In a spreading apparatus for scattering spreading material, in particular sand or soil substrates, onto a ground surface, includes a container for the spreading material and at least one spreading unit by which the spreading material in the container can be scattered, wherein the spreading unit includes at least one rotatable spreading disc which is substantially parallel to the ground and at least one drive device for rotating the spreading disc about the axis of rotation with the result that the spreading material can be scattered by the spreading disc and by virtue of centrifugal forces, provision is made for a limiting device to be arranged in at least part of the circumferential region of the spreading disc, which limiting device prevents the scattering of the spreading material in this part of the circumferential region, wherein the position of the limiting device relative to the spreading disc is adjustable, with the result that the direction in which the spreading material can be scattered is variable.

A salt spreader for distributing a material includes a bucket including a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces. The front and rear surfaces tend toward one another at a base of the bucket, and the bucket includes first and second ejection ports in the base. The salt spreader further includes a separator positioned in a center of the bucket parallel to the first and second side surfaces, first and second spinner mounts attached to the base of the bucket under the first and second ejection ports, respectively, first and second spinners rotatably mounted atop of the first and second spinner mounts, respectively, an auger positioned adjacent to the base of the bucket, and first and second covers within the bucket extending downwardly from the first and second side surfaces, respectively, toward the separator.

A vehicle mounted spreader for spreading materials such as sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces comprises a material container for containing the material to be spread, a liquid container for containing liquid with which to pre-wet the material, a spinner for spreading the pre-wet material, an auger for conveying the material to the spinner, a liquid applicator for applying liquid to the material to pre-wet the material, and a paddle mixer mounted to an end of the auger adjacent the liquid applicator for mixing the liquid and the material.

A hand-held spreader is provided having a base with a mechanism for spreading particulate material response to turning a hand crank. The base is universally attachable to hoppers of different types which provide particulate material to the base for spreading. Different types of hoppers when attached to the base can adapt the spreader to spread different particulate material, such as of seed or salt. Teeth may be provided along upper edge of the hopper for use in scooping up particulate material into the hopper. Another type of hopper which can be attached to the base has a closed top end to provide a sealed container of particulate material, and has a sealing member releasable from the hopper to allow flow of particulate material from the hopper to the attached base.

A method of controlling spread pattern of a particulate material broadcasted by a spinner spreader involves permitting particulate material to flow through a plurality of sluices situated in a particulate material path between a bin and a rotatable disc of a spinner spreader. Each sluice receives a portion of the particulate material and delivers the portion of particulate material to a radial and/or angular position on the rotatable disc. The radial and/or angular position on the rotatable disc to which the portion of particulate material from at least one of sluices is delivered is adjusted by longitudinally translating the at least one independently moveable sluice independent of all other sluices of the plurality of sluices to change position of the at least one independently moveable sluice relative to the rotating disc thereby changing the spread pattern of the particulate material broadcasted by the rotatable disc.

A snow and ice evaporating device that is an untethered device easily usable by an individual. The device has elements that resemble a traditional snow blower as well as a lawn mower, but that includes a salt hopper and a propane tank. The snow blower end operates much like a traditional snow blower with augers that break up snow and ice that are then expelled through a blower end. On the top of the device is a propane tank that provides flames to the bottom of the device, protected by a shroud that heat the surface being treated to melt both ice and snow. A salt hopper is situated on the back of the device which provides a means for applying salt to the treated surface to prevent refreezing. All portions of the device are easily controlled by and extended handle that the user uses to control these functions. The extended handle operates much like a lawn mower in that it allows the user to easily push the device which rolls on wheels and includes a kill switch to turn off the device in an emergency situation.

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 method of controlling spread pattern of a particulate material broadcasted by a spinner spreader involves permitting particulate material to flow through a plurality of sluices situated in a particulate material path between a bin and a rotatable disc of a spinner spreader. Each sluice receives a portion of the particulate material and delivers the portion of particulate material to a radial and/or angular position on the rotatable disc. The radial and/or angular position on the rotatable disc to which the portion of particulate material from at least one of sluices is delivered is adjusted by longitudinally translating the at least one independently moveable sluice independent of all other sluices of the plurality of sluices to change position of the at least one independently moveable sluice relative to the rotating disc thereby changing the spread pattern of the particulate material broadcasted by the rotatable disc.

A material spreader is mountable to a rearwardly projecting bumper of a vehicle for conveying and spreading material, the vehicle including a rearwardly projecting hitch receiver. The material spreader includes a hopper for holding material to be spread, a frame supporting the hopper and having a forwardly projecting hitch mount configured for coupling to the rearwardly projecting hitch receiver of the vehicle, and a support member having an underside for resting atop a top surface of the bumper, the support member being movable vertically relative to the frame. A tie down is connected to the support member and the frame for urging the support member and the hitch mount towards one another to effect a clamping action on the receiver and the bumper. The material spreader also includes a dual hinged lid and a gear box for driving a spinner and an auger.

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.