Finn B260 SEB - Crew Members and Their Duties; Feeding the Mulch

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CREW MEMBERS AND THEIR DUTIES:
1. The Operator controls the placement of the mulch on the seedbed by moving the discharge assembly.
He also controls the movement of the towing truck along the seedbed by using a predetermined set
of signals with the signal horn.
2. The Bale Handlers operate from the truck bed and supply the power feed assembly with bales of
mulch material; they cut and dispose of bale twine or wire, and keep the power feed chute full of
material with no gaps so there will be no interruption in distribution of the mulch to the seedbed.
3. The Truck Driver follows the directions of the operator for the movement of the towing truck. The
truck driver should be cautious in stopping the truck so crew members are not thrown off balance.
FEEDING THE MULCH:
The power feed assembly of the Finn Straw Blower has been designed to give fast, uniform, mechanical
feeding. The adjustable feeding rate allows use of varied materials and at the same time obtains maximum
production.
The power feed assembly, by means of a power feed chain, feed the mulch material at an adjustable rate to
the separator roll which drops the bats into the shredder housing.
The power feed assembly is driven by a hydraulic motor mounted on the top side of the power feed chute
and is controlled by the operator at the discharge control station. The power feed control is a lever which,
when it is pulled back from the center position, makes the power feed chain run away from and when pushed
forward from the center position causes the power feed chain to move toward the shredder housing. Forward
or rearward, the further the lever is moved, the faster the chain travels. Once a speed has been selected, cen-
tering the lever stops the chain and returning the lever to the same position gives the same speed. Through
use of the power feed control lever, the operator can momentarily stop the feeding cycle when wet bales
are encountered or when it's necessary to stop application because of driveways, bridge abutments, etc.
The operator can slow down or speed up the rate of feeding depending on the type of material that is being
encountered bale-by-bale.
To start the power feed, push the control lever slowly until the desired speed is reached. It is necessary for
bale handlers to keep the power feed chute completely full at all times to get the maximum production rate
of the Finn Straw Blower.
The operator should have a full stream of mulch coming at all times, directing the material to the area to be
mulched. He has complete control of the power feed mechanism by the use of the control lever and can vary
the rate of feed instantaneously to fit all conditions. If the bale handlers are unable to keep the feed chute
full, the operator should slow the feed down slightly until the bale handlers can keep up. This gives a more
uniform application. If the feed rate is not fast enough for good bright straw, and the control handle is full
forward, move the handle to the right and then forward into the high speed forward slot.
It is suggested that every truckload of mulch, the power feed tray is emptied to allow the operator to remove
any wire or twine from around the feeder roll.
Rate of feed should never be set beyond the capacity of the machine to compensate for the poor quality of
mulch material being used as overloading the machine will occur, causing extensive wear and maintenance
problems.