for the activation point at the agricultural spreader (10) before the agricultural spreader (10) reaches the activation point.

The invention relates to a method for spreading spreading material onto agricultural land (12) by way of an agricultural spreader (10), with the steps of: providing information on spreading boundaries (14) of agricultural land (12) to an electronic control device and moving the agricultural spreader (10) in the direction of a predetermined activation point in the vicinity of a spreading boundary (14) of the agricultural land (12) at which the start of dispensing spreading material onto at least one spreading disk is intended, where, while the dispensing of the spreading material is interrupted, the electronic control device automatically induces an anticipatory setting for a start configuration predetermined for the activation point at the agricultural spreader (10) before the agricultural spreader (10) reaches the activation point.

An orchard fertilizer spreader has rearwardly positioned conveyors that are independently laterally extendable between a minimum width transport position and a maximum width operating position to deliver fertilizer from a supply tank to the orchard trees. The conveyors are mounted in a longitudinally spaced configuration to permit a diverter box to supply fertilizer to either conveyor or to both conveyors simultaneously through manipulation of diverter panels. The conveyors are mounted on a support pan formed with a plurality of rollers to facilitate the lateral extension of the conveyors. The support pan is pivotally mounted on a frame to forma a breakaway that enables the conveyors to rotate in the event of impact between a conveyor and an object. The reset of the conveyors into the laterally extended position is accomplished with a hydraulic cylinder. The conveyors can be laterally extended manually, or via a hydraulic cylinder.

A self-propelled air boom spreader has a container mounted on a frame, the container having a product hopper and a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment therein with a fan assembly including at least a fan and a motor for operating the fan mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. The spreader has a product distribution system for receiving product from the hopper and an air system, including the fan assembly, for receiving product from the distribution system and distributing the product to the environment. Situating the fan assembly in the container provides a quieter operating spreader and distributes the center of gravity of the spreader forward to reduce overloading of the rear axle, to avoid overbalancing the spreader at the rear axle and to reduce undesirable torque of the frame at the rear.

A self-propelled air boom spreader has a container mounted on a frame, the container having a product hopper and a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment therein with a fan assembly including at least a fan and a motor for operating the fan mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. The spreader has a product distribution system for receiving product from the hopper and an air system, including the fan assembly, for receiving product from the distribution system and distributing the product to the environment. Situating the fan assembly in the container provides a quieter operating spreader and distributes the center of gravity of the spreader forward to reduce overloading of the rear axle, to avoid overbalancing the spreader at the rear axle and to reduce undesirable torque of the frame at the rear.

A self-propelled air boom spreader has a container mounted on a frame, the container having a product hopper and a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment therein with a fan assembly including at least a fan and a motor for operating the fan mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. The spreader has a product distribution system for receiving product from the hopper and an air system, including the fan assembly, for receiving product from the distribution system and distributing the product to the environment. Situating the fan assembly in the container provides a quieter operating spreader and distributes the center of gravity of the spreader forward to reduce overloading of the rear axle, to avoid overbalancing the spreader at the rear axle and to reduce undesirable torque of the frame at the rear.

A self-propelled air boom spreader has a container mounted on a frame, the container having a product hopper and a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment therein with a fan assembly including at least a fan and a motor for operating the fan mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. The spreader has a product distribution system for receiving product from the hopper and an air system, including the fan assembly, for receiving product from the distribution system and distributing the product to the environment. Situating the fan assembly in the container provides a quieter operating spreader and distributes the center of gravity of the spreader forward to reduce overloading of the rear axle, to avoid overbalancing the spreader at the rear axle and to reduce undesirable torque of the frame at the rear.

A reconfigurable modular hopper spreader assembly is mountable in the bed of a truck and includes a modular dual-wall hopper with a receptacle for storing solid material to be spread onto the ground and with individual liquid chambers for storing a liquid or different liquids to be sprayed onto the ground. The hopper spreader assembly further includes a fluid conduit for filling or draining the liquid into or out of the liquid chambers, a liquid pump fluidly connected with the liquid chambers for drawing the liquid from the liquid chambers, a selector valve fluidly connected with the fluid pump for directing the liquid drawn from the liquid chambers, and a liquid dispenser fluidly connected with the selector valve for distributing the liquid onto an application area.