Feed Wagon Rolls On Pipe Through Barn

Feed Wagon Rolls On Pipe Through Barn GRAIN HANDLING Wagons (63E) 21-2-6 "Our cattle feed out of both sides of a feed bunk located in our cattle shed. To fill it with a tractor and wagon, we had to kick all the cows out. To solve the problem, we modified a Schuler feed wagon to ride on 2 1/2-in. dia. pipe rails above the bunk," says John Van Esch, Chilliwack, British Columbia. "The wagon runs above a belt conveyor that delivers corn silage from an upright silo. We use a tractor loader to fill the wagon with grass silage from a bunker silo. "We removed the cross auger from the wagon and replaced it with a chute that goes the width of the wagon. The ends of the chute are hinged, so I can feed out either side, or both. I moved the rear axle back and mounted a pickup axle on front. All tires were removed. The rims ride on the rails. "There are two hydraulic motors. One drives the pickup axle and the other operates the wagon. A 5-hp. electric motor powers a hydraulic pump. To supply electricity, a steel cable runs the length of the feed bunk. An electric cable is strapped to steel rings which slide along the cable so it can follow the feed wagon. All controls are on one corner of the wagon so I can operate everything from one spot. "At the far end of the feed bunk, the lever control on the drive motor is flipped by a bar so the wagon reverses automatically. "I can run the belt feeder and wagon at the same time. Because of the low ceiling in the barn, I had to to modify the trusses so we could fill the wagon with the loader." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Van Esch, 8905 Upper Prairie Rd., Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 6H4 Canada (ph 604 794-3222).

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