US 12,302,779 B2
Adaptable walk behind spreader
Jeffrey D. Kendall, Laurel, MD (US); Richard Sevrey, Bristol, IN (US); and Richard H. Chapman, Camillus, NY (US)
Assigned to Earthway Products, Inc., Bristol, IN (US)
Filed by Earthway Products, Inc., Bristol, IN (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/356,149.
Application 18/356,149 is a continuation of application No. 18/170,219, filed on Feb. 16, 2023, granted, now 12,245,539.
Application 18/170,219 is a continuation of application No. 17/245,193, filed on Apr. 30, 2021, granted, now 12,120,974.
Application 17/245,193 is a continuation of application No. 15/786,064, filed on Oct. 17, 2017, granted, now 10,993,368, issued on May 4, 2021.
Application 15/786,064 is a continuation of application No. 14/886,183, filed on Oct. 19, 2015, granted, now 9,820,430, issued on Nov. 21, 2017.
Application 14/886,183 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/875,056, filed on Oct. 5, 2015, granted, now 10,225,976, issued on Mar. 12, 2019.
Application 14/875,056 is a continuation of application No. 13/919,682, filed on Jun. 17, 2013, granted, now 9,198,345, issued on Dec. 1, 2015.
Application 13/919,682 is a continuation of application No. 13/661,620, filed on Oct. 26, 2012, granted, now 9,192,094, issued on Nov. 24, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/066,621, filed on Oct. 21, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/552,030, filed on Oct. 27, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0371422 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. A01C 17/00 (2006.01); A01C 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC A01C 17/008 (2013.01) [A01C 15/02 (2013.01); A01C 17/001 (2013.01)] 31 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adaptable walk behind spreader for dispersing particulate material in different spread patterns, the walk behind spreader comprising:
a frame;
a push handle mounted to the frame;
a pair of wheels mounted to the frame;
a hopper mounted to the frame and configured to hold particulate material;
a plurality of exit openings including first, second and third exit openings through which particulate material held in the hopper can selectively pass;
a spread control assembly disposed below the hopper and configured to control flow of the particulate material through the first, second and third exit openings; and
a dispersing mechanism disposed below the spread control assembly and configured to disperse particulate material passing through the spread control assembly,
wherein the spread control assembly comprises a spread control mechanism that is movable between a deactivated position where none of the first, second and third exit openings are covered by the spread control mechanism and an activated position where two of the first, second and third exit openings are covered by the spread control mechanism and one of the first, second and third exit openings is not covered by the spread control mechanism,
wherein the adaptable spreader disperses particulate material in an unaltered spread pattern when the spread control mechanism is in the deactivated position and in an altered spread pattern when the spread control mechanism is in the activated position,
wherein the unaltered spread pattern disperses particulate material to first and second opposite sides of the spreader,
wherein the altered spread pattern impedes dispersion of particulate material to the first side of the spreader and disperses the particulate material to the second side of the spreader,
wherein the dispersing mechanism rotates on an axis of rotation,
wherein all of the plurality of exit openings are positioned on one side of a plane that is coextensive with the axis of rotation.