The Variospeed stepless gearbox is designed to minimise start-up torque load © Kverneland

A stepless transmission option developed for the larger two- and three-auger models in the Siloking trailed diet feeder range from Kverneland is designed to reduce stresses and strains on tractor pto systems.

The hydro-mechanical Variospeed is available as an alternative to the oil-lubricated planetary gearbox installed as standard in the vertical tub machines.

High torque load can already be mitigated with this gearbox by adding the optional “soft start” clutch, which enables drive to the second and third augers to be engaged once the first one is under way.

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This feature is reckoned to be particularly helpful when high-fibre rations become compacted either from being transported over some distance or left in the mixer for a while.

Power requirement and fuel consumption are said to be reduced with Vario speed © Kverneland

However, the new Variospeed transmission is said to offer benefits in addition to easing start-up torque load, such as reducing power requirement and fuel consumption, smoothing driveline vibration and providing easily adjustable auger speeds to fine-tune the blending process.

Three pre-set speeds are available at the press of a button on the machine controller for cutting, mixing and discharging a ration, and they can also be selected from the loader cab using a remote unit.

Variospeed has been developed for the Siloking TrailedLine 4.0 range, including the twin-auger Premium 3022 machines with 22-30cu m capacities; the three-auger Duo Avant 3227 in 27 and 32cu m sizes; and the triple-auger System 1000+ 3327 and 4535 machines, available with six capacities from 27 to 45cu m.