Document Type
Patent
Publication Date
1-30-1990
Patent Number
patent number 4896615
Abstract
A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like comprises a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in the lower portion; a rotatable shaft located within the housing; a drive shaft transferring rotational energy to the shaft from a low horsepower, low rpm, electric motor; a brush having a plurality of tufts of flexible bristles held in an annular member mounted on the shaft above each dispensing opening for feeding seed, grain and the like to the dispensing opening during rotation of the shaft; a marked metering plate having a metering hole therethrough and extending into a slot formed in a first side portion of the housing; and a mechanism for selectively stopping rotation of the shaft whereby when rotation of the shaft is stopped, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to the dispensing opening, the mechanism including a cam adjustably mounted on the shaft, a cam follower for engaging the cam and a microswitch connected to the cam follower and deactivating the electric motor to stop rotation of the shaft when the cam follower engages a predetermined point of the cam.
Application Number
07/091289
Assignees
Clemson University (Clemson, SC)
Filing Date
1987-08-26
Primary/U.S. Class
111/177
Other/U.S. Class
111/925, 222/63, 222/333