Material Spreader Utilizing Plug-in Material Container

Abstract

A small, compact and lightweight wheeled material spreader unit used in combination with a selectively insertable and removable box of material to be spread. The spreader has structure which receives, opens, and holds a box of material, which is to be applied, e.g., to a lawn. It includes a small chamber, or subsidiary surge or buffer hopper and material directing passage with on-off and discharge rate controls enabling a smooth flow of material to a rotary type distributing mechanism, belt driven by the wheels of the device as it is pushed over the surface being treated. The box of material can be readily removed for storage of undistributed material.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to material spreaders and more particularly relates to an inexpensive compact spreader used to distribute lawn treatment materials such as seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and the like.

There is a definite need for a low cost and convenient lawn fertilizer spreader. Current spreaders on the market are generally in a price range which represents a substantial investment for the homeowner who wishes to feed his lawn only two or three times per year. Moreover, the presently available quality spreaders are heavy because large hoppers and the amount of material which can be contained require rigidity and strength to assure accuracy of discharge and proper distribution. They therefore represent a major purchase for the consumer and are bulky and difficult to store and to handle.

Due to the fact that all spreaders currently on the market have a hopper arrangement into which materials are poured, the hopper represents a significant portion of the costs of the spreader.

Currently homeowners are required to handle rather large and bulky fertilizer bags in the process of feeding their lawn. They must open the bags, pour the contents into a spreader hopper, then when the feeding is done, if any fertilizer is remaining in the spreader, the fertilizer must be emptied out of the spreader and back into the bag. This procedure to many homeowners represents a rather messy task and may be a deterrant to feeding their lawns.

Rotary distribution plate or broadcast spreaders have been previously proposed as evidenced by representative U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,841,401; 2,843,387; 2,882,060; and 3,394,892 among many others. Also, the idea of using a disposable box or bag of material in combination with a spreader has been previously proposed as evidenced by other U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,751,117; 2,822,956; 3,080,098; 3,107,822; 3,113,702; 3,152,732; 3,179,298; and 3,207,379. However a basic idea of this invention, that of a spreader unit which receives, opens and carries a box of material, essentially as a plug-in arrangement, has not been previously proposed, and in that respect the entire spreader unit, as a subassembly, as well as many of its specific component features, proposed because of its unique function are unique and constitute invention as part of the present overall inventive concept.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The material spreader of the present invention keeps the cost low by minimizing metal required for the spreader hopper because it uses a box as the primary hopper space for the material (seed, fertilizer, herbicides, etc.) used in the spreader. The material will be marketed in a box approximately 7 inches .times. 7 inches .times. 14 inches, and the box will be "plugged" onto the spreader unit and will ride on the spreader in what might be designated a saddle until, if desired, the contents are completely distributed. The spreader unit saddle incorporates a box-opening knife for easy opening of the box during the act of placing the box in the saddle. The user does not need to open the box and pour the contents -- he simply plugs the box onto the spreader and takes a walk. When the spreading job is completed, if there is still material left in the box, the user may simply remove the box and store it upside down in his garage or storage area until he is ready to plug it on again for the next lawn feeding.

Due to the small size of the spreader it will be easy to store, easy to shift into and out of storage closets, in garages, car trunks, up and down steps, etc.

The component parts from which the spreader is made are few and simple, consisting of several sheet metal stampings, a handle rod, wheels, axle, a belt and pulley system, a rotary distributor plate and simple plate type valving member for discharge control of material flow onto the distributor plate.

A primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a small material spreader with structure to receive a box with rupturable wall portions and to make an aperture in the box for discharge of material as it is placed on the spreader. In conjunction with this object, a further object resides in the provision of a combination of the aforedescribed spreader unit with a box adapted to contain material to be spread and having at least a portion of its walls made of easily rupturable material to enable a discharge aperture to be made in a wall of the box.

Still further objects reside in the provision, in the novel spreader unit, of structure to receive, open and interchange a box or carton of material and to assure continuous material flow from the carton to a subsidiary buffer or surge hopper discharge portion which enables flow with minimum variation to a material spreading component. In conjunction with this object, further objects of invention reside in provision of a rotary distribution plate and a unique spreader wheel to rotary plate belt and pulley drive arrangement; a simple plate valve type of material flow and rate control between the subsidiary hopper and the rotary distribution plate; the unique spreader saddle structure for lateral reception and retention of a carton of material; and the single sheet metal stamping providing a base support for wheels, drive pulley, idler pulley and rotary distribution plate with its support shaft and driven pulley.

Further novel features and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred structural embodiment of this invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the spreader unit in accord with this invention, FIG. 1 illustrating the basic spreader unit without a carton and FIG. 2 illustrating, in a view similar to that of FIG. 1, the combination of a spreader unit with a carton of material in place in the spreader saddle;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the spreader unit, less carton, the handle being broken for purposes of drawing disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3, looking toward the upper end of the handle and showing the shape of the brace structure which secures the handle and saddle to the suspension frame piece with wheels and distribution plate;

FIG. 5 is a further section view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3 illustrating the top and the shape of the upper part of the carton saddle;

FIG. 6 is a detail top plan view of the suspension frame plate with the axle, driving pulley and idler pulley assembled;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the lower portion of the carton saddle showing the carton piercing blade and the subsidiary hopper;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail view looking up at the bottom of the lower saddle portion and illustrates the rate adjustment and on-off valving;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the rate adjustment and on-off valving shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 (on drawing sheet No. 2) is a detail view illustrating how the control rod can be made as an adjustable unit within the telescoped tubular handle assembly.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are overall views of the spreader unit 20, FIG. 1 illustrates the spreader unit without a carton of material while FIG. 2 shows a carton 22 inserted into the saddle retainer of the spreader. The spreader unit 20 is also seen in FIG. 3 and details of its construction are shown in FIGS. 4-10 to which specific references will be made as this description proceeds.

The spreader of this invention is not of the type usually associated with lawn care spreaders in that it does not utilize a built in container for the material being dispensed, rather it utilizes as a separable hopper, a carton in which the material to be spread on a lawn is marketed. More completely defined, then, the carton may be called a separate, material container-hopper. The carton 22 is placed laterally into the saddle parts of the spreader unit 20, and pushed into a complete seating condition in the saddle. While the carton is being inserted, a projecting inclined blade in the lower part of the saddle pierces the carton, cuts a flap, pushes the flap into the carton and provides a passage from the carton to a small subsidiary hopper or chamber built into the spreader. From that small chamber the material is permitted, under the flow control conditions, to pass onto a horizontal rotary material distribution plate. The spreader unit 20 is manually pushed by means of a rod shaped handle, being supported by wheels. As the spreader is pushed across the lawn or area being treated, drive power from the wheel axle rotates the distributor plate and broadcast spreads material in a suitable swath along the path of motion of the spreader.

In FIG. 3 (also seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) spreader 20 is made with a support frame 24 and an axle 26 journalled laterally in the frame with a wheel 28, 30 carried on each end of the axle. Journalled for rotation on a vertical axis on top of frame 24 is a material distributor plate 32. Two bent bracing straps 34, 36 and a bridge brace 38 are secured by welds to the frame piece 24 and to a tubular handle assembly 40, thereby integrally and rigidly connecting the handle with the base frame.

The bent bracing straps 34 and 36 support a lower, somewhat triangular shelf piece 42 with walls which is the lower part of the carton saddle assembly and includes the carton piercing blade 44 and the subsidiary hopper or chamber 46 which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Spaced above the lower carton saddle piece 42 and adjustably secured on the tubular handle assembly 40 is the triangular top piece 48 of the carton saddle assembly.

The top or upper end of the handle assembly 40 terminates in a bent handle grip 50. Passing down through the tubular handle assembly is a material discharge control rod 52, 53, the upper end 54 being bent to provide a rotating operator lever disposed adjacent an index bracket 56.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the base or support frame 24 which is a single sheet metal stamping providing a flat forwardly projecting platform 60 used to support the rotary material distributor plate 32. The platform 60 is apertured at 62 to receive a vertical stub shaft 64 (FIG. 3) which journals the distributor plate 32 and its operating pulley 90. The rear of the base frame is widened with the rear part 66 bent upward at an inclination of approximately 45.degree.. The entire outer periphery of the support frame 24 is bent down to provide a depending reinforcement flange 68, the rear flange being clearly shown in FIG. 6. At each side of the depending flange 68, approximately at the lateral bend of the platform, side flange portions 69 and 70 are apertured and receive conventional bushings 72 which can be short pieces of tubing welded to flange 68, or the like, to journal the wheel axle 26. A ground engaging wheel 28, 30 is mounted on a respective end of the axle 26 and is conventional, one wheel is journalled and the other is keyed to the axle shaft, as by a cotter pin to provide a drive connection.

The base piece 24 has a central elongate slot 74 extending from near its center to adjacent the rear of the base piece and along each side of slot 74 upstanding flange pieces 76 and 78 converge toward the front and serve as support ears carrying a short axle bolt 80 and self locking nut 82 which rotatably journals a concave groove idler pulley 84. Pulley 84 can be made of any suitable material but has been satisfactorily made from plastic such as polyethylene.

Immediately under the frame slot 74, a large drive pulley 86 is mounted on and drive connected to axle shaft 26 by a cotter pin 88.

The vertical stub axle 64, which is fastened in the front platform 60 of the frame 24, is secured by nuts, staking, or the like, and journals a driven pulley 90 and the distributor plate 32. The upper surface of pulley 90 is grooved as at 94 (FIGS. 3 and 8) to receive portions of integral stiffening ribs 91 depending from the lower surface of the distributor plate and is thus drive connected to the distributor plate. Distributor plate 32 is circular, has upstanding vanes 96 to broadcast material radially outwardly as the material is discharged onto the center portion of the plate and the plate is rotated. The plate hub 98 rotatably journals the plate on the upstanding stub axle. A nut 100 with a suitable washer arrangement on the threaded upper end of shaft 64 maintains the distributor plate 32 and its pulley 90 in drive connected engagement and rotatable on the vertical stub shaft. A round resilient neoprene, or other rubber, drive belt 102 is slightly stretched to provide tension and passes around drive pulley 86, its lower stretch passing over the idler pulley 84 and thence around the driven pulley 90 and back as the top stretch to the drive pulley 86. This accomplishes the change in belt direction from the vertical drive pulley to the horizontal driven pulley. All pulleys 84, 86, 90 and the distributor plate can be made from metal or other suitable material but they have been satisfactorily made from plastic such as polyethylene and ABS. A neoprene belt with plastic pulleys, provides a continuous smooth drive that tends to be self-cleaning and helps reduce problems of abrasion, caking and corrosion.

As was briefly described hereinbefore, the two bent strap metal braces 34 and 36 and a bridging brace piece (FIG. 4) are used to connect the frame piece 24 (wheel suspension) to the handle and carton saddle assembly. The lower legs 104 and 105 of the braces are bowed and terminate along the outer surface and beside the rear portion of the depending flange 68 of the frame piece 24, being rigidly secured thereto, as by welding or the like.

The mid portions 106 and 107 of the two strap metal braces 34 and 36 embrace and, with the bridge brace piece 38, are rigidly secured to the lower end of the bottom half 110 of the tubular handle assembly 40, as by welding. The handle assembly 40 extends upwardly, parallel with the rear bent up portion 66 of the frame piece so it will be inclined approximately 45.degree. to ground level when the forward frame platform 60 is horizontal. The upper brace piece legs 108 and 109 diverge at equal angles to provide a 90.degree. divergence from a point located approximately at the front surface of the lower tubular handle section 110 to position a square corner rear edge of a carton, as will be described.

The handle assembly 40 includes the lower tubular section 110 and an upper tubular section 112, the upper end of section 110 telescoping over the lower end of handle section 112 as shown in FIG. 3. Upper tubular section 112 can be secured to lower tubular section 110 at various telescoped positions by sheet metal screws 114, or a spring loaded pin, or the like, to permit operators of different heights to adjust the handle to a proper height for maintaining a level distributor plate 32 during application of material.

A rotary control rod 52 is made from two pieces 52 and 53. As shown in detail FIG. 10, the lower rod piece 53 has a flattened upper end 120 the tip of which is secured to one aperture in an apertured disc 122 by welding. The lower end 124 of the upper control rod 52 is flattened and freely slides in a second slotted aperture 126 in the disc 122. Disc 122 is maintained in axial disposition at the upper end of the lower tubular handle section 110 because the lower control rod 53 is axially maintained at its lower end, as will be described. Disc 122 is thus a coupling between the upper and lower control rod pieces 52 and 53 permitting adjustment in its length whenever the length of the handle assembly 50 is changed. The aforedescribed bent upper end 54 of control rod 52 enables an operator to rotate the control rods 52 and 53 between "on" and "off" positions to control material flow from the subsidiary hopper chamber 46 onto the rotary distributor plate 32.

Best seen in FIG. 7, but also shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8 is the lower carton saddle piece 42, a specially formed sheet metal member made from a flat base plate 130 of substantially triangular form with flanges along all of its edges. The forward straight edge of plate 130 has its flange 132 (FIG. 8) doubled under the plate and strengthens the front edge. Along each side and the rounded rear extension 136 of plate 130 the flange 134 is turned up at a 90.degree. angle to embrace and connect, as by welding, to the lower edge of a one piece, winged wall, vertical sheet metal piece 140.

Vertical saddle piece 140 has wing formed vertical side walls 142 and 144 which diverge at 90.degree., and converge at their rear portions with a specially shaped integral chamber 46, having an appearance somewhat like an inverted cone. The two divergent side walls 142 and 144 fit between and are secured, as by welding, to the divergent upper legs 108 and 109 of the respective heavy strap braces 34 and 36, which makes the side walls rigid and provides the lower saddle piece 42 secured to the handle to receive and help support a carton of material. When the corner of a carton 22 (FIG. 2) rests in between the 90.degree. divergent side walls 142 and 144, its rear upwardly inclined corner edge will lay along the tubular handle piece 110 and the upper end of the carton 22 will be disposed in the upper saddle piece 48.

The upper saddle piece is effectively an aligning cap to assure that the carton remains snug with the spreader unit while material is being applied. It has a flat triangular top portion 148, two side walls 150 and 152 divergent at 90.degree. and attachment legs 154 and 156. The attachment legs 154 and 156 are curved to embrace the tubular handle 110 and are slotted at 157 to receive a bolt and nut assembly 158 passing through aligned holes in the tubular handle piece 110. The leg slots 157 and plural aligned sets of holes (not shown) in the handle piece 110 enable vertical adjustment of the top carton saddle piece 48 to accommodate cartons of differing length. The saddle may be shaped to accommodate cartons or containers of cross-section shape other than square.

When a carton is inserted into the saddle parts 42 and 48, the lowermost rear corner of the carton will form a front closure wall for the subsidiary hopper or chamber 46. The lower end 160, of control rod 53 extends from the lower end of tubular handle piece 110, through a close fitting hole in the conical wall of chamber 46 and positioned rearwardly of the lower rear corner of a carton.

Illustrated in FIG. 9, the lower end 160 of the control rod 53 is threaded and extends through an aperture 162 in the rounded rear portion 136 of the saddle bottom plate 130. A sector shaped discharge opening 164 is formed in the rearward bottom plate portion 136 forward of the control rod aperture 162. On the upper side of bottom plate 130 the threaded end of rod 53 carries a lock nut 165, (or the rod can be staked) to provide an abutment, and passes through a small bushing 166 (nylon or the like) which provides a limit stop to help axially position the lower control rod.

The threaded end 160 of rod 53 passes through a very thin leaf spring rate control plate 170, which is freely pivotable on the rod against the bottom of saddle bottom plate 130, and has a leaf spring operating lever 172 disposed on the underside of the saddle bottom plate. A lug 174 on the end of lever 172 will be spring biased by the lever itself into a selected one of several holes 176 arranged in a circular arc about the rod aperture 162. The lower end 178 of rate plate 170 has a sector form slightly larger than the sector shaped discharge opening 164 in the saddle bottom plate, and will close or open the discharge opening a predetermined amount, depending on which of the holes 176 the lug 174 spring leaf lever 172 is moved to and engaged with. In this manner, the discharge rate can be pre-set by an operator in accord with the type of material being applied.

Overlaying the thin, rate control plate is a round semi-disc 180 which has a sector cutout 182 equal in angular extent to the sector opening 164 in saddle bottom plate 130. The disc plate 180 is slightly bowed so its outer edge will overlay the rate plate sector end 178 and bear against the lower surface of saddle bottom plate 130. The disc 180 can be non-rotatably secured to the threaded end 160 of the control rod in any manner, but is shown as having a nut 184 welded to the disc, threaded on the rod end 160 and locked in place by a locknut 186. Thus, rotation of the control lever 54 to one or the other of its limit positions will rotate the sector cutout 182 of flow control disc 180 to overlay and open the discharge port 164 or to completely close the discharge port so no material can pass onto the distributor plate.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 7, a piece of bent strap metal 44 is welded to the saddle side wall 144 a short distance above the saddle bottom plate 130 with its free end extending forward, parallel with the bottom plate and inclined about 20.degree. away from the side wall. The protruded metal piece 44 is pointed and sharpened at its free projected end 190 (spaced an inch or two from the wall) and constitutes a carton piercing and aperture forming blade 44 disposed near the lower rear corner position of a carton 22 when inserted.

When a carton 22 is inserted into the saddle piece it will be placed at the front of and slid back along the side walls 144 and 152. As the carton 22 is forced into the saddle assembly, with one carton wall sliding along one wall of the saddle assembly, the point 190 of blade 44 pierces the adjacent side wall of the carton 22 near its bottom, cuts a flap into the wall of the carton and pushes and holds the flap inside of the carton. This action provides a discharge aperture in the lower corner of the carton 22, permitting flow of material from the carton into the small subsidiary hopper or chamber 46 located above the controlled discharge opening 164. The knife blade 44 then being situated inside of the carton 22 will help maintain the carton in the saddle, and still the carton can readily be removed, inverted and stored if any material remains after the desired amount of material is applied.

When a carton of material is punctured, the knife member actually cuts a flap and bends it into the carton, making an opening larger than the maximum opening through the control discharge opening 164 from the hopper 46. Material can then flow from the carton and it will pass into the confined chamber of the subsidiary hopper 46. Flow from a punctured carton will vary, so in order to provide the desired continuous flow under quantity control to the distributor plate, the subsidiary hopper provides a buffer storage or a surge bin which is used to reduce or eliminate variations which can occur in the flow from the carton.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the scope, spirit, or essential characteristics thereof. Present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A material spreading combination, comprising a wheeled spreader unit and a separate material container-hopper means, said spreader unit comprising: means for receiving and maintaining said container-hopper means in a predetermined disposition on said spreader unit and for simultaneously enabling discharge of material from a lower portion of said container-hopper means; a rotary material spreading device having a powered drive connection providing rotation during spreader unit operation; and material flow directing means adjacent said container-hopper means lower portion for receiving and passing material from said container-hopper means during spreader operation to said rotary material spreading device, whereby said container-hopper means is a separate, material container when dissociated from said spreader unit and is a hopper when received on said spreader unit, during said spreader operation.

2. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said separate material container-hopper means lower portion includes wall means adapted to be ruptured to provide a discharge aperture upon insertion into said wheeled spreader unit.

3. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said spreader unit container-hopper means receiving and maintaining means includes saddle means to receive said container-hopper means and said saddle means incorporates means for rupturing said container-hopper means lower portion wall means and enabling material flow from said container-hopper means through said material flow directing means to said material spreading device.

4. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for rupturing said container-hopper means lower portion wall means is a knife-like projection secured to a lower portion of said saddle means.

5. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said saddle means is open on one side to enable insertion of said container-hopper means in an essentially lateral manner.

6. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said saddle means has a pair of cooperating container-hopper means embracing means contoured to the shape of said container-hopper means to enable insertion of the container-hopper means into and an embracing retention of said container-hopper means.

7. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said material flow directing means comprises a subsidiary hopper portion in said spreader unit, adjacent the lower portion of the inserted container-hopper means, which provides a buffer material storage and flow communication passage, selectively controlled to discharge material onto said rotary material spreading device.

8. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 7, wherein control means are provided with a portion adjacent the outlet of said subsidiary hopper for controlling passage of material from said subsidiary hopper and thereby controlling flow from said container-hopper means.

9. The material spreading combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said control means comprise selective on-off flow control means and a selectively controlled means for determining material flow discharge rate.

10. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 8, wherein a tubular handle device extends upwardly from a lower terminal portion secured immediately adjacent said subsidiary hopper portion and said control means includes operator link means passing through said tubular handle device to a manual operator means adjacent the upper end of said handle device.

11. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said manual operator means is arranged as a part of on-off flow control means.

12. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said tubular handle device and said operator link means each include means enabling adjustment in the length of the handle and the operator link means, respectively, to assure proper orientaton of said material distributing device regardless of the height of the user.

13. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary material spreading device is a plate type broadcast spreading rotor.

14. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said wheeled unit includes ground engaging wheel means and said powered drive connection includes a belt and pulley drive means from the wheel means to said rotor.

15. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 14, wherein said belt and pulley system includes a round neoprene belt in tensioned assembly and plastic pulleys with smoothly contoured grooves.

16. A material spreading apparatus comprising a wheeled spreader unit and a separate material container-hopper means, said spreader unit comprising: means for receiving and maintaining said container-hopper means in a predetermined disposition on said spreader unit and for simultaneously opening a discharge aperture in a wall of said container-hopper means closely adjacent a part of said container-hopper means which is lowermost with respect to its orientation on said spreader; a rotary material spreading device having a powered drive connection providing rotation during spreader unit operation; and a material receiving and flow directing means adjacent said container-hopper means discharge aperture for receiving, confining and passing material from said container-hopper means in a selectively controlled manner during spreader operation to said rotary material spreading device, whereby said separate container-hopper means is a separate material container when dissociated from said spreader unit and is a hopper when received on said spreader unit, during said spreader operation.

17. A wheeled material spreader unit for use with a separate material container-hopper means, said spreader unit comprising: means adapted to receive and maintain a container-hopper means in a predetermined disposition on said spreader unit and for simultaneously rupturing a wall of the container-hopper means to permit material to flow from the container-hopper means; a rotary material spreading device having a powered drive connection providing rotation during spreader unit operation; and a material flow directing means adjacent said means for rupturing a container-hopper means wall for receiving, confining and directing material to said rotary material spreading device during spreader operation, whereby a container-hopper means is a separate material container when dissociated from said spreader unit and is a hopper when received on said spreader unit, during said spreader operation.

18. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said material flow directing means includes means for selectively controlling flow to said rotary material spreading device.

19. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 18, including a tubular handle device extending upwardly from a lower terminal portion secured immediately adjacent said material flow directing means and said means for controlling flow of material includes operator link means passing through said tubular handle device to a manual operator means adjacent the upper end of said handle device.

20. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 19, wherein said manual operator means is arranged as a part of on-off flow control means.

21. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 19, wherein said tubular handle device and said operator link means each include means enabling adjustment in the length of the handle and the operator link means, respectively, to assure proper orientation of said material distributing device regardless of the height of the user.

22. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for selectively controlling flow comprises selective on-off flow control means and a selectively controlled means for determining material flow discharge rate.

23. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said container-hopper means receiving and maintaining means includes saddle means to receive a carton of material and said saddle means incorporates means for rupturing a wall of the carton so material can flow from the carton to said material spreading device.

24. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 23, wherein said means for rupturing a carton is a blade projection secured to a lower portion of said saddle means.

25. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 23, wherein said saddle means is open on one side to enable insertion of a stiff walled carton of material in an essentially lateral introduction path.

26. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 25, wherein said saddle means has a pair of cooperating carton embracing means contoured to the shape of a carton to enable insertion of the carton into and an embracing retention of the carton.

27. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 23, wherein said material receiving and flow directing means comprises a subsidiary hopper portion in said spreader unit, adjacent the lower portion of said saddle means which provides a buffer material storage and flow communication passage, selectively controlled to discharge material onto said rotary material spreading device.

28. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said simultaneous wall rupturing means comprises a projection member for making an aperture in a lower part of a container-hopper means wall portion.

29. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said container-hopper means receiving, maintaining and simultaneous wall rupturing means comprise a side opening carton saddle means arranged to receive, embrace and open a carton of material to be dispensed.

30. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 29, wherein said saddle means includes an upper part and a lower part, both parts having walls divergent from a closed condition near the rear of the spreader to an open front, said lower saddle part including a blade member projecting forwardly between the divergent walls.

31. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 30, wherein said blade member is an elongate flat unit with its elongate form projecting from adjacent one side wall at an angle to at least one of said divergent walls.

32. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 29, wherein a lower portion of said saddle means includes bulged wall means providing a subsidiary hopper with an outlet having said material receiving and flow directing means.

33. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 29, wherein said lower portion of said saddle means includes a flat bottom wall, said bulged wall means comprising rearwardly convergent side walls with a bulged configuration at the rear portion immediately adjacent said flat bottom wall thereby defining said subsidiary hopper; and control means are provided with a portion adjacent the outlet of said subsidiary hopper for controlling passage of material from said subsidiary hopper to said rotary material spreading device.

34. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 33, wherein a tubular handle device extends upwardly from a lower terminal portion secured immediately adjacent said subsidiary hopper portion and said control means includes operator link means passing through said subsidiary hopper and said tubular handle device to a manual operator means adjacent the upper end of said handle device.

35. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 34, wherein said manual operator means is arranged as a part of on-off flow control means.

36. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 34, wherein said tubular handle device and said operator link means each include means enabling adjustment in the length of the handle and the operator link means, respectively, to assume proper orientation of said material distributing device regardless of the height of the user.

37. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 34, wherein said means for selectively controlling flow includes a pivoted plate valving means through the flat bottom wall of said subsidiary hopper, said operator link means includes a rotatable rod and said rod is secured to said valving means for operating said valving means between an open and a closed condition.

38. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 33, wherein said means for selectively controlling flow comprise selective on-off flow control means and a selectively controlled means for determining material flow discharge rate.

39. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 29, wherein an elongate essentially vertical handle means is rigidly secured to a rear upright portion of said saddle means.

40. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 39, wherein said elongate handle means includes means enabling selective adjustment in the length of said handle means.

41. A wheeled material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, including a wheeled suspension frame means disposed under said means for receiving and maintaining a container-hopper means, brace means rigidly fastening said frame means to said means for receiving and maintaining a container-hopper means, a lateral axle with a ground engaging wheel on each end journalled in said frame means, means providing a drive engagement between at least one wheel and said axle; said rotary material spreading device being a rotary type horizontal material distribution plate journalled on said frame means with a portion of the rotary path of said plate disposed under said material flow directing means, and a belt and pulley system journalled on said frame means providing drive power from said wheels to said distribution plate.

42. A wheeled material spreader unit as defined in claim 41, wherein said belt and pulley system includes a highly resilient flexible round belt transferring drive power from a pulley on the wheel axle to a driven pulley secured to said rotary plate and a concave groove idler pulley is journalled on said frame and cooperates with one stretch of said belt to enable conversion from the perpendicular drive pulley to the horizontal driven pulley.

43. A wheeled spreader unit as defined in claim 41, wherein said frame means is a single piece sheet metal stamping.

44. A material spreading unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said rotary material spreading device is a plate type broadcast spreading rotor.

45. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 44, wherein said wheeled unit includes ground engaging wheel means and said powered drive connection includes a belt and pulley drive means from the wheel means to said rotor.

46. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 45, wherein said belt and pulley system includes a round neoprene belt in tensioned assembly and plastic pulleys with smoothly contoured grooves.

47. A wheeled material spreading unit comprising: a rotary material spreading device having a powered drive connection providing rotation during spreader unit operation; a hopper means including a material flow directing means for receiving confining and directing material to said rotary material spreading device; a single piece wheeled suspension frame means disposed under said hopper means, brace means rigidly fastening said frame means to said hopper means; a lateral axle with a ground engaging wheel on each end journalled in said frame means, providing a drive engagement between at least one wheel and said axle; said rotary material spreading device being a rotary type horizontal material distribution plate journalled on said frame means with a portion of the rotary path of said plate disposed under said material flow directing means, and a belt and pulley system journalled on said frame means providing drive power from said wheels to said distribution plate.

48. A wheeled spreader unit as defined in claim 47, wherein said belt and pulley system includes a highly resilient flexible round belt transferring drive power from a pulley on the wheel axle to a driven pulley secured to said rotary plate and a concave groove idler pulley is journalled on said frame and cooperates with one stretch of said belt to enable conversion from the perpendicular drive pulley to the horizontal driven pulley.

49. A wheeled spreader unit as defined in claim 47, wherein said single piece frame means is a sheet metal stamping.

50. A material spreading combination as defined in claim 47, wherein said belt and pulley system includes a round neoprene belt in tensioned assembly and plastic pulleys with smoothly contoured grooves.

51. A material spreader combination comprising: a wheeled spreader unit; separate, combined material container-hopper means for container storage of material prior to a spreading operation and hopper delivery of material to said spreader unit during a spreader operation; and means mounted on said spreader unit for interengagement with said material container-hopper means to convert said container-hopper means into a discharge hopper during a spreading operation.

52. The material spreader combination as defined in claim 51 wherein said interengagement means comprise means for puncturing said container-hopper means and for maintaining an opening in said container-hopper means during a spreading operation.