U.S. patent application number 10/311421 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-14 for dispensers.
Invention is credited to Gent, Keith Andrew.
Application Number | 20030150953 10/311421 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9893797 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030150953 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gent, Keith Andrew |
August 14, 2003 |
Dispensers
Abstract
Dispenser apparatus (33) for a roll of geotextile, which
apparatus can be attached to a tractor's (conventional) three-point
mounting, this apparatus comprising a long telescopic beam (34), or
beam framework, having centrally thereof a three-point mounting
(39) by which it can be attached behind a tractor (32) clear of the
ground. The beam (34) has end plates (35) between which is a
support rod (26) carrying a roll (27) of liner material. The
present invention proposes that there be end beams (42) that can be
moved in and out by a hydraulic ram (47, 48, 402) mounted between
the main beam (41) and the end plates (43) to which the end beams
(42) are secured, and that the bottom of each end plate (42) be
provided with an inwardly-directed spigot (404, 405, 406) which can
be directed into the hole through the liner roll (27) as the rams
(47, 48, 402) draw back the end plates (42) to the correct spacing,
and so provide the required roll support.
Inventors: |
Gent, Keith Andrew; (Melton
Constable, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ELMAN TECHNOLOGY LAW, P.C.
P O BOX 209
SWARTHMORE
PA
19081-0209
US
|
Family ID: |
9893797 |
Appl. No.: |
10/311421 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
June 12, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB01/02578 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/557 ;
242/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2402/343 20130101;
B65H 2701/1922 20130101; B65H 16/005 20130101; B65H 16/06 20130101;
E01C 23/03 20130101; B65H 2301/41346 20130101; E02D 31/004
20130101; B65H 2402/42 20130101; A01G 13/0287 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/557 ;
242/403 |
International
Class: |
B65H 016/02; B65H
075/40 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 17, 2000 |
GB |
0014767.8 |
Claims
1. A tractor-mountable dispenser for a roll of material such as a
geosynthetic clay liner or a geotextile fabric, the dispenser
comprising: an elongate beam, or framework of beams, having roughly
centrally thereof a three-point mounting by which the beam or
framework can be attached to the tractor so as to extend laterally
therebehind; the beam carrying at either end a plate having
inwardly-directed roll-mounting spigot means such that in use the
roll of material may be borne thereon and between the end plates;
the beam being associated with positioning control means that can
in operation be used to effect adjustment of the lateral angle of
the lower linkages of the tractor's three-point mounting, and thus
to move the roll to one side or the other to modify where, in use,
the liner is laid; and wherein each individual beam making up the
length of the framework is telescopic, and driven by
extension/retraction means by which the end plates can in operation
be spaced apart sufficiently far that the spigot means can be
inserted into the ends of the rolls, and the plates then retracted
to position the spigot means within the roll so as to support the
roll.
2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 which is a box framework of
beams wherein the end plates form two opposed (side) faces of the
box and the top surface of the box is defined by a pair of spaced
parallel beams suitably elongated to provide the length appropriate
for the chosen roll.
3. A dispenser as claimed in either of the preceding claims,
wherein to make the length of the beam adjustable so that it can
more easily and efficiently cater for the several different rolls,
it--or each individual beam making up the length of the
framework--is "telescopic", and comprises a relatively long hollow,
tubular main beam having slidably mounted therewithin at each end
relatively short end beam portions that can be moved in or out of
the main beam, and then fixed in place, so as to alter the overall
length of the whole beam.
4. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein
each telescopic beam-driving extension/retraction means is a
hydraulically-operated (piston-in-cylinder) ram, and the ram body
is mounted on the main beam while the ram rod extending from the
piston in the body is mounted to the end plate to which the
relevant end beam(s) is attached.
5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein each ram system uses
a short throw ram, and can be moved bodily along the main beam,
from one mounting point to another, so as to accommodate widely
different roll widths.
6. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein
each end-plate-borne spigot is effectively in two parts, an inner
rod mounted to the end plate and carrying on bearings therearound
an outer sleeve that fits into the hollow space within the
roll.
7. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein
the three-point mounting centrally of the beam in its length
direction is within 30 cm (one foot) to either side of the actual
centre.
8. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein
the positioning control means that can in operation be used to
effect adjustment of the lateral angle of the lower linkages of the
tractor's three-point mounting, and thus to move the roll to one
side or the other to modify where, in use, the liner is laid,
includes as a driver device a hydraulic ram taking the place of one
of the movement-restriction chains usually employed with the
three-point mounting's arms, which ram is associated with a control
arrangement in the form of a conventional lever-operated hydraulic
switch operatively connected to the ram and mounted at the rear and
side of the beam.
9. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which
includes metering means whereby there may be determined what length
of material has been dispensed from the roll, and thus how much is
left.
10. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims which is
equipped to handle two or more rolls at once, each roll being
similarly mounted between the end plates.
11. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which
includes mounted thereon just ahead of the roll being laid, a
roller that will take out or level any indentations formed in the
ground formation as the roll is dispensed.
12. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims and
substantially as described hereinbefore.
Description
[0001] This invention is concerned with improved dispensers, and
relates in particular to tractor-drawn dispensers suitable for use
with rolls of sheet material such as that GCL sheeting used in the
lining or capping of tips, reservoirs, contaminated land and the
like.
[0002] In my British Patent Specification No: 2,337,039 (P1543Sub)
there is discussed the problem of the disposal of rubbish (trash,
garbage), and other waste materials, and how it is presently the
practice to transport all rubbish to, and dump it at, some central
site where there is a dump--or "tip"--in the form of a pit
specially dug and designated for this purpose. In accordance with
the regulations, every such pit must be so lined that nothing can
seep down into the underlying ground, and so pollute the
surroundings, and once full, and before earth can be laid on top
and the whole landscaped, it is necessary to seal off the top.
[0003] A modern pit can vary in size from 25,000 sq.m (2.5
hectares, or about 6.25 acre) for a small pit up to 80,000 sq.m (8
ha, or about 20 acre) and beyond for a larger one--the latter are
usually made up of a number of smaller pits, or "cells". Typically,
such a pit has first a compacted surface on top of which is a
compacted sand layer with a flat and smooth surface, and on top of
the sand there must be laid an impervious lining layer such as that
known as a geosynthetic clay liner, or GCL. It may also be
necessary to employ, over or under this, a thick, durable plastic
sheet layer, the sheeting being of the type known as a geotextile.
Both clay liners and geotextiles come in the form of rolls each of
which is a ribbon-like sheet of material (known, when deployed, as
a "panel") from 3.5-5 m (12-16.5 ft) wide, from 40-45 m (135-150
ft) long, and about 100-110 mm (0.4-0.45 in) thick. They can weigh,
depending on the material, anywhere from 1000-1450 kg (about
2,200-3,200 lb, or about a ton to a ton and a half). These are laid
down with an overlap--normally of around 15-22.5 mm (6-9 in)--and
getting the overlap right so that it is large enough to form a
satisfactory seal but not so large as to waste significant amounts
of material can save quite a lot of money.
[0004] In the past this laying has commonly been accomplished by
the simple but effective means of threading the roll onto a support
rod, attaching the rod by chains at each end to a rigid beam,
mounting the beam (again with chains) to the bucket of a JCB--or a
tracked 360 excavator, which is preferred if the ground is not to
be churned up--and then carrying the roll along, letting the sheet
liner pay out. Unfortunately this method, though uncomplicated, is
not especially accurate--and the earlier invention the subject of
my aforementioned Specification provides a better form of dispenser
apparatus that can be "rigidly" attached to a tractor's
(conventional) three-point mounting--a single, upper, pivot
mounting that can be raised or lowered by the tractor's normal
hydraulic system so as similarly to raise or lower whatever the
mounting is carrying, and a pair of laterally-separated lower
"floating" rigid link arms pivotally attached at their inboard ends
to the tractor for slight sideways movement. More specifically, my
earlier invention proposes a long beam, or framework of beams,
having roughly centrally thereof a three-point mounting by which it
can be attached behind a tractor clear of the ground, the beam
having normally-disposed end plates between which there may be
borne a support rod carrying a roll of liner material. The beam is
associated with positioning control means that can be used to
adjust the lateral angle of the lower three-point mounting
linkages, and so move the roll to either side to modify where the
liner is laid.
[0005] Because rolls come in different widths, depending on their
precise purpose and cost, it is desirable to arrange for the width
of the dispenser--the length of the beam--to be adjustable so that
it can more easily and efficiently cater for the several different
rolls. To this end the beam--or each individual beam making up the
length of the framework--is "telescopic", it comprising a hollow,
tubular main beam having slidably mounted therewithin at each end
small (short) end beam portions that can be moved in or out of the
main beam, and then fixed in place, so as to alter the overall
length of the whole beam. In my earlier form of dispenser the
outer, main, beam has at each end a sequence of holes extending
along the beam, and each end beam portion has at its inboard end
(the end that fits within the main beam) a single matching hole, so
that each end beam portion once positioned can conveniently be
fixed in place by a securing pin inserted through the relevant
aligned holes. This method of changing the effective length of the
beam, while perfectly adequate, is rather time-consuming, and it is
one feature of the present invention that the end beams are moved
in and out by a hydraulic ram mounted between the main beam and the
end plates to which the end beams are secured.
[0006] This use of ram-driven end beams has a surprising
consequence, which is that if the bottom of each end plate be
provided with an inwardly-directed spigot (so that the two spigots
point towards each other) then it is no longer necessary to employ
a long support rod threaded through the roll. Instead, the spacing
of the end plates having first been increased (by the ram driving
the end beams out) until the roll fits between them (and between
the opposed spigots), the spigots can be directed into the hole
through the roll as the rams draw back the end plates to the
correct spacing, and so provide the required support in place of
the rod.
[0007] In one aspect, therefore, this invention provides a
tractor-mountable dispenser for a roll of material such as a
geosynthetic clay liner or a geotextile fabric, the dispenser
comprising:
[0008] an elongate beam, or framework of beams, having roughly
centrally thereof a three-point mounting by which it can be
attached to the tractor so as to extend laterally therebehind;
[0009] the beam carrying at either end a plate having
inwardly-directed roll-mounting spigot means such that in use the
roll of material may be borne thereon and between the end
plates;
[0010] the beam being associated with positioning control means
that can in operation be used to effect adjustment of the lateral
angle of the lower linkages of the tractor's three-point mounting,
and thus to move the roll to one side or the other to modify where,
in use, the liner is laid; and
[0011] wherein each individual beam making up the length of the
framework is telescopic, and driven by powered extension/retraction
means by which the end plates can in operation be spaced apart
sufficiently far that the spigot means can be inserted into the
ends of the rolls, and the plates then retracted to position the
spigot means within the roll so as to support the roll.
[0012] It will be seen that the dispenser of the present invention
is basically like that of the earlier invention, save that it has
driving means that telescope the main beam, and that spigot
means--spigots--on the end plates project into, and so support, the
roll.
[0013] Although for the most part herein the invention is discussed
in relation to the lining or capping of a pit for rubbish, refuse
and the like, it may in fact also be of use in the lining or
capping of other container-like holes in the ground. For example,
modern water reservoirs need to be lined to stop their contents
leaking away, and the dispenser of the invention can be used to lay
such a lining. Again, in some countries it may be desirable to
store crude oil in giant pits, or perhaps to place surface storage
tanks in safety pits to contain any leakage, and obviously it is
extremely important to ensure that the pits are sufficiently well
lined and/or capped to prevent oil seeping into the
surroundings.
[0014] The invention provides a tractor-mountable dispenser. The
tractor employed to carry the dispenser may be of any type--a
suitably-shod conventional agricultural tractor or loading shovel,
for example, or a tracked crawler of some sort--provided, of
course, that it has a suitable three-point mounting. As noted
above, a conventional such three-point mounting comprises a single,
upper, pivot mounting with an adjustable-length link and a pair of
laterally-separated lower rigid link arms pivotally attached at
their inboard ends to the tractor both for vertical movement and
for slight sideways movement, which lower arms can be raised or
lowered by the tractor's normal hydraulic system so as to raise or
lower whatever the mounting is carrying. It is normal for the
sideways movement to be restricted by a chain on the outside of
each lower arm; as is discussed further hereinafter, in the
employment of the preferred forms of the dispenser of the invention
these chains are removed, one of them being replaced by a hydraulic
ram that can be used to drive the arm, and thus the dispenser, from
side to side.
[0015] Bearing in mind the regulations regarding the smoothness of
a tip's underlying surface, one important point about the tractor
to note here is that it must be equipped with tyres, or other
ground-contacting drive and support means (such as tracks), that do
not leave significant marks or indentations in the ground formation
surface of the tip. For the most part standard low flotation tyres
as are commonly used on tractors on soft, boggy ground, and
preferably with a tread not more than about 5 mm (0.25 in) deep,
are perfectly satisfactory.
[0016] The invention's dispenser is for dispensing a roll of
material such as a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), a geotextile
fabric, or whatever is appropriate to the particular task at hand,
and naturally, the roll may be of any suitable size.
[0017] The dispenser of the invention is an elongate beam, or beam
framework, having a three-point mounting and carrying at either end
a plate having inwardly-directed roll-mounting spigot means such
that in use the roll of material may be borne thereon and between
the end plates. Although the dispenser could have only a single
beam--it is quite possible to provide such a beam made of
square-section mild steel tube, say, and strong enough to carry the
roll and rigid enough to allow satisfactory distribution
therefrom--it is much more convenient to construct the dispenser as
a framework of beams, and typically as part of a "box" framework
wherein the end plates form two opposed (side) faces of the box and
the top surface of the box is defined by a pair of spaced parallel
beams suitably elongated to provide the length appropriate for the
chosen roll and perhaps with one or more bracing cross strut. For
use with a roll 4 m long and 0.5 m diameter (about 13.5 ft by 1.75
ft) long such a framework might be 4.2 m long and 0.75 m wide and
deep (about 14 ft by 2.5 ft by 2.5 ft). The individual beams making
up the framework are conveniently square-section mild steel tube
around 100.times.100 mm and 10 mm thick (about 4.times.4 in, 0.5 in
thick), suitable welded to the end plates, which are themselves 10
mm (0.5 in) mild steel plate.
[0018] Hereinafter, and unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise, the term "beam" is used both to mean a single beam and
to mean the beam part of a framework.
[0019] Because rolls come in different widths, depending on their
precise purpose and cost, it is desirable to arrange for the width
of the dispenser--the length of the beam--to be adjustable so that
it can more easily and efficiently cater for the several different
rolls. To this end the beam--or each individual beam making up the
length of the framework--is "telescopic", it comprising a hollow,
tubular main beam having slidably mounted therewithin at each end
small (short) end beam portions that can be moved in or out of the
main beam, and then fixed in place, so as to alter the overall
length of the whole beam. Each end plate is then mounted on the
outboard end of the end beam (or beams).
[0020] The telescopic beam (or beams) making up the length of the
framework is driven by powered extension/retraction means. Each
means--and it is preferable to have two such means, one for each
end of the main beam, operating independently--could be whatever is
suitable--a small electric motor driving a rack-and-pinion system,
for example--but it is most conveniently a conventional
hydraulically-operated (piston-in-cylinder) ram. The means is
mounted between the main beam and the end plate; with a
piston-in-cylinder ram, the ram body is mounted on the main beam
while the ram rod extending from the piston in the body is mounted
to the end plate to which the relevant end beam(s) is attached.
Such a hydraulic system can be driven from the tractor's
hydraulics.
[0021] Although a single ram system could be used (at each end)
with a throw long enough to allow a roll of almost any width--that
is to say, the length of the axis of the roll--to be fitted to the
dispenser, it is convenient, and much less expensive, to use a
short throw ram and to move it bodily along the main beam, from one
mounting point to another, so as to accommodate widely different
roll widths.
[0022] The telescoping driving means needs a control
arrangement--and preferably such an arrangement as can be utilised
by an Operator standing just behind and to one side of the
dispenser, and gauging by eye the accuracy with which spigots are
positioned to enter the roll. Advantageously, this control
arrangement is a conventional lever-operated switch--a hydraulic
switch, say--operatively connected to the driver and mounted at the
rear and side of the beam--and one on each side is obviously
desirable, so that the Operator may be at first one side and then
the other to "guide" each spigot into the roll.
[0023] Each end plate carries an inwardly-directed roll-mounting
spigot means (spigots) such that in use the roll of material may be
borne thereon and between the end plates. In operation the main
beam is extended until the end plates are spaced apart sufficiently
far that the spigots can be inserted into the ends of the rolls,
and the plates are then retracted to position the spigots within
the roll so as to support the roll. Each spigot may be nothing more
than a structurally stiff rod securely mounted on the inner face of
the end plate. Most preferably, however, each spigot is effectively
in two parts, an inner rod mounted to the end plate and carrying on
bearings therearound an outer sleeve that fits into the hollow
space within the roll.
[0024] The dispenser of the invention is tractor-mountable, and on
the beam there is a three-point mounting--one upper mounting and
two spaced lower mountings positioned symmetrically either side of
the upper one--by which it can be attached to the tractor so as to
extend laterally therebehind. In itself there is nothing particular
special about this mounting, which is such as might be found on any
agricultural implement, and so it need no further comment here.
However, in order to enable the beam to be lifted well clear of the
ground for when it is to be loaded with a fresh roll, and for
carrying the roll to the place where it is to be laid, it may be
desirable to have the bottom mountings set relatively low--that is,
somewhat lower than would usually be the case for an agricultural
implement to be mounted on a tractor this way.
[0025] The three-point mounting is conveniently roughly central of
the beam in its length direction, so that the roll it carries is
similarly central of the tractor. It might, though, be desirable to
offset the mounting, and thus the roll, to one side or another, so
the expression "roughly central" can be interpreted quite widely.
For example, the mounting might be 30 cm (a foot or so) to one
side.
[0026] The beam in the invention's dispenser has at either end a
plate having rod-mounting spigot means such that the roll of
material may be borne thereby between the end plates. The beam
being telescopic, each plate is actually carried on the relevant
smaller end beam portion. The plate--although the term "plate"
might imply a solid object, and in fact the plate preferably is a
solid plate, it could itself be in the form of a framework--is
disposed generally normal to the beam (the exact angle is not
especially relevant) and is of such a size and shape, and so
positioned relative to the beam, that, with the roll in place
between the end plates, the roll is clear of the beam, and free to
rotate on or with the spigots as the material is dispensed
therefrom.
[0027] As noted hereinbefore, it is a particularly advantageous
feature of the invention that the beam be associated with
positioning control means that can in operation be used to effect
adjustment of the lateral angle of the lower linkages of the
tractor's three-point mounting, and thus to move the roll to one
side or the other to modify where, in use, the liner is laid.
First, there is needed a driver device for effecting this movement,
and conveniently such a device is a hydraulic ram taking the place
of one of the movement-restriction chains usually employed with the
arms, which ram is powered by the tractor's hydraulic system. Then
there is needed a control arrangement--and preferably such an
arrangement as can be utilised by an Operator walking along just
behind and to one side of the dispenser, and gauging by eye the
accuracy with which the roll material is being laid.
Advantageously, then, this control arrangement is a conventional
lever-operated hydraulic switch operatively connected to the ram
and mounted at the rear and side of the beam--and one on each side
is obviously desirable, so that the Operator may be at whichever
side is where there is being formed the overlapping seam of the
liner being laid on that previously laid.
[0028] Conveniently, the dispenser of the invention is associated
with some metering means whereby there may be determined what
length of material has been dispensed from the roll, and thus how
much is left. Such a meter can be driven directly from the rotation
of the roll (or of the outer sleeve of one of the spigots on which
the roll is mounted), much like a car or bicycle odometer is driven
by rotation of the wheels or drive chain.
[0029] As so far described the invention is a dispenser for a
single roll of material. There is no reason, however, why the
dispenser should not handle two, or more, rolls at once, each roll
being similarly mounted between the end plates. Indeed, for some
purposes a two-roll dispenser might be ideal--for example, there
might be distributed as the bottom layer (from one roll) a liner
that is physically very strong but not necessarily impenetrable by
water (or some other liquid), and this could, effectively
simultaneously, be itself covered (from the second roll) by a layer
of a less robust but totally liquid-blocking material--or, of
course, vice versa.
[0030] As noted above, it is important, when laying a liner in a
tip, reservoir or the like, not to mark the smooth surface of the
underlying ground formation, and any undesirable marking can be
avoided, or at least mitigated, by using a tracked vehicle or low
flotation tyres (preferably without tread). However, if despite
this the surface is marked, it may be possible to smooth it out
immediately prior to laying the liner by the simply expedient of
mounting just behind the tractor, or on the dispenser but just
ahead of the roll being laid, a roller that will take out or level
any indentations.
[0031] An embodiment of the invention is now described, though by
way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying
diagrammatic Drawings in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a view of a cell--a hole to be filled--of a
rubbish tip being lined in the known manner using a loading
shovel;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a tractor equipped to lay
a liner using a dispenser in accordance with the earlier
invention;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of one end of a dispenser of
the earlier invention, and similar to that shown in FIG. 3;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 3
but of one end of a dispenser of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of the dispenser end shown in
FIG. 4; and
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the whole of the dispenser
of the earlier invention, attached to a tractor.
[0038] FIG. 1 shows a view of a cell of a rubbish tip pit
(generally 11) being lined in the known manner with the use of a
loading shovel to carry the roll of lining material. It is not to
scale--in reality the cell is much larger, and the loading shovel
much smaller--but it serves to illustrate how the liner is laid in
strips (as 12) pulled out from a roll (13) mounted on the front of
a loading shovel (14: the loading shovel is moving backwards, in
the direction of arrow A, paying out the strip as it goes, with the
driver manoeuvring as he proceeds in order to keep the strip
straight and correctly overlapping the previously-laid adjacent
strip).
[0039] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a conventional tractor
having a rear-mounted three-point implement mounting system and
equipped to lay a liner using a dispenser in accordance with the
earlier invention. Fitted with balloon, or low flotation, tyres
(31) the tractor (generally 32) carries on its rear mounting a
framework dispenser (generally 33) of the invention. The framework
has two square-section main beams (34) extending laterally across
the full width of the tractor 32 (and tyres 31) and beyond, and at
each end of the beams is a normally-disposed end plate (35) to
which the beams 34 are welded. Centrally of each end plate 35, but
nearer the bottom (as viewed) edge thereof, is an inverted U-shaped
slot (not shown in this Figure) through which passes the rod 26
supporting a roll 27 of liner. The rod 26 is retained in the slot
by an apertured end capping plate (36) which is affixed by
nuts/bolts (37) to the end plate 35 and through the aperture of
which passes the rod 26.
[0040] The framework of beams 34 is cross-braced by struts (38),
and has three-point mounting struts (39) forming the mounting
points by which it is attached to the tractors three-point mounting
system.
[0041] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of one end of a dispenser of
the earlier invention, and similar to but not the same as that
shown in FIG. 2. In this Figure can clearly be seen the use of
hollow square-section telescopic beams--two fore and aft main beams
(41) each ending at each end (though only one end is shown in FIGS.
4 and 5) in a smaller beam portion (42) mounted slidably within the
main beam 41. The end plate (43) is welded to the "free" ends of
the smaller beam portions 42, and its position relative to the main
beams 41--and thus to the similar end plate (not shown) welded at
the "free" end of the small beam portions other end of the main
beams 41 (not shown)--may be adjusted by sliding the smaller beam
portions in, or out (as appropriate) and then locking them in place
with the hand pins (44) passing through mating holes (as 45, 46) in
the main beam 41 and in the small beam portions 42.
[0042] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of one end of a dispenser of
the present invention, and similar to the earlier invention as
shown in FIG. 3.
[0043] In FIG. 4 there are again the hollow square-section
telescopic beams--two fore and aft main beams 41 each ending in a
smaller beam portion 42 mounted slidably within the main beam 41.
Again, the end plate 43 is welded to the "free" ends of the smaller
beam portions 42, and its position relative to the main beams 41
may be adjusted by sliding the smaller beam portions in, or out (as
appropriate). However, here, rather than using hand pins passing
through mating holes in the main beam 41 and in the small beam
portions 42, the end beams 42 are driven by a hydraulic ram (47:
for reasons of clarity the ram's hydraulic lines are not shown
here) the cylinder (48) of which is attached at its rear to a bar
(49) passing between two small lugs (401) upstanding from the main
beams 41 and the piston rod (402) of which is attached to a similar
bar and lug pair (403) mounted on the outside surface of the end
plate 43. There are in fact two pairs of lugs, an inner pair 401
and an outer pair (401a). For short rolls the ram's cylinder 48 is
mounted, as shown, on the inner pair, but for longer rolls it is
moved bodily along and mounted on the outer pair. The ram is
controlled by a stick switch (408) mounted on the rear beam 41 near
its end (and of course there is a matching switch at the other
end). The hydraulic lines for this switch are for clarity not shown
here.
[0044] In this embodiment the roll 27 is supported not on a rod
slotted into a slot in the bottom edge of each end plate, but
instead on spigots (generally 404) mounted on and projecting
inwardly from near the lower edge of the inner face of the end
plates 43. As best seen in FIG. 5, each spigot 404 is a sleeve 405
mounted on bearings (not shown) on a central rod (406) the outer
end of which is mounted in a support structure (407) on the end
plate 43.
[0045] In use, a roll of material 27 is mounted by operating the
ram 47 to drive the end plates 43 out so that the free ends of the
spigots 404 are beyond the ends of the roll, aligning the spigots
with the roll's axial hole, and then operating the ram to retract
the end plates (using a suitable manually-operated hydraulic switch
mounted on the end plates, but for clarity not shown here), the
spigots passing into the axial hole as this is done, leaving the
roll mounted on, and rotatable with, the spigots.
[0046] A top plan view of the whole of the dispenser of the earlier
invention, attached to a tractor, is shown in FIG. 6.
[0047] From FIG. 6 can be seen the three-point linkage (61: one
upper, two lower rigid connections) to the tractor's three-point
mounting, together with a hydraulic ram (62) mounted between the
tractor and one of the link arms 61 and operated by a control stick
(63) mounted to the rear and inboard of the right-hand (as viewed)
end plate 43. This enables an Operator walking along behind and to
the right of the dispenser to "steer" the dispenser, so as to
adjust the overlap (64) of the liner (65) being laid on top of the
previously-laid liner (66). If the ram pushes out, the dispenser is
moved slightly to the right (as viewed); if it pulls in, the
adjusting movement is to the left.
* * * * *