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.

A chest-mounted spreader system includes a hopper for receiving particulate material and a base assembly mounted to the hopper. The base assembly has a base unit having a base plate and rotatable shaft. An electric motor is coupled to the shaft to drive rotation of the shaft. An impeller is mounted on the shaft proximate the base plate. A shroud has a partial sidewall affixed to the base plate thereby defining an impeller cavity. The impeller cavity includes a discharge opening opposite the partial sidewall and the impeller is received within the impeller cavity. A shroud opening is in fluid communication with the hopper so that particulate matter passes from the hopper to the impeller. The electric motor is powered to rotate the shaft and the impeller to disperse the particulate matter through the discharge opening.

A friction driven beltless grain spreader system is presented that includes a spreader cone having a pulley and a grain deflector configured to disperse the flow of grain. A motor having a driven wheel and an idler wheel are pivotally connected to the spreader cone in operative engagement with the pulley such that the idler wheel is positioned between the driven wheel and the pulley. A tension member applies a force that pulls the driven wheel and intermediary wheel into the pulley. As the motor rotates the driven wheel rotates the idler wheel which rotates the pulley. When forces spike, such as when the motor is turned on or a heavy flow of grain hits the system, one or more of the driven wheel, intermediary wheel and/or pulley slip with respect to the other wheels thereby preventing breakage of the system.

A powered material broadcast spreader apparatus. The apparatus may include a granular material hopper having one or more upwardly extending walls that partially enclose an interior volume of the hopper. A first wall may define an opening passing outwardly from the interior volume. The apparatus may also include a motor surrounded by the one or more walls, and a motor cover having a contact surface congruent with a mating inner surface of the first wall. The motor cover is configured to form a motor compartment adapted to effectively isolate the motor from the interior volume, while permitting access to the motor from outside the hopper via the opening in the first wall.

An apparatus applies product and includes a pivotal platform solely supported through bushings formed of compressible material. The ground speed can be locked by stepping on a step pivoting a composite block to engage with an engagement of the transmission proportioner arm. A gate is opened utilizing a control lever pivotally mounted to a pivotably mounted control block to either engage or avoid a tang of an adjustment guide. A drive belt system includes a variator having first and second sheaves having variable effective diameters when their pivot pin is moved by pivoting a lever. A spray tip sprays a fan style spray at a small acute angle to the application area. A flip shield is pivoted about an axis parallel to the movement direction and includes a linear straight portion parallel to the axis in a redirection position.

A spreading device includes a containing unit to contain a spread material, a first spreading unit including a first rotating body to spread the spread material contained in the containing unit, a second spreading unit including a second rotating body to spread the spread material contained in the containing unit, a first driving source of which speed is changeable, a first shaft to transmit power provided from the first driving source, a second shaft to transmit power provided from a second driving source different from the first driving source, and a power transmission mechanism to receive power from the first shaft and power from the second shaft, the power transmission mechanism being capable of transmitting the power received from the first shaft and the power received from the second shaft to the first rotating body and the second rotating body.

A distributor includes two distributor disks, which are driven rotatably by a drive train, to be attached to a power take-off shaft of a traction unit or of a tractor. The drive train includes a central input shaft driving a cross shaft to drive distributor disks via a central gear. The distributor disks can be rotated at different speeds with a reducing gear with variable output speed, arranged downstream of the central gear. The reducing gear is configured as a mechanical coaxial transmission with an input shaft connected to the cross shaft and an output shaft arranged coaxially to the cross shaft. A speed reduction ratio is changed by an adjusting element between a normal position, with an input speed of the input shaft corresponding to the output speed of the output shaft, and a speed reduction position with the input speed not equal to the output speed.

A friction driven beltless grain spreader system is presented that includes a spreader cone having a pulley and a grain deflector configured to disperse the flow of grain. A motor having a driven wheel and an idler wheel are pivotally connected to the spreader cone in operative engagement with the pulley such that the idler wheel is positioned between the driven wheel and the pulley. A tension member applies a force that pulls the driven wheel and intermediary wheel into the pulley. As the motor rotates the driven wheel rotates the idler wheel which rotates the pulley. When forces spike, such as when the motor is turned on or a heavy flow of grain hits the system, one or more of the driven wheel, intermediary wheel and/or pulley slip with respect to the other wheels thereby preventing breakage of the system.

An agitation unit for use in a lawn spreader and other dispensing equipment, and oscillating agitation systems therefor comprising such an agitation unit. The agitation unit includes a hub, an arm extending from the hub, and an extension on the arm configured to project downwardly to an extent relative to the arm and the hub to protrude into, but not through, the outlet passageway of the hopper.

A seed pod deployer includes a body having a hopper adapted to contain a plurality of seed pods; a feeder adapted to transfer the seed pods from the hopper to a nozzle; a launcher adapted to receive the seed pods from the nozzle, the launcher comprising a pair of flywheels and at least one motor adapted for driving the pair of flywheels; and a control system adapted for controlling the operation of the seed pod deployer.